Economy minister stands by decision to re-rank legal firms

Economy Minister Chris Cardona has on the one hand admitted that a procedure adopted last year for the award of a contract to provide legal services "could have been different"; on the other hand, he stands by the choice made.

The National Audit Office this week chastised Cardona and parliamentary secretary Edward Zammit Lewis for re-ranking firms that bid for a contract to provide legal services for the granting of concessions for the operation of casinos.

Cardona was accused last year of having instructed the Privatisation Unit (PU) on which legal firm to choose in a recent competitive process for legal consultancy in the pre-drafting, adjudication, negotiations and final agreements of an expression of interest for the granting of two new casino licences.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had then said the PU should not have been involved in the classifying of a company to provide legal services, as this was an expression of interest.

The NAO confirmed the re-ranking process "was carried out directly" by Cardona and Zammit Lewis. PN deputy leader Mario de Marco has since called on the two to shoulder political responsibility.

But a defiant Cardona said he stood by the decision taken: "With hindsight we confirm it was a good decision and we are not sorry for the choice made. It has proved us right."

The minister however added that "procedurally", matters could have been handled differently. "As politicians we have to be responsible... the National Audit Office flagged it and we have ensured it won't happen again. There were loopholes which have now been addressed," he said.

Cardona argued that under the previous administration, such a contract would have been awarded "by the minister calling directly the lawyer he wanted". He said the ministry had revaluated the process to introduce public calls and make that process more transparent.

"Contrary to what used to happen in the past, we respect the NAO's recommendations and we take them on board," he said, adding that the report itself had positively welcomed a number of changes carried by the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business.

Cardona was also quick to point out that the re-ranking had been carried "a few days after the general election". But when asked whether this meant it had been the mistake of a minister still learning the ropes, he rebuffed it.