After allegations that a privatisation unit official met a businessman while the super yachts’ privatisation process was still open, the finance ministry would not say whether or not the official in question was suspended from the board at least until investigations are concluded.

“There is an investigation process going on with regards to this privatisation process so there is no further comment to make on this issue at this stage,” said a spokesperson for the Finance, the Economy and Investment Ministry in reply to questions.

The investigation was launched after on Monday, 17 May, when speaking in parliament, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat asked whether the Prime Minister had any information regarding a bribe that could have been asked for during the super yachts’ privatisation process, last summer.

On returning from abroad, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi reported the case to the police claiming he had not known about it.

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech had confirmed he had received information on the matter and said he had met the individuals in question, who denied they were involved in anything of the sort. Clarifying the matter in parliament, he had said that he had been satisfied with the outcome of that meeting because the information he had was only “hearsay”.

Yet the police investigation is into its third week.

The meeting between the privatisation unit official and the businessman with one of the bidding companies was said to have taken place over lunch in a Paceville restaurant when the bidding process was still open.

Bidding conditions in the government’s privatisation document stipulate that any of the prospective bidders could not contact any privatisation unit member except the chairman whom they could only contact to request information and seek clarification. It also stated that bidders who breached such conditions could be disqualified.

The super yacht bidding process was shelved, yet the allegations doing the rounds regarding the super yachts’ process can lead to further issues on other privatisation processes, including the dockyard one.