Prime Minister Muscat’s secretariat: 35 people, including his wife

Published: April 22, 2013 at 10:24pm

UPDATED WITH THIS NOTE:
Samaria Bezzina is not a member of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s Secretariat. She was engaged for work related to the Budget call centre under the previous government. Someone must have forgotten to strike her name off the list. She is indeed Gianluca Bezzina’s sister and therefore it was most unlikely that she would have been handpicked for Muscat’s secretariat.

This is the full list for the prime minister’s secretariat (i.e. political jobs). It includes him, of course, and another 35 people including his wife and, unless there is another Adriana Chircop, Labour MP Karl Chircop’s widow.

It also includes failed Labour candidate Gino Cauchi, who was appointed Labour Party CEO last month. What is he doing listed among the PM’s private secretariat? A cunning plan to have his Labour CEO salary paid by the state?

Almost the entire Super One workforce has been offloaded onto the taxpayer via secretariat jobs already. So what is the Labour CEO doing at the OPM?

Abela Baldacchino Claudette at OPM 22002420
Prime Minister Secretariat
Secretariat Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
claudette.abela-baldacchino

Abela Kevin J at OPM 25458910
Prime Minister Secretariat
Secretariat Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
kevin.j.abela

Barbara Raymond at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
PA to the Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
raymond.a.barbara

Bartolo David at OPM 22000000
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
david.a.bartolo

Bezzina Samaria at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
OPM OFFICIAL (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
samaria.bezzina

Bianco Charlene at OPM
Office of the Prime Minister
charlene.bianco

Camilleri Anna at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
anna.a.camilleri

Carbone Matthew at OPM 22000000
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
matthew.carbone

Cassar Ritianne at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
ritianne.cassar

Cauchi Gino at OPM 25596000
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
gino.cauchi

Cefai Monica at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
monica.cefai

Chircop Adriana at OPM 22002412
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
adriana.chircop

De Martino Alan at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
OPM OFFICIAL (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
alan.de-martino

Degiorgio Rudolf at OPM 22002413
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
rudolf.degiorgio

Farrell Joseph at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
joseph.farrell

Farrugia Borg Mario at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
mario.farrugia-borg

Farrugia Joseph at OPM 22980456
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
joseph.ac.farrugia

Farrugia Kurt at OPM 22002466
Prime Minister Secretariat
Head of Communications
Office of the Prime Minister
kurt.a.farrugia

Farrugia Mark at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
mark.b.farrugia

Galea Chris at OPM 22890298
Prime Minister Secretariat
Logistics Coordinating Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
chris.b.galea

Gherxi Joseph at OPM 21419775
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
joseph.gherxi

Grech Johann at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
johann.grech

Mallia Elaine at OPM 22001097
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
elaine.mallia

Mallia Jacqueline Rita at OPM
Customer Care Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
jacqueline-rita.mallia

Mifsud Etienne-Marc at OPM 22002459
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
etienne-marc.mifsud

Muscat Alexander at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
alexander.muscat

Muscat Joseph at OPM 25596000
Prime Minister Secretariat
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
joseph.muscat

Muscat Michelle at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
michelle.c.muscat

Schembri Anna at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
anna.a.schembri

Schembri Keith at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Chief of Staff
Office of the Prime Minister
keith.schembri

Schembri Mariella A at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
mariella.a.schembri

Seychell Pamela at OPM 22998175
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
pamela.seychell

St John Frank at OPM
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
frank.st-john

Sultana Martin J at OPM 25456921
Prime Minister Secretariat
Office of the Prime Minister
martin.j.sultana

Tabone Jennifer at OPM
Customer Care Officer
Office of the Prime Minister
jennifer.tabone

Vella Johann at OPM 22001460
Prime Minister Secretariat
Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)
Office of the Prime Minister
johann.vella




66 Comments Comment

  1. Helen says:

    Il-marelli, qisu is-Sheik tad-Dubai

  2. canon says:

    How much does it all cost?

  3. Giovanni says:

    Do not know her name but definitely Karl Chircop’s widow works at the OPM thanks to Dr. Lawrence Gonzi.

    • Say it straight says:

      Karl Chircop’s wife is Adrian Chircop, her mother being one of the ‘Patrick Holland’ Hollands, the Mintoff-era Minister of housing.

      That she was employed by Lawrence Gonzi is testimony of the non-political-bias approach prevailing under the Nationalists.

      Facts that cannot be denied.

      • Say it straight says:

        Sorry, I meant Adriana Chircop not Adrian.

      • carlos says:

        Yes facts that cannot be denied but they irritated many Nationalists many of whom found the doors slammed in their faces, with the election results we all know about.

      • Eddy Privitera says:

        What a joke ! ” non-political bias prevailing…. under the nationalists ” !!!!!

  4. Sandrine Attard says:

    Samaria Bezzina is the sister of Gianluca Eurovision Bezzina. She is always hanging out with the SDM clan on campus.

