Former Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools employee Edward Caruana, who is currently being accused of irregularities including bribery, has suspended himself after being transferred to the department of agriculture within the Environment Ministry. He retained the same wage package, of €36,500 per year, (with adjustments) after he was transferred to the department of agriculture. Details of Mr Caruana’s conditions may be found below.
Mr Caruana was transferred after former FTS CEO Philip Rizzo announced that he was resigning over irregularities in a school refurbishment procurement process. Mr Rizzo (right) declared that the employment and education minister Evarist Bartolo (left), under which the FTS falls, had done nothing to correct the matter despite it being brought to his attention.
Mr Bartolo vehemently denies that he did nothing to rectify the irregular behaviour of Mr Caruana, previously identified as his personal canvasser during the last general election. Mr Bartolo said that he always acted appropriately with the information he had at the time.
In response to two parliamentary questions put forward by former minister and Nationalist Party MP George Pullicino, it was revealed that Mr Caruana was transferred to the department of agriculture under the same package, and also voluntarily resigned from his post within the environment ministry on 18 November 2016.
Mr Bartolo, in his reply to Mr Pullicino, said that Mr Caruana was engaged with the government through a position of trust for just 10 days, from 27 September 2013 until 7 October 2013. After that, the education minister said he was employed with the FTS through regular procedure, with board approval.
He stressed that identifying Mr Caruana as Head of Procurement is incorrect, and that he was in fact employed as Head of Summer Projects, Maintenance Division.
Mr Caruana’s employment contract with the FTS was for an indefinite period, starting from 8 November 2013.
His annual salary totalled €33,722.25, payable on a monthly basis with a clause stipulating that it is to be increased by 10 per cent every three years.
As part of fringe benefits awarded to him, Mr Caruana was entitled to a fully expensed leased car, the reimbursement of his home ADSL connection and telephone line costs and full reimbursement of his mobile telephony coasts.
“In addition, he shall be entitled to any cost of living allowances and bonuses as decreed by the government from time to time,” reads the contract.
Mr Caruana was required to dedicate 40 hours per week to his duties, but was “expected to be available for duty beyond the normal hours of work when so required”.
File photo.
He was not entitled to payment for overtime, “in view of his salary and position”.
Mr Caruana was prohibited from carrying out any other work, “paid or unpaid” without FTS approval, neither be “interested or concerned with” another business that conflicts with the foundation.
His duties as Head of Summer Projects were as follows: “Participates in the conceptual phases of Summer Projects under study by the Foundation, participates in the preparation of the respective maintenance programmes, review analysis of activities and operation of the maintenance division and to determine this division’s progress towards stated goals and objectives.”
He was also expected to “coordinate[s] planning, programming and management to ensure project activities are executed in accordance with established contract requirements, budgets and schedules to achieve project completion on time and within budget, provide[s] planning, programming and project management support for FTS to ensure all project activities are executed in accordance with established means, methods and constraints, report[s] to the senior architects about progress and any necessary modifications of plans that seem indicated, participate[s] in the reception/handing over of finished projects” and lastly “perform[s] miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned regarding small projects carried out by FTS concerning their planning, programming, and project management”.