Malta Enterprise chief’s rental SUV among scores of direct orders handed out in just six months

Kurt Farrugia authorises €900,000 in direct orders in six months

 

Kurt Farrugia – disgraced former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s head of communications, who in 2019 was given a €130,000-a-year job at Malta Enterprise, has authorised the disbursement of some €900,000 of state funds through direct orders during the first half of this year, including one for a new SUV for his own use.

The €41,000 direct order published in the Government Gazette is for a Volkswagen ID. Pure from Gauci Automobiles, importers of luxury second-hand vehicles owned by the Birkikara-based Gauci brothers, who are close friends of Prime Minister Robert Abela.

The Gauci’s company also leases vehicles to other government members, including Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard.

Paul and Mark Gauci.

Paul and Mark Gauci, known as Tal-Gedida, have been seen accompanying the prime minister and his wife, Lydia, to restaurants and and on travels aboard their luxury yachts.

According to the published data, the CEO of Malta Enterprise, Farrugia, approved 35 direct orders in six months.

Direct orders are meant to be used sparingly, and contracts with a value of more than €10,000 should be issued through a competitive tender. However, on many occasions, these rules were broken by the state agency to acquire services directly, including from close associates.

Among the payments made by Farrugia are €7,000 to Content House for the publication of an online PR feature, almost €10,000 to Outdoor Living, which organises games for ‘team building’ events, and €33,000 to Corinthia’s MFCC to hire the venue for a two-day ‘start-up’ event.

Former Malta Enterprise staff also received direct orders, including Daniel Gravino, who was tasked to produce a cost-benefit analysis for state subsidies asked for by Lufthansa Teknik, while a small HR company, Your Talent Partner, was paid €10,000 for “professional services assisting in HR recruitment”.

Malta Enterprise is chaired by William Wait, who also sits on the boards of various private companies, including clients of Malta Enterprise.

                           

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viv
viv
10 months ago

A mafia state simply cannot be expected to perform in its day-to-day functions whilst hobbled by legal impediments. The commodity of highest value in Malta is one’s silence – contrarily, the most risky is to speak.

KLAUS
KLAUS
10 months ago
Reply to  viv

I learned from the mother Ms. Isabelle Bonnici
that we have to speak up for our children.

If more and more people take this ‘risks’,
it will be AGAIN a risk for the ‘others’.

FRANK VELLA
FRANK VELLA
10 months ago

Il fondi pubblici saru iktar available mill fondi tal ilma mbierek!

Godfrey Leone Ganado
Godfrey Leone Ganado
10 months ago

Well it is obvious that Kurt Farrugia has to get paid well to keep his mouth gagged from exposing the corrupt practices of his leaders, which he is privy to, having been a member of government delegations overseas, like Azerbajgan.

Michael
Michael
10 months ago

and the Maltese buy apartments by going into debt, while these people always build them with the citizens’ money and therefore not with their money ahahahha this is nice… vote still labour

KLAUS
KLAUS
10 months ago

Tighten our belt? Let the others do it! 

So that nobody can see who is behind the wheel, we have also ordered tinted windows.

We then race through the streets faster than the maximum permitted speed – often accompanied by loud honking. If that’s not fun.

That’s how PL-MAFIA works!

BTW: Where are we throwing the next party at Malta’s expense? See you soon.

Carmelo borg
10 months ago

BRAVU BOBBY. L EWWEL GHAMLU SINJUR GONZIghax GONZI kien HABIB TAL PAPA GEORGE u issa qed IKOMPLI isir miljunarju meta jithallat man neguzjanti KBAR BHAL dawn u BONNICI BROS. ECT ECT ECT
RIGWARD Dan KURT xjaghmbija DAK IL kobor ta karrozza SUV DAK ZGUR IRID XI ZEWG IMHADDED BIEX ILAHAQ MA L ISTEERING. JEKK MA JAGHMILX HEKK IN NIES VIT TRIQ JAHSBU LI DIN IL KARROZZA MIEXJA AUTOPILOT

Carmelo Micallef
Carmelo Micallef
10 months ago

I wonder what new ‘job’ beckons for Kurt Farrugia in 2024? Any guesses ….

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