Update 2: Names of selection board members published
Labour candidate among members of selection boards - PN
Selection boards appointed to select consultant surgeons could not do their job properly because of conflicting clauses in the calls for applications, the Health Ministry said today.
The ministry said there were divergences between the sectorial agreement the government had with the Medical Association of Malta and the law which regulated health professionals.
The department was obliged to follow the agreement, which was superceded by the law.
The ministry said discussions have been held between the Public Service Commission, the Health Department and MAM to revise and amend these clauses to come in line with the law, after which the calls will be reissued. The Attorney General was also consulted.
The board to select a consultant surgeon specialising in hepato pancreato biliary surgery was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Mark Schembri, Clem Imrie and Andrew Xuereb.
The board to select a consultant surgeon specialising in lower gastrointestinal surgery was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Kevin Cassar, David J Galloway and Andrew Xuereb.
Both these boards recommended the appointment of the candidate who came first in the selection process but no appointments were made.
The third board had to select a consultant surgeon specialising in upper gastrointestinal surgery.
It was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Dennis Gatt, Chris Russell and Andrew Xuereb.
In this case no recommendation was made as no candidate was selected.
The fourth board was appointed to select an ophthalmic consultant surgeon specialising in anterior segment surgery and glaucoma.
The board was chaired by Thomas Fenech and its members were Wagih Aclimandos, Jan Janula and (Labour candidate) Franco Mercieca.
Labour candidate among members of selection boards - PN
Mr Mercieca was a member in one of the selection boards Labour leader Joseph Muscat made serious but false allegations about, the PN said in a statement.
Would Dr Muscat be taking action against him, if he was convinced of the allegations, it asked.
Mercieca says he had raised issue within the board
In a reply, Mr Mercieca said that he had raised the issue of ineligibility of one of the candidates as he was not on the specialist register.
The chairman, however, had insisted that the list of candidates to be interview was issued by the PSC and the board was obliged to assess the candidates and grade them according to their qualifications and abilities.
He said he had also noted that it was the first interview he was involved in for which a representative of the PSC was not present.
Minister should shoulder responsibility - PL
Following this declaration, the PL said that Health Minister Joe Cassar should shoulder responsibility.
GonziPN was trying to taint a member of one of the boards because he was a Labour MP when Mr Mercieca had warned that one of the candidates was not in the specialists’ register.
If this was a problem for the government, he should have no difficulty removing Dr Cassar, who was the person responsible for the system.
The PL said this was also another attempt for the minister to hide the fact that one of the underqualified specialists selected was Minister Dolores Cristina’s son-in-law.
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Paul Ellul
Aug 1st 2012, 09:35
Another fine mess, paid for by Maltese tax payers and voters.
A country the size of averaged sized town, with a revenue of a small city, and no matter how money we throw at this government, they still manage to produce a deficit and a National debt far higher that the average for small EU countries.
The Country is badly managed. Period.
Nothing more to say really!
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 1st 2012, 09:22
Dr. Franco Debono ghandu mitt elf ragun fuq dan l-arugment, fuq IVF u iccucati ta' PBO. Imissu jiehu lil-Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando bhala ezempju u johrog indipendenti u ikollu sahha aktar min Gonzi u il-klikka tieghu li dejjem isemmi u il-vuci tieghu tibda tinstemgha.
John Zarb
Aug 1st 2012, 08:18
it's amazing how when the PN is at fault, they try to spin and weave the situation against PL.
If Franco Mercieca pointed out irregolarities, it should be on record and the chairman of that board should be held responsible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joe vella
Aug 1st 2012, 09:26
perfectly right and said chairman has ample experience, he is the chairman of more than one board
Anthony Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 21:41
Il-Kanditatura ta' Franco Mercieca fuq Ghawdex gennithom lil ta' Gonzipn.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jul 31st 2012, 21:09
Mhux jien Mhux jien Mhux jien Mama!
A. Borg
Jul 31st 2012, 20:41
I feel like another one is going to bite the dust with as always a helping hand!
Adrian Gouder
Jul 31st 2012, 20:32
The way I see it is, the whole selection board is at fault. Non-qualified personnel, especially in the field of medicine should not be appointed. This is a serious blunder and the ultimate responsibility lies on both the selection board and the procedures, i.e., the ministry. Also, Labour's Mr. Mercieca was first time appointed, and was weak and should have taken a stand. But his 'crime' was certainly not as bad as that of the veterans in the field. This is certainly not something the government can be proud of.
