Robert Musumeci, an architect, lawyer, and recipient of multiple Labour Party government consultancy contracts related to the Planning Authority and Lands Authority, is now also advising on pensions despite having no known experience or qualifications in the field.
Information tabled in parliament revealed that the former Nationalist Party mayor was given a part-time consultancy contract, advising Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon. A copy of the contract, seen by The Shift, shows he provides advice on pensions and social solidarity.
Better known for his specialisation in local planning laws, particularly ODZ developments, it is surprising the minister now gets advice on social solidarity, including poverty and pensions, from Musumeci.
“Our ministry already has very senior officials who are very well versed with pensions and have been advising different administrations for decades,” a ministry official told The Shift. “No one here was aware that Musumeci was also well-versed in this area.”
According to his contract signed by Permanent Secretary Mark Musu, Musumeci’s duties are “to highlight/ formulate new policies and enhance on existing policies envisaged necessary in this sector and to formulate a strategy for the ministry from a political/administrative point of view vis a vis sectors under this ministry’s responsibility such as social solidarity and pensions initiatives.”
Musumeci’s latest consultancy tasks.
Senior ministry officials described these tasks as “very ambiguous and broad”, and they added the permanent secretary should be concerned, considering the National Audit Office has recently been looking into phantom consultancies and contracts.
For his 13-hour-a-week part-time job, Musumeci is paid an additional €11,500 to top of his other government positions and roles.
Besides his bustling private architectural practice in Siġġiewi, where he employs a raft of architects and drafters, Musumeci also provides private clients with legal advice as a lawyer and lectures law students at the University of Malta.
Musumeci has served as a consultant to the Planning Authority for years, writing new policies on which he later defended clients in his private practice. He is also a consultant to the Lands Authority.
Through a lucrative contract with the former parliamentary secretary responsible for the Lands Authority, Deborah Schembri, Musumeci also represents the same Authority in court, billing the government tens of thousands of euro.
Recently, he also served as a consultant to the justice minister, and until 2017, he was also a consultant to disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat.
My God what brilliance! So now his title must change from “PERITUKAT” to “PENSAKTWARPERITUKAT”! With all these responsibilities, has anyone ever calculated how many hours daily he must devote, assuming he must, as a bare
minimum, need 9 hours alone for his “perit” work.
He is most probably working out a special pension for the persons of trust that this government has employed. That will keep them on the government gravy trail even if the PL is removed or not. Some PIGS stick out like a sore thumb that stinks.
So who is going to write to the NAO to investigate this contract?
The Perit Avukat Konsulent and Opinjonist (ah, you forgot that last one, The Shift News!) Appears regularly in the online hearings of the Planning Authority and Planning Appeals Tribunal with all the certificates of all of his qualifications in full view in neat frames on a wall behind him. I will pay more attention next time to see which certificate is about pensions and social security.
Jack of all trades master of none.
Staqli lill min hallsu ghexieren ta eluf u gablu permessi mpossibli fl ODZ. Ovvjament mhux ghax perit kapaci imma ghax jaf lill min ghandu jxahham.
On further reflection, I think that, from the number of contracts with the different government entities, the Perit Avukat Konsulent Lekcerer (possibly soon to be Professor, as I can see he is probably working on it with his numerous publications) Opinjonist should be one of Malta’s best experts on social solidarity, given the amount of tax payer money he pockets therefrom. Who else is made to live on so many taxpayer funded jobs?
Alla jbierek f’kollox jifhem!
A man for all seasons,
well paid for many reasons.
First it was for building mansions,
and now also paying pensions.
Very rare to find such creatures,
who can advise on many features.
Good to have him among friends,
if you want to follow trends.
Kulhadd nithanzer hux.Dan u il Motto
Am I right that a professional can only practise one profession if he is qualified in two?.How can one practice law and practise engineering at the same time?
Isn’t he a lucky boy. A demonstration that shows that it really pays to be a top of the line professional a–e licker.
Kemm tixtieq li kont floku? Sour grapes
Wow! All the supermen and superwomen on this planet are PL lackeys.
Of course, “these tasks as “very ambiguous and broad” ” … but our Most Famous and Illustrious Star ~ Robert Musumeci ~ will gain a degree in Social Policy and Welfare Law in no time at all. Such is his radiant interest in ensuring the public good.
Clearly, it’s not enough to eff up building regulations with their frightening consquencies. He’s godda screw up our pension rights as well.
Clearly chosen for his utter lack of intellectual honesty.
Jack of all trades
This red-eyed boy seems to be qualified and knowledgeable to do practically anything….pity he doesn’t also have a conscious!!!
HEQQ…………XI SUPERMAN, DAN!
Nahseb, il gurnata tieghu ‘specjal’, ghanda 48 il-sijgha biex ilahhaq ma kollox.
Jack of all trades…….
Human multi-tool kemm hu bravu!
His only qualification is Lecca Culi
A modern Leonardo da Vinci
Maybe he was chosen to advise the government on expenses pensioners are burdened with by the damages caused to their homes by the developers.