Public sector expo postponed to ease pressure on PL contractors

The annual Public Service Expo, a five-day event organised by the Office of the Prime Minister and traditionally held at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre (MFCC), has been postponed to ease pressure on contractors currently engaged in the Labour Party’s ongoing electoral campaign.

Government sources have confirmed the decision was taken by Head of the Civil Service Tony Sultana, who announced that the event scheduled for late May would be postponed.

It appears the postponement was prompted by concerns that contractors typically commissioned for the Expo, many of whom are also involved in Labour’s campaign events, would struggle to manage both commitments simultaneously.

The postponement also means the Expo will no longer coincide with one of Labour’s final campaign mass meetings, reportedly planned for 24 May, just days before the elections.

OPM sources also said that contractors who were expecting to benefit from the Expo’s annual public spending allocations have been reassured that the event will still take place after the elections, preserving their expected revenue.

According to information obtained by The Shift through Freedom of Information requests, last year’s edition of the Public Service Expo cost taxpayers more than €1.5 million. Much of that spending was issued through direct orders.

Among the companies involved were regular suppliers for Labour Party mass events, including Bestteam Audio, Nexos, and RVC, as well as firms linked to Anton Attard, the former CEO of the PN’s television station.

The Entertainment Company (TEC), owned by Charles Magro, was also involved, though reportedly to a lesser extent than in previous years, amid deteriorating relations with Prime Minister Robert Abela following the 2024 MEP elections campaign.

Sources told The Shift that Magro had charged the Labour Party high prices despite receiving millions in direct orders from the Labour administration, and this infuriated Prime Minister Robert Abela.

The Shift is informed that some outstanding payments due to Magro remain unsettled.

Despite the elections campaign still being in its early days, Labour’s operation is already showing signs of significant expenditure, with elaborate stage setups, high-end event production, and extensive social media and traditional advertising campaigns, costs that opposition parties with more limited resources are unlikely to match.

It remains unclear who is financing Labour’s campaign, which sources estimate could cost several million euro.

Among those reportedly coordinating Labour’s campaign logistics and organisation are Film Commissioner Johann Grech and Transport Malta CEO Kurt Farrugia, both of whom hold senior public sector roles and are paid thousands of euro a month by taxpayers.