ADPD-The Green Party says it expects the Police to initiate criminal action by arraigning all those who conspired to defraud the national exchequer through the creation of a phantom job for Rosianne Cutajar as a consultant to the CEO of the Institute for Touristic Studies (ITS).
This was stated by Sandra Gauci, Chairperson, when addressing a press conference in front of the police Headquarters in Floriana on Wednesday.
“Eight months ago we requested the Auditor General to examine the contract of employment entered into by the CEO of ITS with Rosianne Cutajar because the duties of the post contained therein clearly were incompatible with her known competencies,” stated Carmel Cacopardo, Deputy Chairperson of ADPD. “Even then we already were aware that this potentially was a case of the creation of a phantom job intended specifically to fraudulently siphon public funds.”
“The report of the Auditor General has not only confirmed this view. In addition, as a result of a meticulous investigation it has also concluded that practically all the rules relative to recruitment into the public sector were ignored. Rules which were developed over the years to ensure good governance in the public sector, of which ITS forms part, were thrown overboard. Faced with this behaviour how can government now keep boasting of good governance? It has no inkling of what it entails,” Cacopardo said.
The auditor general, in addition to establishing that there was no need to create the post of consultant to the CEO concluded that it is doubtful whether Cutajar, during her period of employment, contributed any work except for cashing her pay check. This is an abuse of public funds which, now that it is documented can be acted upon by the authorities, he added.
It is clear, added Carmel Cacopardo, that this could have been avoided if those entrusted with ensuring good governance in the public sector shouldered their responsibilities. It serves no purpose in having clear rules if those entrusted with enforcing them do not care. The creation of phantom jobs in the public sector is clearly a misappropriation of public funds. Those responsible should be arraigned in our criminal courts. It is for this purpose that we insist that the next step after the auditor’s report is criminal action against all those involved in this fraudulent action, concluded Carmel Cacopardo.
Sandra Gauci, Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party emphasised that this is not the first instance in which a phantom job has been created in the public sector. Currently criminal proceedings are in hand relative to the phantom job created for Melvin Theuma, the person who acted as go between in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Theuma was paid with this job for services rendered. Even Melvin Thuma cashed his pay check and never turned up for work.
“Subsequent to the Auditor’s report, added Sandra Gauci, one expects the Police to start preparing to commence criminal proceedings. The Auditor has carried out most of the spade work: the report contains all the proof necessary, written in crystal clear language. What is keeping the Police from starting proceedings? We expect Angelo Gafà, Police Commissioner, to take immediate steps showing that the law is applied equally to all and that the Police enforces the law in all circumstances,” Gauci said.
The members of the Police Force are in general valid persons determined to act correctly and enforce the law. Most of them are determined to ensure that they protect us common citizens from criminality. It is important that they are not obstructed in acting accordingly, she said.
“It is your duty, Mr Commissioner of Police, to ensure that all members of the police force, yourself included, act appropriately. You should ensure that no one obstructs the police officers from acting without fear or favour” concluded Sandra Gauci.