PN leader cannot remain silent on oil procurement – Muscat

PN leader Simon Busuttil cannot remain silent on the Auditor General report, which flagged the lack of a policy framework and 'unwarranted' ministerial interventions in Enemalta's oil procurement between 2008 and 2010, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

Speaking on the Labour Party's One Radio this morning, Muscat said that Busuttil was practicing "the silent policy" and was missing a golden opportunity to "show that the PN has indeed started a new chapter by speaking up on the oil procurement scandals which happened under the watch of former PN minister Austin Gatt,"

Muscat added that in contrast, his government's credential's in the fight against corruption had been bolstered by the introduction of the whistleblower's act, the removal of prescription on acts of political corruption and by immediately asking the police to investigate the auditor general report's findings.

"Those who have taken what belonged to the people will have to give it back," Muscat said.

He also hit out at the shortcomings in the health sector which are being uncovered by the investigations being carried out by the government.

"We have discovered phenomenal levels of mismanagement and waste," Muscat said in reference to the practices of the previous administration in the procurement of medicines.

He said these practices "verged on the criminal," adding that millions of euros had been wasted in the past few years under the Nationalist administration.

He described the level of mismanagement at Mater Dei Hospital as "phenomenal" and was costing taxpayers "exorbitant" sums of money.

Stressing that the hospital was being run like "a headless chicken" under the previous administration, he expressed his optimism that the solution is within reach.

However, Dr Muscat expressed his optimism that with the right organisational set up in place the situation could improve.

Noting that procurement system was to blame for the large quantities of medicines which are out of stock, Muscat praised the health commissioner, Charles Messina, who took the initiative and compiled a report on the procurement of medicines. Muscat said that a number of initiatives would be announced to address the situation in the coming weeks.

Speaking on the Management Efficiency Unit on the family park in Marsacscala, which pointed out a number of 'unjustified' direct orders approved weeks before the March election by the previous government, Muscat said that former resources minister George Pullicino "had a lot to answer to."

Turning his attention to the European Parliament elections which will be held in May 2014, Muscat said that Labour's list of potential candidates was a "fantastic team" which struck a balance between experience and youth, party stalwarts and newcomers, women and men and between Maltese and Gozitans.

Noting that the party will approach the elections differently given that it is the first time the party is contesting the elections while in government,  the party was aiming at winning the overall majority by presenting the best team of candidates.