Zenith Employee: ‘I Haven’t Been Paid In Months And Cannot Afford My Rent’
An employee still working at a company involved in the web of corruption spun around former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri has opened up about the dire situation he, and his fellow colleagues, have been left in.
The worker, who works within Zenith‘s call centre, said that though he’s been sent monthly wage slips, he was last paid in February. When asking upper management for answers over the future of their salaries, they apparently didn’t have much to say, and could not provide much direction.
Left feeling ignored and sidelined, the worker said at least 15 other employees were also being affected, including people in management roles.
“As an employee of Zenith, I find it completely scandalous that we’ve been left like this,” the worker told Lovin Malta on condition of anonymity.
“The company is still working, contracts are coming in and we are still dealing with clients,” they continued. “The authorities have placed someone to take care of affairs, but we still aren’t getting paid.”
“We have nothing to do with what the management did – so how are we not covered and protected by law?”
Zenith Finance and Zenith TII have been barred from taking on new clients and must avoid providing new services to existing clients, according to enforcement measures issued by the MFSA.
The two companies have also ceased all outgoing transactions from clients’ accounts.
Prior to being ordered to cease certain operations, they had handled an investment account for Keith Schembri.
Matthew Pace and Lorraine Falzon, the owner and director respectively, resigned from their roles after being granted bail as they are charged in connection to money laundering.
In court, Pace was described as a ‘professional money launderer’.
Stephen Paris has been appointed to protect the interests of its clients following the resignation of Pace and Falzon.
As shocked as the employee was by the allegations against his former bosses, he said he desperately needed to income as he had to pay rent.
“I was going to be chucked out of my home, I had to borrow money to pay rent, thank God the landlord was understanding,” the employee said. “Employees should be protected, we have nothing to do with these injustices…”
What do you make of the employee’s situation?
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