Breaking news: Appeals Court nullifies tender because of suspected abuse by Labour MP Luciano Busuttil

Published: November 13, 2014 at 8:50am
Labour MP Luciano Busuttil

Labour MP Luciano Busuttil

In a judgement delivered the day before yesterday, the Appeals Court has ruled that a tender awarded by the Bormla Local Council is null and void and that the process should begin afresh.

The best bid had been disqualified, on advice by the Bormla Local Council’s lawyer, Labour MP Luciano Busuttil, because a minor piece of documentation was missing.

Even if this were true, it would not have constituted sufficient grounds for disqualification, but the company said in its law suit that it had submitted all required documentation and could not understand how this piece of paper vanished.

The tender was then awarded to the next best bidder, a company which turned out to be Luciano Busuttil’s client.

Read the Appeals Court judgement here: Luciano Busuttil tender abuse

The significant bits are selected below.

Luciano Busuttil Court 1

Luciano Busuttil Court 1 a

Luciano Busuttil Court 1 b

Luciano Busuttil Court 1 c

Luciano Busuttil Court 1 d

Luciano Busuttil  Court 2

Luciano Busuttil Court 3




80 Comments Comment

  1. Joe Fenech says:

    When people tweet non-stop in favour of the government, it’s obvious that something is wrong, and I don’t just mean ‘with their brain’.

  2. Josette says:

    Il-problemi jkollok meta tkun qed tiekol minn tlett iħluq jew aktar! Kieku ma jiġbidtx daqshekk lejh, kieku ma kienx ikollu riskju ta’ kunflitt ta’ interess bħal dan.

    [Daphne – It goes way beyond conflict of interest, Josette. What is suggested here is that Luciano Busuttil made the best bidder’s piece of paper disappear, then recommended that the company be disqualified on those grounds, so that his client would get the tender award, which it did. And that is why the tender has been nullified.]

  3. GiovDeMartino says:

    Do we have to visit this Running Commentary to learn what’s happening around us?

  4. pablo says:

    No shame, no decency, no sense of fairness – just self interest and corruption. What in fact the Court of Appeal is saying is that this lawyer sold one of his clients – the Bormla Local Council – down the sewer to benefit another of his clients, the tendering company. Disgusting.

    • Last Post says:

      Skond Mario Cutajar, l-argument gdid ta’ dal-gvern — li tela’ bl-ghajta ta’ “mod gdid kif naghmlu l-politika” u “hemm bzonn bidla fid-direzzjoni” — hu li peress li kienu ilhom fl-oppozizzjoni issa jmiss lilhom li jaghmlu l-istess.

      Jista’ jkun li l-korruzzjoni li kienu jitkazaw biha qabel issa qed jarawha taghmel sens ghalihom — wara 25 sena fl-oppozizzjoni.

      • ċapsa says:

        Mela l-ħaddiema kollha tal-Gvern imisshom jagħmlu bħas-Sur Cutajar u ma jidħlu kważi qatt għax xogħol, kif għamel hu fl-aħħar ħames snin ta’ Gvern Nazzjonalista – jekk mhux qabel ukoll – meta ma kien jidħol kważi qatt għax-xogħol.

        Imma hekk sewwa, Sur Mario Cutajar, li issa qed tipprova tilgħabha tal-qaddis.

  5. wow says:

    Unfortunately YES.

  6. Nighthawk says:

    Aw dammit! Now he’ll resign and we’ll have one less cabbage to make fun of. There’s always Silvio Parnis, of course. Don’t take him away from us too.

    • michael seychell says:

      Unfortunately Jojo and his merry team do not seem to know the meaning of the word ‘resignation’.

      • We are living in Financial Times says:

        If you think that a redefinition of “resign” as “re sign” is not a possibility where re is optional, just enquire as to what the T-shirt caption “retired gigolo” became.

  7. Lola says:

    ‘Work continues on a farmhouse in Żejtun served an enforcement notice because of infringements but developer Patrick Dalli claims he has no idea workers are on site.’

    According to the Times, this Patrick Dalli is Minister Helena Dalli’s husband.

    ‘Mr Dalli questioned whether he was being singled out because of who he was.’ Seems like a favourite ‘Dalli defence’. Typical of entitled people to want all the perks and privilages but none of the accountability.

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141113/local/ministers-husband-has-no-knowledge-of-illegal-works.543803

  8. Nighthawk says:

    oh, and of course he’ll have to be disbarred as well.

    • michael seychell says:

      Most probably the Ministry of Justice is studying this possibility – however it might take them years to arrive at the right conclusion.

  9. bernie says:

    U dan ghandu l-kuragg icappas lil haddiehor bit-tghajjir ta’ korruzzjoni. Hemm proverbju Malti car hafna dwar agir bhal dan. Min min jikkwotah bl-ispizjar u min jikkwotah bil-prostituta.

  10. Drinks With Vince Micallef says:

    Has the company reported this abuse to the Commission for the Administration of Justice? Now that the Appeals Court judgement is out, it should do so immediately.

