The issue first arose in 2016 when Denis Tanti, a former disciplinary advisor at SVDP, held a press conference right after reaching retirement age.

Tanti warned that his former employer had a conflict of interest because the government was allowing her to keep on working as a private GP, arguing that this was in breach of the code of ethics in the Public Administration Act.

Back then, ministry permanent secretary Mark Musù argued that Cutajar was allowed to continue working in the private sector as per the provisions of a collective agreement the government had signed with the Medical Association of Malta (MAM).

However, Tanti countered that this agreement only applied to doctors carrying out medical duties in the private and public sectors, not to CEOs of government entities.

NET News also published a photo of a notice that was stuck on a SVDP noticeboard, allegedly showing Cutajar had reserved two beds for her private patients.

However, Minister Michael Farrugia dismissed this allegation by suggesting the notice may have been stuck on the board by someone from the Opposition.

Cutajar has continued working as a GP since then, and a SVDP source told Lovin Malta that some of her private patients do indeed try to take advantage of their personal relationship with the SVDP CEO.

“Some relatives of patients mention that Josianne Cutajar is their private doctor when they want something, as though to try and intimidate us,” they said.

Tanti told Lovin Malta that he brought this issue to Robert Abela’s attention a day after he was sworn in as Prime Minister last year, leaving him a signed letter at the reception of Castille.

“One of your promises in your leadership campaign was that you weren’t going to simply ensure that good governance is taking place but that good governance is being perceived,” he wrote.

“To avoid cases of potential conflict of interest, you committed yourself to leading by promising that your wife won’t be seeking any public contacts through your law firm.”

He warned that Cutajar’s financial interest in her private work as GP can give off the impression of a conflict of interest with her official duties as CEO, particularly when her private clients seek treatment at SVDP.

“As CEO, Cutajar is obliged to act in the common good and not make personal gain from her official position by taking administrative decisions that can give an unfair advantage to particular people over others with the same needs.”

To back up his argument, Tanti referred to how former Malta Gaming Authority non-executive chairman Marlene Seychell had resigned as director of a private company that operates a shopping mall with a bingo hall in Paola

“The same must happen with Cutajar, and the authorisation granted to her. by Musù must be withdrawn. If she refuses to stop practicing as a GP, she must be removed as CEO of St Vincent de Paule as good governance entails.”

“I assure you that I am writing to you out of a sense of responsibility, and my aim is to eliminate this potential conflict of interest. I’m certainly not doing this out of revenge or animosity.”

However, Abela never got back to Tanti, and eventually he visited Castille for a second time to ask for an update, where he was told that his letter got lost.

Tanti submitted a second copy of his letter via email but to no avail, with a Castille official later telling him that his email had been passed on to Silvio Parnis, back then Parliamentary Secretary of Active Ageing.

Questions sent by Lovin Malta to Robert Abela, Active Ageing Minister Michael Farrugia and Josianne Cutajar remain unanswered as of the time of writing. 

St Vincent de Paule was embroiled in controversy earlier this year when the National Audit Office found that a €274 million direct order contract handed to James Caterers and the db Group for the construction of residential blocks and a kitchen at the elderly care home was illegal.

Do you think the government should intervene in this case?