GRTU rebuts Claims made by ex-GRTU Officers & ex-Minister Michael Falzon in Court

Once again in a never-ending series of accusations aimed
at the character assassination of GRTU Director General Vince Farrugia, the
Defence Counsel in the Police vs Sandro Chetcuti case that is still proceeding
in Court, have produced a number of witnesses in an attempt to besmirch GRTU
and its Director General by implying that GRTU Officials acted unethically and
that the Director General acts in an intimidatory way.

The witnesses produced by Sandro Chetcuti are still to
be cross examined by the Prosecution regarding the claims made and the
assertions implied against the Director General.

The Director General will take all necessary action in
relation to the erroneous and misleading assertions made, possibly constituting
perjury, especially regarding the meetings referred to by Perit Michael Falzon
that could not have possibly been held as stated by Mr Falzon.

The GRTU Executive Council insists on clarifying the
misleading impression given by its former Officers Mr. Mark Saliba and Mr. Joe
Tabone of any wrongdoing in the management of the GRTU's Financial management.

GRTU, though not obliged at law, engages independent
reputable professional auditing firms to be responsible for all account
management, internal audit and external audit. All book keeping procedures are
practiced as approved by the auditors and standard corporate financial
practices are adhered to.

The issues mentioned by Mr. Mark Saliba and Mr. Joe
Tabone have been relentlessly explained and categorically denied publicly. The
GRTU Executive Council fully comprehends the motives behind the re-emergence of
these false assertions by individuals who have been voted out of the GRTU's
Executive Council by a majority of members in a free election.

Mr. Mark Saliba in his testimony referred to payments not
correctly accounted for and a bank account that had not been properly opened.

These insinuations were raised by Mr. Saliba at
Executive Council level and GRTU auditors and bankers had satisfactorily
explained to Mr. Saliba that what he stated was wrong and that the bank account
he referred to was not a GRTU account but an account opened on behalf of members
on the basis of a specific agreement with Government Authorities. Mr. Saliba
had confirmed to the Executive Council that he was satisfied with the explanations
given.

Mr. Tabone raised the issue of payments due to GRTU and
other constituted bodies that had assigned their rights to hold Trade Fairs to
the Malta Trade Fair Corporation. These funds were distributed to the Trade
Fair sponsoring bodies once the Trade Fair Corporation decided not to exercise
any longer the exclusive facility the sponsoring bodies had freely awarded to
the Trade Fair Corporation. Contrary to what Mr. Tabone has stated in Court,
the moneys GRTU has received are duly accounted for in GRTU bank accounts as
certified by the independent and public auditors and as confirmed to Mr. Tabone
by GRTU bankers. Mr. Tabone has been briefed fully on his claims by the
auditors and again the GRTU Executive Council is satisfied that Mr. Tabone had
accepted the verified explanation then given.

Other fallacious allegations and insinuations made by Mr
Tabone, Mr. Saliba and Perit Michael Falzon will be rebutted in Court by virtue
of witnesses and documented evidence, as being false and fabricated for their
ulterior motives.