Esplora appoints singer Ivan Grech ‘ambassador’, while Cleansing Department gets a ‘brand journalist’

Esplora, the government’s EU-funded interactive science centre in Kalkara, has appointed singer Ivan Grech as its ‘ambassador’, according to a list of direct orders published in the Government Gazette.

Grech, from Cottonera, is being paid €10,000 a year for this undefined role. His contract was signed with Striped Sox, a small marketing company co-owned by his wife. The company has received several direct orders from various ministries and government agencies for marketing activities.

Grech’s partner is Kurt Cini, a businessman involved in a number of companies, including Steel Structures, which was awarded the overpass along the Mriehel bypass.

On the other hand, the government’s cleansing department, now led by Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Bedingfield, awarded Melvic Zammit a direct order of €10,000 for six months, calling him a “brand journalist.”

The role’s definition reflects Bedingfield’s lack of understanding of what journalism means, although that is not surprising considering his track record. There is no such thing as a “brand journalist.”

Journalists report facts, but it’s not hard to understand why Bedingfield mixes spin with journalism considering his background at ONE and the job he did at the Office of the Prime Minister for disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat.

Zammit’s full-time job is to manage the public relations of another government agency, Infrastructure Malta.

Melvic Zammit.

Zammit spent his short career in journalism at Labour’s media house Kulhadd and the GWU’s daily l-Orizzont until he joined the state broadcaster TVM soon after Labour was back in government.

It is as yet unclear whether his six-month stint as the cleansing department’s “brand journalist” was prolonged by another six-month contract.

Bedingfield has already started spending significant public funds through direct orders.

Among his first instructions was the lease of a BMW X3 Impressive, fully electric, for €84,000.

He also commissioned Gareth Degiorgio, the prime minister’s photographer, for “videography and editing services”, for €10,000.

Degiorgio is currently receiving a raft of contracts from various ministries and government agencies after acting as Robert Abela’s photographer during his 2020 campaign for the PL leadership.

Beddingfield has appointed his friend, former Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar as his adviser.

                           

Sign up to our newsletter

Stay in the know

Get special updates directly in your inbox
Don't worry we do not spam
                           
                               
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

17 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Joseph Tabone Adami
Joseph Tabone Adami
1 month ago

Some sipping Moet & Chandon, others spinning for the ‘ministry’ of public cleanliness.

Hallas, Gahan – u tinsiex iccapcap, jekk joghbok!

Raymond Gatt
Raymond Gatt
1 month ago

PL screwing the Maltese public in the open, by making pigs of themselves! Hopefully when change happens, all these irregularities are investigated and anyone guilty gets exactly what he or she deserves!

S. Camilleri
S. Camilleri
1 month ago

Jobs conjured up out of thin air. Unfortunately they are not paid out of thin air but from the public coffers, which is our money.

Carmelo borg
1 month ago

Kemm jinqala il MINISTRU ta l iskart u it tindif Taz zibel biex JONFOQ flus il POPLU fqir u GAHAN.
Cap cap GAHAN
MEQ MEQ

Grace Cilia
Grace Cilia
1 month ago

Another appointment for Mario Cutajar! B’kemm il-halq qed jiekol?!

S. Camilleri
S. Camilleri
1 month ago
Reply to  Grace Cilia

Ma ghandux xabagha.

Carmel Callus
Carmel Callus
1 month ago
Reply to  Grace Cilia

Taht Gvern Nazzjonalista ghamel hames snin ma jidholx ghax-xoghol u jithallas xorta wahda daqs li kieku qed jahdem. Halliel ta’ flus il-poplu u korrott mill- kbar.

Joseph Bonello
Joseph Bonello
1 month ago

Pigging galore !

Antonio Ghisleri
Antonio Ghisleri
1 month ago

Doesn’t anyone or someone at the Ministry of Finance or at the People and Standards Division of the OPM check these contracts/appointments to see that there is no abuse of public funds? Or is it a free for all by ministers and parliamentary secretaries?

Joseph Tabone Adami
Joseph Tabone Adami
1 month ago

Doesn’t look like it – and never did in recent years!

N Scerri
N Scerri
1 month ago

Ma tarax.U mbaghad kill sitt xhur jitfacca Clyde Caruana bil priedka tst tifel li il gvern hemm bzonn jnaqqas l ispejjes.Mandra u pajjiz taht deficit procedure ha jhallu warajom.

paul pullicino
paul pullicino
1 month ago

Hemm paniku fil-palazzi tal-hniezer. Wara Gunju irrejalizzaw illi x-xatba bdiet niezla. Kollha jfittxu l-ahhar opportunita’ illi jdahhlu l-eluf f’bwiethom minn flus il-poplu.

jingo
jingo
1 month ago

You couldn’t dream this shit up.

Joseph
Joseph
1 month ago

How shameful, now they do not even try to find an excuse.. it is plain and simple digging grubby fingers in the jam jar..so revolting

Gordon
Gordon
1 month ago

€10,000 is the capping for issuing Direct Orders. More to come.

D. Borg
D. Borg
1 month ago

The otherwise ‘honourable’ Clyde Caruana should be sued for failing to effectively fulfil his duties as a ‘pater familias’ at least in so far as safeguarding our financial assets (or rather liabilities, as things are going).
At best he may claim that he is limiting the haemorrhage of public funds – but judging by the harrowing results – he should resign outright.

Last edited 1 month ago by D. Borg
Carmen Aquilina
Carmen Aquilina
1 month ago

Advisor for what?? To tell him where to clean/sweep? The whole Island is filthy!!

Related Stories

Gzira-based university given second temporary licence despite complaints
The government’s regulatory arm in higher education – the
Opinion: Trapped in a state of lawlessness
On 19 September, the European Court of Justice declared

Our Awards and Media Partners

Award logo Award logo Award logo