The General Workers Union insisted yesterday that the lease of part of the Workers Memorial Building to ARMS Ltd was in line with the law as interpreted by the Maltese courts.

It was reacting to a report by the National Audit Office published yesterday, which said the lease of office space to the utilities billing company breached the union’s contract with the government.

In a statement the union said it had met and corresponded with officials from the National Statistics Office and gave all the information requested. It had explained how, according to legal advice it had been given, its actions were in line with the law. The NAO had told the union that it had been given different advice. The GWU had then explained that the NAO’s advice ignored legal principles established by the Maltese courts, but the NAO failed to reply.

It said the NAO’s own report declared that there were conflicting legal interpretations. The GWU said it would stick to its position even if the issue was taken further.