A gerontologist working ‘for free’ at St Vincent de Paule but allowed to keep his private practice. Ahem.
Anthony Agius Decelis, the gerontologist who is the Social Policy Minister’s ‘pro bono’ representative at the state-run home for the elderly.
Social Policy Marie Louise Coleiro Preca has announced that Labour MP Anthony Agius Decelis will be her official representative at the state-run home for the elderly, St Vincent de Paule.
He will not be paid, she said, but will instead be allowed to carry on with his private practice.
Agius Decelis is a gerontologist – he specialises in the medical problems of old age – so you can see that his appointment in fact gives him massive access to fresh business.
Other than that, I think we all – even those who voted Labour, because it really isn’t fair on them – require assurances that this is not how the government will be run, with a boy scout system of volunteers or people doing it in return for the business, connections, power and influence, while not receiving a salary.
We also require an explanation as to what this novel (and I don’t mean that in a good way) system of ‘minister’s emissaries’ is. Mario Vella is Minister for the Economy Chris Cardona’s ‘representative’ at Malta Enterprise. Marlene Farrugia is her boyfriend the Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia’s ‘official delegate’. And now we have Anthony Agius Decelis representing the Social Policy Minister at St Vincent de Paule.
While we’re about it, I think they need to learn the difference between voluntary work and pro bono work. Marlene Farrugia isn’t doing ‘voluntary work’ at her boyfriend’s office, the Health Ministry. That would more accurately describe somebody who helps out a dog sanctuary or visits a children’s home every Friday to help out with homework.
What she’s doing is more properly called pro bono work, but still it is entirely inappropriate. Pro bono would be, say, a lawyer who provides professional services free of charge to an NGO or registered charity.
The Health Ministry should not have volunteers at that level or pro bono services. And they should certainly not be provided by the Health Minister’s girlfriend or wife, or sister/brother/daughter/son/whatever.
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Dear Daphne I am sorry but you are completely wrong Mr Decelis (not Dr Decelis) is not a gerontologist – this is what is written in his facebook:
“Graduated in Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Youth and Community Studies, in informal Education and in Managerial Science from the University of Malta.
I chose to work in the Health Sector as it gives me great satisfaction. I believe that a smile is enough to give consolation to patients recovering in hospital.
I work as an electro cardiographer, a member of multi-disciplinary team in cardiology.
I prefer this vocational work, even though I am qualified to work in education or in management.”
[Daphne – See my next post.]
Go to the “official representative” for fast track admission to St Vincent de Paule?
According to wikiepdia there a gerentology is:
“study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging. It is distinguished from geriatrics, which is the branch of medicine that studies the diseases of older adults. Gerontologists include researchers and practitioners in the fields of biology, medicine, nursing, dentistry, social work, physical and occupational therapy, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, economics, political science, architecture, pharmacy, public health, housing and anthropology.”
Therefore we need to know exactly what this practice is, as being gerentological parametic does not constitute the need of a private practice…
Scouts’ honour?
Erm, he is not unpaid. According to The Times report he’s a nurse with the government and will be seconded to St Vincent de Paule. That’s very different.
ps. to my above post: the report was on Maltatoday’s website, not The Times
Last November I was in the ENT outpatients and there was Anthony dressed in civvies pumping flesh with the waiting people. I do not know if he was working as an ECG technician, but he sure was canvassing.