    It should also file a complaint with the police, just for formality’s sake in this case because they are most unlikely to proceed against their own, as recent events have shown.

    • Newman says:

      Read paragraph 20. The Appeals Court ordered the Registrar to send a copy of the judgment to the Attorney General and the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

      The Court would only do something like that if it felt that the matter is serious and that it should be investigated.

  11. Back to the 70's says:

    Dan iehor fidil, miskin. Il-plant li kien mdahhal fih snin ilu f’Ta Kandja/Mqabba mhux bla permess kien ukoll?

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141113/local/ministers-husband-has-no-knowledge-of-illegal-works.543803

  12. just me says:

    He should resign or be forced to resign.

  13. anthony says:

    Not only a kohlrabi but a perfectly corrupt one too.

  14. Joe Fenech says:

    If the process is to start afresh, will Busuttil be forking out the expenses?

  15. Manuel says:

    Shameful.

    One can just imagine how many other ‘pieces of paper’ are disappearing in other bidding processes to facilitate favouritism towards Labour Party’s faithful.

    • Makjavel says:

      And how many unsigned pieces of paper find their way into other files and folders?

      Frame-up experts they are, and many of them went disastrously wrong.

  16. GozoJoe says:

    Dejjem nisimghu b`aktar hama! Kuntenti b`dan, SWITCHERS?

  17. Antoine Vella says:

    Are the police going to investigate?

    They are interested in ‘unsigned’ bank guarantees so this interference by Luciano Busuttil should be an even more obvious case for them to follow.

  18. Mallia says:

    Not just a turnip, but a rotten turnip.

  19. Ex-Kursaal says:

    Issa jmiss tal-casino. Ajma hej.

  20. Michael Hudson says:

    You have no idea how ruthless this man can be. When the time is right I will post evidence.

  21. Peppa Pig says:

    The rot in this administration has set in – and in less then two years .

  22. Kevin says:

    The true face of “change”. New Labour, my foot.

  23. George Mizzi says:

    Ara jiehux ghalieh u jaghmel libel jekk nghidulu li hu korrott skond il-qorti.

    Il-libelli jaghmluhom biex minghalihom jaghlqu halq min jikkritikom, imma ha jkunu jafu li xejn mhu ser jaghlqilna halqna jew ibezzaghna. Luciano mhux il-babaw.

  24. bernie says:

    B’hafna pompa, wahda mill-ewwel ligijiet li ghadda dan il-gvern hi dik dwar korruzzjoni minn politici. Tant hi ligi b’sahhitha li tilhaq anke lil min wettaq korruzzjoni fil-passat, kien meta kien.

    Wiehed jistenna li issa din il-ligi ma tibqax fuq il-karta biss.

    Hafna drabi, il-korruzzjoni tigi assocjata ma’ flus jew rigali li wiehed ikun ircieva biex jaghmel jew ma jaghmilx xi haga. Hemm kazi fejn il-korruzzjoni ssehh anke jekk ma jghaddux flus jew rigali.

    Interessanti x’se tkun il-pozizzjoni tal-Gvern dwar it-twettiq ta’ din il-ligi.

  25. bernie says:

    Nistenna li t-Times of Malta tibghat gurnalist ihabbat il-persjana tal-Onor. Luciano Busuttil biex jaghti spjegazzjoni tal-amnezija anke jekk mhux anzjan u ma habatx ma karrozza pparkjata.

    Aktarx nesa li hu ukoll il-konsulent legali ta’ min rebah il-kuntratt.

  26. Peppa Pig says:

    In any other civilized EU country, the minister would have resigned forthwith:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141113/local/ministers-husband-has-no-knowledge-of-illegal-works.543803

    How can this government reel from scandal to scandal and hope to be re-elected?

  27. Ganni Borg says:

    Daphne, a minister’s husband is carrying out illegal works on a farmhouse and Times of Malta did not put this scandal on the front page. This is a scandal in itself. Do you know what is going on at that newspaper? Is it the editor?

  28. PWG says:

    How long before this heartthrob hooks up wIth a Super 1 bimbo?

  29. Peppa Pig says:

    Is it ethical for Nikita Zammit Alamango, ARMS PR & marketing manager, to host a Wednesday afternoon radio programme (5pm) on the Labour Party’s radio station, in which her special guests are usually publicly-funded, fellow political appointees?

  30. Gee Dee says:

    When we remember the press conferences about Tonio Fenech’s imitation Maltese clock, the continuous mud-slinging about Austin Gatt which no one has yet managed to prove, the Chris Said affair, the insinuations against Lawrence Gonzi’s son, and we see all these cases erupting nearly every day after less than two years in government we cannot have much doubt as to who is really corrupt.

  31. Antoine Vella says:

    I think the Bormla Local Council is also responsible. Yes, they were advised – ‘misled’ seems more appropriate – by Luciano Busuttil but, ultimately, they had the final say.

  32. J. Borg says:

    More than disgusting — criminal! This guy should have his warrant withdrawn for such behaviour.

