Following a request by Independent candidate Arnold Cassola for an investigation concerning an ethical breach with regards to Bernard Grech’s tax payments by Prime Minister Robert Abela, the Prime Minister refused to give a clear answer to Standards Commissioner, George Hyzler, and indeed did not answer his questions at all.
Robert Abela declared to the Commissioner that “If Arnold Cassola is really convinced that I am at fault, then he should identify this fault and substantiate it”.
The Standards Commissioner refuted the Prime Minister’s assertion and stated that the law is clear: “Any person can ask for an investigation on allegations of breaches to ethical or statutory rules and does not need to have a personal interest”.
The Commissioner of Police, Angelo Gafa’, refused to provide the Standards Commissioner with any documentation on the case in the police’s possession.
The Commissioner for Inland Revenue, Marvin Gaerty, refused to testify in front of the Commissioner of Standards in order not to incriminate himself.
Commissioner Hyzler concluded that, since he was not provided with the information requested, he was precluded from gathering detailed information to be able to investigate.
However, he was able to ascertain that there had been some form of communication on the matter of Bernard Grech’s taxes between the Prime Minister and Marvin Gaerty.
In view of the Prime Minister’s reluctance to provide the commissioner with satisfactory responses, the Commissioner for Standards could not come to a clear conclusion whether there was or there was not an ethical breach on the part of the Prime Minister, Robert Abela.
