Education Minister Evarist Bartolo appointed his own architect, responsible for works on his house in Swieqi, as the chairman of the FTS, the government agency for school buildings that falls within his ministry.

Documents seen by The Sunday Times of Malta show that just six days before construction works started at the minister’s residence in July 2013, architect Samuel Formosa was appointed by Mr Bartolo as chairman of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools.

A year later, in June 2014, the minister appointed his architect as an advisor to his ministry on infrastructural works including school building projects. This appointment took place through a direct order.

In January 2013, while Mr Bartolo was still an opposition spokesman for education, Mr Formosa presented a development application to Mepa, on behalf of Mr Bartolo's wife, Gillian, to make additions and alterations to the couple's residence in Swieqi.

The permit was issued on June 28, 2013, and a commencement notice, signed by Mr Formosa as the person responsible for the project, was issued on July 2, 2013.

Mr Formosa gave the Education Ministry advisory services for €19.50 per hour

In the meantime, on June 27, Mr Bartolo had appointed him as chairman of the FTS.

Mr Formosa was contacted by phone and asked whether there was not a serious conflict of interest between his public appointment by the minister and the private work carried at Mr Bartolo’s private residence. Mr Formosa said that he could not reply and hung up.

Mr Bartolo has not replied to questions sent by this newspaper three weeks ago, despite several reminders.

According to the Mepa documents seen by this newspaper, the works on Mr Bartolo’s Swieqi residence consisted of the building of additional rooms connected to the second floor.

The minister was asked whether he had paid Mr Formosa for his services and to produce receipts of this payment.

Mr Bartolo was also asked which company was engaged to carry out the construction and finishing works and to produce proof of payment.

Furthermore, he was asked whether Edward Caruana – his canvasser currently under police investigation for fraud and corruption connected to FTS contracts – was somehow involved in assisting the minister with his private project.

No replies had been received by the time of writing.

This newspaper is also informed that apart from appointing him to chair the FTS, the ministry also awarded Mr Formosa a direct contract to serve as its advisor on various infrastructural projects, including for schools falling under the FTS.

According to the contract, approved by the Ministry of Finance, Mr Formosa gave the Education Ministry “advisory services” at a rate of €19.50 per hour. The contract was renewed annually until June 12, 2016.

As chairman of the FTS, Mr Formosa was paid an annual gross honorarium of €13,976 from June 2013 to June 2016. Additionally, from June 2014 until January 2016, during the time he also served as the minister’s adviser, he received payments amounting to over €23,000.

These payments included advisory services on various schools which the FTS was building under his own remit as chairman of the FTS.

In his justifications for payment, Mr Formosa included “project management” of the same building projects procured by the FTS under his watch.

 

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