Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/759501
3 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2016 News www.visitgozo.com Further information please visit: www.christmasingozo.com or our facebook page Christmas in Gozo MINISTRY FOR GOZO CHRISTMAS IN GOZO 3th Dec 2016 till 8th Jan 2017 Natività - by the artist Noel Debono of allegations in 2015 the fact that Edward Caruana was his canvasser and driver. "Not only was his judgement not clouded, but he took the nec- essary decisions in a non-biased manner. One can criticise Bartolo for many things, but certainly not for incorrect behaviour." He said that he couldn't remem- ber when Rizzo first informed him of the corruption allegations, only that he had forwarded the email in question to Bartolo – who pledged that he was taking the necessary action. Bartolo dismissed concerns raised by the Nationalist Party over how he claimed to be aware of the allegations in April this year, and not in August as he first intimated. "This idea that I reasoned one way in spring and another way in summer, as though I am playing Vivaldi's Le Quattro Stagioni, is not true." He said that Edward Caruana was removed from his post as FTS procurement officer in April when Philip Rizzo raised con- cerns about his behaviour in a brief email. When the allegations grew in severity, Bartolo ordered an internal investigation that re- vealed there was prima facie evi- dence that Rizzo's claims against Edward Caruana were true. In September, the allegations were passed to the police, the Inter- nal Audit and Investigations De- partment and the Commission against Corruption. 'Bartolo's position in untenable' – PN Earlier, the PN insisted that Bartolo's position as edu- cation and employment minister is no longer tenable, claiming that he backtracked on the extent of his knowledge of Rizzo's al- legations. PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami told a press conference that Bartolo had originally said he was aware of the allegations in August, but later backtracked to say he was aware of them in April. "This alone means his position is untenable," he said. "Bartolo has been caught lying and covering up corruption, and Joseph Muscat is too weak to do anything about it." Fenech Adami accused Bar- tolo of not having done anything about the allegations, although the minister has released copies of emails in which he tells Rizzo to report the allegations to the police. "Bartolo said that Konrad Mizzi should resign be- cause of the Panama Pa- pers," shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi said during the press confer- ence. "If he believes in the 'law for h u m a n s and law for animals' he talked about back then, he has to follow the same for himself and his canvasser." Azzopardi also said that Bartolo had known of similar complaints since February 2015, as reported on Sunday by MaltaToday. In a reaction, the Labour Party said it was rich of Beppe Fenech Adami to pass judgement on oth- ers when a company he was direc- tor of was being probed by three judges in connection with ser- vices rendered to individuals sus- pected of money laundering and drug trafficking. Fenech Adami was one of two directors of Baltimore Fiduciary Services and one of their clients, CapitalOne Investment Group, was investigated by the police. The Labour Party called out Fenech Adami for failing to sit for an audit, dubbing him the "estab- lishment in person" and accus- ing him of "believing to be better than everyone and above the law". Sandro Ciliberti Education Minister publishes SMSs, emails, exchanged with former FTS CEO MIRIAM DALLI EDUCATION Minister Evarist Bartolo has published correspond- ence that was exchanged between himself and the former CEO of the Foundation for Tomorrow's School, Philip Rizzo. The email correspondence, along with text messages, were tabled in parliament last night, a day af- ter the minister made a statement de- fending his actions after learning of allegations of impropriety sur- rounding his canvasser of 24 years, Edward Caruana. The correspondence kicks off on 13 April, 2016, when Rizzo – having been appointed FTS CEO – texts Bartolo to refer to his first impressions. The Caruana broth- ers – permanent secretary Joseph Caruana and Edward Caruana – are immediately featured in Rizzo's message, who also goes on to say: "… let's not rush to throw anyone out except EDWARD CARUANA! [sic]." In one text, Bartolo tells Rizzo to treat Caruana like any nor- mal employee. "Fair but firm. No one out- side good governance regulations. He might say that he takes cheques to Gozo to make life easier for Gozitan contractors. Listen to him but let us address issues effectively through structures". In an email dated 20 April, Bar- tolo tells Rizzo: "Please understand that no one, no one, no one, enjoys immunity or is untouchable be- cause he has worked for me politi- cally since 1992. Understood?" In June, Rizzo flags dubious quo- tations submitted by Caruana for works on Gozo primary schools. Bartolo replies: "Let's keep it up our sleeves. I would like to meet on this." In another email on the possible health risk posed by artificial turf for Ghajnsielem School, Bartolo tells Rizzo not to believe one word of what Edward Caruana told him. "[…] We cannot his [sic] him run a parallel rogue operation that does not respect any procedures on how public money is spent. I would ig- nore him." An email dat- ed 10 September shows Rizzo disagreeing with the steps taken by Bartolo to transfer Caruana. "Transferring Edward with same incredibly high remuneration package is worse than doing noth- ing at all. All Gozo knows what he was up to… someone is going to ask from where during the last two years Edward got [circa] €400,000 to build a six apartment block in Rabat. Believe me, you're all play- ing with fire with highly flamma- ble material all around in each FTS project's file." Bartolo replied: "No one came forward with any tangible proof. Had been promised before your time but none materialised." Rizzo insists that Bartolo had plenty of tangible evidence and that the minister would now be judged on what he was doing: "No- body thinks you were involved then… but now your duty is clear." It was in 2012 that Rizzo, as a whistleblower, revealed how one of the highest functionaries in the civil service – the chief of the IAID herself, Rita Schembri – was conducting undeclared private business from her government of- fice and had business relationships with individuals who could have been also under investigation by the IAID. In the email to Bartolo, Rizzo adds: "On Perm. Sec. Rita Schem- bri, I had less than 20% of what I have on the Caruanas! Forgive me, Sir… it's out of respect that I risk saying so much to you." Education Minister publishes shows Rizzo disagreeing with the steps taken by Bartolo to "Transferring Edward with same body thinks you were involved Education Minister publishes of allegations in 2015 ter the minister made a statement de- message, who also goes on to say: "… let's not rush to throw anyone out except EDWARD CARUANA! [sic]." tells Rizzo to treat Caruana like any nor- mal employee. "Fair but firm. No one out- side good governance regulations. He might say that he takes cheques to Gozo to make life easier for