Economist and Director of E-Cubed Consultants Dr Gordon Cordina and his staff have left NexiaBT after the scandal involving Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi was revealed, The Malta Independent has learnt.
When contacted, Dr Cordina confirmed the split and said that, “credibility and impartiality are essential to our work. Following recent press reports, which took me completely by surprise, it was clear that I should continue the work which I had been undertaking for the past 20 years through E-Cubed Consultants.”
On the Nexia BT website, Dr Cordina (photo above, left) is not listed any more as one of the partners, together with Managing Partner Mr Brian Tonna (photo, right) and another three Maltese partners. Mr Tonna has been named as having been the adviser to both Minister Mizzi and the OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, who are under fire for opening up a company in Panama.
Dr Cordina said that neither he nor any of his staff knew or were directly involved in giving consultancy services to Minister Mizzi and Mr Schembri in the setting up of a company in Panama Dr Cordina said: “The financial transactions (regarding Panama) are not undertaken by E-Cubed Consultants Ltd. I have no direct knowledge of whether such transactions have been undertaken by other companies having the Nexia BT name, save for information appearing in the press. I was not involved in any way whatsoever in any such advice or transaction.”
E-Cubed Consultants Ltd and Nexia BT only started two months ago (photo above). On 4 January, the E-Cubed Consultants Ltd joined Nexia BT Advisory Ltd to collaborate on projects which call for expertise in economics. In a press statement issued on that day Nexia BT had said that, “A new Economics and EU Affairs Division will be formed under the leadership of Dr Gordon Cordina as Partner and Stephanie Vella as Director. This new Division will operate in synergy with the Advisory Practice, which will continue to be led by Anita Aloisio.”
In the same statement, Dr Cordina had said, “with Nexia BT’s support and its global platform, the merged organisation will be in an even better position to meet the requirements of its clients rapidly, flexibly and in a cost effective manner, using a multi-disciplinary approach. The merged organisation will furthermore focus on supporting the principal growth areas of the Maltese economy over the coming years and on extending its successful advisory model internationally”.
Now, just two months later, this merger has been dissolved.
Asked if he knew before he merged with NexiaBT that Mr Tonna had been given a role within the government, Dr Cordina replied in the negative. Last Wednesday this newsroom had revealed that Minister Mizzi had only one liaison in Malta and that was Mr Tonna himself.
The last Nexia BT activity attended by Dr Cordina last Monday
Asked if the (dissolved) merger had tarnished his and his company’s reputation, Dr Cordina said, “I am doing my best to manage the situation in a way which allows us to carry on the work which we have been doing over the years. For us this is difficult moment.”
When questioned about his views on the Panama saga, he said, "it is essential that uncertainties on policy credibility and integrity are resolved soonest for the economy to continue developing in all sectors, not least financial services."
Dr Cordina, apart from being a director of E-Cubed Consultants and university lecturer, has served and is still serving as a consultant on various national projects. In August 2006, The Malta Statistics Authority has appointed Dr Cordina as Director General of the National Statistics Office. Six months later, February 2007, Dr Cordina had resigned after the Labour Party, who at that time was in Opposition and led by Dr Alfred Sant, had spoken about inconsistencies in official figures published by NSO.
This newsroom has send questions and called several times Mr Tonna and Mr Schembri but up till today they have not replied.