Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi ruled there was nothing improper about Economy Minister Silvio Schembri assigning members of his ministerial secretariat to work at his personal constituency offices.

In his decision, Azzopardi said there was no breach of ethics as the available evidence shows their work in Schembri’s constituency offices was carried out on a voluntary basis after work hours.

Azzopardi launched an investigation following requests by Momentum leader Arnold Cassola and Repubblika activist Robert Aquilina.

Schembri told him that he deploys volunteers to his offices when he or his father aren’t available to meet his constituents themselves.

While he confirmed that three of his volunteers also work in his secretariat, he said that his constituency offices are usually open between 4pm and 7pm, ie after their official work hours.

Azzopardi spoke to the volunteers and found some inconsistencies in their testimonies about the opening hours of Schembri’s constituency offices.

However, they all confirmed that they only work in his offices on rare occasions, after work hours, and on a voluntary basis.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol sent the Commissioner a document regulating the engagement of staff for ministers’ secretariats.

One of their stated functions indeed involves the co-ordination of the minister’s diary and correspondence, including constituency matters.

On the evidence provided, Azzopardi therefore ruled that there was no breach of ethics on Schembri’s part.