Neville Gafà, whose current role with the government has never been explained, last Tuesday formed part of an official government delegation holding talks with the Libyan government, the Times of Malta is informed.
The Maltese government did not issue a statement on the talks held with Libyan officials, who included Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq. The communications office of the Libyan government issued pictures of the meeting in which Mr Gafà was present.
Mr Gafà is a Labour Party activist and a member of OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri’s inner circle. He was allegedly involved in a medical visas racket linked to Libyan refugees and was subsequently sacked by the Health Ministry.
While the Libyans said the latest meetings concerned economic and commercial matters, Mr Gafà did not reply when asked to explain his role on the trip.
Contacted by phone he said: “I cannot tell you. Please send me questions through e-mail and I will reply.” He then hung up.
Until the time of writing, Mr Gafà had not replied to e-mailed questions. He was asked about his role in the delegation, his current occupation with the government and who he was representing in Libya.
The Office of the Prime Minster did not reply to questions about Mr Gafà’s latest overseas mission.
According to the Libyan government’s dispatch, Mr Gafà accompanied Malta’s Ambassador to Tripoli, Charles Saliba, in the talks which focused on economic and commercial relations between the two countries.
From salesman to senior government roles
A salesman until 2013, Mr Gafá was catapulted into senior government positions as soon as Labour was returned to power that year.
He first worked at the Health Ministry but was then transferred to Gozo for a short while after stories hit the media about his alleged involvement in a medical visas racket in connection with Libyan refugees.
The police never pressed any charges against Mr Gafà, despite talking to him on various occasions.
He was then appointed projects director at the Foundation for Medical Services by then health minister Konrad Mizzi, and given a €50,000 financial package.
However, he found himself in hot water again following reports by the Libyan media that he attended “official” talks with Libyan officials and militia members in Tripoli.
The OPM distanced itself from these talks and Mr Gafà said he had been on a working holiday in which he met his friends. He passed off an encounter with a militia leader as a coincidence, saying he happened to “bump into him on the street”.
Mr Gafà’s declarations did not convince the new Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Chris Fearne, who sacked Mr Gafà and rescinded his contract at the Foundation for Medical Services.
However, in an apparent clash between the Prime Minister and his deputy, Mr Gafà was kept on the government’s payroll and started working at the OPM, as a collaborator of Mr Schembri.
Since last January, the government has never explained Mr Gafà’s role at the OPM. Sources say his latest contract describes him as “a person of trust” of Prime Minster Joseph Muscat.