Heritage Malta directors’ remuneration more than doubles to €103,000 as deficit hits €4.2m

Heritage Malta’s directors’ remuneration more than doubled to almost €103,000 in 2025 as the government’s national heritage agency, chaired by former civil service head and Labour militant Mario Cutajar, recorded a €4.2 million deficit despite record-paying admissions.

The agency’s annual accounts, tabled in Parliament, show directors’ remuneration increased from €44,250 in 2024 to €102,917, a rise of approximately 133%. At the same time, its annual deficit widened from €2.19 million to €4.19 million.

The remuneration figure covers the agency’s directors collectively.

The accounts do not disclose how much each director received or explain the increase.

Across the consolidated group, including Heritage Malta’s subsidiaries, directors’ remuneration increased from €108,250 to €164,917. The group recorded a €3.66 million deficit, compared with €1.90 million a year earlier.

Cutajar’s remuneration and public appointments have previously attracted scrutiny.

The Shift reported that his Heritage Malta chairmanship paid him more than €4,000 a month, plus other benefits.

The same investigation reported that Cutajar had obtained an advisory contract with then Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Bedingfield following his retirement as principal permanent secretary. It also reported that he received an additional privileged pension linked to his former role.

The deficit widened despite increased visitor numbers, which coincided with an expansion in tourism.

In 2025, Heritage Malta reported a record 1,924,147 paying admissions, with operating income increasing by almost 23%, from €13.34 million to €16.39 million.

That improvement was offset by a fall in funding recognised for recurrent expenditure, from €15.49 million to €12.33 million. Total agency income consequently slipped slightly to €28.72 million.

Staff costs rose from €12.21 million to €13.54 million, while average agency employment increased from 425 to 460, including students, apprentices and government-funded employees on loan.

Auditors Capstone Assurance issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements. The accounts establish the increase in directors’ remuneration but leave unanswered who benefited, what approvals supported it and why remuneration rose so sharply as the agency’s financial result deteriorated.