Malta Taghna Lkoll update: the prime minister’s personal friend, beauty-cream distributor Phyllis Muscat, has been appointed to head the ‘national task force’ for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting 2015
Phyllis Muscat flies club class with the prime minister and his family en route to a holiday in Italy
Phyllis Muscat
The government’s Department of Information has just released the following:
PR 2648
PHYLLIS MUSCAT TO HEAD THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE FOR CHOGM 2015
Phyllis Muscat has been appointed Head of the National Task Force for CHOGM 2015 within the Office of the Prime Minister as Malta prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2015.
The appointment was approved by Cabinet.
Ms Muscat will be responsible for planning and coordinating an event that will attract 50 heads of government, members of the Royal Family, together with business people, youths and civil society from all over the Commonwealth.
Phyllis Muscat has successfully run her own business in the pharma and care sectors and employs 40 people. She was a member of the Executive Committee of the Malta-US Chamber of Commerce and also sat on the Executive Committee of the Malta Association of Women in Business. She is active in the social sphere in the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation.
Phyllis Muscat, originally from Siggiewi but married to Pawlu Muscat from Mellieha, a cousin of Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, has been intimately involved with the workings of the Labour Party since the time when Alfred Sant was party leader and she ‘adopted’ him, or rather, insinuated her large maternal presence into his life.
After the last of Sant’s repeated electoral defeats in 2008, she gave him refuge at her home, a villa on the Santa Maria Estate, where she is a neighbour to Keith ‘Kasco’ Schembri, the prime minister’s personal assistant. She got to know the Muscats through Sant – Michelle nee Tanti was Sant’s personal assistant and public relations officer, while Joseph Muscat used this connection to work himself closer to Sant. He was in turn adopted by the ‘I’ll take charge’ Phyllis Muscat when Sant was no longer useful and this other Mrs Muscat needed to maintain her personal stranglehold on the party leadership.
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Pajjiz immexxi minn qabda imbarazz.
Qabza fil-kwalita. U kif.
Isn’t Charles Muscat, the new Maltese High Commissioner in Australia, who has been there for 40 years already, Phyllis Muscat’s brother-in-law?
That word fits so well.
Imbarazz.
The previous government had appointed senior Ambassador Saviour Stellini, a man of vast (and more significantly, relevant) experience, a long-serving and accomplished career diplomat, who was for a long time Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and High Commissioner in London where he covered the Commonwealth for years, to take charge of the arrangements and negotiations for CHOGM in 2005.
Today’s choice is yet another indicator of how, to this government, what is important is not an individual’s expertise but how close to the Labour Party and to the Labour leader he or she is.
Indeed, selling cosmetics to the beauticians and beauty parlours of Malta is the perfect preparation and background one needs to make the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting a success.
A real leap in quality, I have to say.
Tal- biki.
X’misthija. My nickname sums it up.
Agreed, Noel. More than anything these appointments are showing nothing but contempt and disdain towards the rest of us, regardless of what political views we hold.
And the emperor said: MALTA TIEGHI BISS.
“Indeed, selling cosmetics to the beauticians and beauty parlours of Malta is the perfect preparation and background one needs to make the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting a success.”
Tghidx kemm se nidhru sbieh. In fact, this government is only concerned about appearances. The headlines, the pictures, and the apologists.
As if Noel, how can you say she is not experienced? She employs 40 people!
None of them are diplomats, and she certainly is not one herself.
Exactly Noel. The appointments by this government are completely dependent on the loyalty to the party. My frustration is that so much people either did not see this coming or are happy with such a state of affairs.
On the other hand probably she will appoint a good number of consultants to help her out.
What a difference from Ambassador Stellini, such an elegant, well versed professional diplomat.
What in the world are the PM and his cabinet thinking? What does this person know about organising diplomatic meetings?
She sells beauty products to spas and pharmacies.
They are all insane.
No, not insane – just incredibly, unredeemably pig-ignorant. If Phyllis Muscat knew what it took to head such a task force, she’d turn down the job as being beyond her capabilities.
No problem. Someone else will do the job and she’ll get the credit. And the salary.
Great – Norman Hamilton in London and Phyllis Muscat in Malta.
We’re in good hands indeed.
God have mercy on us.
And another thought crosses my mind. If this is an example of the quality of people this government will appoint to run the Maltese Presidency of the European Union, God help us.
Don’t worry, some lick-ass Nationalist will help us by accepting to be ‘honoured’ by Joseph Muscat.
I am also worried as to who will be appointed President of Malta come 4 April 2014
Daphne, the Muscats – Phyllis and Pawlu, that is – regularly entertain the Prime Minister and his family and also Mr and Mrs Edward Zammit Lewis for weekends and outings on Pawlu’s yacht which is moored in Mellieha Bay.
