Please donate money to the Community Chest Fund to pay for a master’s degree course in Italy, flights and accommodation for Lydia Abela’s sister, Darleen
Lydia Abela (right): the president’s daughter-in-law, whose sister Darleen Zerafa is using donations to the Community Chest Fund to pay for her air tickets, accomodation and tuition fees in Italy. These Abelas have found a goose that lays golden eggs, and in their greed they’re raiding the nest.
Darleen Zerafa (centre) with her sister Lydia Abela (right), who is married to the president’s son, Robert
Extract from the Minutes of the 90th Board Meeting of the Malta Community Chest Fund held under the Chairmanship of H.E. Dr George Abela, President of Malta and Mrs Margaret Abela held on Thursday 4th October 2012 at San Anton Palace at 1800hours:
5.0 Other Matters
1. Fondazzjoni Kenn Għal Saħħtek
… The president also informed the Board that to-date foundation is not registered. It should be registered in a period of 3 months from the signing of the deed.
To abide by law we are to nominate 3 persons, one being the Chairperson of the Foundation. This is a first, where Chairperson is chosen by mutual agreement between the President of Malta and the Prime Minister.
The president also informed the board that it was agreed to Dr Anton Grech as the Foundation’s Chairperson. Prime minister was totally in favour of his nomination.
H.E told members that MCCF is to nominate its representative and suggested Ms. Darleen Zerafa to represent MCCF the foundation’s board. This proposal for nomination was being made after taking into consideration that she is currently following a Masters course in Italy organized with the collaboration of the Eating Disorders Centers in Todi and Pieve.
After applying to follow this course she was chosen and will finish her studies in September 2013. This is of great benefit to MCCF since we need to be updated with latest treatment protocols adopted in other Centers of excellence.
Also The President explained that members to be appointed on the Foundation’s board should be well read in the subject and well into the health profession.
The President asked Ms Zerafa to give a brief overview of her experience abroad, and what it entails to follow such studies. Ms Zerafa expressed that apart from broadening her knowledge, it is an interesting experience where one can share good practices. Almost all participants work in such centers, a good number of them being amongst the first centers established in Italy. Hence this could offer great benefit to develop our protocols and good working practices in Dar Kenn ghall Sahhtek.
All board members agreed and approved the said nomination.
H.E. The President asked Ms Zerafa to withdraw from the meeting (Mr Harry Fenech continued to record minutes) and then drew the attention of the members of the Board to the fact that she was undertaking at her own cost a course in Italy leading to a Master’s Degree in Eating Disorders.
The President explained that she was funding the cost of the course, including all course expenses, travel and accommodation out of her own pocket.
He did not feel this was right as ultimately it was going to be the new Foundation which would benefit from Darleen’s additional qualification. He felt that the Malta Community Chest Fund should consider reimbursing her with at least some if not all of her expenses.
Harry Fenech said that because of the need to keep costs down Darleen was putting herself to great inconvenience, fatigue and stress and mentioned the fact that for example on the last trip she had to travel from Perugia to Bologna and then wait in Bologna for some ten hours to benefit from low cost air travel.
For a start the Board should consider reimbursing her for her accommodation and scheduled airline travel to cut down unnecessary waiting and travel.
Most Board members agreed that it was unreasonable to expect Darleen to put herself to this trouble and the Board should consider reimbursing her all her costs.
Mr Victor Carachi said that his Union’s policy was that if they sent people on training courses all costs were reimbursed.
Miss Rita Law said that we should also bear in mind that text books for these types of courses were usually very expensive.
H.E. said that if he read the mood of the meeting correctly it was their view that all Darleen’s expenses should be reimbursed by the Board. This was agreed unanimously and the President asked Harry Fenech to ensure that this was carried out. Miss Zerafa was asked to re-join the meeting.
The President explained to Miss Zerafa the Board’s decision and she on her part exclaimed that she was surprised and thankful to the Board.
———-
Freeloading all the way from here to eternity, off the state and now even off the charity they’re running. It is so sad to discover that even the president of the republic isn’t fit for purpose. So he asked his daughter-in-law’s sister to leave the meeting while he proposed funding her, including her air tickets and hotels and food, using other people’s charitable donations, to take a master’s course in Italy.
You should have left the room, too, Your Excellency, and not been present while this matter was discussed – and you should certainly never have proposed it yourself, which is disgraceful. How could any of those craven board members ever have had the guts to refuse your request to use charity money to pay for your daughter-in-law’s sister’s plane tickets, hotels and tuition fees? But you knew that, didn’t you.
The above minutes are just unbelievable. Miskina, she put herself out by taking low-cost airlines – ghax jahasra, twieldet it-tifla ta’ John Paul Getty IV and she’s not accustomed to the terrible hardship of flying Ryanair. If there’s one thing Lawrence Gonzi can’t forgive himself for, I’ll bet it’s giving this extended family of wholesale bums access to San Anton Palace, Verdala Castle, the Valletta Palace and all that goes with them, including the legitimisation they clearly never deserved.
Be sure to write out a nice, big cheque to the Community Chest Fund, because Lydia Abela’s sister needs to buy her Alitalia or Air Malta tickets, decide which hotel she’ll stay in, and how many times she’ll be returning for the weekend, in between reading up about eating disorders, also at the charity’s expense.
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Such an over the top scrounge, proposed by the President, is so typical of the reds.
So, she’s going to study ‘eating disorders’, would that, by any chance, include lobster and white wine at the state’s expense?
Make that a pheasant pate’ sprinkled with truffle and a full bodied red, one’s spoilt for choice in that area.
Tony Zarb and Deborah Schembri will surely be her first two clients.
[Daphne – Why pick on the large people? It’s actually the thin people in Malta who have eating disorders. Very few Maltese people are naturally skinny. I should know because for years I was one of them and it was so unusual that it was grounds for widespread comment and the Labour Party insults, ‘skeletru’ and ‘gozz ghadam’. Now everyone’s starving themselves and pretending they’re naturally like that when they really are not.]
Stop posting comments, Harry. You’re using up my internet credit.
Nah, you’re loaded.
There is not even a minute to note a declaration of the fact that Ms. Zerafa is related to the President, who not only proposed a refund of some, if not all, of her costs, but lso suggested that she be the fund’s representative on the foundation’s board.
As far as I am concerned this is possibly the worst scandal to hit the presidency, and this sorry excuse for a President has brought down the Community Chest Fund with him. Shame on you, sir.
Those minutes read like something from Pyong Yang. What’s missing are the clapping by the members of the Board after Darleen expressed her joy, and the singing and dancing to the tune of “ma taghmlu xejn mal-petit Mintoff.”
And they lived happy ever after, while people starved outside.
Let us not weigh in on who the person actually is, even though its a disgrace to use nepotism for a charitable organisation’s representative.
I find the reasoning behind the appointment to be incorrect. So I would like for anyone to correct me if I’m wrong, but our president, nominated a person to be a rep of Malta Community Chest Fund based on the merit of her following a Master’s degree.
Essentially, she hasn’t graduated from her studies nor has the Community Chest Fund any indication that she ever will. So basically any person who is entitled to (generally masters degree courses require second upper lever of a bachelors degree to be undertaken) study for a Masters degree in anything (eating disorders? Is that the true cancer of the entire Maltese society?) is also qualified to be a rep of the Community Chest Fund, all expenses paid.
