Consultant cardiologist Robert Xuereb is earning more than €122,000 a year in his new role as chief executive of the Foundation for Medical Services.

The chairperson of the Department of Cardiology of Mater Dei Hospital, replaced Carmen Ciantar, a close political aide to former health minister Chris Fearne. She was among the highest-paid advisers with an annual financial package of €163,000.

Although the grand total of Xuereb's entire pay package was published along with his contract following a freedom of information request by Times of Malta, most details of the agreement were redacted.

An appendix with all figures of allowances he was entitled to was all blackened out, except for the last column detailing the “grand total”. 

In its reply to Times of Malta’s FOI request, the foundation said financial details were not being made public as it would “have a substantial adverse effect on the conduct of negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations) by or on behalf of the Government or another public authority."

FMS specified that it was withholding information related to the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) Sectoral Agreement, details of which were kept under wraps and never made public.

The grand total - barely legible on the far right column - was the only element of Robert Xuereb's pay package that was not redacted.

It is an unusual move, given that details of other contracts for public officials have recently been published in full, including that of CEO of Aquatic Resources Malta Frank Fabri, who is earning more than €82,000 a year.

The FMS is a government body that designs and runs the country’s healthcare infrastructure. It offers various services related to project management, engineering, design and architecture and IT support and carries out recruitment processes for various entities within the health ministry.

In an interview with Times of Malta last month, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela refused to divulge the extent of Xuereb’s pay package, insisting only that “he’s not being paid as much" as his predecessor.

When pressed, Abela said: “I don’t know how much but less than that for sure.”

It has now emerged that Xuereb’s package is €40,000 less than his predecessor but it is still almost twice the €63,000 earned by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

According to Xuereb’s contract, signed on March 1 and valid for three years, Xuereb was entitled to the current salary package outlined in the MAM sectoral agreement valid until 2026, as well as a performance bonus which was a percentage of his salary. The extent of the bonus was redacted.

He was also entitled to a yearly car allowance, including fuel, a communications allowance and another allowance according to the MAM sectoral agreement. This entire clause in his contract was redacted.

An excerpt of the contract showing how details of the contract were redacted.

Xuereb is also entitled to a membership allowance, that will be refunded by the foundation as well as an expenses allowance.

According to his contract, Xuereb is not allowed to perform other duties but a special provision was included to allow Xuereb to continue working as a consultant cardiologist at Mater Dei Hospital. Xuereb is known as one of Malta's finest cardiologists.

The contract was signed by James Grech, on behalf of the FMS, and endorsed by Health and Active Ageing Ministry permanent secretary Joseph Chetcuti.