When you think it can’t get any worse, this happens.
He must realize how foolish he looks. At least I hope he does.
I’m not Maltese but I have been living here for 5 years so I really do not have a say in Maltese politics, but ever since the general elections I have taken an interest and I have made my own mind up about the political parties on the island.
And all I can say is… WHAT WAS MALTA THINKING WHEN THEY VOTED? you guys had it so good. Sure every political party has its ups and downs but this Island was really flourishing.
I honestly think they keep getting away with it.
Expect them to keep pushing the envelope further until it falls off the desk. Government by vox pop, amongst Labourites. If they don’t squeal or MaltaToday surveys are run showing them in the wrong, immexxu.
Hasn’t Jose Herrera given her a whole sheaf of appointments too, including some festivities committee?
Does she use her own products? They don’t seem to work.
Have you seen the headline story on The Times print edition today? For some reason it’s not online yet.
But definitely a story well following up, as it’s the tip of the iceberg, and already showing Dalli’s true colours.
The company of the consultant referred to in the article this afternoon bid the cheapest offer for a tender for the IT system for the new drug warehouse in San Gwann. The bid was issued as an RFQ “with extended limits”, had a two-page spec, and an unnaturally short tendering period.
So the new PAS system is being written by someone employed directly by Dalli. Tried and tested systems by international companies, who invest millions in such products, are being thrown out for a system written by ……one man.
I suppose someone may share the experience that this genius has internationally? I pity the chaos at Mater Dei when the new “system” starts
He was consultant to Dalli whilst EU health commissioner….and a doctor from some dubious university.
Is the Opposition asleep or what? This is Claudio Grech’s turf.
U ejja, l-importanti li kollox ghall-karita’.
What clowns.
It will be fun to watch this lone ranger drive the required organisational transformation that must accompany large IT programmes of this sort.
Especially when considering that the senior stakeholders and the end-user base comprises of moonlighting doctors (who are hell bent on thwarting the prospect of a central appointment reservation system / waiting list) and clerical staff (typical Maltese civil servant mentality, nofs ta’ nhari fis-sajf and all).
I also wonder how he plans to meet his SLAs (silly me expecting there to be any SLAs at all!) and to provide adequate support in a timely manner when things go pear-shaped.
I’m not saying that large contractors are immune to cock-ups by design. All too often they’re known to deliver poorly too, but at least they have the resources (and the financial collateral) to address show stoppers.
The ‘Hu ijja mhux xorta?’ syndrome again.
Can we expect any better? Funny how some people I know are showing disgust at these appointments when exactly a year ago, over Christmas drinks and cocktails and parties, I was telling people not to be fooled.
This is what Labour can dish out because Labour has never known any better. It has no style, no class and no savoir faire.
The best it can do is say that a report is “damming” and that they are “high society” or whatever. Phyllis Muscat runs a successful business selling cosmetics, therefore she can head the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting task force. That’s their logic.
However, as the Italians very eloquently put it, “la classe non e’ acqua”. They would not recognise class and elegance if it had to dance in front of them stark naked and singing “I am elegance” bang in the middle of the Sahara.
These appointments show how sorely lacking they are in the class department. Apart from the questionable decision to host the CHOGM in the prevailing circumstances, the least I would expect is to do it with grace. There is a dearth of that in the Labour camp for both and hence, well, they have to resort to these individuals.
Let us thank God for the really small mercies: at least Natius, the Naked Lawyer Joseph Chetcuti, and other unsavoury characters are not involved in this too.
At best, the Commonwealth Heads of Government will be given free samples of beauty products in their conference packs – rather than naked pictures of the organisers or free vouchers for Brazilian waxes.
Now that you’ve mentioned the small mercies… I guess they’ll be included out of pure spite.
X’tahwid gej fic-CHOGM.
All the delegates will be treated to a goodie bag of face creams and perfume samples. And the big day will be sponsored by whatever brand of cosmetics it is that Phyllis Muscat sells.
She imports all major brands available on the local market. It is almost impossible for a salon not to get some kind of service/product from her. Over the years she has bought off all major players in the market.
Hope the f**king pufti bic-cfuf, switchers for greed, switchers for spite, switchers for revenge, switchers for payback time, and all those with a small mind and an even smaller spirit, who voted Labour, fully understand the catastrophic consequences of their mind-numbingly stupid choices.
I hope – and I have some names in mind here – that they will be deeply proud of having Malta efforts at organising the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting headed by a wholesaler of beauty creams.
Hudu go fikom!
Seems this will be our knee jerk reaction for some years to come.
