Opposition whip to ask PAC to investigate Mercaptan report

Opposition whip Joe Mizzi - who vowed he will keep on probing government over the illegal disposal of mercaptan gas in 2009 - will ask the Public Accounts Committee to look into the case.

Very doubtful on how much the government-appointed board of inquiry was flawless in its investigations, Mizzi said that the aim of the board had not been to see who was at fault in the case but to find out who the whistleblowers were.

He is also adamant that someone should shoulder political responsibility for what happened.

"This is not a serious report," Mizzi said. "If it was, they wouldn't have asked and insisted that I reveal who had given me the documents."

Mizzi said that the board should have also questioned Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, the man who is today responsible of Enemalta. Mizzi is also insisting that both Fenech and minister Austin Gatt - who was previously in charge of the corporation - "have background information" on the case.

Mizzi is also claiming that the authorities have "proof" that everyone knew what had happened in the summer of 2009 following several complaints reported on foul smells in several localities across the island.

"Minister Fenech should have resigned out of his own will. There are a number of shortcomings in the report, whose only aim was to identify who had leaked the information," he said.

Mizzi also said that "corruption has infected all sectors under this government's administration, with blessings from above".

The board of inquiry was appointed after  MaltaToday.com.mt revealed Enemalta Corporation had kept an internal investigation under wraps. The investigation, conducted on a case of theft, had inadvertently discovered the cause of an incident three years ago that resulted in a foul smell of gas reported across Malta.

The government-appointed board of inquiry slammed Enemalta for not only improperly disposing the material, but for also carrying it out without the necessary permits.

While the board insisted that there were no reports of negative health consequences, it warned there were potential serious health effects, however rare the more extreme effects may be, even for cases of inhalation of gases or fumes released by mercaptan.

The board said there had "evidently" been serious shortcomings in decisions and actions by Enemalta at different stages of the disposal.

"However these should not be seen in isolation of the context and circumstances in which they took place," the board said. "While not considered as justification, it is appreciated that there were several factors that may provide a fairer understanding and appreciation of the situations and dilemmas faced by the Enemalta management re this case."

The inquiry suggested that "at its discretion" Enemalta may still opt to initiate disciplinary proceedings against any of its professional and other employees who are covered by the respective collective agreements and were directly involved in the disposal of mercaptan, subject to such disciplinary proceedings not taking into account any alleged "criminal offence" as this has now been barred by prescription.