Justice Minister Owen Bonnici insisted yesterday he had appointed his partner to the board of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra “prior to them becoming a couple”.
Janice Bartolo’s letter of appointment, which has just been leaked to this newspaper and other media, was issued a few weeks after Dr Bonnici was made Justice and Culture Minister in March 2014.
Asked about this, Dr Bonnici said Ms Bartolo, a former One TV journalist, had been appointed to the board for a short period of time without any financial compensation.
Deeming the question “a personal attack”, he said: “After we became a couple, she didn’t continue, not because she was doing anything wrong but only because we thought that, ethically, it would be better if she didn’t continue to serve.”
We thought, ethically, it would be better if she didn’t continue to serve
Questions sent to a spokeswoman for the Justice Minister on when Ms Bartolo tendered her resignation and whether a copy of her letter could be published remained unanswered at the time of writing.
However, Ms Bartolo published the resignation letter, dated December 23, 2014, on her Facebook page.
In the letter, she informed the minister that she had decided to set up her own NGO to raise awareness about patients facing thyroid gland problems. She said she was, therefore, reconsidering her position as board member of the National Philharmonic Orchestra. “I would like to dedicate myself to a sole cause and give my utmost,” Ms Bartolo added.
Saying she hoped the minister would understand her “stance”, Ms Bartolo concluded her resignation letter thus: “Naturally, I waiver any form of remuneration. I thank you for showing trust in me.”
Ms Bartolo’s name did not appear in the official notification published in The Malta Government Gazette in August 2014 that announced the appointment of the National Philharmonic Orchestra board.
According to that notice, the board was chaired by Sigmund Mifsud and included lawyers Mark Attard Montaldo and (now Mr Justice) Toni Abela, Rita Cutajar, Alexiei Galea Cavalazzi and Joseph Debrincat. The appointment was until March 2015.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com