[WATCH] Byron Camilleri: ‘I do not fear scrutiny’

Byron Camilleri will not oppose a magisterial inquiry requested by former MP Jason Azzopardi on allegations of bribery at the local enforcement agency, LESA. 

The Home Affairs Minister denied knowledge of an alleged racket by which traffic fines were being diverted from Maltese drivers to tourists. 

But in an interview with MaltaToday, he insisted all entities on his watch, including himself, were open to any scrutiny. 

Camilleri is currently at the centre of a storm involving serious allegations made by Azzopardi on wrongdoing at LESA and Identità, agencies that fall within his remit. 

A separate magisterial inquiry is already underway on the issuance of fraudulent residence permits issued by Identità to foreign nationals and other cases of suspected identity theft. 

The minister insisted that Identità’s compliance unit had identified wrongdoing in the issuance of residence permits and reported the individuals to the police months before the allegations were made public. 

Camilleri said Identità had not only flagged the foreign nationals who benefitted from the illicit scheme but also an agency official, who no longer works there. This is the first official confirmation that an Identità official was involved in the issuance of fraudulent residency permits. 

Camilleri denied Azzopardi’s claim that 18,000 false residency permits may have been issued but refused to divulge the number flagged by Identità. 

“The information I have been given by Identità is that the numbers are far less than what is being claimed… Prudence dictates that I should allow ongoing investigations to finish and then everyone’s questions will be answered,” Camilleri said. 

The minister insisted that Identità was not to blame for any errors that resulted in the hospital database or the letters posted by a telecommunications company to the wrong addresses. 

Listen to the full interview also on Facebook and Spotify

Before July, ID cards and residency permits for foreigners were the official documents used to open bank accounts, register children at school, as proof when grandparents pick their grandchildren from school, or be presented to police during roadblocks… today trust in these official documents has been eroded because of a scandal that started with fraudulent residence permits and continued with suspected identity theft at hospital and other entities. Where are you minister in all this? 

[…] Identità over the past months and years increased its checks and balances. It set up a compliance unit with the aim of carrying out continuous scrutiny of the agency’s processes and applications… the initial cases you refer to were linked to foreign nationals who acquired residency permits from Identità after making false declarations that they were partners of other people who had residence permits. It was Identità, in writing, that reported these people to the police and some were arraigned and even sentenced to prison. If someone tries to imply that Identità only acted because someone started speaking about the case, they are factually incorrect. It is a fact that Identità itself reported the cases and action was taken. This means we have an agency that does not allow abuse to go unchecked… the authority took and will continue to take measures to strengthen its internal structures. There were other cases of [foreign] individuals who went to the Housing Authority and presented lease agreements that were false. Identità caught them and reported them to the police. But more importantly, Identità did not simply report these cases but also strengthened its structures and is now asking for notarised lease agreements. Identità is doing this because it wants to close any loopholes that may exist… Identità was proactive over the years to close any loopholes that can be abused by those with ill intent. 

But as a minister, where were you over the past couple of months? We have ended up in a situation where even if there is a genuine mistake, it is perceived as a sinister deed. If in the past, you would have received somebody else’s mail on your address you would probably have thrown it away, assuming it was a mistake. Today, this is no longer the case. 

Every set of questions I received from the independent media, I replied to… Identità itself also replied to queries […] but if someone received a letter or document from a private telecommunications company [addressed to someone who never lived in the property], I don’t think it is right to blame Identità… Identità should and is shouldering its responsibilities and had started addressing concerns but if one particular company was sending letters to the wrong addresses, Identità is not to blame and it is the company’s responsibility to strengthen its own internal verification processes. 

Identità is now asking foreigners to present notarised lease agreements as proof of residency. But the Notarial Council has directed members not to cooperate. They have their own doubts. 

There was a consultation process that happened before. I believe they should have consulted more and this is what they intend to do; there are meetings scheduled for next week. But the aim is… 

But the doubts expressed by the Notarial Council are coming from somewhere. 

The aim is to strengthen the internal system. The easiest thing to do is retain the status quo but Identità is continuously trying to strengthen its systems to ensure that if a person goes to it with a document, the agency would be in a position to verify its authenticity. The Notarial Council did issue directives but I gave Identità direction to continue the consultation process. Everyone should agree that we must have structures that are strengthened… with adequate checks and balances that can give peace of mind. 

