It was shameful that the government had run a crusade against the office of the auditor of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority who now found himself in a position in which he could not carry out his duties, Roderick Galdes, Labour Party spokesman on planning said. This Mepa structure urgently needed to be strengthened, he said.

Between October 2007 and June 2008 19 audit reports had been carried out, apart from 12 other investigations which have not yet been concluded. This was minimal and it was obvious the office had been left toothless against abuses.

This office, Mr Galdes said, had been set up in agreement between the government and the opposition. Under Minister George Pullicino before the election the government attitude militated against accountability transparency and it seemed that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had not seen the need to remedy this.