FFS, God take me now.
She should also be nominated for an Oscar: “on her part exclaimed that she was surprised”.
Shame the President does not have access to Airforce 1. Imagine what they could have done with that.
I think I’m suffering from a sudden onset of eating disorders, reading the above.
Missek tisthi, Sur President.
But why is it our journalists don’t get wind of such stories?
Because we do not have ‘journalists’ in Malta, only reporters who steer clear of criticising people in high public positions.
The PN should emulate the present PL government and when they are next in government they will fill all government positions and the public service with PN leaning persons, while at the same time retaining the people presently in government service so they will not moan ‘we have been transferred’.
I cannot believe an upstanding man such as Harry Fenech can be party to these shenanigans.
What about that Andrew Azzopardi fellow? Every time he opens his gob, which happens with monotonous regularity, one is made to think he administers the fair and just department of the Pearly gates.
He never stops dishing his holier-than-thou gibberish on Facebook either – then he goes to vote for such a fiendishly concocted scam perpetrated by a scumbag masquerading as a president.
Ma tantx huwa upstanding man Harry Fenech, mid-dehra.
This behaviour is enough to give me an eating disorder.
I am literally shocked. Isn’t the EUR 1 million+ they suck off MEPA enough to fund the travels?
Who are the other Community Chest Fund board members – is this an extension of an MLP club? I noticed the names of Rita Law and Victor Carachi – two MLP diehards who are not known for their high IQ.
Was Gonzi naive or simply devoid of any foresight when he appointed Abela as president?
Horst Hesse was right when he left Malta after his stint as national coach. He stated in an interview that Gorg Abela, then the president of the Malta Football Association, treated the MFA as his personal kingdom and nobody could contradict him.
Reading the above minutes, subtle intimidation was present during this discussion.
Make your donations directly to Dar il-Providenza.
And any other charitable Institutions/organisations of your choice.
Dar il-Providenza
That’s just what I have been doing since he got the job – giving charity directly to charitable institutions of my choice – including animal sanctuaries.
After all, Malta under the present Labour administration resembles ‘Animal Farm’.
If those craven board members never had the guts to refuse the President’s request to use charity money to pay for his daughter-in-law’s sister trip expenses..they should bury their heads in shame and should resign as board members if they disagreed with the President’s suggestion.
This is in-your-face actual nepotism. But who are the board members – they should all be named and shamed too – every single one of them.
I wonder how up to date the information here is – this link http://maltacommunitychestfund.org/mccf/Pages/Board.aspx
lists the members.
Nepotism is a secondary problem. The primary issue, here, is that money donated to the MCCF for redistribution to charities is being used to finance an individual’s private education abroad.
By the same token, the Malta Community Chest Fund should finance the training of every doctor, lawyer, builder, plumber, butcher, baker or candlestick maker, that provides services to organisations receiving money from the Community Chest Fund.
Pastazata grassa. Miskin il-marid, nisma lil ommi tghid (Alla jahfrilha) bi skuza tal-bubba jieklu l-mamma u t-tata.
I think Kenneth Wain has a right to look into all this.
They’re good at syphoning money. I prefer donating money directly to someone who really needs help, but there are many others who think that the president’s charity should not be scrutinised by the commissioner.
Charities cannot be used for subsidising spurious foundations of dubious utilty, which now appear to have been set up to give a family member a job.
SHAME on the board, all of it.
Darleen Zerafa is secretary to the MCCF Board.
This must surely be grounds for resignation.
All we are getting from this president is that he puts on a wimpy face once a year to collect funds – that are later abused of.
The marketing put behind the programme to collect funds centres on the needs of the really disadvantaged people in our society. So to put his daughter-in-law’s sister’s interests ahead of these people’s actual needs is shameful, disgusting, and abusive.
Absolutely disgusting.
It’s a real pity that these minutes have only come to light now. Millions have been donated to the MCCF since, particularly during the last Istrina campaign.
Can the President be made to resign?
If getting a measly blowjob from a chubby intern is grounds for impeachment, surely the above disgrace is grounds for at the very least the same kind of procedure.
Abela has been the worst Maltese president ever. I’ve been saying it for years now.
Oh no, he’s the best president ever. He does a fun run every December.
Did the MCCF also fund the president’s own travel costs to Peru?
If the president felt the need to have somebody with a specific degree on the board, why didn’t the board issue a call for application open to the public,so that anyone interested could apply and be chosen after the normal procedure?
Shame on you and the board, Mr. President.
Re the Peru visit, I heard one of the parents say that it cost his daughter Euro 2000 to go to Peru on that particular “mission”. If this was true, couldn’t they have just donated the money and saved themselves a lot of hassle and the MCCC a lot of money?
When I decided to follow a Masters course in the UK, in 1994, I paid for it myself. Yes, I even paid for the flights, and there were no low cost airlines at that time, and flights were horrendously expensive.
Also, Malta was not part of the EU, so I had to pay 10,000 sterling registration fee on day 1, otherwise I would not have been registered.
100 sterling a week for a room in one of the residences of the university, fees for the fuel, trains from airport to uni, and obviously flights.
Kulhadd jibni l-imperu tieghu.
I’m sick of these charity bloodsuckers, and prefer to give directly to charities of my choice.
http://www.independent.com.mt last Sunday ran a shocking story about Puttinu, while a charity recently collecting funds for children from a specific home to be sent on ‘their first holiday abroad’ seem to be oblivious of the fact that, some 3 years or so ago – when, presumably, many of the same children were already at the home – a number of individuals sponsored one such holiday for them (and were later regaled with a newsletter article showing photos of a very large number of adult ‘helpers’ who went on the same holiday, hopefully not at the donors’ expense).
There’s a Rennie Zerafa in the above-mentioned Puttinu article. Not another of Lydia Abela’s family, by any chance? Brother? Father? Cousin?
Rennie Zerafa is no relative of the above mentioned. Regarding the article about Puttinu, please watch Net TV today at noon (in 5 minutes time). The truth about Puttinu, its members and its funds will come out.
So if I read for a Masters course followed by a PhD (both not available in Malta), my expenses should be refunded by the state/Community Chest Fund for two valid (in line with HE’s arguments) reasons:
1. these studies are not available in Malta so poor me had to go abroad to further my knowledge – kemm batejt!
2. the Maltese community is profiting from the “new” knowledge I transported all the way to Malta in my brain as well as the expensive books….so really, you all owe me.
What a mentality!
And does the lady think she is the only “professional” in the making specialised in eating disorders? What about all the psychologists? Most of them had to study abroad. Shall they all be claiming reimbursement? According to the minuted discussion, they should.
Pity I left the country, I could have got my money back. But then again, glad I am away from this circus.
Enough is enough. Thanks Daphne for exposing this nonsense.
Tal-mistħija! Mela l-flus tal-Community Chest Fund mhux għan-nies fil-bżonn?
Darleen Zerafa fil-bzonn?
Inbażvru naqra ‘l hemm u naqra ‘l hawn u nġibu kollox viċin il-likk kif jaqbel lilna.
Sabiħa din… daħluha fuq dan il-bord għax intiża fis-suġġett, imma issa trid tagħmel Masters, u allura jagħmel tajjeb il-Community Chest Fund.
