Opposition Leader Alfred Sant yesterday released four audio clips that include conversations in which Competitive-ness and Communications Minister Censu Galea admitted the existence of what he referred to as a “brimba” (spider) at the transport authority (ADT), at the time under his responsibility.

In a counter-reply issued by the Competitiveness and Communications Ministry, however, Minister Galea challenged Dr Sant, saying that he should also reveal the motives of the person who provided the recordings.

Speaking at a media conference during which journalists listened to the clips for the first time, Labour leader Alfred Sant said the clips dated back to 2001 and 2002, when Mr Galea was responsible for the ADT. Dr Sant said the minister had admitted that the authority was characterised by irregularities, but that he was “impotent to deal with the corruption, mismanagement and inefficiencies”.

In the four clips, Mr Galea can be heard speaking to a number of canvassers during meetings which, according to Dr Sant, were held at Mr Galea’s office in St Paul’s Bay.

Dr Sant said the evidence revealed that operational problems at the ADT have been accumulating steadily over the years.

Asked how mismanagement and inefficiencies at the authority necessarily meant that there was also corruption, Dr Sant said the word “brimba” showed that the situation at ADT was one that was characterised by much more than simple inefficiencies.

The Opposition Leader called on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to assume responsibility with regard to such big problems at the core of the government’s leadership.

In one of the audio clips released by the MLP, Mr Galea could be heard admitting that there was a “spider” at the ADT that was causing many problems. Mr Galea was also heard saying that the “spider” had to be destroyed, but to do so, one needed the “poison to kill it” (jrid ikollok il-velenu biex toqtolha).

In another conversation, Mr Galea could be heard admitting that it was extremely difficult for him to find someone who would accept the post of ADT chairman, while yet another conversation revealed that about 50 ADT employees had not been doing their work well, and that Lm200,000 a year in salaries was being paid for nothing.

According to what he is heard saying on the clips, “nobody is a fool and nobody would accept the post, not even for a million liri”.

However, when he spoke in Parliament about the launch of ADT in 2000, Mr Galea had said that the authority would effectively address certain problems and that decisions would be taken in the best interests of the country, said Dr Sant.

He added that between August 2000 and February 2002, two ADT chairmen – Alfred Triganza and Joe Zammit McKeon – as well as deputy chairman Piju Fenech had resigned.

Dr Sant said nothing

happens by chance and the audio clips provided evidence of the deteriorating situation at ADT over the years.

He also spoke about the scandal regarding the way driving licences were being issued. It was clear that the system was being abused and that there was a certain level of corruption at the ADT, he said.

Replying to a question regarding the identity of the people who could be heard speaking to Mr Galea in the clips, Dr Sant said one of them was an ADT employee, but he could not say whether he still worked there.

The Labour leader said the MLP would be waiting for Dr Gonzi’s reaction to the

evidence. For the time being, the Labour Party will not issue any more evidence that could possibly have a more harmful effect than that released yesterday.

In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, the Competitiveness and Communications Ministry said that Minister Galea

categorically denied Dr Sant’s allegations, saying he had always supported the establishment of the transport authority (ADT), which had replaced the Public Transport Authority.

The minister had dealt with the situation at ADT in the correct manner and the investigation he had ordered had, in fact, been carried out, it said.

The ministry made it clear that although at this stage, Dr Galea was not going to reveal the name of the person who had recorded the conversations six years ago, this person had been investigated with regard to certain shortcomings at ADT and was dismissed in October 2003, although he had later filed an appeal.

The ministry added that this person had never been a supporter of Mr Galea and it appeared that, after action had been taken against him, he was now trying to tarnish the minister’s reputation by passing on the recordings to the Opposition Leader, who was using them to try to make “cheap political capital” from them.

In yesterday’s statement, the ministry said Mr Galea was surprised that Dr Sant was participating wholeheartedly in a campaign that was being led by a person who had been found guilty of

certain irregularities.

Mr Galea challenged Dr Sant to reveal the motives of the person who had provided the recordings, to reveal who it was who had defended that person in the course of the investigations, and to reveal of what he had been found guilty.

Mr Galea has already filed a libel suit against Dr Sant in connection with this matter and the ministry said he reserved the right to take

further legal action.