A man implicated in a medical visa racket was given an annual financial package worth almost €45,000 at the Foundation for Medical Services, official documents show.

According to Neville Gafà’s contract of employment, signed in 2014 and a copy of which this newspaper obtained following a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Gafà, a member of the Labour Party’s national executive, was employed with the FMS as a project director on a three-year direct contract without any call for applications having been issued.

Neville Gafa'

Signed by then FMS president Peter Cordina, the contract says that Mr Gafà is to report directly to the foundation’s president.

Despite holding the title of project director, Mr Gafà, 42, was not assigned any particular project by the FMS and his job description as defined in the contract is to act as a coordinator between then health and energy minister Konrad Mizzi, now Minister Within the Office of the Prime Minister, and then parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne, who has since been promoted to Health Minister.

Dr Mizzi lost his health and energy portfolios last year after the revelations from the Panama Papers leaks. Mr Gafà is now acting as a coordinator between the Office of the Prime Minister, the Health Ministry and the Department of Health.

Mr Gafà’s contract, which is up for renewal in April, includes a financial package that is more generous than that enjoyed by coordinators in the public service.

Mr Gafà, who worked in an outlet selling eyeglasses until March of 2013, was given a €30,000 basic salary and is also entitled to a performance bonus of as much as €4,500 a year.

The contract also provides for a raft of perks, including a car and petrol allowance of €4,658 a year, a disturbance allowance of €3,494 and up to €1,850 a year to cover the costs of a mobile phone and internet service.

Last year, the police started investigating claims against Mr Gafà that he had received bribes to facilitate the approval of medical visas for Libyan citizens seeking medical care in Malta.

The police also raided his office at the Health Ministry.

He strongly denied the allegations. Pending the outcome of the investigations, Mr Fearne transferred him to Gozo. Mr Fearne pointed out that Mr Gafà’s contract had been drawn up when Dr Mizzi was responsible for health.

Police Inspector Rennie Stivala testified in libel proceedings filed by Mr Gafà against The Malta Independent that the investigations into the alleged medical visa racket were still ongoing.

The police told the Times of Malta that, so far, there was no evidence that Mr Gafà had accepted any bribes.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com