The post is the Commissioner for the Simplification and Reduction of Bureaucracy but the effort to find out who occupies it turned into a far from simple task that had The Sunday Times of Malta going round in bureaucratic circles.

When the newspaper wanted to confirm the name of the new commissioner it was met with “don’t knows” from both the Office of The Prime Minister and the Department of Information.

This was after reliable information was received from senior government officials that the post, previously occupied by parliamentary secretary Tony Agius Decelis, has now been awarded to Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar.

It is her full-time job complementing her part-time position as an MP. But unlike Mr Decelis, Ms Cutajar, a teacher by profession and the former mayor of Qormi, is not a civil servant. Her recruitment on a government salary constitutes a political appointment.

The government’s website boasts that the commissioner’s position is a “citizen-driven” initiative to ease citizens’ difficulties when requiring government services.

Despite this promise, neither the Department of Information nor the office of the Principal Permanent Secretary within the OPM could reply to the simple question: who is the new commissioner?

I think that the best thing to do is to file a Freedom of Information request

Several e-mails and reminders were sent to both, without reply. Finally, a spokesman for the DOI admitted that he could not answer the question as he had not received an answer from the OPM.

“I think that the best thing to do is to file a Freedom of Information request,” the spokesman suggested when it was put to him that it was the DOI’s job to answer this straightforward question.

The information sought was eventually obtained from an unofficial source. A call was placed to Ms Cutajar’s mobile number with the intention of posing the question directly to her. It was diverted to her political constituency office in Qormi and a canvasser picked up the phone.

Sorry, he said, the young MP was very busy and could not take any personal calls.

Pretending to be a constituent from Qormi, this reporter then asked whether it was true Ms Cutajar had been appointed anti-bureaucracy commissioner at the OPM and how she could be reached.

The canvasser promptly confirmed that Ms Cutajar is the new commissioner based at Castille and that we could send her an e-mail. The address: simplification.commissioner@gov.mt.

Ms Cutajar, 30, the youngest MP on the government benches, was elected last June through a casual election. Apart from being an MP and holding a new job at Castille, she was also appointed to chair the Family Affairs Parliamentary Committee which brings with it an extra remuneration and allowances.

Call to Office of the Prime Minister

OPM receptionist: Hello, OPM.

Journalist: Can you get me through to the Office of the Commissioner for the Simplification and Reduction of Bureaucracy please?

OPM receptionist: Hold the line please…. (music for two minutes). Let me put you through to our information officer at the Department of Information please… (music)

DOI: Hello, DOI information officer.

Journalist: We would like to speak to the commissioner for the reduction of bureaucracy. Can you tell me who the commissioner is please?

DOI: Hold the line…(music)

(After three minutes)

DOI: I’m sorry, I will put you through to Castille as we have nothing to do with that office.

Journalist: Thank you. However, we need to know who the commissioner is and to speak to the person occupying the post. Can you tell me who the commissioner is please?

DOI: Sorry but we don’t know who the commissioner is. It has to do with the OPM not with us.

Journalist: It was the OPM that referred us to your office. It’s getting quite bureaucratic to discover who the commissioner against bureaucracy is, it seems…

DOI: (giggles) You are right. But what can I do?

Journalist: OK. Many thanks.

Call to Ms Rosianne Cutajar’s mobile diverted to her constituency office

Journalist: Hi, can I speak to the Hon. Cutajar please?

Canvasser: She’s not here at the moment. What assistance do you need?

Journalist: Can you give me her number please as I wish to speak to her?

Canvasser: Ms Cutajar is very busy as she will be in meetings and in Parliament all day. It’s very difficult to speak to her directly.

Journalist: We have a problem with the government and we were told to speak to her as she is the Commissioner for Simplification and Reduction of Bureaucracy.

Canvasser: Yes of course. She is the commissioner and there is also Ms Said, her assistant. It’s better if you send Ms Cutajar an e-mail at simplification.commissioner@gov.mt

Journalist: I will. Thank you for your assistance.