Minister Bartolo files for libel on reports contractor was paid almost double value of works

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo has filed for libel proceedings over claims that he ignored Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools’ recommendations, resulting in a tiling contractor being paid almost twice the value of works.

The report was carried by the Times of Malta and allegedly stems from an FTS internal report that outlines the above claim. Minister Bartolo instituted court proceedings against ToM editor Ray Bugeja and journalist Ivan Camilleri, who penned the report.

The report states that while Avantegarde Projects Ltd was actually owed €540,000 for works at St Ignatius College in Qormi, as stipulated by the contract, it wound up receiving more than €1million.

Mr Bartolo stressed that he had tried to solve a pending issue left over by the previous Nationalist Government administration. He claimed that payments were left pending by the previous government and accused the journalists of attacking him in a dishonest way.

The internal FTS report allegedly states that it recommended an out of court settlement, and that should the contractor persist in claims of further payment an independent surveyor should be commissioned to ascertain the total value of works carried out. This was not done however, according to ToM, because the contractor disagreed.

The article added that the contract between Avantegarde Projects Ltd and the government was riddled with financial difficulties because the contractor “jeopardised the timely completion of the project.”

It was then stated that the internal FTS report spoke of being billed for quantities of tiles and marble that had not been certified and that the rates charged went well above those outlined in the original contract.

Mr Bartolo is being reported to have approved a recommendation by his permanent secretary Joseph Caruana, to “close the litigation”, in contrast to what the internal report recommends and FTS’s resistance to upholding Avantgarde’s claims.

ToM claims that “the minister instructed the FTS to pay Avantgarde €418,000 above the value of the original tender.”

This was officially denied by Avantgarde where they denied claims they were being paid for works that were not carried out.

Lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo filed for libel proceedings on behalf of Mr Bartolo.

ToM claims that “the minister instructed the FTS to pay Avantgarde €418,000

above the value of the original tender.”