Silvio Parnis’s ex assistant, Vincent De Bono, suggests on Facebook that Parnis has embezzled funds raised for charity and that he preys on the vulnerable to his own financial advantage
Vincent de Bono worked for five years as Silvio Parnis’s “unpaid” campaigner and aide. De Bono says that Parnis promised him the post of his private secretary – presumably when he was appointed to Muscat’s cabinet as Minister for the South when the five years were up and Labour won the election.
But immediately after the election, Parnis dispensed with his services.
Now let’s get this straight: I have no truck with this system of patronage in which people help politicians and politicians use them so as to get something in return by way of grace and favour. It’s wrong, and it’s primitive. It should belong to another time and place: southern Italy circa 1950.
But that’s not the point. The point here is the very serious allegations which De Bono is now making against Silvio Parnis on full public view on Facebook (his account is open).
He has suggested that Parnis has embezzled funds raised for charity during a television show which De Bono worked on with him (Eur100,000). He, and others commenting on his Facebook timeline, accuse Parnis of preying on the old and the vulnerable so as to obtain their property and money. He refers to him mockingly by the nickname San Katald.
And he describes how he told Labour MP Chris Fearne, Parnis’s competitor on the constituency, everything.
He says that Parnis uses the money from coffee mornings and other events that he organises as personal income rather than as campaign funding.
I have uploaded the screen shots here.
Vincent De Bono
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What a shame on an island:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahbs_Q_Hbew
“Massive”
San Katald? That’s a first.
Dan il guvni nammirah ghax ma qadx jibza mill qilla ta’ Silvio Parnis issa huwa membru parlamentarju.
Jaghmel sew li jitkellem la hu migghuh, ghax nies bhal dan il guvnott nistaw inkunu nafu ahjar minn vera huma dawn il laburisti li hadmu kemm setaw biex issa qed ippapuha tajjeb.
Dan Silvio Parnis xi sentejn qabel l-elezzjoni kien qal li kollox ghandu lest Muscat ghall meta jirbhu l-elezzjoni. Kull persuna fejn ser tahdem, lill minn ser tahdem etc.
Bir-rispett kollu lejk Pawla, jien ma nammirahx xejn lil dan il-guvni. Li ma kienx purcinell u korrot daqs Silvio Parnis, imissu mar ghand il-pulizija u r-rapport meta ra l-abbus u mhux issa, meta ra li mhu ser jerda xejn min fuq dar il-poplu.
Min ma jikxiefx il-korruzjoni f’waqtu, ikunu korrot hu stess.
Issa ser jiekxef xghamel Silvio Parnis? U hallina Vincent! Ja qatta tradituri u sangue suga!
Nammirah?
Believe it when they say: “You get what you deserve in life”, because this is a case in point.
Notice how Chris Fearne immediately sought to take advantage of the situation? I wonder what this worthy promised De Bono.
This is exactly what I thought
If the Police Commissioner isn’t too busy investigating phantom photographers, he should immediately summon Mr De Bono and start investigating these serious claims, before someone shuts him up with some iced bun or threat.
Mhux ta’ b’xejn iqassam l-imsielet fil-coffee mornings.
Why do I have a feeling that this guy is not just a canvasser? It sounds like a jealous lover’s rant to me.
Maybe the PM knew about these allegations of embazzlement. That is why he never appointed him ”Minister of the sawt” Allegations of the sort Mr Debono is making in full view of everybody have been running around for years in the Paola area.
Will a police investigation be ordered in the face of such heinious allegations.
A clear case of libel?
Or is Mr Parnis due a visit from the boys in blue?
How credible a witness is this De Bono?
Could he be charged with complicity?
So many questions, so little time.
Xi hsibtuhom lil Silvio Parnis u lil De Bono xi Norman Vella jew biex jiehdu azzjoni malajr lill-pulizija. Peter Paul Zammit ghandu hafna aktar affarijiet importanti ta x’jaghmel milli jinvestiga lil daz-zewg …..
With what I hear in the South, and I mean deep South, nothing surprises me with regards to Silvio Parnis’s shenanigans.
Where are those ‘journalists’ who used to report every single word written on Facebook by Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono?
I understand this young man’s disappointment and him feeling betrayed. I can imagine he put in a lot of time and effort “cavassing” for Parnis.
Still, I dislike this idea of supporting a potential MP as a guarantee for a job or some other favour.
This young man appears to have enough energy, motivation and initiative to help himself. Pity he allowed Parnis to use him in this way. If he had spent those hours canvassing for Parnis in training and job searching instead, I’m sure he would be much happier and fulfilled now.
And he would only have himself to thank for, rather than being “obbligat”.
Now they will offer De Bono an iced bun and make him accept it so that he will not give the Nats pleasure.
No doubt and soon.
Jahasra kemm ghadna lura.
Politika ta’ hokkli dahri ha nhokklok tieghek. Girja sfrenata biex nirbhu elezzjoni akkost ta’ kollox.
