“Anomalies” in the way Norma Saliba was appointed to head a new centre for Maltese have been flagged by the Standards Commissioner, but an ethics probe into minister Owen Bonnici has been dismissed.
The probe, triggered by surgeon and former PN candidate Kevin Cassar, centred on accusations that the culture minister had provided incorrect information about the PBS journalist’s appointment.
Saliba was “loaned” from PBS to head the newly set up centre.
While dismissing the ethics complaint against Bonnici, Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi highlighted “inconsistencies” between the loan agreement and Saliba’s employment contract. It was also noted how despite the new centre falling under the control of the National Council of the Maltese Language, it was the Culture Ministry that signed off on Saliba’s loan agreement and contract.
Mistakes were also found in the legal notice setting up the new centre.
Saliba’s controversial appointment was announced on the same day that a legal notice was published setting up the centre as the organisational and operational organ of the council.
The council's president initially welcomed Saliba's appointment, but the council later complained that it was not consulted about the new centre and challenged the legality of the legal notice.
‘Complaint filed by Cassar dismissed'
When contacted about the report, a spokeswoman for Bonnici said the complaint filed by Cassar has been dismissed by the Standards Commissioner.
“This is explicitly and very clearly stated in the report and its conclusions.”
The spokesperson said the report confirmed that Saliba’s loan agreement and employment agreement are consistent with one another.
“It goes on to say that the statements made by the minister were correct and in fact it is common practice in the public administration of Malta that an employee holds a position with one entity while being loaned to another one.”
Consequently, the complaint by former PN candidate Kevin Cassar was rejected, and the Standards Commissioner concluded that no breach of ethics occurred.
Bonnici got even the most basic things wrong. His legal notice refers to regulation 7(3) and (4). But those regulations don’t exist- Surgeon and former PN candidate Kevin Cassar
“The report also made reference to a matter of standard interpretation of an administrative rule.
“It also made a select number of technical points that the ministry took note of,” the spokesperson said
Meanwhile, in a Times of Malta opinion piece on Sunday, Cassar said the commissioner’s report pointed out the obvious, namely that the head of the new language centre should not have been appointed by the minister.
“Bonnici got even the most basic things wrong. His legal notice refers to regulation 7(3) and (4). But those regulations don’t exist. In point 10 of his report commissioner Azzopardi comments: It is not clear what regulation 4(3) is referring to because the regulations on the Centre for the Maltese language include no regulation 7(3) or 7(4)”, Cassar wrote.