Alfred Mangion, who in 2009 gladly accepted the President’s offer to sit on the Malta Community Chest Fund Board, has been left in the dark and is still waiting to attend the first meeting even though George Abela had personally thanked him and his wife for accepting his offer.

The case surfaced by accident, when this portal on Tuesday tried to contact a number of MCCF board members in connection with the story that Darleen Zerafa, the secretary of the board, was offered reimbursement for her Masters Degree in eating disorders.

This portal contacted Alfred Mangion, who according to the MCCF website is one of the 16 appointed members, for his reaction.

Mr Mangion, who formed part of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s  secretariat until he retired from work last March, told us that his relationship with Dr Abela goes to the days when the President was still legal advisor of the General Workers’ Union.

In April 2009 Mr Mangion had felt the need to send a letter to Dr Abela to congratulate him about his appointment as President, in which he also pledged to offer his help.

A few days later Mr Mangion was contacted by Ms Zerafa who called him at home requesting to speak to him urgently. He said that she had a communication from the President and thus agreed to meet him the following morning at 10am. During this meeting Ms Zerafa informed Mr Mangion that the President would like him to sit on the board.

Mr Mangion said that he gladly accepted the offer and immediately started enquiring when and where the meetings are held.

Ms Zerafa had asked him whether he needed to consult with the OPM secretariat, with Mr Mangion replying that there was no need to, even though he would still advise them.

He said that he had given Ms Zerafa all his contact details and she said she would get back to him. He decided to inform the Prime Minister and his personal assistant about his appointment.

Things seemed to be moving forward since a few days later, during the annual reception hosted by the Prime Minister at the Upper Barrakka to mark Malta’s accession to the EU, the President thanked him personally for accepting the offer. A few weeks later, Mr Mangion and his wife were invited by the President for a concert at San Anton Palace.

However, weeks and months passed and he never heard anything again. After more than a year, on 7 July 2010, Mr Mangion decided to send the following SMS to the President: “Mr President, 15 months ago gladly accepted appt on MCCF. Website confirms this & also that I am member of the Tenders Sub-Comm. Wish to meet you as was never asked to attend any mtgs. Sincerely Alfred Mangion”.

Later that evening, “Dr Abela called me on my mobile and after quite a long chat promised me that I would be contacted shortly as his office needed assistance. I heard nothing since then,” said Mr Mangion.

 

Not a case of mistaken identity

Mr Mangion says this case cannot be one of mistaken identity, since he has known Dr Abela long before he became President. He recalled an incident way back in 1999 when Mr Mangion was Human Resources Manager at the Malta International Airport.

“We crossed swords professionally on many occasions especially when the GWU ordered industrial action at the Fire section of the airport. Dr Abela accompanied by other officials had requested permission to address employees of this section even though this was a restricted area.”

Mr Mangion recalls how he had refused permission and the case ended up in court, “where Dr Abela had admitted that I acted in a professional way”. Mr Mangion said that a few years down the line Dr Abela was kind enough to offer his assistance to his daughter who was a law student during her thesis.

Four years after accepting the offer to sit on the MCCF board, the least that Mr Mangion is now expecting is for somebody from the President’s Office to throw light on this matter which has left him baffled.