No, it’s not a Swieqi maisonette
It’s interesting to see the sort of contortions some ministers have gone through in stating their assets. Looking at deputy prime minister Louis Grech’s, you’d think that all he owns is an “unconverted property in Zebbug”, a pointless description because it could be anything from a palace to a hovel, and:
Residential property in Swieqi
This makes it sound like one of your average maisonettes in Swieqi proper, just up the road from the cinema. But it isn’t. It’s a long way away from that chaos on the best part of Madliena hill, a large villa with a garden. Yes, the postcode is Swieqi, but nobody calls it that – not those who live there, not those who go there, and certainly not real estate agents, because the difference between Swieqi and Madliena is a few hundred thousand euros.
Also, you will perhaps note that unlike his fellow ministers, he does not use the term ‘residence in’ (which is what they use to describe the property they call home) but rather ‘residential property in’. This is because he doesn’t live there. His wife does.
So, if all the property Louis Grech owns is the Madliena villa in which his wife lives, and an unconverted property in Zebbug, who’s putting a roof over his head? Shouldn’t the deputy prime minister have to declare something as important as that?
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As far as I know he also owned semi detached villas in San Pawl tat-Targa. Maybe he’s since sold them?
Did Joseph Muscat pay Marissa Micallef Leyson more than what he earned himself in 2012?
Where does Manuel Mallia hide half a million Euros in cash? WHich services does he pay in cash? I am sure that the LIDL bill does not cost that much.
Now out – Franco Mercieca’s income in 2012 – €116,245 ! U hallina Franco, dak jaqilghu minn Mater Dei. Dal-ahhar ghamel Eur3600 f’ nofs ta’ nhar.
U Refalo ma jaqlax rental income? Ghandu nofs Ghawdex? Imbaghad jiddikjara Eur26,000 income?
U imbaghad min jaqla tax audit?
The highlight of these declarations should be the EUR495,000 cash held by Manuel Mallia. And this is not a mmistake since he declared more than a million in bonds, another couple hundred thousand in bank accounts.
So this must either be half a million cash which he keeps at home (which is hard to believe unless he has a bank vault at home) or else it’s monies invested somewhere or in something which cannot be disclosed.
According.to The Times: Many of the declarations were handwritten and barely legible.
Do we have ministers who cannot write properly? Cunning schemers, the whole lot.
But I have to say that I am pleased to see that all of them have no problem with paying their water and electricity bills. I am worried only for Owen Bonnici. With a mere two thousand euro savings account, he can barely pay for his groceries.
Give the devil his due if the official name/address of the place is Swieqi it should be declared Swieqi.
[Daphne – No, I’m afraid you’re wrong. Let’s say Maurice Mizzi went into politics and was appointed to cabinet. In his declaration of assets, he says ‘residence in Mosta’. This could be any old terraced house on the market at Eur180,000. There is a big difference between this and ‘country house with extensive gardens over several tumoli and swimming-pool in Bidnija’. Yet those of us who live in Bidnija have Mosta or Limits of Mosta as our official address.]
I find Louis Grech’s declaration credible and nearest to the truth, complete with the pension.
[Daphne – It isn’t. It makes absolutely no mention of the business interests he has. Maybe he has sold them or transferred them, and did so before 2012 in the full expectation that he would be deputy prime minister this year and have to make a declaration of assets.]
Who would give a loan of €577,000 to someone with an income of €23,430? Chris Cardona got that loan.
There will always be a way out when one want to be dishonest. They have everything in place, now, to say that :everything is above board
These declarations of assets have always been the biggest insult to our intelligence.
Up to a couple of weeks ago Louis Grech was still living in his sea-front Kalkara town house, he even voted in Kalkara last election. The type of house can be expected to get around €500,000 on the market.