Iosif Galea, the man involved in the ‘snus’ scandal, has been given a job as a Planning Authority enforcement officer

Published: March 27, 2014 at 10:04am
Iosif Galea (right) with the Labour mayor of Zurrieq at Jason Micallef's electoral party in the election campaign last year

Iosif Galea (right) with the Labour mayor of Zurrieq at Jason Micallef’s electoral party in the election campaign last year

Iosif Galea with his fellow protagonists in the 'snus' scandal, John Dalli and Silvio Zammit, on holiday in Italy

Iosif Galea with his fellow protagonists in the ‘snus’ scandal, John Dalli and Silvio Zammit, on holiday in Italy

Iosif Galea, a very close friend of Silvio (Tal-Mqaret) Zammit and Bahama Mama John Dalli, was an officer at the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, which is where he met the lawyer Gayle Kimberley, who worked there too, and entered into what was an extra-marital affair for both of them.

He then proceeded to embroil her in the ‘snus’ scandal that eventually brought John Dalli down as EU Commissioner. Kimberley was with Galea at a hotel in Portugal when investigators from the EU’s fraud office, OLAF, turned up unexpectedly to interrogate her.

She was there on official business for the Lotteries & Gaming Authority. Galea was not. OLAF’s investigating officer warned her not to tell anyone about the investigation. But she went upstairs to her room and told Galea, who then proceeded to tell his close friend Zammit, as could have been predicted given the nature of their relationship.

Kimberley told the court, during proceedings against Silvio Zammit in the ‘snus’ matter, that she was being blackmailed. The police understood this to mean that Galea was blackmailing her over her illicit relationship with him.

Iosif Galea no longer workers at the Lotteries and Gaming Authority. For a while, he helped his good friend Silvio Zammit with his circuses. Now he has been engaged at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in its enforcement office, without a call for applications and in a position where integrity is of the essence.




12 Comments Comment

  1. Gahan says:

    Oh what a circus!

  2. "Nahseb Ftehmna" says:

    Xejn gdid – ftit xhur ohra jahtru lil Mr Erin bhala il-Kummissarju ghat-Tfal.

  3. ciccio says:

    Ah, he has experience connected with the circus. It’s precisely what this Labour government requires in ‘organising’ MEPA’s enforcement unit.

    But seriously, who would engage a person whose name featured prominently in a scandal involving the allegation of extortion of money in return for favours, in an enforcement section of the planning authority?

  4. pablo says:

    Once upon a time our three musketeers found a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow but caught in the grips of an evil monster known as Olaf. Just then Superhero Jo steps in, slays the monster with his wholesome grin and saves the day. The musketeers are back in the castle and everyone is happy again. The End

    • "Nahseb Ftehmna" says:

      Mela u kulhadd miexi fuq il-front ta’ Tas-Sliema, jigri wara t-tfal qishom il-familja perfetta u innocenti tal-Little House on the Prairie, u qisu qatt ma’ gara xejn.

  5. Pippa says:

    There’s no limit to this government’s dastardly behaviour. As others have already pointed out, when you think its hit the bottom, it goes even deeper.

    How low can it go?

    • curious says:

      They just keep them coming. Willie Mangion has still not found the promised garages.

      “William Mangion barred from speaking to the media

      In the meantime, Mr Mangion has been instructed by Ministry officials not to speak directly with the media. The Malta Independent contacted the singer last week to ask him what progress he has made so far. But the singer told this paper that he had been instructed by ministry officials not to speak directly to the media and asked us to send our questions to officials within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Culture, headed by Jose Herrera.” (the Malta Independent)

      • Tabatha White says:

        Yes, the Labour administration in general has been rather quiet lately, hasn’t it.

        Goodness knows what new chaos is a-cooking and whether the public is going to be privy to notification of it?

      • bob-a-job says:

        Dak cunt-tant mill-aqwa

  6. Another fine example of what this government means when it speaks of “meritocracy”.

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