Austin Gatt claims ‘not knowing’ who his campaign donors were

Former infrastructure minister Austin Gatt “preferred not knowing” who his donors were, so as not to be accused of favouritism.

Appearing before the public accounts committee analyzing the Auditor General’s report into Enemalta’s fuel procurement, the former PN minister insisted that he had not been aware that pardoned oil trader George Farrugia had donated €2,000 to his campaign.

“I only learned this after Farrugia testified in court,” he said, adding that it was his helpers who handled his donations.

Gatt refused to name the helpers, arguing that he “shoulders responsibility for his campaign”. He confirmed that two members of his former secretariat, one of whom was Claudio Grech, used to help him in his campaign.

“Claudio Grech used to take care of the activities and the other used to handle the door-to-door. I don’t think that Grech ever received any donations,” he said.

Incredulous at his statement, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici questioned how it was possible that Gatt didn’t know who his campaign donors were.

“Yes, any Tom, Dick and Harry could make his donations to my campaign,” Gatt told Bonnici.

“So anyone, with any interest in your ministry and portfolio, could make donations to your campaign?” Bonnici asked, to which Gatt replied: “It’s my method of control: if I don’t know who finances my campaign I cannot be accused of favoritism. We can disagree on the methodology … but it’s how I worked.”

He defended donations he received from the Farrugia family – including the use of cars and a hall during the 2008 campaign. “I don’t think that donors do so to corrupt people or else every one of you should resign and the political parties should close their doors. I did nothing different from what others did.”

Gatt, asked whether he was aware of which members of the Farrugia family had made the donations, insisted that he had “never asked” from where the donations came. “I had my people taking care of my campaign.”

Gatt had no recollection of eating out with George Farrugia, although he did not rule it out, after Bonnici insisted that the two might have dined together at the Waterfront.

Insisting that there was “nothing special about George Farrugia” to be treated differently from any other businessmen, Gatt said he could not remember the number of times Farrugia visited him at his ministry. He recalled one time when Farrugia had accompanied Beppe Hili to his office.

He recalled one time when he was passing in front of John’s Garage and was invited in for a drink. Farrugia had then spoken with Gatt about the issue of storage tankers.

The former minister also declared his “no regrets” to a Cabinet decision awarding George Farrugia the presidential pardon. He insisted that the Cabinet had taken an informed decision based on what then Police Commissioner John Rizzo and the Attorney General had told them.

At the same time, Gatt argued with Bonnici that he “wasn’t obliged to give any opinion” on whether the aim of the presidential pardon had been reached. 

He said that the presentation made to the Cabinet had convinced him that the presidential pardon had been needed. “Honestly, I don’t feel I have competence to judge these matters. I always acted according to my conscience. It was a collective decision in the presence of the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner.”

At the beginning of the sitting, Gatt read out a statement declaring that he never discussed tenders with anyone and he had not been aware of any irregularities at Enemalta before the first story appeared in MaltaToday.