Former Nationalist party leader Adrian Delia has gone to Facebook to publicly call out Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia and question him on a call for applications for the vacant post of Land Enforcement Chief Officer.
In a social media post published on Wednesday evening, Delia’s said that the call for applications was set up to be taken up by Transport Malta’s Maritime Enforcement Manager Patrick Pollacco.
Delia referred to Pollacco as a close friend of Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Delia then wrote about Pollacco’s involvement within the dinghies tender revealed by PN’s spokesperson on maritime transport, Ivan Castillo.
Delia said that according to numerous sources in the end of this July, five enforcement boats belonging to Transport Malta were lying idle under a tent, despite being worth €1.2 million and being reportedly purchased for €900,000 following a call for tenders.
On July 31st, Castillo stated that even following repairs, the five boats did not fall under the required specifications. This has left 18 Transport Malta officers to use two boats between themselves – one of which is faulty.
Delia sarcastically asked Farrugia online if Pollacco was on the selection board for this “dirty tender” after questioning Pollacco’s fit as Chief Officer of Land Enforcement.
This remark comes in the context that Pollacco is currently Transport Malta’s Maritime Enforcement Manager, which means that the aforementioned “dirty tender” fell directly under his jurisdiction, Delia said.
Moreover, Delia made another allegation that the offer for this tender was accepted despite being received after the stipulated closing date and time; in the former PN leader’s words, this tender was accepted “abusively and illegally”.
The Nationalist MP then concluded this Facebook post by asking Minister Farrugia to submit his resignation “instead of appointing Mr. Pollacco, as has already been decided.”