This particular measure was implemented only after the scandal erupted. 

Other measures were implemented before. Identità introduced inspections on the street, at work places and various residences to verify that claims made in residency applications are true. Whenever Identità officials carrying out inspections detected abuse they reported it. I do not agree that decisions started being taken now. Decisions have only continued being taken… and at every stage we have improved the checks and balances. Identità has shown willingness to strengthen its internal structures. 

Identità has said that it carried out internal reviews and flagged the abuse itself. What we know of is the case involving three Egyptian men… But if these men presented false documents, I presume that someone at Identità would have verified these documents, which means that someone at the agency was in cahoots with them. Identità did reply to media questions but it never said whether its own officials were involved. Did the internal probe flag wrongdoing by Identità officials and if so what action was taken against them? 

Identità reported its findings to the police. There were more than three cases. But it also reported a person, who in the past used to work at the agency… 

When did Identità report this official? 

Several months ago, and well before any allegations of wrongdoing appeared in the media. Allegations on social media started appearing after criminal action had been taken against several individuals. You are asking me, why we did not inform the public about this when action was taken. I can understand your argument, you are a journalist, but as an agency, and as a minister, if there is a red light on someone my aim is to ensure justice is done. Even if I communicate vaguely in public I may be giving away information that could benefit those who are abusing… our silence was well-intentioned to ensure abusers are caught and justice prevailed. 

[…] In a recent editorial you accused me of being too prudent in my approach. I prefer being prudent as I have always been than doing something that can disrupt a process. 

Is it prudence though because it can also be interpreted as someone not willing to investigate, or procrastinating when cases of abuse were flagged months before the scandal became public? What has happened to the Identità officials? Are they still there? 

It is prudence. If I did not want investigations to take place no report would have been forwarded to the police in the first place… the official no longer works at Identità. But the agency has shown willingness to improve its internal processes and to be subjected to scrutiny. The agencies on my watch and myself are open to any scrutiny that may happen. 

Jason Azzopardi, who kick-started all this and has also obtained a magisterial inquiry into the scandal, has alleged that at least 18,000 residency permits were issued fraudulently, which is practically as much as Qormi’s population. What do you tell me about this? 

The information I have been given by Identità is that the numbers are far less than what is being claimed… 

How many people are there [who obtained fraudulent residency permits]? 

Prudence dictates that I should allow ongoing investigations to finish and then everyone’s questions will be answered. I am not willing to prejudice any [legal or investigative] process by commenting publicly. I have never done it and will never fall into that trap. 

By giving me a number you are not prejudicing a process. 

Any information about wrongdoing obtained from internal investigations, that are continuing, will be passed on to the police… 

Do you trust Identità? I am asking this because in the case of an Egyptian man who pleaded not guilty, two Identità officials gave contradictory testimony that led the magistrate to order the police to investigate the officials on the possibility that someone committed perjury. 

I trust Identità’s leadership because when they saw wrongdoing they stood up to it and reported it. This is a good thing and should be appreciated because not everyone is willing to stand up to wrongdoing. On the case you mention, I am informed there was a person in his twenties who testified wrongly and investigations are underway and Identità is cooperating fully. I look forward to having a clearer picture of what happened so that people can understand whether it was a genuine mistake or otherwise. 

If foreigners are fraudulently obtaining residence permits, does government know how many foreigners are in Malta? 

We know and we have divulged this information in PQs and through the National Statistics Office. 

Is it correct though? 

The government does have the data, which is obtained from various entities not just Identità. We also have to keep in mind that we are part of Schengen (which does away with border controls). But we do have the data, contrary to what some are trying to imply. 

But you have to understand the apprehension. This was a government that presided over an exponential increase in foreign workers over the past 10 years… people are justified to be concerned when the very same agency responsible for residence permits had officials involved in such a racket. 

They are two different arguments. Identità stood up to wrongdoing and worked to strengthen its internal processes. There is also the argument on foreign workers. The work portfolio was transferred to me in January 2024 and I was tasked to carry out a review of the country’s labour migration policies. We are at a stage where consultation will be carried out with stakeholders and afterwards we will publish our ideas and carry out another consultation process with the aim of rolling out new policies gradually from next year… 

We had people reporting that they received hospital appointments by post for ailments they had never received treatment for. One person, who sought medical care at hospital was told that according to medical records he died in March. Here we are talking about Maltese people with Maltese ID cards. The ID card is a unique document. Your ID number is born with you and remains only yours even after death. These cases erode the trust we should have in this document. Doesn’t this worry you? 