U ghadu ma fetah ghajnejh xejn miskin, ghax mar jibki ghand l-iehor forsi jigbor xi loqma jekk baqa’.
U ftahar li fehmu sew Fearne eh u li tah ragun…u le.
‘Whistle blower’ tal-imhuh maghluqa u li jibqu maghluqa ghax ‘whistle blower’ trid tkun ma qbiltx ma’ certu affarijiet mill-bidu, jew kif sirt taf b’xi haga ta’ qerq kxift il-borma. Jigifieri li qdewh bhal ta’ gewwa kien jibqa’ halqu maghluq ghax dan kien ilu jaf?
Prosit pajjiz progressiv
Grabmania from top to bottom in the PL.
No wonder socks were the order of the day at his functions.
Just some mathematics – not Mallia style – will prove how right this Debono guy is. All the money collected has gone to his private accounts.
This Parnis guy is known to prey on the elderly and now we simply get confirmation by none other than his once closest associate.
Just further proof that Muscat is surrounded by a bunch of greedy incompetents.
Why am I not surprised? This is the new normal.
The same mentality exists in a slightly more eloquent form within the most glamourized and publicized charity in Malta as well.
If one needs to give any money – contact the ultimate beneficiary directly without the need of immoral middle agents.
Can you please provide details of the Silvio Parnis Fund for the Poor of the South where I can send my contribution. Not surprised that Mr Fearne is taking advantage of the situation because I, for one, do not think that the “minister” will get away with this.
Perhaps if Mr Fearne takes over he could be in a better position to ensure availability of medicines and their distribution to the homes of seniors – at least for the Southerners.
Update here:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-11-20/news/silvio-parnis-denies-embezzling-allegations-to-sue-for-libel-3246522370/
It’s finally come in the open from someone who is valued in the Labour party. It is quite strange how such things were public knowledge in the past but only once one of ‘his own people’ realises these things, action MIGHT be taken.
Imaginary aftermath conversation:
Why not go to the police?
But after all he might be a Labour one and all will stop there, like with Toni Abela.
Then go to Jason Azzopardi or better still to Simon Busuttil.
Oh well now you’ve been and gone and done it, Daphne! Just when the boy was being moved up a notch.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-11-20/news/silvio-parnis-denies-embezzling-allegations-to-sue-for-libel-3246522370/
Now the PL will have to come to terms with being in the driving seat. They are expected to deliver all that they promised and those who have been waiting for 25 years and are now being discarded, shall open up. It if was not so depressing it could be fun.
I find it remarkable how Mr. Debono was used so shamefully by Mr. Parnis, and when he discovered that he was used, instead of learning his lesson well, he went running after another candidate.
Can’t he be his own man? Couldn’t he just have gone to the police and that’s it? Why does he feel the need to serve another politician?
Mr Debono’s allegations are by far the more serious topic requiring immediate action from the authorities. One can only hope.
I cannot but note that Mr Debono himself was in the know for years and was ready to keep mum in return for his reward. Time will tell, but I am ready to bet that Mr Debono will not follow through if his iced bun is served on a platter.
I cannot wait for Muscat’s reaction to this whole mess (wishful thinking again) and just as ‘entertaining’ to see if Chris Fearne will deliver the iced bun.
Fejn hu il-kummissarju tal-pulizija?
zur vince li thossok xi king u tamel kunjomok DE BONO !! MA TAHSIBX LI INT PROFS DE,BONO UX ??
haga ha najdlek jekk fi zmien il programm kont taf li il flus bdew jigu ”misruqa” int KOMPLICI u mux whistle blower
Naf kif thossok. Jien kien kelli full house qabel cettina imma t-tombla rebhitha hi. Mhux fier.
Ghax ma tmurx tghidlu dal-kliem fuq Facebook, Mario?
Mario, ghandek ragun 100%. Dan qed jitkellem issa ghax mahruq mhux ghax ried li l-verita tohrog.
Kif ammetta, dan kien jaf allura ghandu jinzamm bhala komplici. Barra hekk ghandu anke jitqies bhala cuc mill-kbar ghax ta’ Gahan li hu kixef lilu innifsu.
Has this alleged fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement or what have you been drawn to the attention of Commissioner of Police Peter Paul Busuttil for his objective and dispassionate investigation?
Will charges be pressed before the Lowest of the Low Courts?
As Master of the Rolls Lord Denning once famously proclaimed: be you ever so high the Law is above you.
But then again a certain much loved Law Professor also used to caution that some are more equal than others. Which will it be one wonders for the Right Honourable Silvio Parnis, supreme Lord of the South?
I have been saying that they are a lurid bunch the whole lot for years. There isn’t one to salvage.
This guy needs help, though – psychotherapy or something.
Troppo tardi, Mr Vincent. You played the game and had you gained something none of this would have bothered you. Now wallow in your mire.
Parnis did admit to promising him a job and was quoted in The Malta Independent.