Don’t talk to him about money, or he’ll cry like Sai Liang

Chris Cardona

There was a big interview with Economy Minister Chris Cardona in The Sunday Times yesterday.

In response to a question about why chief executive officers of state corporations are paid more than cabinet ministers, he said:

I will not comment on my wage as I will burst into tears!

WAGE? What is he – a supermarket check-out girl? A quarry labourer?

Labourers have wages, which are paid by the hour, day or week. Cabinet ministers are paid by the month, and their remuneration is calculated over the basis of a year. They have SALARIES not wages.

It’s quite common in Malta, where English has deteriorated into a weird dialect, for people who earn salaries running an office to talk about their “wages” as though they spend their days stacking shelves in a warehouse.

But you would expect a lawyer who is, beyond that, the Minister for the Economy (of all things) to know the difference between wages and salaries.

How interesting, though, that he should emulate his employee and cabinet colleague’s wife, Sai Mizzi Liang, in crying when an interviewer brings up the subject of what he earns.

In any case, why is he making such a fuss about not earning enough? He’s living rent-free at Portomaso thanks to his businessman buddy Silvan Fenech.