Comments on: The Police Minister needs to speak up: did he really have Eur2 million ‘invested’ with Ryan Schembri?

By: Esteve

Esteve — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 18:08:50 +0000

Keep in mind that in this country, returning a bag containing cash to its rightful owner is worthy of nomination for “Gieh ir-Repubblika”.

There are honest people of course but they are usually thought of as “gwejjef” – a compliment-insult combo usually uttered with a wicked smile.

By: cikku l-poplu

cikku l-poplu — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 17:02:42 +0000

jista xi jghidli kif il PM ghazel lil Mallia bhala ministru tal-pulizija,ta’ l-armata,tas-servizzi sigrieti,tax-xandir u ghal passaporti jiggifieri dan ghandu il kontroll tal-pajjiz f’idejh li lanqas il PM ma ghandu sahha daqsu ghax jekk Mallia jikser il ligi hadd ma jista jiehu passi kontrih ghax min ser jiehu passi kontra il ministru tieghu.

By: lina caruana

lina caruana — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 08:02:31 +0000

Add to this the fact that we are talking of a population of around a quarter of a million. Which says that there is disproportionate percentage of corruption by too many people. Where are the honest citizens? They must stand up.

By: ciccio

ciccio — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 06:59:18 +0000

So did he fail to report that Eur 2 million as “loans to the private economic sector” in his declaration of assets to Parliament?

I wonder what interest income he earned on that?

By: ciccio

ciccio — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 06:57:41 +0000

In reply to Antoine Vella.

I have a different view. I believe that he had invested the money in a bank between 31 December 2012 and 8 March 2013.

When he became a Minister in March 2013, he realised (at that point or a few weeks/months later) that he would have to declare that money to Parliament.

He would have worked out that if he reports them at 31 December 2013 without reporting them at 31 December 2012, questions will arise as to where he got all that money while he was a Minister, because they would not have been reported at 31 December 2012.

So he was probably advised to report them as cash at 31 December 2012, so as to push the matter into the past, where he can say that he earned them from sale or property or from past earnings.

It was risky both ways, but he chose the least risky option.

By: Gahan

Gahan — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 04:41:49 +0000

In reply to Thaddeus. If Mallia doesn't bother to declare half a million in cash kept at home, why should we worry in asking whether he "invested" money in Mr Schembri's company?

By: Gahan

Gahan — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 04:36:44 +0000

In reply to ciccio. It's not the media which should investigate , it's the police which should have investigated, especially when he declared to the media that he got the money from the sale of some property , which was never recorded in the public registry.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:42:11 +0000

In reply to ciccio. One of the most puzzling aspects of that story is why Mallia chose to include the cash when he declared his assets. [Daphne - He was probably planning to invest it, and investments made through cash have a reporting obligation on the financial services companies which deal with them.]

By: Thaddeus

Thaddeus — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 23:59:34 +0000

If that is the case aren’t you putting yourself at risk, Daphne?

[Daphne – It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it?]

By: Wilson

Wilson — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 23:52:25 +0000

Needless to say, many of the high profile switchers, have done so because they were not being allowed to do whatever they wanted under the previous administration.