Tgħid meta jkunu qed jiġbru fl-Istrina jġibu promozzjoni ta’ Darleen Zerafa tgħid li bis-saħħa tal-Community Chest Fund għamlet Masters.
Unbelievable. I am gobsmacked. Surely there must be something in the statute that covers this as abuse of power or conflict of interest.
Shame on you, Mr. President..
A pack of incompetent fools and lackeys churn around the Office of the President. Hypocrites, oqbra mbajda and what not.
From now on, the Malta Community Chest Fund will not have a single penny from me. I’ll choose my own charities and donate direct, and they won’t include ther charity case Darleen Zerafa.
I think that Ms. Zerafa should have passed through the appropriate channels as all other candidates who apply for a course leading to a master’s degree.
Besides working for the Community Chest Fund, she will probably use her masters to have her own private practice.
She cannot have a private practice as she’s a pharmacist, not a clinical psychologist.
Oh yes she has a private practice and advertises her services on the yellow pages.
http://mobile.yellowpages.com.mt/Malta-Business-Profile/He/Zerafa,-Darleen-/Nutritionists–in-Malta-Gozo.aspx/78022f9f-83f3-e111-9a41-005056801a33
Povra dawk li vera ghandhom bzonn il-Community Chest Fund.
Ghax ma kellmitx lil Joseph Muscat biex tiehu il-loan tal-courses li ma jsirux hawn Malta.
Ghandi in-neputija imsiefra bit-tifla Londra ghaddejja minn operazzjoni ghal l-ohra u ma haditx one cent mill-Community Chest Fund.
Grazzi ta’ kif jitqassmu il-fondi, Eccellenza.
The decision taken by the Community Chest Fund Board is scandalous, as is the President’s manipulation of the situation in Darleen Zerafa’s interests.
I used to bless every cent I donated to the fund, but definitely no more donations from me or my family.
The President and the fund’s board have scandalously confirmed the saying that “Charity begins at home”.
This scandal is front-page news.
The President should RESIGN immediately. Scandalous, disgusting and much, much more.
And Darleen should be made to pay each and every cent back to the Community Chest Fund.
That money belongs to those who need it.
Let us note that Darleen finishes her studies in September 2013 and, obviously, the results will be out later.
According to the minutes, the President said “This is of great benefit to MCCF since we need to be updated with latest treatment protocols adopted in other Centers of excellence”.
How will the Community Chest Fund be benefitting from all this when the President’s term – and therefore also the term of the Community Chest Fund board – expires on 3 April 2014, barely six months after Darleen finishes her studies?
Or does Mr President have some assurance to the contrary from Joseph Muscat regarding a possible re-appointment?
I suggest that the PN Parliamentary Group should go into this matter very seriously and should consider presenting in Parliament a no-confidence motion against the President (notwithstanding the fact that the motion will not obtain the necessary majority).
I totally agree with Alf that this is unacceptable behaviour. Resign, Mr President.
http://www.taghnalkoll.com/?p=669
Here is part of a report (Malta Independent) of the address of Lydia Abela to the PL Conference 3 weeks ago:
QUOTE:
“Labour Party executive secretary Lydia Abela fired a scathing attack at the Nationalist Party, dubbing the PN as Politika Negattiva (negative politics), adding that it was still adopting the same attitude despite its colossal defeat.
Dr Abela said that the Labour Party achieved the biggest electoral win ever, adding that tribal politics is a thing of the past.
“It seems that the PN has learnt nothing, despite it being harshly defeated,” she said, pointing out that he PN criticised certain appointments, referring to the Gozo Channel’s new board because it only wanted PN-leaning individuals to sit on certain boards.
“What’s wrong with sympathising with Labour-leaning individuals,” she lamented.
She said that the Labour Party will continue to be strengthened more than ever before.
She said that she is ready to continue to offer her services to the party.”
UNQUOTE
Please leave us in peace dear Dr Lydia Abela! What are your comments now after this scandal concerning your sister came out in the open? Is this the way that Mr President, your father-in-law, shows his gratitude?
I think the president and his daughter-in-law’s sister should take up acting as a profession – “The President explained to Miss Zerafa the Board’s decision and she on her part exclaimed that she was surprised and thankful to the Board”.
Apart from the fact that the person taking the minutes needs to attend a training course on how to take minutes, I do not for a minute believe that she did not know that the suggestion was about to be made.
And was there a declaration of the President’s conflict of interest and, if there was, where was it recorded?
Lately I have been checking the accounts of charities which I donate to (when these are public) and if I think that they are spending too much on administration and similar costs, I just stop donating.
I prefer going to the source and channeling donations to people working directly with those in need. I certainly will not donate to a charity which is funding a master’s degree for the sister of the President’s daughter-in-law, apparently with no conditions’ attached.
Perugia to Bologna would be an hour by train max, spectacular scenery.
Bologna’s also Italy’s student city, a multicultural mecca.
Stress?
Forget the H.E. and replace that with a plain old ‘he’. Now that his old party is in government, Abela and his extended family are visibly hell bent on raking it in at every conceivable opportunity before his term of office runs out.
By his action, Abela has brought shame upon the Presidency. He has now completely lost the little respect and credibility he may have had left over following his delivering his speech at the opening of Parliament.
The man should collect his chattels and resign the office that he is not fit to hold.
Hear hear!
Exactly what is the point of the Community Chest Fund, anyway? If someone wishes to donate money to a deserving cause, they can do so directly.
That is what we at home always do. My favourite is Din l-Art Helwa.
X’helwa helwa – din l-art – ma tistax tkun izjed qarsa!
And she was thankful too! Dak l-aqwa!
Is this for real? How come the newspapers did not report this?
[Daphne – Because they didn’t have the minutes of that meeting, billy goat. If they had the minutes, they would have reported it.]
No more donations to the Community Chest Fund from me, that’s for sure. I’ll make my own personal contributions and choose to whom I donate. The last ounce of respect I had for the president has just gone. DISGUSTING.
I agree with you and I’m sure many people will think twice before they make a donation to the Community Chest fund which is supposed to help people in need of special care.
What a bunch of crooks. I’m sure glad I never gave a donation to the Community Chest Fund (never trusted them), and choose to donate directly to charities I know I can trust.
This is one of the reasons why the PN lost the election. Very poor judgement.
Impressive reasoning. Is this also the reason PL was the better choice?
@La Redoute
Is this also the reason PL was the better choice?
Unfortunately not, the PL was definitely not a better choice, far from it. Go and tell the electorate that.
This case of NEPOTISM mentioned above is an absolute classic. I’m sure everyone will excuse me when I say that George Abela doesn’t deserve the “H.E.” title before his name. George will go down as the worst president in Malta’s history.
[Daphne – Come on, he hasn’t made it past Agatha Barbara yet.]
@Daphne
I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
Or Anton Buttigieg when he used to ‘donate’ vegetables grown at San Anton to the VIlla Rosa Hotel. Ara veru minn hanzira wahda.
What a disgrace! From the information we have received ever since PL is in government i’m actually scared at the way they openly trample over code of ethics, laws, people, public money etc.
Daphne, any comments about PBS dropping or rather being ‘forced’ to drop all pending cases against BA? And Where’s Everybody staff being given notice?