She looks like an aging whore, something you might find on a doorstep in Gzira.
Way to go, Malta.
And on Facebook, she was congratulated for her appointment by none other than Cyrus Engerer who said that he has worked with her. Min jaf what work he did with her.
“Cyrus Engerer:
Congratulations Phyllis Muscat. I am certain that with your track-record, the organisation of CHOGM will be a success. Had the honour to work with you.”
Veru Cyrus jiehu gost jaqa fil-hara.
A compliment from Cyrus is like one point from Albania in Eurovision.
Another Xarabank celebrity. It figures.
A friend in need. Indeed!
Imma dan bis-serjeta? Ma jiflax jaqa ghan-nejk mad-dinja bil-bejh tal-passaporti w issa b’din il-mara biex tmexxi din it-task force.
Vera is-switchers dahluna f-sitwazzjoni tal-biki.
Malta Taghna u ghal ta’ Gewwa Biss. No-one from the “high profile” switchers was found worthy to head this Commission.? Qabza fil-kwalità.
Malta Taghhom Biss u ta’ dawk Ta’ Gewwa.
The “most worthy” have heaps of accolades piled upon them. Pre-meditated dagger work pays well with Labour. But what value does that currency have elsewhere?
This literally makes me sick.
Malta’s own Madeleine Albright.
Then Joey complains today that we should never accept the t(h)rashing of our country as quoted on the online version of Times of Malta.
If he promotes and appoints trash he is just asking for the country to be thrashed and ridiculed.
Joseph Muscat has improved on the criticism he used to be so proud about “hbieb tal-hbieb”. now it’s only “hbieb”.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131127/local/tv-presenter-miriam-dalli-launches-mep-election-campaign.496505
I don’t know which expert this “communications practitioner with a phd” is paying as consultant, seeing the outfit she put on to launch her campaign. That Barbie dress sends out all the wrong messages. I much rather prefer Roberta wearing her trademark shirt, in which she can – literally – roll up her sleeves.
[Daphne – That’s her target market, Mallia. Look how well my old friend John Attard Montaldo did, giving out free kitchen utensils to crowds of female admirers.]
She has a law degree. Her sort like to pass that off as a PhD, when it is clearly no such thing.
The easiest course to get into and the laughing stock of the EU amongst graduates of Law.
‘Do you want to be a doctor in 5 years without having to attend a single lecture? Then come to Malta’.
Viva l-meritokrazija.
Tghid taf x’inhu protocol?
Did the Department of Information bother to let us know how much Phyllis Muscat is going to cost us?
This is the reward she gets for taking Muscat and family out for a day or two on her sailing yacht this summer.
“Dr Farrugia said the Dalli report was not actually commissioned by the government. Mr Dalli had indicated his wish to write the report and the government accommodated him.”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131127/local/dallis-views-on-mater-dei-hospital-are-his-own-minister.496497
Oh, Yes. What’s next?
“Dr Joseph Muscat said the Henley and Partners Citizenship for Sale Scam was not actually commissioned by the government. Henley and Partners had indicated their wish to sell the Maltese and EU Citizenship and the government accommodated them”?
Or maybe:
“Dr Konrad Mizzi said the Electrogas Consortium Gas Power Station was not actually commissioned by the government. The Electrogas Consortium had indicated their wish to build a gas power plant and the government accommodated them”?
Dr Farrugia is to be pitied in that whole charade. Dalli wrote that half-baked report, the MUMN flared up and our bungling but benign village doctor now has to placate it.
And yet he can’t speak outrightly against the report or Dalli himself, lest he embarrasses Joseph Muscat.
Farrugia should cut his losses and resign. For his own good.
Dr. Farrugia is “totally out of his depth.” He has been relegated to a communications functionnaire, with the role of dealing with the media. This government is a facade.
Meanwhile, in the production department, John Dalli is manufacturing a disaster. He is too focused on the control of the production cost, avoiding production inventory stock-outs and making sure that the machines and tools are all accounted for. But while he does so, the employees are angry and the customers are unhappy.
Phyllis darling, have you any idea what the Kominwelt is? How does one address the Queen during a conversation? Where is Kiribati? Lord help us.
I wonder if she knows how to address the infantas, let alone the queen.
This business of having two infantas cannot go on forever.
At some point the elder of the two has to be created Princesa de Asturias.
Incidentally when Isabella was Princesa de Asturias she was also Countess of Girgenti.
I am not trying to be funny.
This is history.
Maybe someone out there can enlighten me on how Girgenti came into the equation.
That title probably refers to Agrigento – “Girgenti” in Sicilian.
Where’s kitten-from-Malta when you need him?
