The decision to reward a minister's partner with a lucrative job is not only a case of favouritism but a severe abuse of power that strikes at the heart of good governance and the rule of law, an NGO said on Saturday. 

No public official should use their office to bestow unjustified privileges upon close associates or family members at the expense of public trust and resources, human rights NGO Aditus Foundation said. 

It was reacting to a Commissioner for Standards report that established that Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri abused their power and violated ministerial ethics by securing a lucrative public position for Bartolo’s wife, Amanda Muscat.

Muscat, who originally served as Bartolo’s personal secretary, was elevated to a high-paying consultancy role in Camilleri’s Gozo Ministry. This transfer, found to be a “fictitious” arrangement, allowed Muscat to continue working within Bartolo’s Tourism Ministry while drawing a €68,000 salary as one of Camilleri’s persons of trust.

Aditus joined the calls for the ministers' resignation and accountability to restore public trust in the integrity of the Maltese government.

Bartolo’s justification of Muscat’s position that “in life, it is not just about diplomas or degrees” and that “experience alone” qualified her for the role is a vile affront to all hard-working people, Aditus director Neil Falzon said. 

The minister failed to address the fundamental issue: his wife was unqualified for the role and did not perform the duties expected of her position.

Aditus said it is further shocked by the Prime Minister’s laissez-faire attitude, choosing to stand by nepotism instead of defending Malta’s interests and good governance.

“By allowing these ministers to remain in office, the government sends a worrying message that public office can be used for private gain without consequences.”

Public office is a privilege to be exercised in service of the people, not as a means of securing benefits for personal connections, it added.