Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono had a duty to explain what political and personal ties she had with Mario Camilleri, the official in her ministry who is involved in an alleged fraud involving school certificates, Labour Party leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

It was known that this official was very close politically to the minister, and served as her canvasser, while his salary was paid by Minister Debono’s private secretariat.

Dr Sant, speaking at a social activity in Marsalforn, said the Prime Minister and his ministers could not continue with their scandalous policy of ignoring everything. Mr Camilleri was shamefully involved in a case of fraud which led to a person being employed by the government. Mrs Debono had a duty to explain. For years she has been accused of unbridled clientelism in Gozo but this was too much, he said.

This was not the first case of fraud in Dr Gonzi’s government, said Dr Sant. A minister had defended someone who had been found guilty of bribery, there had been fraud in connection with social security payments and marine licences had been issued corruptly. Now that something similar was happening in the Gozo Ministry and no serious account had been given, it seemed that (former Foreign Minister) John Dalli was right to say that the government was caught up in institutionalised blackmail.

“What,” asked Dr Sant, “was keeping Dr Gonzi or Acting Prime Minister Tonio Borg from asking for a public explanation from Minister Debono?”