A measure of how suited Phyllis Muscat us to to her new role is to picture some other friend-of-Joseph-deserving-of-reward in her place.
Would Sandro Chetcuti be the right sort?
Exactly.
Why not appoint a career diplomat to the role?
Sandro Chetcuti has become a regular follower of Michael Farrugia’s Facebook page. As they say in Maltese: kull qalb trid ohra.
They’re not even embarrassed to be so very blatant about it.
U ijwa… just get them to line up quietly and safely; this can’t be a daunting task. Make sure that they won’t pick their noses and you are almost there.
Instructional protocols? Who needs that, we will be giving them free face creams and that would be more than enough.
And for entertainment a musical like ‘Gensna’ would be fine, translated into English. ‘Mietna ghall barrani’ – ‘For the foreigner we died’.
It might be a bitchy appointment to ridicule the event.
Even assuming that she’s good at organising events, this one would be on a level she cannot fathom.
It’s not only about hotel rooms, cars and meeting venues.
In fact the main part of the job will be one requiring a background in protocol and diplomacy, hence the choice of Ambassador Stellini last time round. But when you choose a variety show host and a DJ turned travel agent to be your Ambassadors, what’s to prevent a cosmetics sales lady from getting her chance?
Almost 9 months into Joseph Muscat’s opposition government, numerous “leaks”, gratis et amore reports, boards & inquiries later I keep recalling this: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/On-cases-of-political-corruption-a-Labour-government-will-carry-no-witch-hunt-20130121
Ara kemm ser jifirhu il-kapijiet ta’ l-istati bil-goodie bag kollha face creams li ser jinghataw bhala tifkira go vazetti bis-salib ta’ Malta fuqhom.
We should expect to see a fashion show in Castille. The queen (if still alive) will be the guest of honour.
It is a pity that Ray Azzopardi has been posted to Brussels. He would have been the ideal MC for the occasion.
Somehow I feel that a bitch-war is brewing between Jason Micallef of V-18 and Phyllis Muscat of CH-15. They both want to outshine and outspend each other.
How bl**dy embarrassing for Malta.
I hope the switchers are happy to know that this is what they contributed towards. Idiots.
Phyllis Muscat? Why not Grace Borg? She sells CDs.
With those fake long red nails, Grace does not come across as very diplomatic.
Without long red nails, Phyllis Muscat doesn’t, either.
Unbelievable! I bet you only need to have acquaintances within the circle of friends of the party in government and you’re done. Your living is guaranteed.
Her brother is next then, since he appeared on one of the PL billboards.
Any bet they’ll now appoint a bevy of diplomats to do her job for her. And her buddy Caroline Tonna is bound to help.
Daphne, just look at this video. I almost pity Dr Godfrey Farrugia. He seems as though he’s aged by 20 years since being appointed Minister. He’s completely out of place. John Dalli is the boss. Farrugia simply cannot handle the situation any more. And the situation at our hospital is getting worse by the day. Stocks of medicine have never been as scarce as during the past few weeks.
Having said that, look at how he changes his facial expression when he says “Jien health care professional jien stess”. No, Dr Farrugia. You are the Minister now. You are simply nostalgic of the better days when you WERE a health care professional. And you are definitely regretting what has been imposed upon you. Dr Farrugia, you’re the most decent person amongst the lot but you’re simply surrounded by sharks – do yourself a favour and get back to your profession.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131127/local/dallis-views-on-mater-dei-hospital-are-his-own-minister.496497#.UpZXGNJDtIE
Gvern zibel u imbarazz.
Ara biex wikkewna dawk il-qabda opportunisti mafjuzi.
Perhaps she will be also giving out free ‘sempils’ during the meeting?
And Vella Bonnici will be offering discount vouchers for Maltese passports.
Hurry, hurry. The offer is only valid for three months after CHOGM.
Oh! Just had a flashback. I’m pretty sure Phyllis had starred in a Coollee (suqash) advert in the 1990s too.
Godfrey, get out of that den of thieves.
Before it is too late.
Before a health service, that is the envy of Europe, is wrecked like it was in 1977
Get out before they blame you for the thieving of the hundreds of millions of euros of taxpayers’ money that has already been planned.
Go back to your patients.
Instructional video for CHOGM preparations: Mr. Bean’s episode when encountering the queen.
Has anyone else been subjected to a mysterious photographer snapping away at common mortals who happen to be in the same restaurant at the same time as these more-equal-than-others?
[Daphne – What do you mean, exactly?]
All is not well in the State of Denmark. Hope we are not in for a load of new problems.
Scroll to 4’46” for a taste of Kwalita’ Malta
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjydA8tNFU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrkjydA8tNFU