Former PBS presenter Lou Bondì is being paid €22 an hour as a consultant to the government’s arts council, according to his contract.
He has also been assigned to act as artistic director of the council’s annual rock festival.
After the Data Protection Commissioner overruled a decision by the Justice Ministry not to publish Mr Bondì’s contract, this newspaper was given access to the employment conditions of the former chairman of the Nationalist Party’s Radio 101.
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According to the latest contract, Mr Bondì’s fourth since Labour’s return to power in 2013, he is giving “strategic communications advice” to the Malta Arts Council.
The contract stipulates that he receives €22 an hour for a 40-hour week and is entitled to an additional retainer of €8,240, excluding VAT, to cover expenses.
His total package amounts to €54,000 a year.
He is also entitled to a €8,240 retainer, excluding VAT, to cover expenses
Engaged on a self-employed basis, Mr Bondì is not required to report for work at the arts council but is paid instead against the issuance of invoices which list the number of hours he worked for the government.
He is also free to offer his services to other organisations, including in the private sector.
Mr Bondì’s engagement was made through a direct order issued by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, who is politically responsible for the arts council.
The contract specifies that Mr Bondì will not receive extra remuneration for his role as artistic director of an annual rock festival, although he will be compensated for any expenses paid.
Until the last general election. Mr Bondì formed part of TV production house Where’s Everybody and hosted weekly TV discussion programmes on public television, mostly on political issues.
Following Labour’s election to government, Mr Bondì was engaged as their consultant and given the role of organising the commemoration of national events on behalf of the Office of the Prime Minister. After the completion of his assignment in 2015, he was directly engaged to provide services to the Malta Arts Council.
The Justice Ministry refused to publish his contract, arguing that “this would reveal the commercial affairs of Mr Bondì who works on a self-employed basis”.
But following a request from this newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act, the Data Protection Commissioner ordered that the council make the contract public, since Mr Bondì was paid from public funds, saying it was in the public interest to do so.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com