Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Beppe Fenech Adami ridiculed Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela for claiming that he was not aware that a person of trust within his ministry was conspiring to create a vacancy, with the minister’s blessing, to employ the son of Ludgard Scicluna, another person of trust in Mr Abela’s ministry.

In a press conference earlier today, members of the press questioned the minister on these events, where he replied that it is a lie that he was aware of the manoeuvring and said that the Joe Baldacchino, the person of trust behind the move, was given a stern warning.

Last Saturday, blogger and The Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia uploaded a screenshot of Mr Baldacchino writing publically to Mr Scicluna, appearing to have been meant as a private message, allegedly planning to create a vacancy to employ the son of the latter. In the post, it was intimated that they had the minister’s blessing, and that Mr Baldacchino had planted the idea that the ministry required Mr Scicluna’s son’s skills in logistical work. In addition to this, it was also said that a public call would be made for the post, but that it would be given to Mr Scicluna’s son.

While questioned by the media Mr Abela, said that there would be no call for applications, and observed that he has noticed staff members within a number of ministries tend to name-drop without the knowledge of the relevant minister. He claimed to have only been made aware of the events after it was reported by the media.

Mr Abela could not exclude that the newly created vacancy had not been discussed by the permanent secretary, but repeated that it was not until the issue got reported by sections of the press that he got to know of what was written on Facebook.

“We will do our duty, my friend, and carry on convincing people until the end. Tomorrow I have another meeting with the Perm Sec, and I will continue to struggle against him to get this job created (for Jeffrey),” Baldacchino was reported to have written in his message.

Dr Fenech Adami slammed the minister for giving Mr Baldacchino a stern warning, and questioned why he would not have him removed. He emphasised the recent discovery that Economy Minister Chris Cardona had been caught to have spent hundreds of euros on alcohol while on a government trip. Dr Fenech Adami questioned if anybody within the government was acting rationally or appropriately.