Owen Bonnici hands Albert Marshall fifth job

Veteran Labour loyalist Albert Marshall has been handed yet another taxpayer-funded role, with Culture Minister Owen Bonnici approving a new contract that adds to an already extensive list of public appointments.

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that Marshall, 79, was awarded a fresh consultancy role linked to the Manoel Theatre, under the direction of Edward Zammit, the national theatre’s politically appointed CEO.

The new contract, running for 24 months, will see Marshall paid €860 per month, amounting to over €20,000 by September 2027.

This latest engagement adds to at least two other ongoing consultancy roles funded through Bonnici’s ministry.

Marshall is already receiving a package of around €100,000 annually for his position as a “technical expert” at the Arts Council Malta, alongside a separate consultancy arrangement with the Valletta Cultural Agency.

All three entities fall directly under the minister’s political remit.

In addition, Marshall continues to draw public funds through roles at Public Broadcasting Services, where he serves as deputy chairman, and through work connected to the Malta Film Commission, further consolidating his presence across multiple state institutions with a total of five appointments.

Sources within the cultural sector have described the situation as “highly irregular”, noting that Marshall’s original terms of engagement at Arts Council Malta precluded him from holding paid positions with other public cultural organisations. Despite this, overlapping contracts were issued and maintained.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Kevin Mahoney, is understood to have been alerted to the overlaps months ago. However, no action was taken to address the situation.

The latest revelations by The Shift follow earlier disclosures regarding Marshall’s lucrative financial arrangements with the Valletta Cultural Agency. While serving as Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta, he was awarded four consecutive consultancy contracts by the agency, each worth €5,000.

The contracts, signed by VCA CEO Catherine Tabone, amounted to €20,000. Insiders described the arrangement as a clear conflict of interest, given that Arts Council Malta is responsible for supervising entities such as the VCA.

It remains unclear what deliverables were produced in return.

Separate internal documents also reveal that Marshall’s lucrative Arts Council contract was preserved despite a leadership reshuffle in 2025 where he was replaced by Luke Dalli.

Although removed from his executive role just six months into a new three-year agreement ordered by Owen Bonnici, an addendum signed by Mahoney reclassified him as a “technical expert” while retaining his full salary and benefits.

His package includes a base salary of €63,000, performance bonuses, multiple allowances, and perks such as a government car and driver, bringing the total annual cost close to €100,000.

Over the contract’s duration, this is expected to exceed €300,000, and will come to an end in 2028, when Marshall turns 81.

Sources within Arts Council Malta described the arrangement as “unprecedented”, pointing out that the role of “technical expert” does not formally exist within the organisation’s structure and that Marshall’s involvement since his reassignment has been minimal.

Marshall, a former CEO of ONE TV and long-time Labour Party figure, was replaced at the Arts Council by Luke Dalli, son of former Labour minister Helena Dalli.