  5. ciccio says:

    Let’s look at this POSITIVELY in line with the preachings of the Great Leader.

    It was planned that the Secretariat would consist of 47 persons. But it’s been reduced to 35 after netting off a 25% reduction in bureaucracy.

  6. Guzi says:

    Alex Muscat is another failed Labour candidate.

    Can some journalist enquire with the OPM if Michelle Muscat is getting a salary?

    • La Redoute says:

      You can ask your MP to ask the question in parliament.

      • etil says:

        Yes that is what he should do. I find it rather strange that the Opposition are not querying the number of new staff and their salaries.

        At the rate things are going there is not going to be any unemployment in the country – of course PL leaning persons being given priority because Malta Taghhom Lkoll. I shudder to think what the public service salary total is going to be.

  7. Harry Purdie says:

    Do they all get free coffee? I’ll supply donuts at a discount. No tender, of course. Not necessary now.

  8. xmun says:

    Mario Farrugia Borg is ex PN councillor (not sure if Qormi) turned Muslim turned Labour.

  9. Edward says:

    I’m starting to get very confused by all these jobs that have been handed out left, right and centre. Could someone please explain to me how many people are being paid by the tax payer at the moment, please? And compare it with the previous government’s way of doing things.

    What is his wife getting paid for? Being his wife?

  10. S.A says:

    L-OPM huwa taghna lkoll UKOLL.

  11. Aunt Hetty says:

    Ah, the token Muslim too.

  12. Alexander Ball says:

    And Uncle Tom Fucking Cobbley and all.

    Quite a few females.

    Is that what he meant by “the most feminist government”.

  13. Yanika says:

    Is Samaria Bezzina, Gianluca’s (the Eurovision guy) sister?

    [Daphne – He does have a sister by that name, but she lives in England I believe, so I’ve no idea really.]

  14. Matt says:

    Arrogance galore.

    Muscat doesn’t care one bit what the PN media or The Times write about him. He will continue to do whatever he wants. Remember the people gave them 36,000 more votes.

    Poor Maltese taxpayer.

  15. Alf says:

    I beg to differ. I do not think that this is the FULL list. This is only a list of persons in the Secretariat who have access to email and therefore have email addresses. This list does not include e.g. security/driver/s, messenger/s, cleaner/s. I imagine the complete list will be much over forty (40) people.

  16. Marku says:

    if not mistaken, Samaria Bezzina is Gianluca Bezzina’s sister.

    [Daphne – Doesn’t that Samaria Bezzina live in England?]

  17. pablo says:

    So does this mean Michele Ma Belle gets paid a salary?

  18. Grezz says:

    Mario Farruga Borg must be that man who converted to Islam, and who appears on television regularly, including appearances to extol the virtues of Labour and Muscat.

    I think the public needs to know whether or not the Schembris listed are related to Kasco Keith, Joseph’s chief of staff.

    The names Ritianne Cassar and Charlene Banco ring a bell, possibly because of Labour pages on Facebook, though I’m not sure.

  19. Mallia Peter says:

    Lawrence Gonzi had employed Karl Chircop’s widow as soon as her husband died. She was working at MEUSAC.

    [Daphne – Yes, and now she is in the PM’s private secretariat, no doubt chosen because of her special skills rather than her political sympathies, despite having been employed ghax il-gvern ta’ Gonzi kien jahdem bil-klikkek. The hypocrites. Imagine if my husband had died and I was given a job at MEUSAC to help pay the bills, x’kienu jghidu tas-Super One.]

    So Gino Cauchi is Labour’s CEO working from Castille?

    • H.P. Baxxter says:

      Well, that’s Gonzian justice for you. Bear that in mind.

      He might have been brilliant at economic policy but he was rather too liberal with the pjaciri in the name of misguided Christian compassion.

    • carlos says:

      And I know active Nationalists who have been trying to get their sons employed for over three years. And Gonzi turned his face the other way. No wonder that they turn red when they hear these stories.

      [Daphne – It’s comments like yours that make me see red, carlos. Is Malta the world’s last remaining backwater where people ‘get jobs for their sons’ and actually think it normal and acceptable? If a grown man needs his parents to get him a job, then he’s not fit to do it. Surely that should be obvious – as it should also be obvious that jobs are not there for favours, and arguing that it’s wrong that X got a job as a favour when you didn’t is hopelessly illogical, warped and unethical.]

      • Qeghdin Sew says:

        Daphne, can you copy your comment and put it as a sticky post on the front page? Forsi xi darba nitghallmu.

      • etil says:

        Daphne – the answer to your question is a definite ‘yes’. As for the rest of your comment, it is impossible to make some Maltese understand that politics is not asking favours of your politicians but what you can do through you own merit. Maybe in 56 years’ time the mentality will change but I doubt it.

