VAT Commissioner given performance bonus despite controversy
The VAT Commissioner, whose department has been the subject of a number of controversies, has, for at least two years, received a performance bonus of almost €5,000.
A spokesman for the Finance Ministry justified this by saying Joseph Sammut helped implement a number of measures " to improve security and reduce the risk of fraud at the VAT Department".
The commissioner came under fire in an audit report that was published recently, 15 months after it was concluded in February 2010. It said the department was at grave risk of insider fraud due to lack of accountability.
The audit inquiry had been launched in the wake of a large scale police investigation into fraudulent practices by a number of staff members, which cost the department millions of euros.
Following the report's publication, there were calls for the top management of the department to resign and for the government to show action had been taken. Instead, the government justified giving Mr Sammut his performance bonuses. The government even went a step further: temporarily extending the commissioner's contract.
His contract expired at the end of March and, although there was a call for applications for similar posts in January, his office did not feature among them. The government said it would issue another call, including one for VAT Commissioner, " in the coming weeks".
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31 Comments
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Gerry Cowie
May 23rd 2011, 20:13
This is chicken feed compared to the bonuses in all forms of industry and public sector in the UK.
Mr Paul Cassar
May 23rd 2011, 13:36
IS THIS THE ONLY, REPEAT ONLY, DEFENCE YOU CAN PUT UP ?????????????
BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, YOU CANNOT DEFEND THE INDIFENSIBLE NOT EVEN IF YOU ARE A TRUE AND PROPER GRAVY TRAINER.
Ms B Cassar
May 23rd 2011, 12:47
Sentejn ohra baqalkom tgawdu u kollha il-barra tmorru. Inkompetenti kontu u mija tibqghu.
Ms B Cassar
May 23rd 2011, 12:46
Issa tghidx kemm qed jaghmlu kontrolli tafux? Dawn l-ahhar jumejn ircevejt biex nibghat lista tat-transazzjonijiet kollha li ghamilt f'dawn l-ahhar sitt snin. Tajjeb li tkunu tafu li dawn huma refunds li hargu is-sena l-ohra wara li l-invoices gew iccekkjati kollha, il-kaz kien maghluq u ic-cekkijiet hargu. Alla jbierek qed jergghu jinhlew u taf fuq xiex hux? Fuq 200 euros refund. Tal-misthija.
Meta iridu jigbru il-flus tal-vat mhux jiccekkjaw lil mghandu xejn hazin ghandhom imma jigbru dawk l-eluf li serqu il-haddiema stess, b'hekk biss jigbru giehhom. Issa ghalxejn ticcekkjaw u tergghu ticcekkjaw fuq min mghandu xejn hazin, qas haqq il-hin. Xorta mhux se tigbru giehkom ghal hazin li ilu isir. Meta tridu tigbru il-flus aqbdu ma xi kuntrattur kbir mhux ma min ghandu part time ta ftit sighat fil-gimgha. Isthu jekk tafu!!!!!
Mr Joseph E Briffa
May 23rd 2011, 12:37
A lot of the comments posted by rabid socialists are meant to denigrate the administration. These people haven't got a clue about public administration. They are not and were never public officers so, understandably, they haven't got a clue about what they are talking. Their only agenda is to put the administration in bad light. They post such comments simply to try and score points for the opposition. Just look at their comments on the Times and Malta Today; they are invariably out to put the PN in bad light and try to instigate street protests. Had they done so during the 1970s and 1980s they and their families would have ended up either bashed by the socialists thugs or spent 48 hours as the guests of the police.
Mr Ivan M. Dingli
May 23rd 2011, 13:59
Sur Briffa
Talking about socialist you said 'Their only agenda is to put the administration in bad light'...... think about it ..... the PN in Government is making a good job in this respect. They are the ones putting themselves in bad light but it seems you have some special filters and can't see what is obvious.
When these persons in high ranking positions will also carry the responsibility of their or their subordinates’ actions, than, yes you might be right. For the time being, this never happens on this island and for the time being PN is in Government so, again, obviously all light is being shed on their mistakes.
Mr Tony Camilleri
May 23rd 2011, 14:33
As if there is any need to put the Government in bad light!
It is doing an excellent job itself Mr Joseph E Briffa
Ms Rose Cilia
May 23rd 2011, 15:13
Mr.Briffa,fil hajja dejjem ghandek ghazla.Jekk ma joghgbukx dawn il kummenti,taqrahomx! U bil haqq ahna fit 2011 qeghdin.
George Azzopardi
May 23rd 2011, 12:13
With such incompetence, the VAT commissioner gets a bonus and we all agree that this is blasphemy. Who's responsible for the VAT commissioner ... oh it is the same person (Minister of Finance) who's being challenged to resign for other scandals but of course he won't resign!!!
Mr Joe Micallef
May 23rd 2011, 11:56
The envy culture is dangerous! If he want to live up to his profession other than "ta’wara il-persjana" journalism he should tell us on what grounds the performance bonus was awarded!
Victor Rodenas
May 23rd 2011, 11:12
They do such shamefull things because they know that people will still vote for them,this is called arrogance.
Mr Joseph Brincat
May 23rd 2011, 10:51
So now we are also rewarding incompetence! Must surely be a first, world wide.
(jb)
Mr Sandro Cremona
May 23rd 2011, 10:48
Take all you can !!! only 2 years left for elections...
