This is one of the most corrupt families in Malta

Published: July 31, 2015 at 1:05pm

At least nine members of the same immediate family – and those are just the ones I know about so far – have moved out of the private sector and into comfortable positions on the state payroll post March 2013, by direct appointment and with no call for applications for the post.

Joseph Vella Bonnici, appointed executive chairman of Identity Malta when he failed to be elected to parliament after standing as a Labour Party candidate

Joseph Vella Bonnici, appointed executive chairman of Identity Malta when he failed to be elected to parliament after standing as a Labour Party candidate

Joe Vella Bonnici's wife, Anna, left her job as secretary at a legal firm for a 'person of trust' appointment as personal assistant to Joshua Zammit, CEO of Malta Industrial Parks Ltd, himself a post-March 2013 Taghna Lkoll appointee

Joe Vella Bonnici’s wife, Anna, left her job as secretary at a legal firm for a ‘person of trust’ appointment as personal assistant to Joshua Zammit, CEO of Malta Industrial Parks Ltd, himself a post-March 2013 Taghna Lkoll appointee

Their son Marc Vella Bonnici, seen here with the Labour leader, is the Labour Party's international secretary at the age of 24 and Labour mayor of Zabbar. He was put on the state payroll as 'special projects assistant' to Malta's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Labour campaign donor John Debono, himself a Taghna Lkoll appointee.

Their son Marc Vella Bonnici, seen here with the Labour leader, is the Labour Party’s international secretary at the age of 24 and Labour mayor of Zabbar. He was put on the state payroll as ‘special projects assistant’ to Malta’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Labour campaign donor John Debono, himself a Taghna Lkoll appointee.

Mario Philip Azzopardi, married to one of Joseph Vella Bonnici's sisters, produced and directed the Labour Party's campaign videos and has been put on the state payroll as 'artistic director' of Valletta 2018.

Mario Philip Azzopardi, married to one of Joseph Vella Bonnici’s sisters, produced and directed the Labour Party’s campaign videos and has been put on the state payroll as ‘artistic director’ of Valletta 2018.

Joseph Vella Bonnici's brother, Tano Vella Bonnici, now a pensioner, began selling real estate for Remax after being quietly let go by the Farsons Group on allegations of misuse of company funds. His brother has put him on the state payroll at the organisation he heads, Identity Malta.

Joseph Vella Bonnici’s brother, Tano Vella Bonnici, now a pensioner, began selling real estate for Remax after being quietly let go by the Farsons Group on allegations of misuse of company funds. His brother has put him on the state payroll at the organisation he heads, Identity Malta.

One of Joseph Vella Bonnici's sisters, Kathryn Mercieca, used to work at the family's shop in Zabbar, but has been put on the state payroll at Identity Malta.

One of Joseph Vella Bonnici’s sisters, Kathryn Mercieca, used to work at the family’s shop in Zabbar, but has been put on the state payroll at Identity Malta.

Yet another of Joseph Vella Bonnici's sisters, Dorothy Pace (seen here in a photograph taken two decades ago) was also put on the state payroll at Identity Malta, which is controlled by her brother.

Yet another of Joseph Vella Bonnici’s sisters, Dorothy Pace (seen here in a photograph taken two decades ago) was also put on the state payroll at Identity Malta, which is controlled by her brother.

Joseph Vella Bonnici's brother-in-law Charles Pace (married to his sister Dorothy) is a former Air Malta pilot who took a large sum as early retirement and who, post March 2013, was appointed to the board of directors of Transport Malta and also put on the state payroll at the Civil Aviation Directorate.

Joseph Vella Bonnici’s brother-in-law Charles Pace (married to his sister Dorothy) is a former Air Malta pilot who took a large sum as early retirement and who, post March 2013, was appointed to the board of directors of Transport Malta and also put on the state payroll at the Civil Aviation Directorate.

Charles Pace and Dorothy nee Vella Bonnici's daughter, Alessandra, worked on the Labour Party's electoral campaign and featured prominently in its official Malta Taghna Lkoll/meritocracy video. She was put on the state payroll at the CHOGM Organising Committee as communications adviser to Phyllis Muscat but has since resigned to take up a job at RedOrange, the advertising agency owned by the deputy prime minister's nephew, handling public relations for the American University of Malta.

Charles Pace and Dorothy nee Vella Bonnici’s daughter, Alessandra, worked on the Labour Party’s electoral campaign and featured prominently in its official Malta Taghna Lkoll/meritocracy video. She was put on the state payroll at the CHOGM Organising Committee as communications adviser to Phyllis Muscat but has since resigned to take up a job at RedOrange, the advertising agency owned by the deputy prime minister’s nephew, handling public relations for the American University of Malta.