What are we coming to, and not even a year into government.
Come on Mr. President, you are better than this and should be above it.
Once your son’s sister-in-law achieves her Masters degree will she turn this to profit and offer her services to private patients? Would she then refund the money she received from donations to the charity?
My daughter also read for a master’s degree outside Malta, at great expense, by taking out a loan which she is paying back still today.
She also took low cost flights without thinking twice about it. What is so special about Ms Zerafa, who for all I know is a perfectly capable person, except the fact that she is the sister of your son’s wife?
Vergogna!
They really give new meaning to ‘all in the family’. The President’s (extended) family motto: l-ewwel jien, it-tieni jien u t-tielet jien…..u jekk jibqa’ xi haga ghalija wkoll.
Disgusting.
Unbelievable.
A situation is created whereby a person already studying abroad is nominated to represent a charity which will then pay her a substantial part of her expenses to carry on with her private studies.
And this is done by a committee chaired by a relative with great influence, who, it seems, does not reveal his personal relationship with the beneficiary and withdraw, as is ethically expected.
Will there be a formal statement to justify this procedure?
The President enjoys immunity. So there’s not much that can be done in that department.
But there is something called MORAL responsibility.
This man should resign.
And with him, his entire clan.
SHAME, GORG ABELA! SHAME ON YOU!
And as she’s also (hopefully) a healthy young woman, why didn’t he also suggest that they reimburse the cost of her tampons? Or her taxis for getting to and from the airport? But maybe he did that.
Tal-misthija! Ma konniex nistennewa minnhekk, sur President. Basta hafna pozi
Please explain or resign.
Well, I will never donate a cent to the Community Chest Fund ever again. Unbelievable – talk about abusing one’s position and the worst thing is is that they actually think it’s OK.
Shame on you, Mr President.
Mela veru kulhadd qieghed jitlef rasu?
I never expected it from the President!
What a shame!
No, no, Mr. President, it’s time for you to call it a day.
If I had to state why this really hurts and why it is so wrong I’d write a whole thesis.
I’d like to share this thought only. When I was doing my MA, there were times where I could not even afford low cost travel to visit my family back in Malta.
I had to be very careful how much I spent on food. I am not complaining, it’s what an MA students studying abroad (even those on scholarships) are expected to do, not an ‘inconvenience’. How bloody shameful!
I have always given money to the Community Chest Fund on the understanding that it will go DIRECTLY to the people who need it.
Irrespective of how useful Ms. Zerafa’s studies are, that money should never be used to finance studies and research. The Community Chest Fund should seek other sources of funding for these things.
The fact that Ms. Zerafa is related to the President is important but secondary. Were there other instances where charity money did not go directly to the people who are in need?
An important principle is at stake.
Have the Community Chest Fund board members taken leave of their senses? Why did none of the members point out that a dangerous precedent has been created, one which could severely dent the charity’s potential to raise funds?
Is it a case of no brains or no balls?
PS. Thank you, Daphne, for bringing this to light.
[Daphne – I think the proper thanks are due to the person who leaked the minutes of the meeting.]
“Were there other instances where charity money did not go directly to the people who are in need? ”
Yes, when Community Chest Fund money was used to finance flights and other travel expenses for the MSSP delegation to Peru that included the president himself.
The money involved would have produced far more community benefit if it had been used to pay and train workers in Peru itself, rather than transporting and accommodating volunteers from Malta.
So thank you, whistle blower.
It’s disgraceful that Darleen Zerafa accepted the Community Chest Fund board’s decision. Has she no scruples, taking money meant for the disadvantaged?
She refused to take the money…
The entire board of the Community Chest Fund should resign en masse, and not just the President.
With all the scholarship funding available is it true that this young lady paid for all her course and accommodation?
Is it possible to know what Masters degree Ms Zerafa is completing so that we could check whether she did not get funding?
How absolutely shameless. Is this the example by which the President of our country seeks to lead?
It seems that failure to understand basic ethical issues, and abide by them, is alien to all Labour-leaning individuals, no matter what position they are in.
No wonder the present government is riddled with such examples.
We really should be up-in-arms at this sort of behaviour, and this from the highest echelons of the country.
We always helped the Community Chest Fund but I’m sorry to say not anymore, as this is an abuse.
I am a widow and I paid for my daughter’s master’s studies.
The money given to the Community Chest Fund should be used for its purpose; this is a great abuse by the President. I hope that he will answer to this. This story should not be allowed to die.
This is disgraceful.
To think that I once considered this person a gentleman.
How low can these people go? Unbelievable.
Only one word comes to mind: jaqq.
What came first, the course or the nomination on the board?
It’s clear from the minutes that she was already following the course and as someone said above it is immoral to avail yourself of the charity’s money to accommodate your studies.
There are scholarships to make use of to susbidise your studies, Darleen, but then you have to apply for them and submit to an interview by an independent board that does not include your sister’s father-in-law.
Was the foundation set up to appoint Zerafa on it and then sponsor her studies?
That’s what it’s beginning to look like.
There are lots of questions to be answered here.
Utterly disgusting. It spoils the only good thing we had going in Malta. What a disgrace!
If the Foundation needs to be ‘updated with the latest treatment protocols in other centres of excellence’ then the appropriate thing to do is to commission a report by an already qualified and established expert, rather than by financing the studies of an absent student.
If the Foundation board actually needs to include an eating disorders expert, then why didn’t they recruit one? At least one is already available in Malta.
Resign.
Any Community Chest Fund board member who wishes to retain his/her integrity should resign immediately, so as not to be associated with this abuse.
No more money from me or my family. I will still help the needy, but I’ll do it directly from now on.
SHAME ON YOU MR.PRESIDENT.
I believe that when the President proposed the reimbursement of some of Ms Zerafa’s expenses, he did with a smile if not with a wink.
Disgusting on two accounts. Firstly with regards to the money. I myself am reading a postgraduate degree abroad and had to work hard to get funding both through a competitive scholarship and through my own funds (having to juggle long hours in the lab and a part-time job).
My future employers will be making use of my services but I seriously doubt that, on employment, they will reimburse me.
Secondly with regards to actually getting the position. She will have a Masters on eating disorders. So what. Its a Masters not a PhD and it’s probably a taught masters too. No research involved, probably just regurgitation of information in exams.
What will she be contributing to the board?
When I finish my PhD (in a medical field) I wouldn’t consider myself ready for a board position as I think that I’m too inexperienced. And I examine Master’s students.
[Daphne – That isn’t really the point here, Mike. The point is that this is money people donated for charitable cases, not for flights and tuition fees for private individuals, whether they are privileged or related to the president or not. The fact that Ms Zerafa is related to the President makes the situation even more abusive.]
Yes, I agree – I suppose that didn’t come out well enough in the first point. What it boils down to is that she is not a charity case and is therefore stealing the funds from those who it should rightfully be going to
I know a guy who is trying hard to improve his lot. He is still young but comes from a broken family and finances are very sparse for him. Education-wise he has suffered though he tries and tries.
The frustration of his situation is affecting him.
And yet Darleen Zerafa, who had already started her course (and obviously paid for it) gets her money reimbursed by this charity, and payment for her flights as well.
