Azzopardi to take GWU public lease breach to PAC

Azzopardi to take GWU public lease breach to PAC

Shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi has demanded an inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee into an alleged breach of a public lease contract by the General Workers Union.

The union is sub-letting part of the Worker’s Memorial Building in Valletta, leased out to it by the government, to house a regional ARMS office.

Azzopardi said that the lease contract to the GWU conditions the union to have a 51% shareholding in any business setting up office inside the property under lease. However, billing company ARMS is jointly owned by the state utility Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation.

“I’m disappointed that the Lands Department and the government stayed silent on these claims. I will ask the PAC to address this contract breach so that questions can be made,” Azzopardi said.

A prospective PAC hearing on the case would see Lands Department and GWU officials testifying before the parliamentary committee.

Azzopardi said he wants the PAC to see whether the public contract was breached, what the Lands Department’s advice on this issue was, who was responsible for the government’s approval, and which public officials were involved in the matter.

Azzopardi referred to GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb’s refusal to comment on the issue, and said that this behaviour is not worthy of someone who should be representing workers.

Nationalist MP Ryan Callus accused the Lands Department of being “one with the Labour government… it is disappointing to see that the department did not investigate this contract breach. It needs to shoulder its responsibility and be answerable to the people, not just serving the government and the GWU.”

“The GWU is not only remaining quiet over injustices and breaches of contract, but it is also facilitating these breaches in some cases.”

Callus mentioned the Australia Hall and Café Premier case, whilst insisting that the GWU is also remaining isolated in many of its arguments, both with respect to the relocation of the open-air market in Valletta and regarding the fuel prices issue, where it refused to participate in a meeting on the issue with other interested entities and the opposition.

“The GWU is the only entity to constantly defend the government’s position.” Callus also questioned why the GWU has not spoken up against the fact that the government has broken its promise with Enemalta workers about working conditions and take home pay.