Several Armed Forces of Malta soldiers known to be close to Identity Malta’s CEO, former Deputy AFM Commander Mark Mallia, have been recruited to the state agency in various part-time roles, The Shift is informed.
Identity Malta officials speaking to The Shift confidentially have said that since Mallia was placed by Prime Minister Robert Abela at the identity agency, a steady flow of new recruits from the AFM’s ranks have been given part-time jobs with no calls for vacancies being made.
They say they are being greeted by new part-timers practically on a weekly basis, only to later discover they happen to be soldiers and friends of the CEO.
Mallia, who is on a €100,000 salary courtesy of the Prime Minister, is refusing to reply to The Shift’s questions on the matter.
Asked to state how many full-time and part-time personnel are currently on Identity Malta’s payroll, he did not reply.
Pressed further to explain how soldiers are being recruited for part-time work at Identity Malta and whether it was true they were often seen at Identity Malta’s offices when they were supposedly on duty for the AFM, Mallia remained similarly tight-lipped.
Mark Mallia is known to be very close to the Prime Minister and in particular to his father George Abela, as Mallia served as his aide-de-camp during his presidency between 2009 and 2014.
Soon after Labour was swept to power in 2013, Mallia, together with three other army officials, including Jeffrey Curmi, who was later appointed Brigadier, were given four consecutive and accelerated promotions in less than six months – through a vitiated process that had been condemned by the Ombudsman.
Mallia, who was also close to disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle, had also been involved in another scandalous army promotion exercise before the 2017 election, in which some 800 officers were given promotions just a few days before the general election.
Mallia had even held interviews with soldiers for promotions on polling day.
At his latest posting at Identity Malta, Mallia was also allowed to remain on the AFM’s books while working at the state agency, meaning he will still qualify for an army pension after 25 years of service.
The generous condition has not been given to other army officers, who are obliged to resign when they accept employment outside of the armed forces.
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The mind boggles as to how this is possibly legal.
What a shame o a Country, moving to a Putin style governance.
SUSTAINABLE VOTE BUYING.
What about amending the electoral laws on corrupt practices?
This corrupt practice should not be applicable just to the period after the announcement of election day, but should be effective continuously.
Is nothing sacred on this island anymore? This is blatantly an abuse of power and nepotism in its grandest form. Suggest someone investigates the tax office to make sure that if they are working two jobs, they are paying their tax and contributions on both employments.
Legal in Malta is irrelevant.
It’s who your friends are.
This and the previous administration smell so rotten it makes sewage smell nice.
De ja vu. History repeating itself. What happened under PN is happening under PL. Quite understandable really.
I wonder, actually that is more rhetorical, whether those AFM personnel given a job at Identiy Malta also receive training to actually work there. The article rather suggests otherwise and implies that it is rather for another, thus additional, source of income.
This looks, as it appears as usual, that the PL is running Malta the way it runs the party. Good friends get good jobs and those outside of the ‘realm of PL friendship’ have to abide by the rules.
Mr Jeffrey Decelis. During the PN administration no officers or soldier retired and were given a 100 000 euro job. Maybe employed in a Government Department yes with a scale 4 or 5 salary which does not exceed 36000 euro. Ask yourself or other ex-army personnel well known for being hard Labour supporters what job they gave them following their retirement from the army since 2013. Were they treated same as Mallia? Mallia infiltrated and made friends with influential people in the army, MLP and the core of the Labour party, when was posted as aide de camp to the President….the rest is known to everyone!