A turnip for 400,000 euros a year
The future minister of justice, accompanied by a EUR400,000 turnip
How many people know that the Labour Party’s turnip in Brussels – Joseph Cuschieri – has a total package of around EUR400,000 a year?
And that the only thing he has done to earn it is give up his seat in the Maltese parliament so that Joseph Muscat can become Leader of the Opposition, because all he is actually capable of doing in Brussels is reading out short speeches which others have written for him?
Not many, I’ll bet.
And it’s a fact that the Labour Party keeps carefully hidden as it tweets and broadcasts lanzit about the permanent representative’s salary, which somebody else will now be earning anyway.
Given a choice between Richard Cachia Caruana doing what he did for EUR143,000 a year and Joseph Cuschieri doing sweet FA for EUR400,000 a year, there’s no doubt what most sensible persons would choose. But there’s no such choice.
And the way some people reason is that ‘the Maltese tazpayer’ doesn’t pay (all) Cuschieri’s money, so we don’t care how much he takes for doing nothing.
Anzi, they see it as yet another nice way of cheating “foreigners” of their money, to the benefit of a Maltese.
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Worthy of a mention on Super 1 TV, Radio, Websajt and all media eh?
If all your website visitors copy/paste the following into a Google search, we can get Google results to show up in autocomplete.
“Joseph Cuschieri 400,000 euros a year”
And they have the cheek to come pointing fingers at the whatever others are getting paid to do their work.
There isn’t even a choice between RCC doing his best for Malta for EUR400,000 p.a and Cuschieri doing FA for EUR143,000 p.a.
The best option is patently obvious.
I had been told, late last December by someone in Labour’s inner circle, that Joseph would love to have someone with RCC’s capabilities serving him as permanent representative in the EU.
And that Joseph is seriously worried who he can rely upon for briefing and guidance for decisions. That RCC, in a way, is irreplaceable. He’s also scared shitless of the real thing, becoming prime minister.
There’s so much more.
There is an attendance allowance of €300 daily for just signing-in.
Is Cuschieri one of those who signs in and leaves, like people here do at funerals?
Is it true that MEPs do not have to substantiate claims for allowances and expenses by presenting receipts?
Is this how the Dubai-dhow-boat jaunt, starring Michael Farrugia and Joseph Muscat, was financed?
The comparison between the two is sickening. The more highly-paid of the two is nothing but a wallflower which can read.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111109/local/Cuschieri-to-get-his-MEP-seat-in-Brussels-at-last.392930
“Upon taking his MEP seat, Mr Cuschieri will become eligible for a €400,000 annual financial package including an €80,000 salary and funds for employing staff, opening up offices and travel allowances.”
Blackadder the Third.
Baldrick has just been enobled and come into a vast sum of money which Blackadder demands off him.:
Baldrick: I haven’t got it.
Blackadder: What?
Baldrick: I spent it.
Blackadder: You spent it? What could you possibly spend £400 000 on?
[Blackadder notices the massive turnip on the table]
Blackadder: Oh, no… oh God, don’t tell me.
Baldrick: My dream turnip.
Blackadder: Baldrick, how did you manage to find a turnip that cost £400 000?
Baldrick: Well, I had to haggle.
Now, why did that sound familiar?
It’s now time for ‘a cunning plan’.
Like walking over a very sharp cattle grid in an extremely heavy hat.
I don’t think that comparison you’re making is fair.
We were told that RCC’s salary + global emoluments add up to EUR 143,000. I assume that this doesn’t include the figure of around EUR 96,000 for rent that was floated around and other fringe benefits.
[Daphne – Members of the European Parliament do not have packages which include rent for their ‘residence’ and staff for that residence, as ambassadors do. The disposal of Cuschieri’s package is within his discretion. Nor do ambassadors have discretionary packages with which to choose their staff and offices, or not choose them at all.]
Then you mention Cuschieri’s total package of EUR 400,000, at least EUR 80,000 of which (partially) cover the salary of staff and running of offices.
I don’t think you’re comparing like with like.
That leaves EUR320,000 unaccounted for.
“because all he is actually capable of doing in Brussels is reading out short speeches which others have written for him?”
At times unfortunately the speeches are not nearly short enough.
I would love to see Joseph Cuschieri’s academic qualifications.
You won’t love it, it will only make you cry.
We all know why he is an MEP. Joseph Muscat needed his parliamentary seat u l-PL ma jafux jisthu. And he is raking all that money. No lanzit there from Labour MPs.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/110984/Joseph_Cuschieri.html – –
Curriculum vitae (The MEP is solely responsible for the information published)
Member, Labour Party National Executive (1996- )
Member of the local council in St Julian’s, Malta, and Deputy Mayor (1994-1996)
Member of Parliament, Chamber of Deputies, Malta. Took part in delegation visits to the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Tunisia, Austria, South Korea, Germany, Palestine, Israel and Jordan (1998-2008)
Labour Party spokesperson on local councils (1998-2003)
Labour Party parliamentary spokesperson on tourism, Air Malta and the hospitality sector (2003-2008)
Labour Party parliamentary spokesperson on infrastructure and capital projects (May-September 2008)
Hypocrisy at its best: no mention of this salary by PL.
Mhux ta’ b’xejn ceda postu malajr mela, miskin.