PN wants audit of funds for capital projects by local councils

The Nationalist Party has asked the Auditor General to investigate a fund managed by the Justice Ministry, allocating €1 million for capital projects carried out by local councils.

According to the PN, eyebrows have been raised over the administration of the fund, attracting the criticism of the president of the Local Councils Association, Marc Sant, and the national association of executive secretaries within local councils.

Complaints were raised over the process and the method used for the distribution of the funds.

“Despite pledging the most transparent government ever, transparency under this government is rare,” the PN said.

The letter to the Auditor General, signed by PN MPs David Agius, Jason Azzopardi Mario de Marco, Tonio Fenech and Claudio Grech, points out that local councils who did not qualify for the fund were informed they had a 10-day period during which they could appeal the decision. On the same day, local councils who were allocated the funds were presented with a commitment letter.

According to the PN, the appeals process was “fraudulent” as the local councils were not informed how to go about the appeals process and who the members of the board were.