If this were another century, we could assume that the Zerafa sisters are planning a palace coup

Published: May 21, 2013 at 1:33am

So it turns out that not only has Lydia Abela nee Zerafa planted one of her sisters – Darleen – in her mother-in-law’s chamber as lady-in-waiting (they call it ‘personal assistant’ nowadays) and had her insinuated onto the Community Chest Fund board as secretary, but she has had the husband of another of her sisters, Alison, taken on as her father-in-law’s chauffeur.

Alison Zerafa is Labour mayor of Bormla. Darleen used to be Labour deputy mayor of Bormla.

Who are the more trusted courtiers/servants in the palace household? With the First Lady, it’s her lady-in-waiting/personal assistant. And with the president, assuming he does not have a valet (and if he does, he’s bound to be related to Lydia), it’s his chauffeur.

These are two of the most ‘intimate’ roles in the palace household, because you are privy to all sorts of information, are forced into a situation of intimacy, and know secrets.

So Lydia Zerafa (Labour Party official, remember) marries the president’s son. She plants sister Darleen Zerafa in her mother-in-law’s chambers and sister Alison Zerafa’s husband in her father-in-law’s car.

Who needs MI5?

Smart woman, that Lydia Abela. Like I always say, it’s the soft-spoken ones playing doe-eyed feminine that you’ve got to watch out for, because they’re invariably the ones with a cunning plan, nerves of steel and titanium claws.

So now we know why the President sits next to his chauffeur on official business. It’s not only because it’s the naff thing to do, but because his chauffeur is his son’s brother-in-law. Must be terribly awkward, but with these people, you never know.

Anyway, Mr Alison Zerafa is far right in the group picture. Another picture shows him with his wife, and yet another shows him driving the president around in the official limo.

zerafa 1

zerafa 2

zerafa 3

Alison Zerafa 1

Alison Zerafa 2




37 Comments Comment

  1. Harry Purdie says:

    Nepotism, gravy train, grabbit, trough time, suck up,.

    The reds reign.

    Who would have thought?

    • Harry Purdie says:

      Sorry. have to add something. I’m sitting here in the middle of our night, watching CNN, as the authorities attempt to count the dead from the tornadoes that are presently ravaging the mid states of the US.

      37 people killed, 24 school kids missing.

      Not over yet.

  2. botom says:

    His Excellency Dr George Abela made the presidency look as if it was a monarchy where every family member have a place and a cushy job in the presidential palace.

    This is unacceptable. He has made a mockery of the Presidency.

    During TVHemm the President said that he is not interested in a second term even if this was possible. He should be seriously thinking of resigning not talking about another term.

    His time is up.

    • AE says:

      Whoever even suggested a second term?

      Why is he even mentioning it? All he can do is one term.

      By even saying that he would not accept a second term, would imply that it was offered or that he is expecting it to be offered.

      Another offering from our new PM?

      This President has taken the Presidency to an all time low.

      To put even the Community Chest Fund into disrepute takes particular skill. L-Istrina and such activities always renew my faith in the Maltese people.

      The daily acts of selfishness we come across are drowned by the generosity usually displayed by the Maltese people.

      However I fear that this president’s shenanigans will have dealt a mortal blow to the true community spirit that usually comes out at such events.

  3. Francis Saliba MD says:

    The Zerafa scandal has exposed that our erstwhile performing President of the Republic is saddled not only by an Absalom but also by two, not one, Delilahs. He has been manouvered to do a Saul by begging that would someone please plunge a metaphorical sword into him.

    • La Redoute says:

      Very poetic. Why not tell it is as it is? Qabda baxxi japprofittaw ruhom minn flus haddiehor.

  4. Gahan says:

    Mhux ta’ b’xejn Joseph Muscat hareg ghonqu ghal-president.

    Nisthajjel meta kienu jiltaqghu iz-Zerafijiet il-kliem kien jaqa’ fuq x’hinu ghaddej fil-palazz ta’ San Anton, u Muscat kien ikun jaf kollox.

    Nisthajjel li il-president qisu ma’ jistghax iboss b’dawn il-“commies (Zerafas) under the bed”.

    Kif hallihom jirkbuh.

    • ciccio says:

      So would one be right to state that when Joseph Muscat appointed Lydia Abela as the Secretary of the National Executive in 2010 he had effectively taken over the control of the office of the President of the Republic?

