The Nationalist Party on Saturday referred to the judgment handed down by the Court of Magistrates as a Criminal Court, linking it to the scandal involving two ministers and a job given to an unqualified person.
A court of law, the PN said, found Joseph Baldacchino, the former CEO of the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS), guilty of taking private advantage for himself or for the benefit of another person during his tenure in that position between 2016 and 2018. He was found guilty of stealing or using government funds entrusted to him by virtue of his role.
Among the various incidents proven and found guilty in court, it emerged that Joseph Baldacchino misappropriated public funds to pay for a personal meal, hired a worker paid by the public agency to spend three working days cleaning his personal boat, took a shower tray purchased with AWAS Agency funds to install in his private residence, and used AWAS Agency funds to purchase a pump, paint, and a stainless steel pipe for his personal use.
The court declared that Joseph Baldacchino, as CEO of the AWAS Agency, criminally misused public funds to serve his personal needs and, by abusing his position, systematically exploited both the workers and funds of the Agency for his own personal and private purposes.
The PN condemned such behaviour, which reflects the way government entities are being managed – yet another confirmation of an episode of abuse of funds and resources belonging to the Maltese public.
In recent times, we have seen the same attitude from Ministers within the Government, who had no qualms about awarding €70,000 to their wives, while the Prime Minister allows everything to proceed without consequence, offering nothing but a simple “sorry”, the PN said.
“How can the same Government expect better from entities and public officials under its jurisdiction? Leadership sets the example.”
The statement was signed by Darren Carabott, Shadow Minister for the Interior, Security, and Reforms