Cabinet minister appoints his brother’s son to represent government on property foundation

Government minister Manuel Mallia has appointed his nephew Antoine Mallia as one of four trustees who will represent the government on a new foundation for which he will be the minister responsible.

The Property Malta Foundation was set up to “develop a strategy” for Malta’s real-estate market and to come up with new ways to sell real estate in Malta to non-Maltese people. Its board of trustees is made up of four people who represent the government, and another four who represent the construction lobby and who include Sandro Chetcuti, president of the Malta Developers Association.

The government’s representatives include Antoine Mallia, whose father is the Economy Services Minister’s brother, Anthony. Minister Mallia made no mention of this quite literal nepotism and conflict of interest when he presided over the foundation’s first meeting two days ago.

Antoine Mallia was a foreman with the construction company Devlands Ltd when he was charged in 2009, along with four directors of the company, with having caused the death through negligence of a 27-year-old employee two years earlier.

Antoine Mallia with his father Anthony, who is a brother to the Minister of Economy Services, Manuel Mallia

Antoine Mallia

The Minister for Economy Services, Manuel Mallia