Former minister’s daughter reappointed Commissioner for Justice

The youngest daughter of former Justice Minister Jose’ Herrera, Martina Herrera, has been re-appointed by the government as a Commissioner for Justice for another two-year term.

Announced through the Government Gazette, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard appointed Herrera, in her early 30s, as a Justice Commissioner until 2025, a role that will see her earn an additional €11,000 a year on top of her income as a lawyer in her father’s private law firm.

This is not the first government appointment for the young Herrera. Apart from serving as Justice Commissioner continuously since 2017, just months after graduating as a lawyer, she was appointed to the board of another government agency – Air Malta Aviation Services Ltd.

After losing his seat in Parliament following the last elections, her father, Jose’, has also been given a new government appointment.

Prime Minister Abela gave Jose’ Herrera the chairmanship of the Community Malta Agency. This government organisation is responsible for the lucrative cash-for-passports programme, which is now being contested through a legal challenge by the European Commission.

Commissioner’s list omitted from government website

No information is currently publicly available on the list of Justice Commissioners presiding on cases connected to traffic, litter, and other contraventions issued by wardens on behalf of local councils.

While until recently, the Justice Ministry used to publish the names of the Commissioners on its website, the names of the current Commissioners have disappeared.

Unlike other judiciary members, Commissioners are appointed directly by the government without any scrutiny or due diligence process, and no public calls are issued before such appointments.

One of the current Commissioners, Alessandro Lia, son of Labour’s lawyer Pawlu Lia and a constitutional Broadcasting Authority member, is facing criminal charges while still acting as a Justice Commissioner.