Adrian Gouder
Jul 31st 2012, 21:21
Having said that, the whole issue has been retracted,nobody got appointed, and this whole issue is now going out of proportion. Someone wants to eliminate another MP it seems.
m. borg (slm)
Jul 31st 2012, 20:29
"GonziPN was trying to taint a member of one of the boards because he was a Labour government when Mr Mercieca had warned that one of the candidates was not in the specialists’ register."
I would love to see minister Cassar belie that fact. So the bad choices are not any propective PL candidate's fault and also love to see how minister Cassar is going to worm his way out of the choice of Dolores's Critina son-in-law.
Hypocrites and incompetents.
Mr Zeppi Borg
Jul 31st 2012, 20:22
For all of you commenting about Mr. Franco Mercieca he is one of the best specialist we have in Malta. I used to be his patient long time ago and I never meet a specialist with his down to earth attitude. He is so alert on his role and defiantly he is not involved in something like this even tough he was one of the members.
pat muscat
Jul 31st 2012, 20:02
GonziPN mission statement can be summed up thus:' Ghal taghna kollox; ghall-ohrajn il-ligi'!
Francis Portelli
Jul 31st 2012, 19:27
One year to go, why not carry out an extensive cabinet reshuffle.
Robert Henry Bugeja
Jul 31st 2012, 20:10
one year to go where exactly dear Francis?
Gorg Sciberras
Jul 31st 2012, 19:19
I wonder why this even made the news in the first place. Two sets of incompatible rules meant that experienced persons who were not suitably qualified (which does not mean they are not capable to do their job) were chosen incorrectly. The appointments have been retracted if I understand correctly and the rules are being worked on. Why is this an important news item? Why the need for political controversy from both sides?
Oliver Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 18:56
Another epic fail by labour and Joseph Muscat...l- aqwa li jakkuza. Issa x ser taghmel Dr. Muscat? Ser tkecci lil candidat tieghek ukoll?
Willie Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 19:27
@ Oliver Grech
If you care to take a look at the below post by Mr Philip Borg, you should understand more who should shoulder the responsibility and take action. It certainly isn't Dr. Muscat. But then again, that's too much for some people like you who, it seems, always miss the wood for the tree when somehow, the PL or Dr. Joseph Muscat are involved.
Ramon Mangion
Jul 31st 2012, 20:12
Another epic fail by yourself as you did not read the article properly to notice that Mr.Mercieca had warned and objected accordingly. Issa x'ser taghmel Oliver ? Ser tikkoregi l-izball tieghek > ?
J Busuttil
Jul 31st 2012, 21:07
@ Ramon Mangion,
He should have resigned, his finger is in the pie. What is Joseph Muscat going to do. Nothing as usual.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 1st 2012, 08:12
J. Busuttil: You know whose finger is in the pie ? Those who, when Mr. Mercieca objected to one applicant who was not registered as a specalist, remained silent and did not back Mr. Mercieca !
Mr philip borg
Jul 31st 2012, 18:42
GonziPN qed jipprova jħammeġ membru wieħed f'bord wieħed minn erba' għax huwa kandidat Laburista. Franco Mercieca kien wissa' lill-bord stess li l-kandidat ma kienx fir-reġistru tal-ispeċjalisti.
This is what Dr Franco Mercieca stated:
“The interview to select the consultant ophthalmologist specialising in anteriorsegment surgery and glaucoma was chaired by Mr Fenech.
“At the time of the interview I raised the issue of ineligibility of one of the candidates as he was not on the specialist register but the chairman reiterated that the list of candidates to be interview was issued by the PSC and we are obliged to assess these candidates and grade them according to their qualifications and abilities.
“At the time I also noted that it was the first interview that I was involved in, in which no representative of the PSC was present.”
IL-GVERN MA JISTAX JAĦSEL IDEJH MINN DIN IL-BAWXATA ORGANIZZATA!
George Cutajar
Jul 31st 2012, 18:30
As usual Labour is chasing red herrings and shooting from the hip.
