The Foundation for Medical Services, which is responsible for all major public projects in the health sector, is passing through upheaval after Health Minister Konrad Mizzi replaced its board of directors, including its president, after less than six months.
Times of Malta is informed that Joe Cappello, who was only appointed president in November, was unceremoniously removed from his position and replaced by Peter Cordina, a retired head of the Civil Protection Department who unsuccessfully contested the last MEP elections on behalf of the Labour Party.
Mr Cappello told this newspaper that he did not resign but was not reappointed. The only board member who survived Dr Mizzi’s purge is former Labour candidate Duncan Mifsud.
All the other board members were replaced, with new appointees who include Henry Attard, a former CEO of Arms Ltd, and lawyer Ramona Frendo who publicly endorsed Labour on billboards before the election.
Former Labour Msida mayor Alex Sciberras has been appointed board secretary.
Times of Malta is also informed that the foundation’s CEO Brian St John resigned last Friday.
Contacted by Times of Malta, Mr St John, who had been in the post for five years, confirmed that he was no longer CEO but did not wish to comment further.
Sources at the foundation told Times of Malta that Mr St John was effectively forced to resign after the ministry decided to recruit a new managing director, James Camenzuli, and installed him in a position above the CEO in office.
The board has come under intense pressure over a number of controversial decisions
Mr Camenzuli was also appointed vice-president of the foundation.
The sources said that since Dr Mizzi took over the foundation when he became Health Minister in April, the board has come under intense pressure over a number of controversial decisions it had taken in the past and which were criticised in the media.
These include the removal last year of Dolores Gauci as the head of Mt Carmel Hospital, who had her contract terminated by the foundation, and the transfer of Mater Dei’s head of nursing services Charmaine Attard.
The Ombudsman criticised the latter decision and has ordered the foundation either to reinstate Ms Attard or pay her compensation. Ms Attard has opened a law suit against the government.
The changes at the foundation have come at a crucial time when major decisions, including those related to procurement, are about to be taken on the new Oncology Hospital being built near Mater Dei.