  5. jaqq says:

    She doesn’t even know how to spell KUNSILL

  6. Makjavel says:

    All in the family, TAGHNA LKOLL – this runs through the whole Labour mentality, must be their DNA.

    The president has allowed his family to take over the presidency and the palace, as the Minister of Health has also done with his partner’s friends and family.

  7. maryanne says:

    On another note. The Spiteful Emperor will be having his last laugh by installing the Monti near the new parliament.

    Waiting for Reginald Fava’s comments. Hope he has not lost hist tongue under Labour.

    • Jozef says:

      Degrading public space is in keeping with Labour’s tradition.

      No idea why that ‘market’ has to be considered essential to life in the city.

      Horrible stuff repeated ad nauseum, busloads of tourists trying to find their way around same in Birkirkara.

      Must be something about licences and their illicit trading.

  8. A. Charles says:

    I hope that the relationship between the President of Malta and the driver hasn’t arrived at the stage where the latter calls out to the former ” ejja Gorg han morru”.

  9. Infurmat says:

    Mhux ta’ b’xejn it-tifel tal-President tela’ jitpastas kontra Lawrence Gonzi f’wiehed mill-meetings ‘Taghna Lkoll’.

    Nahseb ghax kien qalbu sewda ghax l-ekonomija sejra hazin mar jitghajjar dakinhar. Biex jiehu hsieb familtu mar imma. Kemm kien iblah min emmen fihom.

  10. Bubu says:

    Let’s get rid of the Evil Clicks, the president said in his speech from the throne.

    I’d say the first thing we should do towards that end is to get rid of him.

  11. helen says:

    All in the family…. mine yours and ours.

  12. canon says:

    I can’t believe that Lydia Abela was not involved in writing the Speech from the Throne for the state opening of parliament.

    I can’t believe that Lydia Abela was not the courier, who gave the President a copy of the speech some days before he had to read it out.

    I can’t believe that the President didn’t discuss the content with her.

    I believe that the President had to give in to her wishes.

  13. Jorge says:

    The presidency looks like a family affair.

  14. Lestrade says:

    In the first photo from the top. Look at the guy (second from right) with a wad of Euro 20 banknotes in his hand. Did he pay for the drinks?

    And by the way, first from left is Richard Dimech (seconded from BOV), who besides being the President’s secretary, is also the President’s cousin.

  15. il-Ginger says:

    For the Game of Thrones fans, qisa Margaery Tyrell.

  16. taxxu says:

    ara how cute….they kept the taghna lkoll promise

  17. gigi says:

    Prosit Daphne,kompli ghidilna minn dawn l-affarijiet ghax lil President kont naghmlu ragel fuq l-irgiel imma wara dawn il kummiedji nerga nahsiba sew.

  18. Herman says:

    We are starting to look more and more like Alyev’s Azerbaijan.

  19. Wilson says:

    At the most this could be called a cheap honey trap – quite easy if you know any Maltese men.

    The gain result for these girls is popularity with some brainless friends and an assured cash flow. Island female survival at its best.

  20. carlos says:

    Really all in the family. And the President had the cheek to present himself on TVM to claim his innocence. He should thank the presenter for not giving him a really bad time.

  21. bryn manning says:

    ‘kunsil’ should read ‘kunsill’

  22. Bandiera Rossa says:

    The Mitford Girls ‘a la Maltaise.

    • PD says:

      Yeah right – the Maltese Mitford sisters from Bormla.

      Well they have certainly compensated for their lack of a country pile and social standing by hijacking the presidency and all that comes with it. Yet, breeding always will out.

  23. Higgins says:

    What did Gorg Abela do as soon as he became president?

    He discharged the volunteers who had been doing sterling work for the Community Chest Fund for many years and surrounded himself with tal-klikka.

    And now he has shown his true colours with his latest scandal.

  24. Basla says:

    The Zerafa sisters must be suffering from some kind of eating disorder themselves: hoovering up everything in sight.

  25. chully says:

    Can you imagine so many switchers who were duped.

  26. Riya says:

    Jekk mhux sejjer zball dan ta’ Alison suldat.

  27. Riya says:

    Il-President tar-Repubblika ‘suppost’ ikun bniedem imparzjali u tal-poplu kollu, izda George Abela ghamel il-Palazz tal-President tar-Republika Kazin Laburista.

  28. Angel says:

    And little brother Albert Zerafa is a lawyer with the Abela law firm. Enough said.

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