OPM and Sustainable Mobility Ministry clash over who should run Transport Malta

The Office of the Prime Minister and the Sustainable Mobility Ministry have clashed over who should take over the helm of Transport Malta, following a falling out between the man currently running the authority, Kurt Farrugia, and his minister, Chris Bonett.

While the Office of the Prime Minister’s man of choice is current Labour Party CEO Leonid McKay, Sustainable Mobility Minister Chris Bonett wants his chief of staff, Stephanie Bonello, in the role.

The Transport Ministry was rebranded Sustainable Mobility Ministry after the elections. 

Times of Malta reported on Monday that the relationship between Farrugia and Bonett had broken down to the extent that both are unwilling to continue working together.

“There’s been a complete fracture in the relationship,” a source said, “and there is no way of resolving it.”

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that Kurt Farrugia will soon be leaving as Transport Malta CEO following a “smooth transition”.

He did not give a timeline for when Farrugia will be replaced.

On the reported breakdown in relations between Farrugia and Bonett, the prime minister said:

“A clash of personalities is what is being reported in the media. Kurt Farrugia still has a lot to give, and I look forward to continuing to utilise the talents of every person who is ready to give their contribution.”

Transport Malta is among the government’s biggest and most high-profile authorities and is responsible for regulating land, sea and air transport. The CEO of Transport Malta is usually appointed by the minister, in consulation with the prime minister. 

Three people have been at the helm since Bonett took over the Transport Ministry in January 2024.

Jonathan Borg, who was former minister Aaron Farrugia’s person of choice, left the role weeks after Bonett took over.

He was replaced by Mark Mallia, who left the entity in August to become the government’s chief of staff, as part of an internal government shake-up following disappointing results in European and local council elections.

Farrugia, who replaced Mallia, has been at the helm of the transport authority since then.

Times of Malta is informed that Robert Abela wants PL CEO Leonid McKay to replace Farrugia.

Like Mallia, McKay was made CEO of the PL following the July 2024 elections. Before that, he was head of JobsPlus and was one of the main authors of the Labour Migration Policy. He was at the helm of a number of government agencies before that.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Bonello a lawyer in her early 30s, has served in a number of government positions of trust since 2017.

She was given her first head of secretariat role in 2022 at the Affordable Accommodation Ministry under Roderick Galdes.

She moved to the Transport Ministry as Chris Bonett’s right-hand woman in January 2024, around the time Bonett was promoted to the role, her profile says.

Among the objections Castille has over Bonello’s appointment is that she is too close to minister Bonett, with officials fearing the authority would become an extension of the ministry.