      • Angus Black says:

        Carlos, ignorant people exist even in the PN. Those who voted Labour because they did not receive a special favour from the PN should stay with Labour since it is their natural domicile.

        People who expect a government to run their lives are lazy, have no forward vision and will always be ‘imsieken’ – (that is the most suitable description I can think of at the moment).

        Look at all the appointments by the Labour government – less than 10% merited the positions. The rest (90%) were given government jobs simply because they were a bunch of former Mintoffjani or worked at Labour’s propaganda machine or are related to a friend of a friend of some recently appointed minister.

  20. Jozef says:

    Joseph Farrell would be Joe il-Farrell, Labour candidate on the fifth district.

  21. Aldo says:

    Pity his daughters are under-16 and can’t be put on the state payroll at OPM too.

    Vera mohh ta’ Laburist.

  22. Athina says:

    Hekk sew kulhadd ipappi min fuq darnha. Is the Joseph Farrell guy the same who was a labour canditate and has an established business in Zurrieq?

  23. Cettina says:

    Are there not also Sandro Craus and the PM’s chauffeur ir-Roma, cousin of Herbert Vassallo, who runs the Labour Party club in Rabat?

  24. ninten says:

    Rudolf Degiorgio is a DJ with a Saturday morning show on the Labour Party’s radio station, Super One.

    • La Redoute says:

      Why does the Office of the Prime Minister need a DJ?

      • ciccio says:

        Ah, that’s because they know that with the sort of decisions they are taking now, it won’t be long before they will have to face the music.

  25. Josette says:

    What do they mean by “Officer (AUTHORISED PERSONNEL)”? Is this a new creation of Malta Tagħna Biss?

    To my knowledge, ministries – including the OPM – had the Minister’s PA who was also Head of Secretariat, the Minister’s Private Secretary and Assistant Private Secretary, the Communications Coordinator, the Policy Coordinator and various Secretariat Officers (there was a set limit).

    There would then be a couple of drivers and maybe some secretaries who were public officials. But never, ever this circus troupe.

  26. Martin borg says:

    Is this an official list published by government?

    [Daphne – It’s the OPM secretariat internal contacts list, yes.]

  27. Bella Patria says:

    And the invisible Marisa Micallef?

  28. Rumplestiltskin says:

    And these people had the gall to complain about a €500 raise to a cabinet of EIGHT ministers.

  29. Michael says:

    Is Claudette Abela Baldachino the same person being investigated by OLAF for corruption?

  30. Joseph Muscat's Meritocracy says:

    Segretarjat tal-Bazuzli, Hbieb tal-Hbieb, u Crieki fi Crieki.

  31. Cettina says:

    Sandro Craus was the mayor of Rabat. Now he is Muscat’s assistant. Craus has a driver too and his nickname is Roma.

  32. Grezz says:

    Would Kevin Abela be a draughtsman?

  33. Carlos Bonavia says:

    Haqqu l-poplu tih – sawwtu, hekk hu go fik ja mgiddem Malti.

    Ja kibx, ja kelb ta l-gharab – haqqek, aqla go fik u titkellimx ghax nitfulek ix-xema.

    Din kienet ir-rieda tal-poplu li warrab ragel fuq l-irgiel mit tmexxija biex lahhaq purcinell kattiv b’qalb ta arguzin minfloku.

    Issa nitolbu, u naghmlu xi weghda lid-Duluri biex tghinnha nghadddu dawn l-10 snin li gejjin.

    Beam me up, Scottie.

  34. OnlyPN says:

    Can I have your email address please?

    [Daphne – dcg@proximuspr.com]

  35. Manuel says:

    So this is the sort of change for which people were conned into voting: the entire Super One team and even the party’s present and former CEO on the state payroll.

  36. Frans Cassar says:

    Oh my god! Joe ‘Farrell’ Farrugia working at the OPM?

    Another individual with his own private business. I am an ex-football player who played for Zurrieq FC and believe me this football club is debt-ridden and was taken to court by a bank because of loans not paid which were taken out by the club whilst Mr Joe Farrugia was President.

    This country is stooping beneath mediocrity – God help us all.

  37. Alex says:

    Are these newly created posts or have many employees been fired?

  38. caroline says:

    I need a job. Will Joey please put me on his payroll too.

  39. J says:

    Also, if I’m not mistaken, Samaria Bezzina, Gianluca’s sister, is in Plymouth doing her masters. She was also in KSU as part of the SDM administration about 3 or 4 years ago.

  40. Gigi says:

    Naqbel perfettament ma’ Carlos Bonavia u j’alla l-poplu Malti ikompli jaqla go fih forsi xi darba jitghalem.

    M’hemmx ghalfejn nghidu l-Ghawdxin haqqhom daqqa ukoll wara dak kollu li ghamlilhom. Prosit Carlos.

  41. alan de martino says:

    I don’t work there anymore. I used to work at the call centre like Samaria.

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