Shame on you, Mr President
Todi and Pieve’s neighbouring towns include Montepulciano, Chianciano Terme, Orvieto, Spoleto and San Gemini.
World renowned spas, the finest wine estates, the annual Umbria jazz festival and all citadels of the renaissance.
Mhix tosta ukoll.
This calls for some serious looking into.
can, however, predict the outcome. The board will go back on this decision and expect us all to draw a line.
That’s the flawed reasoning concept adopted by those who don’t have ethics central to their work attitude – try to bend the rules and if there’s outcry just paper over the cracks.
Unbelievable how some persons get away with this…thanks for shining light on this serious matter.
By what criteria is that paragon of stupidity, Rita Law, on the board? And Victor Carachi? Seems that the Board was Taghna Lkoll before the elections.
Marks, many boards were Taghna Lkoll way before the election.
In some cases, since way back in 2003. In 2008, it only got worse, as Lawrence Gonzi’s administration went into pre-emptive appeasement hyperdrive. It was a disaster in the making, and with the PM’s blessing too. You reap what you sow.
…’paragon of stupidity’ indeed. Look at her inference: ‘Miss Rita Law said that we should also bear in mind that text books for these types of courses were usually very expensive’.
Still thinking that we are living in the same era as when she herself used to go to school when text books were the only studying tools.
This is my first time reading something like this about the President! There may have been others I have missed …. yet I cannot stop myself thinking “Not too bad … ma tantx smajna bih dan George!”.
Shameful reasoning, I know, but expecting disgraceful deeds from politicians seems to be quite common these days.
Disgusting pig-at-the-trough behaviour by George Abela, his blood relatives, his relations by marriage, the rest of that brood, and all hangers-on.
It should be pointed out that the president has more relatives working in his offices than Godfrey Farrugia has in his ministry.
SHAME
It just makes me sick!
I am perversely happy with the leaked minutes, for the simple reason that they show the President in his true light, above and beyond his shameful agreement to reading that disgusting and divisive ‘speech from the throne’.
So we have our own Wikileaks; home-made and very hot.
Ok the papers couldn’t comment before because they hadn’t seen the minutes of the meeting.
Now, thanks to you and the person who leaked them, I imagine they’ve seen them.
So can they now report this scandal please for all to see?
Interesting is the fact that most Maltese students go abroad or are advised during their Bachelor to go abroad for their Masters. Whether they go for their further studies or Erasmus, most of them work whilst going to university in order to undertake their studies abroad. Some receive scholarships, some are lucky enough to come from a well-off family, however most pay out-of-their-own pocket.
This woman does not only come from a well-off family (I am pretty sure they are able to pay for her stay wherever) but as well has the lack of dignity to ask for refunds from a charity! Do you know what this charity is for? And in the same breath will be nominated to be part of the charity.
I think someone needs a lesson in emocracy and what it means to not abuse one’s own power and relations. If this would be a common practice those who are actually in need will not receive anything and the charity will be corrupted and corrupt serving only as a money-laundering service for the interest of the board.
There are enough of possibilities of funding one’s studies. It just hurts me to see that those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth are taking advantage of their position and seem to have no shame.
It is sad that those who save to put themselves through studies and return with best grades, will have a hard time getting a job and others will just magically be offered a charity position. Sad and a disgrace.
If George Abela has a shred of decency in him, he will resign immediately.
Labour, as usual, are not fit for purpose.
If he had a shred of decency he wouldn’t have done this in the first place.
I hope that the press will continue to expose this scandal and also hope that the decision wil be reversed and all the money given to this person be returned and distributed to the charitable institutions, as was the intention of those who donated.
Also the board should be forced to resign, but not counting too much on that with Rita Law and Carachi and of course the disgraced George Abela.
Thank you for letting use know about these disgracful happenings.
I will NOT contribute to the Community Chest Fund ever again. I gladly give to those who are in terrible need and stay without myself. But I will not give to a bunch of rogues.
My money will pay for my daughter’s degree and not for Darleen Zerafa’s.
An acquaintance got a washing machine from the Community Chest Fund because she could not afford to buy one herself.
It is quite ironic when you see her always dressed up, driving a car, and always in village pubs on the weekend.
That’s when we stopped donating to L-Istrina and giving the money to other charities instead.
When I did my masters degree, I worked and saved for a year, lived off a two-weekly budget of twenty pounds sterling which got spent on Sainsbury products from the basic Sainsbury’s range (put on over 10 kg in the process, because it was all rubbish), then paid what was left over the next year after my masters.
This was after I finally managed to find a job, because nobody knew me, you see, so it was quite tough.
Loads of students do this, and my experience is not anything special, so how can they justify this one particular person getting all this?
Is the knowledge she is gaining really so very very exclusive? I doubt it.
There’s probably some poor bastard somewhere in Malta with a masters degree which is ten times better and ten times more relevant, but they probably don’t know anyone and keep getting thrown over in interviews.
How repulsive. George Abela was and is an absolute peasant, the type who visits a buffet about ten times and works out the profit he made.
Waistline profit?
Ah, the Esselunga range of canned lentils, peas and corn.
Then there was the pan carre’. You could wash your dishes with a slice.
Shame on all of you.Resign now.
Shocking! Can I ask for my donations back? My donations were meant for a good and proper cause and not for the financing of a favoured person’s tuition fees and flights.
SHAME ! SHAME ! SHAME !
Daphne,
did any journalist contact you? have they asked to have a look at the minutes?
I mean, this is a big story. 12 hours have already elapsed and none of the other news outlets have picked it. Don’t they see value, bad enough a blogger had to break the news!
[Daphne – The Malta Independent are definitely following up the story. I wouldn’t know what the others are doing because I don’t work for them.]
Are the Community Chest Fund’s accounts audited or published? Is there a mission statement or terms of reference as to how the funds collected during the year allocated?
The media and the public should scrutinize how every single cent was spent, including the expenses charged by the President himself.
Hereunder is the Community Chest Fund’s Mission statement as published on its website:
QUOTE
The Malta Community Chest Fund is a charitable institution chaired by The President of Malta. The President’s wife is the Deputy Chairperson. The aim of the institution is to help philanthropic institutions and more importantly, the individuals with different needs. The Fund does not receive any funds from the Government. However, throughout the year, various activities such as balls and concerts are organised by the Fund and also by the Office of The President to raise funds. The Malta Community Chest Fund also relies on the generosity of corporate companies and the general public for the collection of money.
UNQUOTE
And these are the Objects and Aims of the MCCF as per its statute:
QUOTE
OBJECTS AND AIMS
The objects and aims for which The Fund is constituted are as follows:-
a. to receive donations, contributions, proceeds from fund-raising activities, bequests
and endowments;
b. to organise fund-raising activities for the benefit of the fund;
c. to provide funds for the relief of poverty, famine, distress, sickness, disability
and/or any other needs to individuals, communities, institutions or organizations,
whether in cash or in kind;
d. to provide education and support to children who have been in care systems and/or
underprivileged children;
e. to promote, through grants or scholarships specialisation in the field of charity
organisations; and
f. to support persons with specific needs, in particular in assisting these persons to
have a better quality of life and to gain a higher degree of independence and selfreliance.