This matter is being blown out of all proportion by Debono and Labour and what happens next will be no surprise. The appointment of members to a selection board does not normally raise the ire of the political class but this case seems to have, for some reason or other, switched on a red light. Why?
The majority of appointees are well known and well respected specialist in their respective branches of medicine. What happened here was simply a case were a sectorial agreement and the prevailing law of the land conflicted. Ministerial action was immediately taken and no appointments effected.
Labour cannot help passing over an opportunity to throw dirt in the hope that it sticks but this time it has thrown dirt also on one of it's own. Was this done intentionally?
ANTHONY PAVIA
Jul 31st 2012, 18:55
Franco is completely correct on this one as well. As for Labour, I suppose they are replicating exactly the PN's posturing when in opposition. I auger that both parties have the citizen's well-being at heart.
Ramon Mangion
Jul 31st 2012, 20:13
Mr. Cutajar, how would you feel being operated by an "out of proportion" non qualified surgeon ?
j brincat
Jul 31st 2012, 18:29
@George Cutajar
"@ Victor Bonello - one of them just happens to be a rising star in Labour's team for the next election and he will be contesting the Gozo district"
In all probability you have ignored or chose to ignore the correction issued by Dr Mercieca.
You have also conveniently failed to remind us that in the list there is also another STAR candidate BUT on the PN's list!
(jb)
Mr J Xerri
Jul 31st 2012, 18:24
It's a pity that Mr Mercieca did not smell a rat when he was appointed for the first time on a selection board.
j brincat
Jul 31st 2012, 18:21
"Selection boards appointed to select consultant surgeons could not do their job properly because of conflicting clauses in the calls for applications, the Health Ministry said today"
And who drew up the calls for applications which contained these 'conflicting clauses'?
(jb)
Gianninu Saliba
Jul 31st 2012, 18:01
Dr Helena Dalli had this to say: "When the government appoints people directly and refuses to name members of a public selection board, getting a public sector job becomes about who, rather what, you know,” Of the four selection boards the article above says that the first two boards recommended the appointment of the candidate who came first in the selection process but no appointments were made. The third board did not recommend any one and there wasn't a candidate selected. Well, the Health Ministry's statement did not tell us if the fourth board was the one in question which was found by the Public Service Commission to have approved four candidates to medical consultancy posts despite them not being suitably qualified. Was it the fourth board which the Nationalist Party statement said: "Mr Mercieca was a member in one of the selection boards Labour leader Joseph Muscat made serious but false allegations about."
Eddy Privitera
Jul 31st 2012, 18:27
Read what Mr.Mercieca has said. One can only hope that the other members of the respective Boards speak out about their involvement. And whether they had raised any objection as Mr. Mercieca had done !
Gianninu Saliba
Jul 31st 2012, 18:55
Eddy, Mr. Mercieca sounds like Karmenu Vella.
Anthony Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 21:37
Gianninu kieku int ghadek daqs difer integrita li ghandu Franco Mercieca, kieku ninzalek il-kappell
Eddy Privitera
Jul 31st 2012, 17:55
WILL GONZIPN OR THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH NOW STATE IF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING THE NAMES TO THE BOARDS , AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD IN WHICH DR. FRANCO MERCIECA WAS A MEMBER, TOLD DR. MERCIECA WHEN DR. MERCIECA RAISED AN OBJECTION ON ONE OF THE APPLICANTS, SINCE HE WAS NOT REGISTERED AS A SPECIALIST ????
Henry S Pace
Jul 31st 2012, 17:47
@ Melvyn Mifsud LLD
' An independent enquiry by a former judge is necessary '
AND THEN WHAT. ?
Eve Axiaq
Jul 31st 2012, 17:30
Bhalli kieku Joseph Muscat ma kienx jaf li hemm Franco Mercieca. Nistenna li GonziPN johrog stqarrija fuq l-ohrajn ukoll specjalment ic Chairman. Ic- Chairman imexxi l-bord mhux hekk.
Ramon Mangion
Jul 31st 2012, 20:16
Eve Axiaq, aqra l-artiklu sew u tkun taf kif Franco Mercieca wissa dwar dan kollhu.
J Busuttil
Jul 31st 2012, 21:08
@ Ramon Mangion
#
You should read the article he only spoke about on candidate.