  33. Scorpion0668 says:

    U dawn x’jinteresshom milli qalet il-Qorti! L-aqwa li “Malta taghna lkoll”.

    Billi ngharrfu lill-poplu, li hekk ghandu jkun xorta li jfettielhom rashom jaghmlu.

    Ghalihom, l-importanti li jahtfu, jkomplu jahtfu u jekk jibqa’ xi 58 euro cents jippretendu li l-poplu Malti jifrah.

    Hu go fik, ja poplu Malti, ghax int hekk haqqek la qatt ma kont kuntent b’xejn. Issa oqoghod ghaliha.

  34. curious says:

    Are the Chinese interested in this?

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141113/local/international-call-for-proposals-for-use-of-two-orbital-satellite-slots-to-be-issued-soon.543866

    And what’s with that photo? I know it’s autumn but you could have smiled a little, Jose Herrera.

  35. manum says:

    Hmieg u aktar hmieg.

  36. Alex says:

    Has the PN media got hold of this yet, or is it still checking if reporting this is morally correct?

    How the hell can an Opposition party stay silent on so many abuses and expect to be magically elected?

    The crap that comes to light on this blog is simply amazing and you hardly see anything mentioned on the PN media. Come on, l-ahwa, get a grip!

  37. Watcher of lies says:

    In the UK, ex-minister Chris Huhn and his (now ex-) wife were jailed for a much minor misdemeanour. She took on his speeding fine.

    Our MP has carried out a crime which is punishable by imprisonment, but we all know that nothing will happen, not even his resignation from parliament.

    Meanwhile most of our journalists keep on snoring.

  38. mario camilleri says:

    Jien dhal fil-FB Timeline tieghu u rajt li kkummenta dwar is-CEO il-gdid tal-PN, u qed jipprova jitfa’ t-tajn.

    Af li veru wicchom ma jistix dawn in-nies.

    Ovvjament ktibtlu post jien fejn tfajtlu din l-ahbar. Jekk iwiegeb (li ma nahsibx) nghidilkom x’qal.

    Anzi inhajjarkom tiktbulu xi haga intom ukoll.

  39. Jason King says:

    Luciano Busuttil should have declared his his interest to the council and stood back from the adjudication/legal advice process.

    Instead he saw it as a great opportunity to further the interests of one of his clients (the company) over those of another of his clients (the local council).

    His actions are endemic within the corrupt culture of Malta. This also demonstrates the third-world culture that has now re-emerged since the MLP was re-elected.

    Surely a lawyer in a developed economy like the UK would have been struck off or disciplined. He is an officer of the court.

  40. observer says:

    What an utter, proven, scoundrel Luciano Busuttil is.

  41. The word corruption should substitute transparency in the slogan of many supporters of this administration.

    It is no defence if these same people claim that this happened also under the previous administration.

    If so, it seems that those who care for justice have no choice but to choose the lesser of two evils.

  42. ChrisM says:

    When it comes to lies and arrogance, in less than 2 years the MLP government have already surpassed the PN after 25 years (minus 22 months) in government.

    Reading all these stories anybody would think that they are a dictatorship from some African country who have been running things for the last 3 decades.

  43. X says:

    This government is so corrupt. Look what is happening with all the tenders including the casino one and the public transport one with the minister flying to meet the bidders and disregarding public tender rules completely.

  44. John Higgins says:

    Hardly Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. But I do wish they’d be gone with the wind.

  45. Tinu says:

    Apart from being a Labour MP this cheat is also the Chairman of the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isports.

  46. TinaB says:

    Kulhadd jahtaf u jithanzer kemm jiflah.

    Gawdu la l-maggoranza tal-poplu li oghgbu jaghtikom ir-riedni tal-pajjiz f’idejkhom, injorant u bahnan.

  47. manum says:

    Meta Daphne sejhitilhom a party of crooks, fil-bidu qajla hsibna li qieghda tiddikjara ftit mill-verita. Ir-realta hi serja aktar, ghax in-natura taghhom dawn hija korruzzjoni, u ma jghixux minghajra.

  48. When are we going to get to the bottom of this corrupt administration?

  49. Tinnat says:

    The space to the right of the page just begs to be filled with a list of shamed government ministers and their aides.

  50. Lizz says:

    A piece of important documentation disappeared.

    I wonder if Busuttil signed any waiver claiming no conflict of interest before sitting on the evaluating committee. Perhaps even this piece of paper has now disappeared.

  51. NGT says:

    Now isn’t this more newsworthy than the sodding clock the Times of malta found so fascinating? Wouldn’t you agree Ms Massa?

  52. Hmmm says:

    Let’s not forget that the Cospicua mayor is a sister to Lydia Abela, the Labour Party’s executive secretary, who is married to George Abela’s son.

  53. Peppa Pig says:

    Has the prime minister asked the police to investigate Luciano Busuttil’s actions in this latest scandal?

    Does he not risk getting disbarred for such unethical behaviour?

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