Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/899902
MATTHEW VELLA AN audit report that has found a "clear breach of procurement rules" at the Public Broadcasting Services by its CEO John Bundy, has been forwarded to the direc- tor of contracts for further inves- tigation. The audit found a breach of both internal rules as well as the rules laid down in the Public Procure- ment Regulations. Bundy was sacked by the PBS board of directors earlier this week, after the board had already passed a vote of no confidence in the CEO, who was appointed back in August 2016. At the heart of the audit was an unprecedented €500,000 car leas- ing deal from Burmarrad Com- mercials that Bundy was said to have carried out without seek- ing the green light from the PBS board. The director of contracts is now tasked to consider the 70-page audit's findings, and see whether they should be forwarded to the National Audit Office or to the police. Specifically, the audit report shows that only two weeks after he started in his role as CEO, Bundy, on 16 August, "intimated" with staff members about the procurement of a new car fleet for the television station. Later, instead of buying the cars, he negotiated the lease agreement, and an original nine- car fleet was replaced by 14 cars. One of them was his own car, a Peugeot 508. Bundy PBS audit could go to NAO and police Newspaper post SUNDAY • 12 NOVEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 940 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY SUNDAY • 12 NOVEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 940 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT DOWN ON THE FARM The Maltese police have still not yet had the opportunity to question the former Malta international footballer Darren Debono, after he was arrested on charges of fuel smuggling in Sicily. Debono was arrested together with Gordon Debono after Italian police terminated Operation 'Dirty Oil', an investigation into a Libyan-Maltese- Italian syndicate transporting €30 million in smuggled fuel oil out of Libya and into the European market. But officers in Malta are still await- ing Italian clearance to interrogate the two men, whose arrests took place days after the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. MaltaToday is informed the Italians have demanded first that the Attor- ney General accede to a freezing re- quest of an Italian gaming company, in return for access to the Debonos. One of the most revealing studies on farming shows just how crucial this industry is to the Maltese and our tourism industry WHY MALTA STANDS OUT 14 15 PAGE 3 Italians still not giving Malta police access to Debono FUEL SMUGGLING €1.75 SUNDAY • 12 NOVEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 940 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY 10 11 Not so fabulous PAGE 2 Debono used Maltese notary's signature to obtain foreign ministry apostille on false Libyan certificates, in a bid to deliver fuel into Italian port Nils Muznieks Human rights czar "I think it's disturbing, that in a developed democracy, you cannot have a democratic debate on abortion" In search of the lost gay club scene: has the safe space disappeared in 'progressive' Malta? 8 The RSM audit into a hush-hush €500,000 car lease deal by the sacked PBS chief executive, found a clear breach of procurement laws. It has now been passed on to Director of Contracts for referral to either the National Audit Office or the police Two weeks into his new role as CEO, on 16 August, John Bundy "intimated" with staff members about the procurement of a new car fleet for the television station Sacked: John Bundy