R Axisa
Jul 31st 2012, 17:18
First and second board - Both these boards recommended the appointment of the candidate who came first in the selection process but no appointments were made.
Third board - In this case no recommendation was made as no candidate was selected.
Fourth board - No outcome is mentioned - just that Franco Mercieca is a labour candidate!
Interesting to know the outcome of the fourth board too!
Willie Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 17:42
@ R. Axisa.
Maybe the fourth board was mentioned only because there was a Labour candidate in it, just to shift the discussion and try to blame labour for this blunder, maybe as you're suggesting?
P. Ciantar
Jul 31st 2012, 17:17
another bubble burst
Melvyn Mifsud LLD
Jul 31st 2012, 17:05
An independent enquiry by a former judge is necessary.
Mr Ernest Vella
Jul 31st 2012, 16:59
x'ha jwiegeb is-Sur Muscat issa? PL Epic Fail
Willie Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 17:39
@ Mr. Ernest Vella.
Nahseb ghandu jwiegeb min ghamel l-izball ta' l-ghazla mhux "is-Sur Muscat". Imma kif tidu twahhlu l-hazin kollu fil-PL.
Ramon Mangion
Jul 31st 2012, 20:18
Mr. Vella, Epic fail minnhek... aqra l-fatt li Mr. Mercieca spjega , kif huwa wissa dwar li specjalista ma kienx fuq ir-registru
R Axisa
Jul 31st 2012, 20:57
Mela allura Franco Mercieca gibed l-attenzjoni lill-board dwar id-diskrepanza imma bhalma jigri dejjem, ma tawx kasu, u issa jridu jwahhlu fih fih u jpinguh b'dell ikrah semplicement ghax kandidat laburista. Veru tal-misthija! Se mai huwa c-chairman li ghandu jerfa' r-responsabbilta'! Eh le bilhaq, ghax hawn Malta hadd mhu responsabbli tat-tahwid, imma dejjem iwahhlu fil-PL!
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Jul 31st 2012, 16:59
Malta needs a clean sweep in every field and build anew..................ALPHA for guidance.
Jason Attard
Jul 31st 2012, 18:42
With all due respect, Dr Bezzina, that you refer to yourself/yourselves as alpha would in any case deter me as it indicates to me a strong impression of superiority from your end.
V Mercieca
Jul 31st 2012, 16:45
As usual with the PN government giving information but not enough information to insert doubts in its readers.
There were four selection boards according to the article. Could the PN government tell us which of these boards chose the unqualified consultant?
If it was board number 4 than I expect the PL to issue a statement regarding the actions of Franco Mercieca, however if it was not board number 4, I expect the GonziPN government to issue an apology for misleading me to think that a PL candidate was involved in a wrong decision.
m. borg (slm)
Jul 31st 2012, 17:00
Makes sense.
Personnally I would not think Dr Franco Mercieca would be that stupid to present himself as a candidate, with any party, if he was an accessory to a bad decision.
The government's issue of the boards' names isn't enough we have to know which boards selected the four unqualified consultants.
If Dr Mercieca is implicated then he should be struck off PL's list.
Joseph Micallef
Jul 31st 2012, 16:41
Ohhhh poor PN.. x'misthija hux.. inzerta Laburist Franco Mercieca. Tghid il-membri l-ohra huma Laburisti wkoll?? Ghaziz GonziPN, nafu kif jahdmu selection boards, ic-chairman jiddecidi u l-membri jkollhom isegwu. Issa aghmel press conference ukoll tal PBO fuq din.
Jonathan Camilleri
Jul 31st 2012, 16:34
So are these consultants going to remain employed with the Ministry anyway?
C Sant
Jul 31st 2012, 17:19
Will you go and take their pace? These are the best consultants in the field that we have at MDH. And what do you propose to do with the foreign specialists?
As Leo Said pointed out and referred to a TOM letter, it is the word Deignate Consultant that caused the confusion and this is a word coined by the MAM in their last agreement. Very strange that the usual vociferous MAM has remained silent. As for the Minister, first it is the department that publishes the call (it would hardly be appropriate for the minister to go through the call with a comb), second, it is the relevant department e.g. Surgery, that decides who sits on the board, third it is the PSC and not Ministry that HAS TO accept the decision of the selection board.
