Malta Labour Party spokesman for infrastructural services Joe Mizzi said the “farcical resignation” of former minister Michael Falzon as chairman of the Water Services Corporation confirmed how right the Labour Party was in its criticism of unbridled overspending by the government on every project.

In a letter to Mr Falzon dated 9 August, Minister Austin Gatt had remarked on variations in costs for two drainage plants and said it was not possible that no one was accountable for this. Mr Falzon, as chairman of the WSC, was offended and instead of explaining, had resigned, said Mr Mizzi.

Dr Gatt did not accept the resignation, and after the two sides met a huge U-turn was announced. It was said that, at the meeting, Mr Falzon had explained that the WSC board felt the same as the minister about the costs variations. Mr Falzon also said he was inclined to continue as chairman while the minister expressed satisfaction at the explanation given.

In the light of all this, said Mr Mizzi, Mr Falzon’s resignation did not make sense. If, as Mr Falzon had said, the WSC board’s position about the costs variations was the same as Dr Gatt’s, why did Mr Falzon feel he needed to resign as chairman?

At the same time, Dr Gatt should explain the change in his attitude because what he said to Mr Falzon in his letter, and what he said to Mr Falzon after the meeting were totally different.

Mr Mizzi said that in the light of all this, the finance ministry had a duty to publish all the details about the costs variations. The WSC had the duty to publish detailed explanations for each variation.

There have been changes in everything relating to the drainage plants – changes about when they were due to start operating, and changes about how much they were going to cost, said Mr Mizzi.

Meanwhile, the Invest-ment, Industry and Information Technology Ministry, saying that Mr Mizzi’s statement was full of inaccuracies, said the government expected the opposition to act with responsi-

bility so that, through its behaviour, the opposition would not prejudice the

public interest.

It was referring to Mr Mizzi’s request to publish the detailed information relating to the costs variations. As in all other processes, the ministry said, it would lay these details on the table of the House of Representatives which would not prejudice public interest in the context of the contractual position of the Water Services Corporation.

The ministry said Dr Gatt had never asked for the resignation of the board or its chairman. Indeed, he felt that the resignation was not necessary and had refused it immediately.

In the light of information the minister had regarding costs variations relating to the construction of the drainage plants, the minister had made recommendations as laid out in the letter to the board of 9 August. Everything had been documented.

The ministry said the board’s reply of 16 August, which the minister saw on 21 August, clearly indicated that the board agreed with all the minister’s recommendations of 9 August.