Once again in a never-ending series of accusations aimed at the character assassination of GRTU Director General Vince Farrugia, the Defence Counsel in the Police vs Sandro Chetcuti case that is still proceeding in Court, have produced a number of witnesses in an attempt to besmirch GRTU and its Director General by implying that GRTU Officials acted unethically and that the Director General acts intimidatory, GRTU said in a statement.
The witnesses produced by Sandro Chetcuti are still to be cross examined by the Prosecution regarding the claims made and the assertions implied against the Director General.
The Director General will take all necessary action in relation to the erroneous and misleading assertions made, possibly constituting perjury, especially regarding the meetings referred to by Perit Michael Falzon that could not have possibly been held as stated by Mr Falzon.
The GRTU Executive Council insists on clarifying the misleading impression given by its former Officers Mark Saliba and Joe Tabone of any wrongdoing in the management of the GRTU's Financial management.
GRTU, though not obliged at law, engages independent reputable professional auditing firms to be responsible for all account management, internal audit and external audit. All book keeping procedures are practiced as approved by the auditors and standard corporate financial practices are adhered to, the GRTU said.
The issues mentioned by Mr Saliba and Mr Tabone have been relentlessly explained and categorically denied publicly. The GRTU Executive Council fully comprehends the motives behind the re-emergence of these false assertions by individuals who have been voted out of the GRTU's Executive Council by a majority of members in a free election.
Mr Saliba in his testimony referred to payments not correctly accounted for and a bank account that had not been properly opened. These insinuations were raised by Mr Saliba at Executive Council level and GRTU auditors and bankers had satisfactorily explained to Mr Saliba that what he stated was wrong and that the bank account he referred to was not a GRTU account but an account opened on behalf of members on the basis of a specific agreement with Government Authorities. Mr Saliba had confirmed to the Executive Council that he was satisfied with the explanations given.
Mr Tabone raised the issue of payments due to GRTU and other constituted bodies that had assigned their rights to hold Trade Fairs to the Malta Trade Fair Corporation. These funds were distributed to the Trade Fair sponsoring bodies once the Trade Fair Corporation decided not to exercise any longer the exclusive facility the sponsoring bodies had freely awarded to the Trade Fair Corporation. Contrary to what Mr Tabone has stated in Court, the moneys GRTU has received are duly accounted for in GRTU bank accounts as certified by the independent and public auditors and as confirmed to Mr. Tabone by GRTU bankers. Mr Tabone has been briefed fully on his claims by the auditors and again the GRTU Executive Council is satisfied that Mr Tabone had accepted the verified explanation then given.
Other fallacious allegations and insinuations made by Mr Tabone, Mr Saliba and Perit Michael Falzon will be rebutted in Court by virtue of witnesses and documented evidence, as being false and fabricated for their ulterior motives, the GRTU said.