‘Works in progress’ says civil service head on Schembri emails

The head of the civil service has told MaltaToday "works are in progress" in a review that the Internal Audit and Investigations Board is carrying out of media reports by this newspaper on an alleged breach of ethics by the internal audit department's permanent secretary Rita Schembri.

"Works are in progress, it is the truth," Godwin Grima told MaltaToday on an announcement last week that Schembri had referred this newspaper's reports to the IAIB - of which she is a member by virtue of her role as IAID director.

Philip Rizzo, a veteran auditor who blew the whistle on Schembri's private activities, last Sunday stated for the first time that he was invited to a business meeting on a bid to buy out one of the partners in the Casinò di Venezia, in Birgu, with Schembri at hear IAID office.

Back in March 2012, Rizzo was asked to join a business initiative by Far East Entertainment Group plc's chairman Colin Perkins, to acquire a 60% stake in the Casinò di Venezia.

"I was told that I should meet Rita Schembri, his trusted colleague, to explain some of the background work on this financial bid for the purchase of a stake in the casino. But I was surprised upon arriving at the address she gave me that this was a government office. As I stepped into Valletta Buildings I realised that I was at the IAID's premises, and not knowing whether I had the right place, I meekly asked the receptionists whether 'a Ms Rita Schembri works here'. She turned out to be the director of the IAID."

Rizzo held a 70-minute meeting with Schembri on the FEE bid for the Casino di Venezia in March, but following the Dalli resignation and having learnt of the IAID's assistance in the 'snus' investigation, realised he had stumbled on a potential breach of ethics.

"I could not possibly sit passively to evidence such a high-profile unfair application of contrasting weights and measures, and I eventually decided that, despite certain unwelcome attention that would ensue on myself and my already-challenged family, I had stumbled upon an obligation to perform a civic duty."

Rita Schembri has denied to the head of civil service, principal permanent secretary Godwin Grima, of having carried out any business advisory services to private firms.

On his part, Rizzo said he is prepared to give his evidence to the IAIB.

"I am prepared to hand to an appropriate judicial or police authority the conclusive documentary evidence in my possession, as well as to testify as to my 70-minute meeting on 15 March, 2012 at what to my surprise turned out to be official government offices with Ms Rita Schembri, who was until that date wholly unknown to me," Rizzo said.

"I remain prepared to perform such civic duty to the appropriate authority as determined by government."

The current members of the IAIB are Godwin Grima, Rita Schembri as IAID head, the finance ministry's permanent secretary Alfred Camilleri, and Prof. Daniel Darmanin and Marlene Bonnici.