UNQUOTE
http://maltacommunitychestfund.org/mccf/Files/Upload/Statute/MCCF%20STATUTE%20English.pdf
Hear, hear
This is very serious indeed. We donate money to go to the sick and the needy – the real sick and needy.
This is abusive. I feel cheated as a donor.
I feel cheated as a person who had originally welcomed the news that George Abela will be the President of the Republic. I am sorely disappointed.
I shall never again give a cent to the Community Chest Fund. From now onwards, I’ll donate directly to the charities concerned.
My level of disgust cannot be described in mere words. So, I’ll translate it into action.
Not only the President of Malta but all the committee members are responsible for this wrong decision. The repercussions are immeasurable.
Many donation-accepting organizations and charitable institutions have been the subject of charity fraud and people are increasingly sceptical about these instruments of benevolence.
I am a disabled person and have asked for a motorised vehicle because I cannot afford to buy it. I never received it and have to stay in my house looking at the four walls without a chance to enjoy the fresh air.
I always donate but I never expected all this from the president. This is misappropriating Community Chest Funds and it’s a shame.
The President should have recused himself from this discussion.
By not doing that and proposing the refund of expenses (for what essentially is a private endeavour) to his son’s wife’s sister, from a charity fund that he administers, he has brought his office and the charity into disrepute.
Donations to the Community Chest Fund will surely suffer as donors send their money to their preferred charities instead of the fund.
This President is ending his tenure with one gaffe (to put it mildly) after another.
First it was the disgraceful, partisan speech at the opening of Parliament; now this. He has let down Dr. Gonzi, who nominated him in good faith, and the Maltese people that he represents.
Which is the competent authority to ask for a full investigation? Can the police take immediate action before evidence is tampered with?
i was shocked to see this! There are people in need of this money and they simply decided to give it to her?
In all probability Darleen Zerafa went to Italy already knowing that she would be employed by the Community Chest Fund in an official function.
Her Masters is called: “Good Practices in the Treatment of Disorders of Eating Behaviour : Organisational Models and Theoretical Paradigms” and is meant for those be coordinating the different aspects of treatment, rather than for actual therapists.
http://www.etabtodi.it/Torna_la_IV_edizione_del_Master_a_Todi_sui_DISTURBI_DEL_COMPORTAMENTO_ALIMENTARE-44-0-0-0-eventi.htm
Quite by chance (!) George Abela announced last year that the Community Chest Fund was going to invest €2 million in a centre for people suffering from eating disorders. Although he didn’t say it, they would obviously need someone to run it.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2012-08-05/news/holistic-treatment-for-eating-disorders-planned-314278/
Can we believe it was a coincidence that, within a few weeks of this announcement, the Secretary of the MCCF (who happens to be his daughter-in-law’s sister) went to Italy for a one-year Masters on exactly such a subject?
Mela darba fil-kastell . . .
It takes an interdisciplinary team to provide adequate support and treatment for individuals with eating disorders.
This does not only involve medication but also therapists that would work on the sources of such disorders, e.g., low self-esteem, negative/false cognitions, etc.
I am assuming Ms. Zerafa is focusing on the medical/pharmaceutical aspect of treatment due to her academic background. However, specialised doctors and psychotherapists need to work hand in hand if this center is to be successful.
I augur that once this centre is opened, competent and qualified people shall be given a chance to make a difference.
Even more in view of this abuse, what’s more disgusting are those pre election sermons about PN nepotism by the arrogant Lydia and Robert Abela.
Lydia was dragged down to Pieta’ last week. There she was, scowling at Simon.
Ara min thajjar.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-14/news/national-security-minister-pondering-hitting-eurovision-final-1589936130/
This is why I donate money directly to the organisations and charities that need assistance for their worthy cause.
As for the President, well my disappointment with him and his decision just keeps growing exponentially.
This is infuriating. I did a Masters degree as well and took out a EUR 20K loan to do it, which I’m still paying 5 years later. Thanks to APS YSSS scheme, it is not such a big burden.
Nowadays there are also various scholarships and grants, which are available to anybody who can convince the deciding board they are worth it.
No more donations to the Community Chest Fund from me.
NO MORE DONATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY CHEST FUND. SHAME ON THE PRESIDENT!
Gorg, minghajr fiducja tista taghlaq. Warrab.
As they say once a politician always a politician This shameful deed will do the Community Chest Fund the world of good. If this lady cannot afford to study in Italy, then she should just lump it, apply for a scholarship through the proper channels, or do something else. Pity I was taken in by the President’s bonhomie. Now I know why.
Is Darleen the president’s secretary? Is she now securing her future post (once the president’s 5 years come to an end) at the cost of all humble donors?
Xi hniezer.
I can’t think of someone who has brought the Presidency to so much shame since Barbara.
I would like to go and visit my relatives in Cook Island http://www.ck/geog.htm Maybe the president will fix things for me with the Community Chest Fund.
SHAME SHAME SHAME.
This president behaves ever more like the prime minister’s glove puppet.
Anyone who has tried to get funds from MGSS, STEPS etc. knows how, IF one got the funding, it certainly was no open cheque BUT this is not the case with the Community Chest Fund it seems.
More expensive flights to minimize inconvenience, no problem. And the cherry on the cake comes from Rita Law who said that we should also bear in mind that text books for these types of courses were usually very expensive. Erm..in 2013, in most European countries, one is usually given access to journals and a good library.
But then we perhaps should save this anointed student the trouble of GOING to a library.
Can we be kept informed as to which parts of the media take this up please? That will be a good indication of whether we live in North Korea yet.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3279286/Original-Sooty-puppet-bought-by-Sooty.html
Now for the new power station…
YMCA homeles……another beneficiary of the Community Chest Fund
http://viaggi.guidone.it/2013/01/25/malta-e-sicilia-sempre-piu-vicine/
Check out this link
You must be joking.
An estate next to Ragusa?
This one’s a Limoncello Anarcho-Marxist, the only species worse than Champagne Socialist.
Scum, the whole filthy lot.
Oh yes…seems like an olive grove and accomodation facilities and he is transforming his residence in Valletta as a boutique hotel in St.Ursola Street
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2010-10-13/news/suspension-of-eupa-funds-ec-confirms-considerable-progress-registered-in-most-critical-areas-281586/
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101018/local/ymca-says-promised-government-funds-have-not-materialised.331942
Quite a history ….
Fejnu Kenneth Wain? Nsomma, ahjar xi spettur.
Basta hafna laicita’ u l-polemika perpetwa mal-knisja.
Nofs miljun euro fis-sena ghal-sitta minn nies?
Pimps, thieves and scoundrels. Maltese bums.
Mhux hekk?
Imbaghad l-intelligenti li ghandna fil-pajjiz aghmlu plejtu shih fuq bicca arlogg tal-lira, qabel l-elezzjoni.
U marru jivvotaw Labour.
The next questions we should be asking are about the San Anton Kitchen garden, and who is making money out of it and where is that money going.
How disgusting – collecting money under false pretences at the expense of the sick and the needy. Jaqq!
Interesting.
I am utterly disgusted. I hope that this affair is on the front pages of the newspaper tomorrow. Do Lydia and Robert Abela remember what they had said about the PN nepotism?
Prosit. Daqshekk ser nghati izjed donations. Sewwa nghid jien li hadd ma jkun jaf precis fejn immorru l-flus tal gbir.
