Minister axes Luke Dalli from TVM, citing ban on second jobs

Luke Dalli, the son of former Labour Minister Helena Dalli, has been removed as presenter of TVM’s discussion programme Bla Rispetti on the instructions of the minister responsible for PBS, Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, sources told The Shift.

The programme has been handed to Paula Cauchi, a former aide to minister Chris Fearne.

According to PBS sources, Dalli, who also heads Arts Council Malta, had expected to return for the new broadcasting schedule next week. Instead, just days ago, he was informed that his position at the public entity prevented him from continuing to present the programme.

The reason given was Prime Minister Robert Abela’s directive requiring government chief executives and executive chairpersons to devote themselves full-time to their public duties rather than hold other jobs. This directive is being ignored by various government CEOs.

Ministry sources said Dalli was taken aback by the decision and is now pushing for another position within PBS’s organisational structure. The minister has so far resisted those efforts while Dalli is officially stating to close collaborators that it was his choice to leave the programme.

Dalli’s sudden removal follows earlier controversy over his political activity while presenting current affairs on the national broadcaster.

In June, The Shift reported that Dalli had publicly highlighted his dual role at the election counting hall as both a member of the PBS editorial team, which he is not, and a Labour Party representative. He also shared photographs of himself celebrating Labour’s victory at the party’s headquarters alongside Prime Minister Robert Abela and senior party officials, against the state broadcaster’s code of ethics.

PBS’s ethics rules require news and current affairs presenters to be seen as impartial and prohibit off-air activities that undermine their objectivity, including public support for political parties or candidates. Persons of trust or on contracts with government Ministers and entities are also excluded from conducting current affairs programmes.

At the time, PBS confirmed that its code remained in force but referred questions about enforcement and disciplinary responsibility to Editorial Board chairman Englebert Grech. The Shift reported no public action by the board over the apparent breaches.

Dalli became Arts Council Malta’s executive chairperson in June 2025, succeeding Albert Marshall without a public call for applications.

His rise through the organisation began with a legal officer’s contract awarded by Marshall. His employment became indefinite in 2017, and in 2024 he was promoted to chief operations officer on a package of around €60,000, despite the Council already having another COO.

The Shift subsequently reported, citing Arts Council sources, that the Office of the Prime Minister had instructed then culture minister Owen Bonnici to appoint Dalli, although Bonnici preferred to retain Marshall.

Marshall remained on the Council’s payroll under an arrangement redesignating him as a technical expert while preserving his remuneration until 2028.

Dalli’s contract, obtained by The Shift through a Freedom of Information request, provides a basic annual salary of €65,000. Performance, disturbance and monitoring allowances bring the package to €102,000 a year – equivalent to €8,500 a month. He was also assigned a full-time driver.