Ms D Galea
May 23rd 2011, 10:46
With all diue respect, but , as the old bard would have said, something is not quite right in the state of Denmark.
Daniel Camilleri
May 23rd 2011, 10:19
interesting,,,,,,First you create a confusion and than for correcting your own mistakes you get a performance bonus. He should have resigned at once as soon as there was the scandal.This is nonsense.
Mr Joseph Brincat
May 23rd 2011, 10:06
WELL IT IS ONLY 1.50 EURO = 5,000 EURO >>>> WHAT ???? !!!!
Sean Caruana Webster
May 23rd 2011, 10:05
This is the result after the late VAT Dept. scandal?
Mr martin chetcuti
May 23rd 2011, 09:14
Why not ? Perhaps its a new trend Performance Bonus for not Performing.!!!!!!!
Mr Ivan M. Dingli
May 23rd 2011, 09:09
Performance bonus for not achieving the Department's goals!!! These are disgusting facts and not mudslinging anymore. Top politicians always mention ‘responsibility’ and ‘accountability’ but it is nowhere to be seen.
Mr Alfred Attard
May 23rd 2011, 09:04
Added to the rise in pay to the cabinet, this is another shamble of this administration. At least if not sacked, the performance bonus should not have been given to the commissioner. Such imprudent decisions show lack of governance and ruin all the good work. The government should lead by example.
Mr steve Micalled
May 23rd 2011, 08:53
What more prof does Maltese people need to see that we need to take to the streets and protest! against these abuse.
shame we have no opposition that can stand up to this Gov!
Mr Victor Laiviera
May 23rd 2011, 08:46
So the people who do their job well, like the Ombudsman and the Auditor General, are attacked and vilified, while those that fail miserably get bonuses.
Sounds almost like something from Gulliver's Travels.
Joseph Borg
May 23rd 2011, 10:10
I full concur with Mr. Micallef. Does any one of us understand the pressures which accompany such a position carried by the Commissioner of VAT? Today 5,000 Euros are nothing. If one had to look around, one would realise that there are several other positions, both within Government authorities, companies and in the public sector which do not carry such a responsibility and are paid much better salaries and allowances. It is much easier to comment than to perform!!!!
Mr Paul J Micallef
May 23rd 2011, 11:32
I am sorry but €5000 is not nothing considering that for a large number of people in government employment this represents the equivalence of 3 / 4 salaries and many of these employees are held responsible for all kinds of complaints justified or not that come up in their section with many of them having to answer for the shortcomings of those that fall under their responsibility without ever receiving any form of recognition for their efforts. Those closer to the top very often find their way up because they find their own colleagues to step on to reach higher and while at the top they find the extended hand of those whom they lick to glue them to their position.
Ramon Micallef
May 23rd 2011, 08:44
I definately see nothing wrong by paying the head of such a delicate department a performance bonus of 5 K over a 2 year period (which in actual terms is peanuts). What's exactly wrong with that ? I am 100% positive that he did everything in his capacity (a) to avoid what happened in his department (b) to take all necessary measures to improve the system and avoid similar happenings. This could have happened to anyone else in his position !!!
Mr Patrick Gatt
May 23rd 2011, 09:57
Performance bonus is based on the performance on the whole department when in that position, and unfortunately the department failed miserably, considering the magnitude of the fraudulent atrocities that were committed.
Mr Alfred Attard
May 23rd 2011, 10:03
I totally agree with you that saying 'such a delicate department'. However the irony is that the audit report was published 15 months after being completed. Unbeleivable, still shows high lack of competence
George Camilleri
May 23rd 2011, 10:48
Well, I also agree with rewarding merits, it's a very good incentive to promote excellence in a profession.
However, the Commissioner showed nothing related excellence... not even mere diligence and attention when you think about it. Assuming he had no knowledge of the internal fraud and the whole scandal inside one of the most, as you say, 'delicate' departments (God forbid he did have have a hunch and let it slide!), then it's very safe to say that his sub-ordinates gave him one hell of a run-around. If I was the Commissioner, I would resign to avoid further embarassment! But no, give him a bonus, for all the suffering he had to endure in this terrible ordeal, miskin. Come off it, he's hardly the man for the job and you give him a bonus? This country is being run like a complete circus.
But I understand the Commissioner for accepting that bonus... I mean, who wouldn't? It's the people who GAVE him the bonus who should be blamed for such unfairness!!
Joseph Borg
May 23rd 2011, 11:01
I full concur with Mr. Micallef. Does any one of us understand the pressures which accompany such a position carried by the Commissioner of VAT? Today 5,000 Euros are nothing. If one had to look around, one would realise that there are several other positions, both within Government authorities, companies and in the public sector which do not carry such a responsibility and are paid much better salaries and allowances. It is much easier to comment than to perform!!!!
George Camilleri
May 23rd 2011, 17:53
Mr Borg, I am more than certain that being VAT Commissioner is not a joke. But receiving bonuses in the wake of a scandal after the other is not an amusing affair either, given the constant short-comings from government which are surfacing bit by bit. Once you hold a position of authority, you have to be ready to carry any responsibility to such office. As far as my comments were concerned, I was only criticsing the VAT commissioner in his professional capacity which is vested with public faith. And as I said, the Commissioner accepted the bonus as ANY other person in his position would. However, his incompetence is clear, and the problem runs even deeper than that.
Mr Jeffrey Mallia
May 23rd 2011, 08:37
Public money squandering at it's best..............shame on you Minister Tonio Fenech.