Reading the above Minutes reminded me of Charlie Mangion’s remark that the PN has a different DNA.
Thanks Charlie, it turns out to be the greatest compliment you could have given to Nationalists. We do not ever want to share DNA markers with Labour’s.
The President has reached the nadir of his Nationalist given post proving that Labour’s DNA is inherited by whoever is, or has been associated with the most scandalous and corrupt political party Malta has ever seen.
Shame on you, Your Excellency!
S.C.H.O.L.A.R.S.H.I.P.S? doesn’t ring a bell?
Sure! But that includes a fair selection process and one would need to prove his/her capability.
The distinction between being either an owner or a custodian of government resources has all but vanished.
http://www.dw.de/DWelle_WSSearch/dynamic/search.seam?from=&to=&id=266&structure=266&actionMethod=dynamic%2Fglobalsearch.xhtml%3AglobalSearch.globalSearch&item=wulff
http://www.dw.de/german-ex-president-christian-wulff-charged-with-corruption/a-16739817
http://www.dw.de/popups/mediaplayer/contentId_16739817_mediaId_16740836
I hate to say it but what an error of judgement that was by Lawrence Gonzi when he installed Dr. George Abela as president of the republic and brushed aside Dr. Louis Galea.
It is simply disgusting. I would never ever donate money to the Community Chest Fund.
I am livid! And to think that my daughter gave some of her savings to the Community Chest Fund instead of buying her favourite game and think also that I advised her to do so!
Shame on all involved!
Shame on her for accepting monies which could have saved or improved lives. This is unacceptable; something must be done about it and fast.
cafcaf papru la sibt l-ilma
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-14/news/zerafa-declines-reimbursement-from-community-chest-fund-1592262656/
The Malta Independent reports:
“The President’s Office said that the MCCF board still feels itself justified in making this offer, even though Ms Zerafa declined to accept it
When did this happen? Wasn’t she surprised and thankful?
Now she declines, how very convenient!
The offer should not have been made in the first place. The minutes clearly indicate otherwise.
They thought they could get away with it but got caught. At this point one should check the charity’s accounts to see if there are any other such cases.
Thank you, Daphne, and a big well done to whoever leaked the minutes.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-14/news/zerafa-declines-reimbursement-from-community-chest-fund-1592262656/
I need to pursue my studies abroad. Any money up for grabs MCCF?
It depends on who your relatives are.
According to the Board Minutes of the Meeting in question “Ms Zerafa had left the meeting momentarily until the matter was discussed and, when she returned, she had “exclaimed that she was surprised and thankful to the Board.””.
There appears to be no mention in the said Minutes that Ms Zerafa declined the offer. The people ought to know truthfully when such offer was declined. Was the offer declined this morning after the minutes were made public?
My thoughts exactly.
I sincerely hope that this doesn’t stop here.
Oh, so needing to take out a loan (not sure she had to) for a masters abroad puts Darlene in what the Labour Party calls ‘ families in risk of poverty’ bracket. Before the elections the LP said these situations are on the rise. Well if in Malta being poor means the above, kellhom bzonn il foqra kolla bhal foqra Maltin.
I know I might sound mean but I have started hating giving donations as I know a person who has sponged off thousands worth in holidays, laptops, paid utility bills, property etc by pulling on the heart strings of good charitable people and when we went to their house it was crammed with luxurious furniture, silverware and best gadgets.
That’s why after years of helping out he never invited us over.
Apologies Daphne, but this is one of the few occasions I do not agree with you. Our NGOs need qualified and trained personnel. I do not know Darleen or Lydia, but during my voluntary service with L-Istrina I am aware of her total commitment to the event.
I do not think its right to believe that this is a FREE holiday for someone.
[Daphne – Your mentality, I’m afraid, is warped. The way for NGOs to have qualified people on board is to recruit them via a call for applications and a rigorous interview procedure. NGOs do not select favourites through cronyism or nepotism (as in this case) then fund them. You are confusing issues. Nobody is denying the need for qualified personnel. It’s the cronyism and nepotism, and the abuse of charity money, that are at issue here.]
I quite sure that her sudden change if heart was down to you, so well done.
I have no words to describe how I feel about the whole thing. However, on a brighter note looks like you’ve shamed her into doing the decent thing, despite the fact that it should have never happened to begin with.
I can’t believe these people are in power, how depressing.
No one is above justice, while some are appointed to be its promoters and defenders.
If – and only if – the minutes of this shameful meeting are authentic (I don’t doubt Daphne at all), the President should resign from his post with immediate effect. The reason is very simple: he allegedly promoted and endorsed a decision which runs contrary to the good intention of all the contributors.
I hope that (a) if this is the case, the President should resign from his post and then make a public apology for this horrendous mistake, (b) all the minutes of the Community Chest Fund meetings should be made public so that we may all know the truth.
Above all, Parliament should change current practice in order to ensure that the President of the Republic is elected by the people, because Parliament is not equal to our Republic, but part of it with a specific special role within it.
At the end, one is obliged to remind all citizens that NO ONE IS OR SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW IN THIS REPUBLIC!
We don’t vote once approximately every five years to be led by the nose for five years by those whom we elect to power. Things have to change!
The Malta Community Chest Fund Statute
Page 9 of 11
11.5 No donations exceeding ten thousand Euros (€10,000), shall be made to a single beneficiary
during one financial year, unless otherwise authorised and approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the
board members present.
I always knew that charity not only began at home and – as in this case – it literally did not end there as it extended to the extended family, but for the highest institution to debase the virtue of charity is unfathomable.
The person holding this office in these circumstances should seek early retirement although actually he should have done that some time ago.
As a human being I feel humiliated. Jaqq is the only word that comes to mind.
The fact that the grantee states that she declined the offer is even more debasing as it shows that she seemed to have better judgment although we all know it is a mise en scene.
If the grantee were in such a dire financial situation, couldn’t her brother-in-law dig his hand in his pocket and help her out?
I am sure his left hand would have been very happy with the charity the right hand would have done with his sister-in-law if that really were the situation and if the right hand were to speak to the left hand.
I have met very needy people in my life but none would have stooped so low.
We’re a nation of despicable parasites, that is what such acts portray us as.
Daphne – without any authorisation – however on behalf of all those who at some time or other, in cash or in kind, have donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund, I feel I should show my gratitude to you for exposing this “scandal”.
For me this is still a scandal because, even if Ms Zerafa declined the offer in the first place (which according to the Minutes she did not do), the offer should have never been made.
Once again thank you.
Daphne – I used to live in Malta but I’ve been back in the States awhile now.
I’m glad you’re still “telling it like it is”! You always show such courage. You’re an amazing person!
On another note – oh, what hardship….. how terrible… she has to transfer planes…. she should be able to go by faster but more expensive routes.
When my husband, Claude L. Roy, was president of Fimbank, we didn’t ask Fimbank to pay for our tickets when we went back to North America – and the trip took us 18 hours (all totalled). But here a CHARITY is supposed to pay to help her out!
on a side note, they should send the person who is writing the minutes to a course- tal biki…..no idea how to write proper minutes
Tal-misthijja.
The sister on the left, in the smaller photo, is Alison Zerafa Civelli, mayor of Bormla, who has been appointed to the board of Transport Malta.
