Failed Labour MEP candidate Steve Ellul, now Infrastructure Malta CEO, has awarded one of his managers a €40,000-a-year increase.

The Shift revealed last August that as soon as he landed the job as CEO of Infrastructure Malta, Ellul made a controversial decision to appoint one of the agency’s managers, Janice Borg, as Deputy CEO.

Borg, Infrastructure Malta’s Maritime Unit Head, was doing private work for another government agency – Malta Strategic Partnership Projects (formerly Projects Malta) – which was in direct conflict with her work at Ellul’s agency.

She was commissioned privately to provide consultancy on maritime infrastructure and paid thousands extra when she was supposed to be doing her proper job, for which Infrastructure Malta was already paying her.

Borg was given a €111,000 contract – a massive remuneration for a government agency. Before signing this new three-year contract with Steve Ellul, Borg was on a financial package of €74,000.

Janice Borg

Borg was handpicked by the failed former Labour candidate without consultation while ignoring two other officials senior to Borg at the time of her promotion.

According to the code introduced by former CEO Ivan Falzon but never enforced, Borg had to obtain the CEO’s permission before conducting any private work. Falzon never said whether this consent had been given.

At the time, Falzon refused to say whether he had started disciplinary measures against Borg for a possible breach of the code of ethics.

Minister Chris Bonett terminated Falzon’s contract with a golden handshake of over €140,000. Soon after, Falzon was appointed to the Board of the Foundation for Medical Services.