Speaker endorses Standards Commissioner report on Ministers Bartolo, Camilleri

Speaker Anglu Farrugia has joined both sides of the House in endorsing the Standards Commissioner’s damning report on the fake job given to Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo’s wife, Amanda Muscat.

The Parliament’s Standards Committee unanimously endorsed the report, which concluded that Ministers Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri abused their power when they gave Muscat a €70,000 job for which she was not qualified and did not do.

Both PL and PN representatives agreed to abide by the Commissioner’s report, which the Speaker supported. The Opposition members insisted the Commissioner should appear before the committee, also to decide the amount of money that should be refunded to the public.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo’s wife was appointed policy consultant to the Gozo ministry when she was having an extramarital affair with Bartolo. When the scandal of former minister Justyne Caruana was exposed, the two ministries agreed on a transfer on paper.

Muscat never moved, continued to be Bartolo’s secretary in Malta, but gained a salary of nearly €70,000.

The Commissioner’s report details her lack of qualifications and the fact that those in government questioned about the deal lied under oath.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has insisted on defending the two ministers involved. He said an apology from Minister Bartolo was enough. Minister Clint Camilleri even refused to do so.

During the parliamentary committee today, the government representatives, including Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, did not object to the Commissioner’s conclusions.

The committee decided to meet on 27 November to discuss further.