Interesting this. I had to pay for my own tuition way back in the 1980s, including travelling to the UK because all courses were distance learning.
Considering that this was for the benefit of the country that now gets 35% of all that I earn, I feel that the government should reimburse me all my course fees, plus travel and accomodation in the UK, plus interest ofcourse.
Should I send the bill for the attention of Dr Muscat?
Shame on you Mr. President
This is scandalous. The president should resign immediately. No more donations from me to the community chest fund. I will donate directly to reliable charities.
Last year the Community Chest Fund subsidized fares for students joining him on his trip to Peru. Now this.
During the L-Istrina programme the only people they showed us were sick people, to which we donated heartily. Sorry I feel this is misleading the generous people. Shame on him.
Shame on the President. First he lost all credibility with the Speech from the Throne and now this. He should resign immediately.
Can anyone find one decent and moral person within the MLP? I never did find anyone, am I alone?
Clinton was impeached for allowing someone to suck his parts.
Instead, we get a President sucking up our donations.
For me it is a far more serious matter.
Impeach him now.
Clinton wasn’t impeached. But you’re right.
IMPEACH George Abela NOW.
I completely disagree with my namesake’s comment above.
This issue sends me back to April 2011 and the strange case of Mr Olaf Terribile.
True.
Actually, I lost all confidence in this President on that occasion. He openly criticised Mr. Terribile in a press conference. For me that is a no-no because Mr. Terribile had no reasonable means of defending himself.
As a President he should have been more discreet and avoided being involved in anything remotely controversial.
I know nothing of the background of that story but I thought the way he handled his differences with Mr. Terribile were most inappropriate.
Is there any journalist willing to ask around to find out the real story?
Will now comment in a serious and professional manner to the Community Chest Fund Committee and in particular to the President and to Ms Law.
Yes it is the norm for companies to pay for the travel and accommodation of personnel when they are sent overseas for training, and I might add it is also the norm to pay for the education or the course as the case may be. This howevet will normally only occur in the following circumstances:
1. The person is normally the employee of the Company. Correct me if I am wtong, but this was or is not the case in this particular instance.
2. The Company is normally the instigator of the training as they would have identified the need for this particular education.
3. In most cases the qualification will be an employment condition, ie if the person is unable to pass the exams, not only do they need to repay the cost of the training, but they also lose their job.
4. The understanding will be that the person refunds the cost of the training if they leave before the elapse of a period of time following completion of the training/qualification. This on average tends to be two years.
5. The understanding normally is that the individual does not gain any monetary advantage fromthat training, except for the salary earned, ie there is no expectation of a part time job or personal remuneration from self employment.
I understand from the minutes that none of these usual professional and transparent guidelines or policies were followed in this instance.
As a person who has contributed to the CCF , I therefore request that an independent audit be carried out of the finances of this charity as it is very clear that the integrity of the president and the committee is in doubt.
I will also stop contributing to the CCF. Frankly speaking under this patron, they have really ended up as an extremely costly postbox. We are all better off donating to our charities of choice, at least we will know where our money is going.
This is so disappointing. Despite his politics, I always preferred to think that Dr. Abela was essentially a man of integrity.
I’m sure that Dr. Gonzi had based his difficult choice of president on that premise.
I’m sure he’s disappointed more than angry about that choice. His judgement and trust have been so bitterly betrayed.
What the president has done is totally unacceptable and he and the board members must answer for their collective decision heavily influenced, no doubt, by the conflicted and unscrupulous president himself.
It will now be interesting to watch developments, mainly the government’s reaction. This case, if indeed verified, is bigger than anything we’ve seen so far.
Nothing short of impeachment will satisfy any citizen wishing to live in a civil country. Let’s see what the government’s true character is.
u hallina daphne taqbadx u tparla fuq nies minajr ma tkun tafhom. jin nista nitkelem ghax dik il kugina tieghi. dik spizajra kwalifikata tejd mux se taqa fil baxx hekk. u se tihu il flus mil community chest fund. lewwel jun afom in nies ghadek mandekx idea kem hija serja Darleen.
Dal-kumment probabbli m’hu se jarah ħadd għax din l-istorja issa ilha għaddejja. Pero ma tanix li ma nweġbikx.
Kuġintek tista’ tkun l-aktar spiżjara kkwalifikata u tiġi l-ewwel fil-kors li qed issegwi. Imma dak mhux il-punt.
Il-punt hu li kienet lesta li tieħu l-flus minn ħalq min għandu bżonnhom u li tagħmel riklam daqshekk ħażin għall-Community Chest Fund (l-ammont ta’ nies li qed jgħidu li mhux se jagħtu iktar flus iżda se jagħtu direttament lil karitajiet u fondazzjonijiet oħra ma jitwemminx!).
Il-punt hu li l-President kien lest li juża l-pożizzjoni tiegħu biex jagħti vantaġġ lil xi ħadd jiġi minnu.
Il-punt hu li l-familja kollha tidher qed tittratta l-Presidenza u l-Community Chest Fund qishom lotterija… Din mhux serjetà. U jgħidu x’jgħidu l-minuti jgiddbuhom. Il-President ikkonvinċa lil Bord biex jagħmlu pjaċir lil xi ħadd minn familtu, il-Bord qabel u hi aċċettat.
Kieku kienu serji kienu jiddeċiedu li hemm bżonn persuna b’ċerti kwalifiki u jirriklamawha il-pożizzjoni u jagħżlu l-aħjar applikant. Imma hawn veru għandna kwistjoni ta’ ħbieb ta’ ħbieb, ħadd ma jista’ għalina u l-Gvern tagħna nagħmlu li rridu! Dik veru arroganza!
U l-fatt li jidher li ma tara xejn ħażin f’dan juri eżattament x’tip int.
Boq! L-akbar izball u dell ikrah tal-MCCF, mhux ta’ kugintek Charlot. Kugintek implikata imma l-MCCF qatt ma missu ha d-decizjoni li ha. Il-minuti kixfu kollox.
Hajr ghal DCG.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-15/news/4-years-later-mccf-member-still-waiting-to-attend-1st-meeting-1599045634/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
I don’t think that good willing people donate over a million euros after Christmas festivities so that they are used in this manner.
And please all those that are pleading for Dr Abela’s presidency to be renewed for another five years, go get a life. There are so many good and capable people who can be president.
If Ms Zerafa couldn’t pay for her own education, simple, just don’t do the masters and save for it until you can do it or apply to STEPS programmes like others have.
Jekk vera ghandu ghal qalbu lill min hu fil-bzonn il-president ghandu jirrezenja ghax l-Istrina li jmiss l-anqas jekk jimxiha ghar-rkuptejh minn San Anton ma jigbor il-flus li suppost jigbor. U qed nghid x’ nahseb jien mhux x’ nixtieq.
But what I find really disturbing is that whole thing is minuted! I mean are these people so twisted that they can’t actually realize that they’re doing something wrong?
Taking a relative, putting her on the foundation’s board on the grounds that she’s following a master’s degree related to her new post, paying her tuition and related expenses through a charity fund while surely knowing that there could be tens of other people who are even more qualified and experienced then her, and who possible forked the expenses of their own education themselves, is blatantly corrupt and wrong. Unbelievable!
Or are they just naive? ghax manafx