Ombudsman warning about excessive direct (political) appointments in the public service
Published:
November 4, 2014 at 12:01pm
Direct (political) appointments should be strictly confined to the private secretariats of ministers, he says – which should be obvious, but apparently is not.
When they are not, transparency in the public service is reduced.
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http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-04/local-news/Excessive-direct-appointments-in-civil-service-leading-to-lack-of-transparency-Ombudsman-6736124913
Whether these are direct appointments or even give the false perception they are going through the statutory processes of appointment, the point is the people being appointed are not those with the required competency.
The recent appointment of a CEO who has no idea about health and medical issues; appointments at Air Malta as Chair and CEO as well as board secretary for people without knowledge or skills in the airline or travel business.
The list is endless. We should have access to the CVs for these people and it is the people who were promised by this scam of a government that they will be able to choose those persons in such positions.
Yet another lie.
The issue is not just of transparency but also of governance. The civil service and government agencies are not being run in the best possible manner because the most senior positions are political appointees and in some cases the appointed persons are not competent to handle the difficult decisions required.
Here are some political appointments that come to mind but there are certainly many more:
Enemalta CEO
Transport Malta CEO
Mater Dei CEO
Mount Carmel CEO
The principal permanent secretary
Most permanent secretaries
In many cases, very competent people who were selected with due process were removed to make way for incompetent political appointees.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140417/local/PN-wants-mental-health-chief-reinstated.515282
Note that it is acceptable for government to appoint political appointees as Chairpersons of boards and board members (although obviously it would be in everyone’s interest if these are also competent). The mistake that the PN is doing is that, in its criticism of government, it is not distinguishing between political appointments in the civil service and government agencies (which is wrong) and political appointments on boards (which is acceptable).
Add to that list:
Most ambassadors
Police Commissioner
Commander Armed Forces
(and more)
The one I really can’t get over is the Principal Permanent Secretary. This is a man even the GWU found too divisive and ill-suited to leadership. He is partisan beyond any description. His appointment was a spit in everything, possesses a very capable cadre of professionals.
During the previous administration, top people were drawn to work in the public sector. They’re abandoning it in droves again, just as happened in the 70s and 80s.
Gremlins intervened there; it should read:
The one I really can’t get over is the Principal Permanent Secretary. This is a man even the GWU found too divisive and ill-suited to leadership. He is partisan beyond any description. His appointment was a spit in the face of the public service which despite everything, possesses a very capable cadre of professionals.
During the previous administration, top people were drawn to work in the public sector. They’re abandoning it in droves again, just as happened in the 70s and 80s.
I suppose it makes perfect sense to the Labour government to appoint a former Air Malta ticketing as CEO of Mater Dei Hospital? I suppose studying ‘life sciences in the pjazza tal-Qala’ really gets you places.
Dubji dwar il-kredenzjali ta’ eks kunsillier u kanvasser Laburista bħala l-Kap Eżekuttiv il-ġdid ta’ Mater Dei
http://maltarightnow.com/news/2014/11/03/ritratti-dubji-dwar-il-kredenzjali-ta-eks-kunsillier-u-kanvaser-laburista-bhala-l-kap-ezekuttiv-il-gdid-ta-mater-dei/
From clerk with Air Malta to CEO of Mater Dei Hospital in a few months. That’s what Taghna Lkoll means. The sky’s the limit.
Forget going to university to get a degree.
Forget going to ETC to find a job.
Enrol yourself in the Labour government’s new employment agencies:
Super One Studios
PL General HQ.
What about OPM appointees?
Now we know that transparency in the public service is being reduced. What we should know or at least be told, is the reason why is all this happening, if not to cover corruption at source.