Economy Minister Silvio Schembri has allowed his Chief of Staff Roberta Albanese Dalli to appoint her brother’s girlfriend to a senior position at the Lands Authority when no public call was made for the job.
The Shift is informed that Yanika Abela, the daughter of Hibernian’s FC manager Jesmond Abela, known as ‘il-Hutch’, was given the position of Senior HR Manager at the Lands Authority in May 2021.
Still in her 20s, Yanika Abela only graduated in HR a few weeks ago, over a year after taking the senior position at the Lands Authority.
Silvio Schembri is the Minister responsible for the Authority. He did not reply to questions on what role his chief of staff, herself engaged on a ‘position of trust’ basis, played in securing government employment for her brother’s girlfriend.
Roberta Albanese Dalli (centre) with her brother Ryan (left) and his girlfriend Yanika Abela (right)
The chairman of the Lands Authority, lawyer John Vassallo, and the CEO, Robert Vella, also chose to ignore questions sent.
Minister Schembri already has a history of gross nepotism and a parochial approach to politics, basing his strategy on a ‘favours-for-votes’ system. This has irritated many of his parliamentary colleagues, particularly those who contest his districts.
Yanika Abela’s father is himself close to the Labour administration, having supported Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonnet in the last general elections held in March as well as disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s recent bid for the presidency of the Malta Professional Football Clubs Association.
The Shift revealed earlier this month that Muscat gave Jesmond Abela a ‘projects management specialist’ job at Projects Malta in 2017. He did not turn up for work for more than a year due to injury, although he was fit enough to attend Hibernians FC matches, even travelling abroad.
He returned to work a week following The Shift’s story. When contacted, Abela said he did not want to answer questions, asking for an email instead. Yet he could not remember his email address at work.
Projects Plus, where Jesmond Abela is employed, and Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, responsible for the organisation, also refuse to answer questions.
This fits in with the corrupt kindergarten of government with the most incompetent ministers that one could only dream up in a play.
Unfortunately, the poorest of the Maltese have to pay the price.
What can you expect from a ridiculous government whose prime minister runs away in fear of journalists?
Here, every joker is allowed to do what he wants.
In case anyone complains, there is still primary school!
A head of government who brings 40 lawsuits against a journalist so that she cannot enforce the rightful freedom of information?
This is a joke form of SLAPP suits, which only exist in Europe in Malta under a prime minister ROBBER Abela.
All in the family is the new government motto!!!
What a blatant farce and a blow to all those who further their studies who hope to be employed AFTER graduation.
Poor Yanika and all the young people like her who are getting soaked in this corrupt ‘tradition’. You are subscribing to an environment and lifestyle with no motivation and satisfaction. You graduated and want to be employed out of nepotism instead of self-worth? If you did not work for it, it won’t feel good and satisfying. Break off from this corrupt family mentality or you will just end up having to serve your master for the end of your lifetime – having 0 self-worth and value.
It is all so blatant! Deny, delay, ignore, start over.
The family relationship between Chief of Staff and selected candidate is MERE COINCIDENCE. Yanika Abela was the most fitting person in the whole island for this post.
You may be right, Mr. Bonello.
As a financial expert, what do you say to the young age of the chief of staff?
Best regards,
KLAUS
THE ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORATE IS TOTALLY
TO BLAME FOR RAMPANT SCANDALS COMMITTED BY THE
PL GOVERNMENT. NEVER, EVER, TRUST THE PL GOVERNMENT –
IT IS ALWAYS RIDDLED WITH SCANDALS.
I think hell is running out of space at this point ……….. everyone needs to pay his dues ultimately and no amount of redemption at any point later in life will absolve the wrong doings and corruption carried out during one’s lifetime without admission and full redemption of whatever was illegitimately gained!
Such in your face, blatant nepotism and the people still sleep! And if there’s an election tomorrow, people will not have learnt anything and they would still vote the same. And the (non) opposition is nowhere to be heard! I’m so proud that my vote goes from the policeman’s hands straight to the shredder.
Wait until the air malta employees are fired.