The backdrop to the last few weeks has been an upping of the ante with regards to an increasing disillusionment of the Maltese with the Maltese political class. Companies owned by Minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri, have been uncovered in blacklisted Panama and British Virgin Isles. Adrian Hillman, managing director of Allied Group, has resigned after allegations were made against him. We also had Toni Abela’s nomination to the European Court of Auditors not being accepted.
The political temperature is high and we have the usual red / blue defense of the indefensible. The “Your lot was more corrupt” “No, yours was” to and fro, indicates that many people still do not understand that our politicians, especially the ones tainted with these scandals, do not, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT, deserve anyone’s loyalty, let alone the loyalty of members of their own political party, who they have betrayed with a vengeance. These deluded people do not read the writing on the wall; they seem to be in denial of the implications of politically exposed persons having secret companies in blacklisted jurisdictions.
So, this was the backdrop to my Maltese governance drama of the last few weeks. Which goes as follows:
If you remember, my last blog shone a ray of hope on the nearly 3 year old saga of ours, in which we decided to follow the money trail of our overcharge, and hold Arms, the sole, state owned utility billing company, to account.
This ray of hope came in the form of a letter from the EU Commission which indicated that the Commission thought that my situation was resolved and that Arms would now return OUR money to us. Therefore, I was told this:
“I am thus pleased to inform you that the Maltese authorities have rectified their policy which now complies with EU law. The Commission is thus satisfied with the steps taken by the Maltese authorities and intends to close the infringement procedure (NIF 2011/2197) against the Republic of Malta. We will thus close your case, unless we receive within four weeks of the date of this letter new information of relevance that might justify further examination of the complaint by our department.”
Off I went to complete Arms Form H1, application for redress. I scanned considerable supporting documentation and copied the EU Commission into my correspondence with Arms.
Of course, much as I suspected, the saga did NOT come to an end. It continues. And how.
The crux of the matter is, that according to the Arms lawyer who is dealing with my case, yes, I am entitled to a refund. However, because I have no relationship with Arms (you may remember ex Arms CEO James Davis stating that ‘tenants do not exist for Arms), the refund would go to my ex landlord’s account. I would then have to consult a lawyer and chase my ex landlord in the Maltese courts.
This, even though, my ex landlord presented a sworn affidavit in court, in which he confirms that my family of 5 lived in his so called empty property for 35 months.
We clearly existed when it came to a court of law but Arms thinks otherwise.
I would therefore imagine that the EU Commission will not close my case.
Konrad Mizzi’s recent shenanigans make complete sense to me now. He was copied in my correspondence of 2013/2014 to Arms, where I spelled out the collusion of Arms with tax evading landlords. While he and others of the political hierarchy were opening companies in secretive, blacklisted jurisdictions, I was enduring monthly visits to court to fight for our TAXED (we are on PAYE) money back.
How cynical and venal do you have to be, to be minister and not do something about this? Let’s be clear: this does not just affect my family and I. This affects the vast majority of all tenants living in Malta.
So, the saga continues.
We will prevail.
Yes, we will.
The backdrop to the last few weeks has been an upping of the ante with regards to an increasing disillusionment of the Maltese with the Maltese political class. Companies owned by Minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri, have been uncovered in blacklisted Panama and British Virgin Isles. Adrian Hillman, managing director of Allied Group, has resigned after allegations were made against him. We also had Toni Abela’s nomination to the European Court of Auditors not being accepted.
The political temperature is high and we have the usual red / blue defense of the indefensible. The “Your lot was more corrupt” “No, yours was” to and fro, indicates that many people still do not understand that our politicians, especially the ones tainted with these scandals, do not, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT, deserve anyone’s loyalty, let alone the loyalty of members of their own political party, who they have betrayed with a vengeance. These deluded people do not read the writing on the wall; they seem to be in denial of the implications of politically exposed persons having secret companies in blacklisted jurisdictions.
So, this was the backdrop to my Maltese governance drama of the last few weeks. Which goes as follows:
If you remember, my last blog shone a ray of hope on the nearly 3 year old saga of ours, in which we decided to follow the money trail of our overcharge, and hold Arms, the sole, state owned utility billing company, to account.
This ray of hope came in the form of a letter from the EU Commission which indicated that the Commission thought that my situation was resolved and that Arms would now return OUR money to us. Therefore, I was told this:
“I am thus pleased to inform you that the Maltese authorities have rectified their policy which now complies with EU law. The Commission is thus satisfied with the steps taken by the Maltese authorities and intends to close the infringement procedure (NIF 2011/2197) against the Republic of Malta. We will thus close your case, unless we receive within four weeks of the date of this letter new information of relevance that might justify further examination of the complaint by our department.”
Off I went to complete Arms Form H1, application for redress. I scanned considerable supporting documentation and copied the EU Commission into my correspondence with Arms.
Of course, much as I suspected, the saga did NOT come to an end. It continues. And how.
The crux of the matter is, that according to the Arms lawyer who is dealing with my case, yes, I am entitled to a refund. However, because I have no relationship with Arms (you may remember ex Arms CEO James Davis stating that ‘tenants do not exist for Arms), the refund would go to my ex landlord’s account. I would then have to consult a lawyer and chase my ex landlord in the Maltese courts.
This, even though, my ex landlord presented a sworn affidavit in court, in which he confirms that my family of 5 lived in his so called empty property for 35 months.
We clearly existed when it came to a court of law but Arms thinks otherwise.
I would therefore imagine that the EU Commission will not close my case.
Konrad Mizzi’s recent shenanigans make complete sense to me now. He was copied in my correspondence of 2013/2014 to Arms, where I spelled out the collusion of Arms with tax evading landlords. While he and others of the political hierarchy were opening companies in secretive, blacklisted jurisdictions, I was enduring monthly visits to court to fight for our TAXED (we are on PAYE) money back.
How cynical and venal do you have to be, to be minister and not do something about this? Let’s be clear: this does not just affect my family and I. This affects the vast majority of all tenants living in Malta.
So, the saga continues.
We will prevail.
Yes, we will.
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