Workers at the government Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS) are angered by the recent hiring of the CEO’s son as a support worker.
Joseph Baldacchino was appointed as AWAS’s acting CEO in June and formally appointed to the role in October.
Mr Baldacchino’s son was hired soon after and has been working at the main AWAS office in Floriana.
Sources said Mr Baldacchino’s son was set to be transferred from the main office to working in the stores at the Ħal Far tent village, following complaints by certain AWAS workers following his employment.
The sources said that while some workers supported the son’s employment, others felt that it was a blatant conflict of interest by the CEO.
A spokeswoman for the Home Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for AWAS, said the normal procedures had been followed in the employment of the CEO’s son.
The individual applied to a public call for a vacant position as a support worker
Asked if the AWAS CEO felt that the hiring of his son constituted a conflict of interest, the spokeswoman said that the “individual mentioned”, together with other people recently employed at AWAS, applied to a public call for the filling of vacant positions within the agency as a support worker.
The spokeswoman said the position was advertised on the agency’s website.
The spokeswoman assured this newspaper that normal procedures had been followed in the call for applications.
An interview panel had been convened as usual, and the candidates were assessed on their abilities according to the required credentials as advertised, the spokes-woman added.
The agency has in the past been accused of the unequal treatment of employees. In April, the General Workers’ Union said that its members had been treated unfairly by the agency.
The GWU said that members following its directives faced intimidation by AWAS management, and in one case, a worker still on probation was dismissed for following GWU directives.
Following pressure from the GWU, the worker was later re-engaged.
AWAS is responsible for the implementation of national legislation and policy concerning the welfare of refugees, persons enjoying international protection and asylum seekers.
In practice, AWAS manages reception facilities, provides information programmes in the area of employment, housing, health, welfare and education, and promotes government schemes related to resettlement and voluntary returns.
jacob.borg@timesofmalta.com