GUEST POST: The Prime Minister is lying about not having been involved in the negotiations

This guest post was written by T. Borg.

The Prime Minister today denied that he was involved in the Cafe Premier negotiations. He is lying.

There are 12 instances in the NAO report in which reference is made to him in the context of negotiations with Cities Entertainment.

The go-between was John Sciberras, OPM Adviser but the decisions were being taken by the PM.

Each quote from the report, taken on its own, confirms, that the PM was not only involved in the negotiations but actually directing them. Yet he denies and he lies.

I quote from the NAO report.

1. “Government sought to obtain a valuation of its own. To this end, Adviser OPM recommended a Senior Architect within GPD … to the PM, who duly concurred.” NAO report (page 44).

2. On 4 June 2013, Advisor OPM “requested the PM’s authorisation to table an initial offer of €3,500,000, with the possibility of negotiating upwards to €4,000,000.” (page 47).

3. “The Cities Entertainment request of €4,200,000 (net of tax) dated 11 June 2013 and sent to Adviser OPM was forwarded to the PM on 25 June 2013.” (page 48).

4. On 14 June, a difficulty regarding Camilleri’s role in communications with other Cities Entertainment directors was resolved. “The PM was informed of such developments by Adviser OPM later that same day” (page 48).

5. On a matter relating to capital gains tax payable by Cites Entertainment, on June 25 2013; “The PM directed Adviser OPM to seek the Commissioner of Revenue’s views with respect to PwC’s report.” The Commissioner of Revenue replied the same day in an email to Advisor OPM, in which PM was also copied (page 48).

6. “On 27 June 2013, Adviser OPM sent an email to the PM, Chief of Staff OPM and PPS citing that,…. , Cities Entertainment ‘s offer of €4,200,000 net of tax implied that Government’s offer would have to be that of €4,772,727……Adviser OPM proposed that Government submit a final offer of €3,850,000 net of tax, which would imply an offer of €4,375,000” (page 48).

7. “Subsequent to this, the PM proposed that Government tables an offer of €3,500,000 net of tax, …. . On 2 July 2013, Adviser OPM enquired with the PM whether Government was going to declare this as its final offer. …. The review of correspondence exchanged on this matter rendered evident that Adviser OPM was basing this opinion on what he had heard from undisclosed sources, …. Ultimately, the PM instructed Adviser OPM to proceed as proposed, …..” (page 49)

8. “On 9 July 2013, Adviser OPM forwarded correspondence to the PM, copied to Chief of Staff OPM and PPS, indicating CE’s €4,488,636 proposal.”

9. “To this end, the PM stated that the €3,977,272 ….. was in fact Government’s final offer. In line with instructions provided by the PM, Adviser OPM sent an email to Mark Camilleri on 9 July 2013 indicating that Government was not accepting Cities Entertainment’s request of €4,488,636” (page 50).

10. “In response to Government’s stance, Mario Camilleri sent an email to the PM, copied to Adviser OPM and Mark Camilleri, requesting a meeting. Here, Camilleri stated that Adviser OPM had informed him that he could not engage in any direct price negotiation, since he was merely taking direction on the issue, and it was in this context that a meeting with the PM was requested” (page 50).

11. “On 11 July 2013, the PM indicated his willingness to meet during the following week. According to Mario Camilleri, in attendance at this meeting were the PM, Adviser OPM and the PPS. During this meeting, discussions and negotiations intended at establishing agreement on price were concluded” (page 50).

12. “On 6 August 2013, Adviser OPM forwarded Cities Entertainment’s latest proposal of €4,200,000 to the PM, copying in Chief of Staff OPM and PPS. Adviser OPM was of the opinion that CE’s request was reasonable. Finally, Adviser OPM requested further instructions from the PM. … In turn, the PM sought the views of Chief of Staff OPM and the PPS” (page 50).