Hundreds of people being put on the state payroll in Gozo

Published: June 1, 2017 at 11:18am

This is a message I have just received from a private-sector employer in Gozo.

How come no one writes about what is going on in Gozo? Is it all legal to employ hundreds of people on the eve of the election with the government. Seems like Refalo is doing exactly that. Hundreds on state payroll and hundreds more with Gozo Channel (via the contractor).

And all these people were previously in full-time, well-paid jobs in the private sector. The reason they change jobs is that they know they can do two hours or less in their official job with the government, and then spend eight hours working privately off the books (tax free).

Gozitan employers are furious, I being one of them. Many face financial ruin, because first many invest and employ, then the election comes and Refalo buys votes with government jobs. Apparently this business of putting people on the state payroll is much more widespread here in Gozo with one minister, than it is in Malta with many more so-called ministers.

This is ridiculous. Does the Nationalist Party have anything to say about this? Thousands of people in Victoria two days ago and all the talk was about another wrong, the Gozo hospital takeover. Trust me, even Refalo’s competitors on the ballot paper are furious about it, because he seems to have a free hand with this.