Carmen Ciantar Also Serves On Health Policy And Strategy Board
Carmen Ciantar, the under-fire FMS CEO and chief of staff of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, also serves on the Health Policy and Strategy Board.
According to public documentation, Ciantar is one of 11 people who sit on the board and is compromised Deputy Prime Minister Fearne (in his capacity as Minister), as chairman, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Joseph Rapa, as Deputy Chairman.
Ciantar was appointed by Minister Chris Fearne, as one of the members chosen by the Ministry.
The ex-ufficio members include three Director Generals: Clarence Pace, Walter Busuttil, and Charmain Gauci; and Edgar Borg in his capacity as the financial controller of the Ministry.
The other members, who are not ex-ufficio and are chosen for the role, include a Minister’s consultant; any officer who the Minister may deem from time to time fit to appoint on the Board, and an officer appointed by the Minister to act as Secretary.
It appears that Ciantar fills one of these rolls. The Ministry did not clarify which one.
Carmen Ciantar, who is one of the closest allies of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, is currently under-fire over a €163,000 a year contract as Foundation for Medical Services CEO salary, which the National Audit Office has described as irregular.s
She also earns extra government pay while serving on the Malta Gaming Authority’s board of governors. She also serves as Fearne’s chief of staff, but she reportedly does not receive a salary for that role.
One of Ciantar’s predecessors, Brian St John, had an €80,000 contract, roughly half the amount awarded to Ciantar.
The PN has since called the contract to be scrapped with Ciantar asking the Standards Commissioner to investigate.
Fearne said that the contract will be revised in 2024, which is still two years away and which could end up being forgotten about thanks to Malta’s endless and chaotic political cycle. Prime Minister Robert Abela has insisted that the contract was before his tenure, but still backed Fearne’s position.
According to reports, Celine Camilleri Ciantar, Ciantar’s 26-year-old daughter, also serves on the Treatment Abroad Committee, which decides which patients require medical treatment or serious intervention outside of Malta.
Do you think Carmen Ciantar should occupy a place on this board?