It is important that we draw a distinction between the ID card and the residence permit, as you are doing. There have been some, including the Nationalist Party, who made no difference between the two. The identity card number is unique to the person… there have been no allegations and no instances have been flagged of an ID card number that has been re-issued… the hospital authorities, my colleague Jo-Etienne Abela, have said they found several human errors in the hospital system. 

[…] the systems [across government] do ‘speak’ with each other but I also understood that the hospital system allows users to insert additional data. The health authorities were clear that there were human errors and action has been taken to address these. On the case involving the ‘death’ of a person, I am not informed of anyone who was not registered correctly at Identità. This was a case of an error in the hospital system. 

But you can surely understand people’s concerns. People ask themselves whether their personal and medical details are in somebody else’s possession. 

I cannot answer for the health authorities because I do not have visibility of their systems… 

Yes, but you form part of the same government. Is government concerned? Is it thinking of how to bring these systems together to ensure that an ID card number gives the same information across the board? 

If there isn’t concern we will not be taking certain measures. Government electronic systems do ‘speak’ to one another and can transfer data between them. But we are focussed on trying to minimise human input as much as possible to minimise the risk of human error. 

The latest scandal to erupt is that concerning LESA. Jason Azzopardi has not only made allegations but also asked for a magisterial inquiry. He has claimed that two top officials, including the CEO,were accessing the backend of the electronic system so that a fine issued to a Maltese driver can be transferred to a tourist and their hired car. The Maltese driver gets cleared, the hire company pays the fine and recoups the expense from the unsuspecting tourist and someone at LESA gets a bribe; a win-win situation for all at the expense of the tourist. The allegation is that one of the officials, who is a Labour councillor, used the scheme to benefit voters ahead of the European Parliament election. This is a very serious allegation; what is your reaction to it? 

Just after I was appointed to this job I had a report from the Auditor General in 2021 on LESA that flagged some concerns and made a list of recommendations. Go back to last year and the Auditor General published a review saying the recommendations were implemented. On the IT system used by LESA, the Auditor General said he was happy with an audit that was carried out on it and was also satisfied with the manner by which LESA acted on certain concerns that had been flagged. As regards the allegation made; I am open to any scrutiny whatsoever. People who have nothing to hide should adopt such an approach. People around me know my integrity… 

Jason Azzopardi claimed that top LESA officials are involved in a racket that fraudulently transfers penalty points onto tourists

Have you ever tried forgiving a fine to anyone? 

There are people who have argued with me because I told them that I do not engage in such behaviour. And I do not even have access to the system. I do not tolerate abuse so much so that when I became minister I changed the police fine system from a manual one that was open to abuse to an electronic one that immediately registers the fine. If I am in favour of abuse, would I have introduced such a system, which is a move in favour of good governance? 

On my watch, we have sent out legal letters to recoup millions of euros in outstanding fines and proceeded with court action in certain cases. Is this the behaviour of someone who tolerates abuse? 

But can it be that in the agencies on your watch there are some who are corrupt? Can you have the certainty that nobody in these agencies wants to abuse? 

I can speak with certainty on my behaviour. I refer to what LESA and its CEO said in a statement that they are open to any scrutiny. I do not tolerate abuse and every entity on my watch has to be open to any type of scrutiny. I look forward to the scrutiny because it can put everyone’s mind at rest. 

So, you will not oppose the magisterial inquiry Jason Azzopardi has requested on LESA? 

Why should I oppose it? I have never done that and I will never do it. I am open to every scrutiny, whether it concerns me personally or the entities that fall under my remit. 

Do you feel that with all that has been happening you should shoulder political responsibility? 

I shoulder my responsibility every day. I have been home affairs minister for five years now and I have not only stood up to abuse but ensured that internal structures are strengthened. The irony is that the persons calling for my resignation are people who either spent years not paying tax or who had the courts reprimanding them… 

You are being political now but people are worried when such an allegation is made. 

Agencies on my watch not only stood up to abuse but reported it to the police and more than that strengthened their structures to ensure the risk of abuse is minimised. This is a continuous process.