Watch: Silvio Schembri Confirms Deploying Taxpayer-Funded Staff To His Personal Constituency Office In Luqa
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri confirmed in Parliament that taxpayer-funded members of his ministerial secretariat have been deployed to his personal constituency office in Luqa.
“As is the case with every other ministry, we have officials who work in my secretariat whose job is to assist me in my work, and that includes being close to people,” Schembri said, responding to questions by PN MP Rebekah Borg, who was following up on a story published by The Shift News.
“I understand that the PN doesn’t enjoy seeing us being close to the people but we will remain close to them and keep opening offices. It seems as though our offices are bothering you because we’re working a lot, but we will keep on working and I thank all ministerial secretariat employees for their work keeping the people on our side.”
Schembri represents voters in the sixth district and was the most popular PL candidate there in last year’s election, slightly ahead of fellow minister Roderick Galdes.
Besides a misuse of public funds for self-promotion purposes, it is also extremely unfair to other PL candidates seeking to compete with a serving minister on something resembling a level playing field.
While they will have to find their own money to engage staff to help them keep in touch with constituents, Schembri can resort to public funds.
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola requested Standards Commissioner Joseph Camilleri investigate Schembri’s use of public funds.
“Unfortunately, dirty politics has become the order of the day,” Cassola said. “As cool as you like, Minister Silvio Schemrbi admitted he was deploying members of his private secretariat to his Luqa constituency office. This is barefaced abuse of his ministerial position.”
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