The non-executive chairman of the Malta Sports Council, Labour MP Luciano Busuttil, has employed a full-time driver paid by the State-funded council even though his post requires him to work only a few hours a week.
The Sunday Times of Malta is informed that despite the fact the council already has two-full-time employees performing driving duties, Dr Busuttil decided not to use their services. Instead, he employed another person to serve as his full-time personal chauffeur.
Francis Borg was engaged without a public call and did not come from the public service.
Beyond these hours I drive myself, to save on overtime
Replying to questions, Dr Busuttil admitted that Mr Borg was employed without a public call but said that permission was sought and obtained from the Education Ministry.
He justified the direct employment of his driver as Mr Borg was recruited on a “position of trust basis and on a yearly contract that is renewed each year”.
Asked why he needed a full-time Malta Sports Council driver when his non-executive post does not require his full-time presence, Dr Busuttil said that his position still requires such a service.
‘I’m chairman 24 hours a day’
“A chairman is a chairman around the clock,” the Labour MP replied. “This is not an ‘employment’. In fact, an honoraria is paid, and not a salary.”
Asked to state whether the council driver ferries him around all week, Dr Busuttil said he works on a 40-hour-a-week basis.
“Beyond these hours I drive myself to save on overtime, with some rare exceptions,” Dr Busuttil said. However, it is understood that Dr Busuttil’s driver has claimed overtime several times.
Until Dr Busuttil’s appointment, Malta Sports Council chairmen were not entitled to a driver – not even on a part-time basis.
The other members of the staff at the sports council employed as drivers are acting as chauffeurs to Mark Cutajar, a consultant with the council performing the same role as the organisation’s de facto CEO.
As well as being a lawyer in private practice, Dr Busuttil also receives three forms of income from the State.
Apart from his annual €20,604 honoraria as a backbench government MP, he receives an extra €10,302 for chairing Parliament’s European Affairs Committee and another €14,000 as chairman of the Malta Sports Council.