Marmara, Musumeci get more lucrative government consultancy contracts

Aqra dan l-artiklu bil-Malti.

Labour pollster Vince Marmara and former Nationalist Party mayor Robert Musumeci have been given additional state-funded roles, according to information tabled in parliament.

Following questions by MP Darren Carabott,  the data presented shows that Marmara, a full-time lecturer at the University of Malta, also now works as a consultant for Culture Minister Owen Bonnici.

Marmara also manages several private business ventures, including Powerful Knowledge, Sagalytics and others, and is a full-time adviser to the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) on a €4,251 a month retainer.

According to his new contract, worth €22,000 a year, he has to squeeze in another 20 hours a week to advise the culture minister.

Marmara, known for publishing surveys in the Labour-leaning weekly It-Torċa, previously refused to reply to questions on who financed his political surveys.

Vincent Marmara.

At the same time, through various ministries and agencies, Marmara is regularly tasked via direct order to conduct surveys on behalf of the government.

The Shift reported that between 2013 and 2022, Marmara earned €1.2 million through government direct orders.

One of his partners in his survey business, Powerful Knowledge, is Frank Bezzina. He was Marmara’s Dean at the Faculty of Management and the acting president of Malta when President George Vella travelled abroad.

Meanwhile, Robert Musumeci, an architect, lawyer and consultant, is now consulting Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon.

He has been designated Scale 5, with a €35,000 annual basic wage.

Musumeci’s role with Falzon is part-time, but no information was provided on the required hours.

Musumeci has received a number of consultancy contracts and government assignments in recent years.

Most were from the Planning Authority and the Lands Authority. At the same time, Musumeci manages an architectural firm which secured a large number of Outside Development Zone permits.

He also runs RD Legal with former Lands Authority parliamentary secretary Deborah Schembri, which defends cases against the Lands Authority in court.

The pair earn tens of thousands of euros a year from this venture.

                           

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16 Comments
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chris
chris
5 months ago

“Meanwhile, Robert Musumeci, an architect, lawyer and consultant, is now consulting Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon.”
What is he consulting Falzon about? How to bribe officials for permits?

carlos
carlos
5 months ago
Reply to  chris

exactly. maybe he’s saving to buy a place in heaven.

Mark Debono
Mark Debono
5 months ago
Reply to  chris

How to get even more from the trough?

carlos
carlos
5 months ago

pigs at the trough. you’re following the steps of corrupt ministers, x pm and present pm. THANZRU.

Mark Debono
Mark Debono
5 months ago

Musumeci has made an art and a shit load money out of being a turncoat and and a pig with his snout deeply embedded in the red trough it seems? I’m sure he would go back to the otherside should they ever get back to govern if it is acceptable to his large pockets?

wenzu
wenzu
5 months ago

The obscenities committed by the MLP knows no limits.

Francis Said
Francis Said
5 months ago

This is just disgusting. I wonder why Bobby left his profession, which earned him millions to become PM.
A fundraising campaign should be set-up to top up his earnings!!!! Hahaha.

John
John
5 months ago

Good article.

Ray Gatt
Ray Gatt
5 months ago

No wonder Musumeci defends his corrupt government!

Noel Ciantar
Noel Ciantar
5 months ago

That Perit Avukat Konsulent bil-PhD Dr. Robert Musumeci was in the Appeals Court last week, defending a planning case, arguing that he was not in any way in receipt of any income for any work for the Planning Authority. Apparently it was being alleged by third party objectors that his involvement in the application constituted a conflict of interest. I followed his long winded explanation. I thought he was protesting too much.

makjavel
makjavel
5 months ago
Reply to  Noel Ciantar

Nobody can practice two professions that are regulated .
Musumeci cannot be a Perit unless he has resigned and returned this Lawyer’s warrant.
Was he wearing the Lawyer’s hat during his protesting or a Perit safety hat? Interesting to know.

Noel Ciantar
Noel Ciantar
5 months ago
Reply to  makjavel

I am convinced he was wearing the Avukat bil-PhD hat, because otherwise I cannot see how a Perit can carry out a trattazzjoni (closing arguments) for a client in the Appeals Court. Is it not only lawyers who can do that in court?

chris
chris
5 months ago
Reply to  makjavel

Nothing is impossible if you’re a Vavuperit. Malta’s one and only:).
It’s perfectly possible to be an incompetent perit and an intellectually dishonest lawyer.

Emanuel (Noel) Ciantar
Emanuel (Noel) Ciantar
5 months ago
Reply to  chris

I suggest you go to the Vavuperit’s Facebook page and find a recent post with his observations about the proposed legal amendment to stop the execution of development permits when there is a third party appeal.
He links to a document, written by himself, with his views on the proposed amendment, in which he takes the side of the developers. He even uses the pronoun “We” in his proposals. I am not sure if he is using the Royal “We” or if he thinks of himself as multiple persons: namely the Perit, the Avukat, the Konsulent, and why not, the Opinjonista.

Hopeless
Hopeless
5 months ago

There is a pink-coloured mammal with a snout for a nose and a notoriety for eating anything at hand. It is suspected that exemplars of this mammal are populating Malta’s political and administrative hierarchy. Don’t know this for sure, but there is a prevalent suspicion about this. It is also being said that these specimens are extremely hungry, but that the gate-keepers are ensuring that the poor animals are well nourished. Maybe it’s not true.

Joseph
Joseph
5 months ago

Imma possibli gahan ma tiġih l’ghira ghal dawn il-hniezer li jithanzru bla misthija. Biex gahan jghix irid jqanqax min hemm min hawn jigbor min hemm u minhawn biex forsi jlahhaq mal fqira hajja.
Min hu sinjur! Artful dodger

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