One would have thought that one month after the election, and in a country which prides itself on its e-government, the government’s own website, gov.mt, would be up to date with the changes as a result of the election.
This is, however, not the case, after taking a cursory look.
The first section one comes across on the government’s portal, Work and Business, has two ministries included. One, incongruously enough, is the Ministry for Social Policy, although this has the right minister, John Dalli aided by his head of secretariat Michael Debono and private secretary Remigio Bartolo. But it also has a second ministry, correctly identified as the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Investment that still has Tonio Fenech listed as Parliamentary Secretary.
The next section, health, refers to the Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care with Louis Deguara listed as minister and Helen D’Amato as parliamentary secretary.
Education is up to date with Dolores Cristina listed as minister aided by Head of Secretariat Bryan Magro and private secretary Jean Killick.
The next section, Sports, Leisure and Culture has its link to the (former) Ministry of Tourism and Culture blocked but most of the posts need serious upgrading. The Manoel Theatre website, for instance, still begins with a reference to a September 2007 event.
The section on Family Affairs has the correct minister for social policy but some of the links in the post, such as those that refer to Enemalta, Water Services, Maltacom (?), Department of Local Councils, and so on seem completely out of place.
Better still, the section referring to Environment and Cleanliness refers to two distinct ministries: the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs and the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure. The first refers to Minister George Pullicino, with no reference to former Parliamentary Secretary Frans Agius, while the second is still under construction.
The next section, on Law and Order, is funnier still. It refers to both the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs and a parliamentary secretary, but when you click on either of them, it is Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici that comes up.
The section on travel and transport still refers to the old Ministry for Competitiveness and National Projects and has Censu Galea as minister and Edwin Vassallo as Parliamentary Secretary. News does not seem to travel fast enough in Malta!
The section on employment and income refers to two ministers: correctly the Ministry for Social Policy (John Dalli) and the old Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Infrastructure with Lawrence Gonzi listed as Minister for Finance.
The section on the elderly refers to two ministries: the Ministry for Social Policy and the Ministry for Health, the Elderly and Community Care. When you click on the latter, there is a note informing you the website has moved and you think they are updating it. But no, it again refers to Louis Deguara and Helen D’Amato but incongruously includes speeches given just days ago.
And finally, there is no reference to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The man from the moon, nay anyone who tries to find out who is the minister for what in Malta, will be completely confused by the government’s own website.