Updated | Resources minister George Pullicino's ignores resignation call

Adds Resources Ministry's statement at 5:06pm

Labour MP and spokesperson for the environment Leo Brincat has called for the "immediate resignation" of Resources Minister George Pullicino and the WasteServ management board.
 
Brincat said his demands came in the wake of a damning report published by the Auditor General which found that the shortcomings of WasteServ, the national waste management agency, stretched across 13 entire pages.
 
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Labour MP pointed out that the Auditor General's Annual Audit Report for 2011 dedicated 13 pages to WasteServ's shortcomings.

"If it was one minor blip, we wouldn't have called for his resignation," Brincat said, adding that "the shortcomings listed by the National Auditor's Office are widespread and found across the board."
 
He however said that he does not intend to move a motion of no-confidence in Parliament "for now" and insisted he would wait for Pullicino's reaction.

Brincat went on to refer to statements made by MEPA Chairman Austin Walker last week before the parliamentary select committee on Black Dust. According to Brincat, Walker said that when he inherited MEPA - then still under George Pullicino - the authority's credibility was "zero".

Describing the Auditor's findings as "shocking, shameful and scandalous," Brincat listed the main findings of the report regarding Wasteserv, including a number of problems in procurement procedures.

Stressing that "the people are thirsty for good governance," Brincat said a Labour government will carry out an independent audit on WasteServ's technical and financial operations.

Asked whether Labour will change the agency's structure, Brincat said: "The current administration had already proposed that the agency should farm out its services to the private sector. While we await for the Auditor General's further investigations, we will publish the details of our proposed changes at WasteServ in our electoral manifesto."

"What is sure is that, as we have been pointing out for a long time, WasteServ is not transparent and a Labour government will guarantee that WasteServ's operations, at all levels are transparent."

While noting that there was a smell of corruption at WasteServ, Brincat said he would only discuss facts which have been proven. Reiterating his call for Pullicino's resignation the MP said: "the fish rots from the head down," adding that there is a complex system and he would like to know who is the brains behind the system of mismangement.

"We are not against waste management, we are against mismanagement in waste management," Brincat said.

Accusing Brincat of sensitisation, the resources ministry made no reference to the MPs call for minister George Pullicino's resignation, choosing instead to attack Labour and Leo Brincat.

"Brincat cannot be taken seriously. Despite claiming to be in favour of waste management, Brincat and the Opposition have always hindered government's plans to treat waste and produce clean energy."

The ministry went on to accuse Labour leader Joseph Muscat of trying to block the modernisation of the Sant' Antnin treatment plant following his involvement in a petition which urged the EU to cease the funding programme.

"If the Opposition had had its way, the Maghtab landfill would have never been closed down and the uncontrolled and un-engineered landfill would still be in use to the detriment for human health."

It said Brincat chose to ignore the arguments made by WasteServ and said: "This is not the first time that Brincat ends up with egg on his face after resorting to mudslinging."

The ministry went on to list a number of instances in which it claimed that Brincat was proven wrong, including the Labour MP's claim that WasteServ auditors were replaced because they criticised the agency only for these auditors to be re-confirmed.

It added that the MP was also wrong when he claimed that nothing was being done in regards to the glass waste at Wied Fulija in Zurrieq, only for the waste to be exported by sea on the same day Brincat made his false claims.

Brincat was also accused of relying on out-dated statistics on waste separation and fabricating claims that imported animal carcasses were being incinerated in Malta.

Explaining that Brincat was once again "trying to confuse people and building false arguments," the resources ministry said that among his claims on WasteServ, Brincat was wrong in saying that a contract initially valued at €1 million shot up to €30 million.

It said the contract value increased to €30 million because it included wages, bonuses and allowances which were not taken into account in the initial stages. The ministry also noted that the contract extension was approved by the Contracts Department and this was explained to the Auditor General.