The number of employees recruited directly by the government in ‘positions of trust’ has now reached 184, with some given the vague job description “to do what is necessary”.

This is the latest count given in Parliament, but the list is still not complete. Other ministers, including the Prime Minister, are still looking into their records.

Following the news that four ministers employed 64 persons in positions of trust – including a dog handler recruited by former minister Manuel Mallia – seven more ministries have now confirmed they engaged 120 new employees between them without passing through the proper channels.

Muscat said he had aright to choose his office cleaner as he needed to trust that person

Appearing on the lists tabled in Parliament following a request by Nationalist MP Mario de Marco, the government’s employees of trust include 10 in the office of Environment Minister Leo Brincat’s permanent secretary – their job being “to do what is necessary”.

A ‘China liaison expert’ was employed by the Ministry for Education, a full-time driver by the non-executive chairman of the Malta Sports Council (Labour MP Luciano Busuttil) and a number of other drivers and messengers by other ministries. Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella even employed a charwoman in his ministry on a person of trust basis.

When defending the direct recruitment of people in these positions earlier this week, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he had a right to choose his office cleaner as he needed to trust that person.

According to the latest information, Mr Brincat has put the highest number of ‘trusted’ employees – 31 – on the government’s wage bill. He, however, underlined that 14 of these were recruited by Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes. Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis has engaged six persons in positions of trust, which is the lowest number.

On the other hand, Foreign Minister George Vella has employed 19, Gozo Minister Anton Refalo 12, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi 15, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici 17 and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo 19.

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