Noel Grima

An interesting background to the recent highly-publicised issue that cropped up at the Public Transport Authority, which first led to the resignation of the CEO, Gianfranco Selvaggi, and then to Minister Jesmond Mugliett being charged with obstructing the course of justice, and charged with breach of privilege and a vote of no confidence in Parliament, which were both overturned, has been revealed.

Some weeks ago, Mr Selvaggi told Minister Mugliett he wanted to leave as he was going to join a private company, Polidano Brothers, to take up a post in the tourism sector.

Mr Selvaggi said he was willing to either complete his contract as

Minister Mugliett consented to his leaving his post.

But some time later Mr Selvaggi seems to have had a change of heart and wanted to stay on as ADT’s CEO. Here however, he seems to have incurred the disapproval of ADT chairman, Joe Gerada, who told people around him he did not like such comings and goings and that he felt that Mr Selvaggi should leave, once he had decided to go.

Minister Mugliett here had to decide between his chairman and his CEO. He chose to take the chairman’s advice but government sources insist that at no time did anyone tell Mr Selvaggi to leave but just to abide by his decision – ie go.

It seems clear that Mr Selvaggi was very offended by all this and it was then that he gave the interview to The Times in which he revealed the background to the decision regarding the reinstatement of the two ADT officials found guilty of corruption, which was understood to mean that Mr Mugliett had tried to circumvent the court’s decision.

Mr Selvaggi has however since said that he never intended to harm Mr Mugliett: he was just hurt by the way he was treated.