The five members of the Broadcasting Authority were taken by surprise yesterday when the Office of the Prime Minister asked them to resign following the election of a new government.
However, the letter asking them to quit was immediately retracted by the designate head of the civil service, Mario Cutajar, because, according to a member of the broadcasting watchdog, “it was sent by mistake”.
Sources close to the Broadcasting Authority said that the chairman, Anthony Tabone, received a letter from Mr Cutajar asking all the members of the authority to submit their immediate resignation.
However, when it was pointed out to the Office of the Prime Minister that this could not be done because the regulator was not a government department but a constitutionally-appointed body, the decision was immediately reversed and an apology made.
The Broadcasting Authority is appointed by the President of Malta on the advice of the Prime Minister after consulting the Opposition.
Unofficially, members are split between the two main political parties, with the chairman either agreed between the two, or if not, appointed by the Prime Minister.
Its role is to act as a watchdog over broadcasting, particularly PBS. The term of office of the current members finishes at the end of this year.
Earlier this week, the Government asked all permanent secretaries in the civil service whether they intended to step down. This is the first time that such a request has been made to permanent secretaries, who head civil servants in the various ministries.
According to the Constitution, permanent secretaries cannot be removed by a simple decision by the Prime Minister.
The Constitution lays down that “power to appoint public officers to hold or act in the office of permanent secretary and to remove from office persons holding or acting in such office shall vest in the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister given after he consults with the Public Service Commission”.
It is not known yet whether any of the permanent secretaries have replied or what their reply was.