John L Galea
Aug 1st 2012, 07:25
So if they have blundered as board members, they are consultants which we lack of in our hospital.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Jul 31st 2012, 16:31
The PN's statement must win first prize for cheek! They seem to forget that it was a GonziPN minitser who is responsible for this mess. Will GonziPN be taking against Minister Cassar? That is by far more important for Malta - but as usua, scoring cheap points and trying to deviate the discussion is more important.
Julian Borg
Jul 31st 2012, 16:19
...... another PL bubble bursts.
m. borg (slm)
Jul 31st 2012, 17:02
What bubble ?
Explain yourself as the minister hardly made sense with issuing the boards' names. We want to know which board or boards made the bad choice.
cesco di luigi
Jul 31st 2012, 16:08
maybe it's time the Government/PSC started studying how selection boards are appointed for ALL government posts. Don't anyone go thinking this case was a one -off. High profile maybe but not unusual at all. High time some other more transparent competence tests were introduced instead of extremely subjective interviews.
joseph saliba
Jul 31st 2012, 16:03
But should the minister decide on 'controversial issues'?... Or shouldn't he?
Jay Oatmon
Jul 31st 2012, 16:01
What a screw up - how can any professional body issue a call for tenders (applications) without getting the text and the general terms and conditions pre-approved and thus ensuring it was in compliance with the laws of Malta?
There should be pre approved standard General Terms and Conditions for the various requirements, with aviation, marine, construction, general services and the supply of goods all having different standard General Terms and Conditions to suit the scope of work.
John Attard
Jul 31st 2012, 16:00
Well the Fourth Board definately had the academic requirements and the experience to make such a selection. They are the best ophthalmologists we have on the island......for the rest i leave it to others to comment!
George Cutajar
Jul 31st 2012, 15:52
Once again the statement gives the lie as Debono's latest tirade against Minister Joe Cassar.
The statement not only named the persons sitting on the respective boards ( one of whom is a Labour star candidate) but also gives an explanation as to what led to problems which arose which appear to stem from the fact that there is a conflict between a sectorial agreement and the law.
It is crystal clear that Minister Joe Cassar has nothing to hide, acted correctly and took and is taking all the necessary action to rectify a anomaly which is not of his own doing. Obviously one now expects that Debono withdraws his demand that the Minister be disciplined by the PN Executive and issue a public apology.
Will Labour jump on the Debono's scooter and file some form of motion against Minister Cassar? Pleasures yet to come.
victor bonello
Jul 31st 2012, 15:44
Very well done Dr Cassar .. may we also know what qualifications the people sitting on these boards have? are they all from the medical sector?
George Cutajar
Jul 31st 2012, 15:54
@ Victor Bonello - one of them just happens to be a rising star in Labour's team for the next election and he will be contesting the Gozo district.
victor bonello
Jul 31st 2012, 16:11
I have in the mean time googled he names and they all seem serious professionals of high standing. how does something like this therefore happen?
George Debono
Jul 31st 2012, 16:13
Mr Bonello, they are all medical professionals.
C Sant
Jul 31st 2012, 16:22
In these selection boards, 2 persons represent the medically spectacle medical department and thus are medically qualified, another one represents the department of health ( not Ministry) and another one the Public Service Commission. The latter two do not need to be qualified Medical practitioners. The board is constituted in accordance with the Public Service Commission regulations.
Leo Said
Jul 31st 2012, 16:24
@ victor bonello
You would do your good self a favour, if you would care to read following:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120730/letters/Consultant-appointments.430755
The Times
Monday, July 30, 2012
by Joseph A. Muscat, Ta’ Xbiex
Consultant appointments
Eddy Privitera
Jul 31st 2012, 18:03
George Cutajar: And he ( Dr. Franco Mercieca) raised the objection regarding one of the applicants who was not registered as a specialist. But was over-ruled by the chairman because who said that the names were sent by the PSC. And so they had to give their marks accordingly !
C Sant
Jul 31st 2012, 18:48
Apologies to Eddie, had not noticed Franco Mercieca's statement. But still why did he sign the recommendation. Anyone can state anything after the fact, but signatures do not lie. He could have issued a minority report to be added to the actual report. Sorry Franco, but unconvincing.
Please choose the reason of your report below: