Included in the list of around 800 people who skipped their marine course but still obtained their mariners’ licence are “some excellent names” sources told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
It seems that the list includes professional people and businessmen who just could not be bothered to follow the course. The course is not really difficult, nor are the exams very tricky: the only problem is getting these people to find the time to attend.
Maltastar.com reported yesterday that a key person involved in the scandal is a female cousin of Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) chairman Marc Bonello.
The key person being investigated at the authority about the alleged bribes in the issuing of mariners’ licence, is a “pal” of Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea, Labour MP Joe Mizzi said in Parliament on Tuesday.
Mr Mizzi claimed Mr Galea had stood up for his friend at the MMA on various occasions when the managers at the authority wanted to get rid of him because they suspected foul play.
The Labour whip also revealed that officials at the Small Ships Licensing section who were being investigated for being allegedly bribed to issue mariners’ licence without the compulsory testing, were charging around Lm170 in return for a certificate. This was evident as the number of licences issued is much higher than the number of people who actually took the test.
Mr Mizzi has also claimed that documents, which can serve as important evidence for a police probe at the authority, could have been shredded and discarded.
On 5 June, government officials searched the MMA offices and questioned the officials involved, following which the police started investigations.
Mr Mizzi claimed that on the previous evening and the week before, people working at the Small Ships Licensing section shredded documents, placed them in a garbage bag and disposed of them in a skip.
The Labour whip also revealed that on the day when the minister said he knew nothing of what was going on, the man being investigated was at Minister Galea’s office, before the Parliamentary session. Mr Mizzi also said that the same person had visited the minister the day after as well.
“They have been abusing their position in that office for a long time, walking in drunk and doing whatever they wanted but because he is the minister’s ‘pal’, no one could take action, not even his superiors,” Mr Mizzi said.
Maltastar claimed that Marc Bonello’s cousin who works in the Small Ships Licensing department was, together with the minister’s friend (her boss), shredding and disposing of important documents, which should have served as important evidence in police investigations.
Maltastar also claimed that out of the over 800 false mariner’s licences being investigated by police, hundreds are believed to be from the same electoral district of Minister Galea.
Mr Mizzi is expected to reveal more information on the MMA bribery scandal in Parliament in the coming days.