The Prime Minister’s special envoy Joe Grima’s social media rants against the President and migrants are in breach of his €35,000 contract seen by The Sunday Times of Malta.
His contract stipulates “the special envoy may not, at any time, express views which run counter to government policy. Serious breaches of this nature may result in immediate termination of [the] employment agreement”.
A further clause states the special envoy may not issue a declaration to the media and/or the press without prior authorisation from the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat recently refused to condemn comments made on Facebook by his special envoy to the UN World Tourism Organisation who attacked President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for urging migrant integration. The former tourism minister and broadcaster wrote on his Facebook wall: “Her Excellency has become as predictable as the morning sun on an August day and as boring as a threadbare joke.
€35,000
- the annual income for the former minister
“Malta’s President has consigned her presidency to absolute and total irrelevance when she speaks about immigration and integration of the Maltese with African and Eastern European immigrants.”
Mr Grima’s three-year contract states he earns an annual gross salary of €34,864 plus full mobile and home internet service (he does not need to go to an office). He is also entitled to receive the subsistence allowance afforded to top public officials and to travel in business class.
Joe Grima (far right), following Dom Mintoff at a mass meeting.In addition, hospitality and transport expenses while on duty abroad are reimbursed against bills or receipts. Medical expenses while abroad are covered by the government travel insurance policy.
Asked to outline his brief, a spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister said: “Mr Grima is to keep himself au courant with the work of the UNWTO, to participate in its activities, to contribute, wherever possible, to the debates and discussions… and to facilitate relations between Malta and the UNWTO to mutual benefit”.
All that is left now is for us to sort out the chaotic local situation related to uncontrolled migration
Questioned on what Mr Grima has achieved since the start of his contract in February 2014, the OPM said he has attended meetings. An achievement highlighted was Mr Grima “being singled out for a particular and personal programme of activities”.
Among other things, this includes a task to “promote efforts of the organisation in the area of tourism and peace” – a mission that may clash with his vitriolic rants on Facebook.
Mr Grima also proposed the setting up of a new regional organisation “dedicated exclusively to security for Mediterranean tourism”.
The special envoy highlighted this on his Facebook page, saying “all that is left now is for us to sort out the chaotic local situation related to uncontrolled migration and immigrants in Malta – we don’t know who they are and what they are doing while here”.
He added that he had written to the Archbishop, “after he expressed himself without prejudice against those who don’t believe in the present migration system and forced integration… now we’ll see who of us can achieve his objective”.