‘Farrugia’s €1,200 gift did not influence my decisions’

Former Enemalta chairman Edmond Gatt Baldacchino has wholeheartedly denied that his public duty had been in any way influenced by George Farrugia, despite the corrupt oil trader having gifted him with a painting worth €1,226.

“I had already tendered my resignation from Enemalta by Christmas of 2010, which is when Farrugia had gifted me with the painting,” Gatt Baldacchino told MaltaToday. “I had no idea that the painting was worth so much money either. It was simply a sketch of a naked woman and I would have sent it back to Farrugia had I known it cost so much money. He should have given the money to charity instead. 

“I have already confirmed with the police that Farrugia’s gift never influenced any decisions I made while chairman of Enemalta. I am a man of integrity.”

Gatt Baldacchino was one of a number of high-ranking Enemalta officials whom Farrugia had gifted with Christmas presents between 2010 and 2012. A significant name on the list of present recipients, released by Farrugia himself to the Public Accounts Committee in 2013, is Enemalta’s Chief Financial Officer, Antoine Galea.

Farrugia gifted Galea with a €999 painting in 2010, a €997 pair of cufflinks in 2011 and a €1,333 Paul Picot watch in 2012. However, when asked by MaltaToday whether these gifts had influenced the way he had conducted his public duties, Galea simply refused to comment.

Farrugia also gifted William Spiteri Bailey, Gatt Baldacchino’s successor as Enemalta chairman, with a €1,044 pair of cufflinks in 2011 and a €336 Faber Castel pen in 2012.

Spiteri Bailey, coincidentally a neighbour of Galea, was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

According to Malta’s public administration act, civil servants are forbidden from accepting gifts that might create an obligation to their senders. The law adds that a gift can be interpreted as an inducement or a reward simply because of its intrinsic value. As such, civil servants are only allowed to accept token gifts.