The Malta International Contemporary Art Centre (MICAS) opening event in Floriana last October awarded the Labour Party’s main events contractor, TEC Ltd, a direct order of almost €80,000, according to details obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
Another €80,000 was spent on food and alcohol during the two-hour no-holds-barred party, which has cost taxpayers a total of €225,000, all dished out in direct orders.
The event, organised by chairperson Phyllis Muscat, celebrated the project’s opening at Floriana’s Osipizio. MICAS was completed more than three years late and was millions over budget.
Labour’s mass events organiser, The Entertainment Company (TEC), owned by Charles Magro, was one of the main beneficiaries. The company received a €79,000 direct order for the set-up and logistics for the party. Magro was also paid another €1,000 from the same event through another of his companies, iCrete Ltd.

Most of the budget was spent on direct orders, according to information provided by the Culture Ministry.
An abundance of food and free-flowing beverages marked Phyllis Muscat’s event. At least €80,000 was spent on catering, which was ordered from Taste History, a subsidiary of Heritage Malta.
Entertainment costs amounted to another €45,000. The information obtained also shows that Portuguese photographer Lionel Balteiro received more than €7,000 for capturing images during the event.
Ray Calleja, an artist and board member of PBS, was paid €5,000 to curate the event. The lowest payment went to Keane Cutajar, who served as the event’s compere for €177.
Hallas gahan.
Proset
An additional feast for over-satiated friends – with the public paying exorbitantly for it?
Where is the Principal Permanent Secretary now, having talked for so long defending direct orders during an interview recently? Has he anything to say on this or has he been suddenly struck dumb? And what about the Permanent Secretary Finance? And the Minister of Finance. What exactly do they do all day? What conceivable justification could there be for such fiscal profligacy? €225,000, all dished out in direct orders, and for what? A party!
And what about the Permanent Secretary Finance? And the Minister of Finance.
Maybe they should read the Confiteor and remember “……….in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do”.
Issa la jghadduhom minn xi kalvarju msieken talli m ghamlux dmieom johrog il Prim jiddefendihom
Dak imissu jixtri by DIRECT ORDER LOLLIPOP BKIR KULLJUM HA IKOLLU X JILAQ
Disgusting!! Even real pigs would squirm at this!!! 🐖
Tat Tec kollox jifhem.Dan il bravu li kixef li mar ibajjad ghand Tonio Fenech b xejn kien.Tibjida tahom lil dawn.Jimpalawlu miljuni ta direct orders biex imbaghad jarmalom it tined extravaganti b xejn ghat teatrini tal Labour.
Dawn kollha stejjer inventati hi skond RA.
hallas ja gahan
Omg it’s incredible how this country survives every event is all about squandering money 💰🤑
Ninzalhom il kappell li ghad issir studju fuq d DNA tal ministri u hbieb kif lanqas idea tal kelma Jew kif kapaci jisirquk u jghidulek li huma tarka tal fqir u tal haddiem, impressjonanti kif kapaci jaghmlu house visits ghad familji fil bzonn , u huma lanqas irridu jghidu fejn u kif ntefqu flushom, it taxxi u jghixu ta miljunarji u lanqas ihossu naqra misthija, ghal flus qatlu lil DCG u mlew nieshom mibgheda u issa hemm flus plus habs X se jaghmlu , cert li se juzaw kull mezz li qatt ma rajna bla limiti ta hazen, biex ikompli il patt mxajten , Guda iddispjacih dawn lanqas jafu kif , flus, flus u flus
Kulhadd jithanzer fil veru sens tal kelma.kemm finanzjarjament kif ukoll bl ikel u xorb. Dan kollu tort li l oppozizjoni mhux effettiva, allura jibqaw jithanzru. Naf x jien nghid.il poplu ddejjaq mil gvern imma ma jridx il pn. Hafna ucuh mil pn hsara qed jaghmlu mhux gid.