From Dr F. Vassallo

The chairman of the Malta Maritime Authority, Dr Marc Bonello, refers to the article entitled “‘Excellent names’ involved in the yacht licensing scandal” (TMIS, 24 June).

The article refers to a report carried in the e-newspaper maltastar.com on 23 June, which alleged that a key person involved in the scandal is a female cousin of Malta Maritime Authority chairman Marc Bonello.

The article further quotes maltastar.com as reporting that Dr Bonello’s cousin who works in the Small Ships Licensing Department at the MMA assisted in the shredding and disposing of important documents, which should have served as important evidence in police investigations.

As he has already informed maltastar.com in writing, Dr Bonello categorically denies that he has a cousin or, for that matter, a relative who works in the Small Ships Licensing Department at the MMA.

The report published by maltastar.com was both factually incorrect and dishonest, and its primary intention was to tarnish the image of the chairman of the Malta Maritime Authority by association.

In the circumstances, the MMA would also have expected that The Malta Independent on Sunday would have sought to verify these facts before publishing allegations that appeared in other sections of the media.

Franco Vassallo