This is not the first time he has been employed through the procedure, which is only meant to be used in exceptional cases and not for work or services that can be procured through official processes. 

Tonna’s employment is ironic, particularly given the government’s flagrant abuse of direct orders, which regularly run up into the millions of euros.

Recently, Lovin Malta reported how Infrastructure Malta issued €22,600,000 in direct orders within the first six months of the year, with close Labour Party collaborators raking in millions. 

Usually, any payment over €10,000 should be issued through a tendering process. However, there are rules for the Minister responsible for bypassing the procedure, although this should not exceed a €135,000 limit.

The Finance Ministry and Tonna are responsible for approving the requests. And it’s clear that the rules are seldomly followed, with ministries dishing out millions in direct orders year after year.

Among those who were paid by direct order included Pawlu Lia, the personal lawyer of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and other Labour Party exponents. He also once represented Keith Schembri until he dropped him as a client.

Lia, who is the father-in-law of Magistrate Nadine Lia, also sits on the Commission for the Administration of Justice as the government’s representative, effectively making him a judge who judges judges despite appearing before them in high-profile cases. 

Lia was paid €16,300. It is a direct order he regularly pockets from the Finance Ministry. His actual work beyond the vague “provision of legal services” remains unclear. 

Government finances are currently under the microscope amid inflation and rising expenses brought about by the war in Ukraine, particularly after a budget cut at the University of Malta.

What do you think of Malta’s direct orders system?