Prosit Tal-Pudina!: Teacher’s Union Delivers Christmas Pudding To Justyne Caruana To Share With ‘Special Friend’
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen many calls for Education Minister Justyne Caruana to resign following a damning ethics probe into her conduct – and one union is now turning to ridicule to drive home the message.
The Union of Professional Educators this morning cheekily delivered a Christmas Pudding to the minister in light of “her latest blunder”.
The stunt is a reference to the Maltese expression ‘għamilt pudina’, which roughly translates to ‘you’ve really messed this one up’.
“Christmas is a time for sharing. Sharing is giving,” the union said.
“So the UPE Executive Head Graham Sansone has made it a point to personally deliver a very special Christmas pudding to the Ministry of Education in recognition of her latest blunder, a blunder that has irritated many hard-working educators.”
“After some deliberation it was decided that a pudding that serves four was the best option… that should suffice for Minister Justyne Caruana, Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri and Consultant to the Minister Paul DeBattista at the Ministry. Oh, yes, the Minister could share the final portion with a special friend. We are sure all four could find a common cause to celebrate. Or not.”
In his investigation, Standards Commissioner George Hyzler found Caruana to have breached ethics when she handed former Malta international Daniel Bogdanovic a €15,000 euro direct order contract to visit schools and make recommendations to the ministry.
The probe found that Bogdanovic, who is understood to have had some form of romantic relationship with the minister, had not even carried out the task he was paid to do.
The investigation also found that the minister had breached COVID-19 regulations to go and watch Bogdanovic play football.
“The Hyzler report shows clearly that there have been a number of wrongdoings that are unjustifiable and illogical in today’s world. It is also clear that [Permanent Secretary] Frank Fabri approved and signed the Bogdanovic contract. This means that a fully-fledged investigation needs to take place to investigate him as a civil servant.”
The UPE said it wanted to express its gratitude to the minister and her associates and to “extend an elbow bump to all those who gave them support during this memorable year”.
“A year of Delta and Omicron, of court cases and injunctions, of sagas and fantasies, of skulduggery and arrogance, of bread and Christmas puddings. It just wouldn’t be the same without the Minister!”
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