Ombudsman slams civil service chief on ‘insinuations, half truths and allegations’

The Office of the Ombudsman has reacted strongly to “insinuations, half truths and allegations” made by the Head of the Civil Service, Mario Cutajar, intended to attack and discredit the institution.

In a letter to MPs, Ombudsman Anthony Mifsud said his office wanted to officially object to Cutajar’s comments last month, included in a government publication in reaction to the various cases of maladministration raised by the Ombudsman.

According to Mifsud, Cutajar’s comments show a seriously limited understanding of the role of such an independent institution.

The Ombudsman said, “Cutajar should understand that the Office of the Ombudsman is not some kind of extension of the civil service and under no circumstances falls under his scrutiny”.

“The Offices of the Ombudsman, the Auditor General and the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life are not some tools for the Principal Permanent Secretary to use to better the public administration according to his own vision. These institutions serve the House of Representatives so that it is assured that the same public service is accountable to the people”.

“These institutions neither have a function to implement nor to push forward policies of the government of the day,” the Ombudsman wrote, in another dig at Cutajar.

Mifsud said that Cutajar’s “attack” on the independence of his institution and others similar to it are clear retribution for the many critical reports these institutions are issuing on how public administration is being run.

In this context, the Ombudsman reiterated his appeal to parliament to continue to strengthen independent institutions, giving them more autonomy for the benefit of good governance.

The Offices of the Ombudsman, the NAO and the Standards Commissioner have been harshly criticising the current administration’s mismanagement, maladministration, nepotism and corruption.

You can read the Ombudsman’s letter here.

                           

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Victor Formosa
Victor Formosa
2 years ago

About time that Cutajar should resign or Bobby should get rid of him. LOL

Isle of corruption
Isle of corruption
2 years ago
Reply to  Victor Formosa

Booby can’t get rid of anyone unless he is ordered to from burmarrad

Chris
Chris
2 years ago

Aldo Cutajar, Mario Cutajar’s brother was accused for money laundering. 500,000 euro in cash were found at his home. Aldo Cutajar was Malta’s Consul to Shangai. Which Labour Minister did appoint him as Malta’s Consul?

Godfrey Leone Ganado
Godfrey Leone Ganado
2 years ago
Reply to  Chris

And for which minister or Prime Minister were the €500,000 intended??

Chris
Chris
2 years ago

Are these people aware of their excessive “mismanagement, maladministration, nepotism and corruption”? Or are they blind robots acting in service to some cockeyed deity?

Paul Pullicino
Paul Pullicino
2 years ago

Drunk on power, they cross the lines no serious official would.

Godfrey Leone Ganado
Godfrey Leone Ganado
2 years ago

The person who has destroyed a once professional civil service. He should be held responsible for all the money usurped from our taxes, for employing hundreds, if not thousands of semi literate persons and persons of trust. He is guilty of not keeping cabinet minutes and now of attacking with the intention to destroy, independent institutions, because they are exposing the sins of commission by a mafia government aided and abetted by himself.

joe tedesco
joe tedesco
2 years ago

I NEVER TRUSTED THE PPS AND NEVER WILL.
THAT SAYS IT ALL.

Joseph Tabone Adami
Joseph Tabone Adami
2 years ago

Will a once triumphant entry turn into an ignominious debacle nine years later?

saviour mamo
saviour mamo
2 years ago

Experience has showed that even a prime minister can be a crook like any other and he must be scrutinised all the time by independent persons.

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