The Employment and Training Corporation’s chief executive officer Philip Rizzo today offered his “full and unreserved apologies for my failure to foresee that the remark I made on a senior colleague's private Facebook page risked causing upset not only to the official herself but also to the corporation in which I am striving to serve.”

The apology comes two weeks after The Malta Independent published a story that Education Minister Evarist Bartolo had banned Facebook for senior management after Mr Rizzo chose to comment on a post by the Head of the EU Funded Schemes Division at the ETC, Olivia Farrugia saying – “This is the only ETC Head of Division with the three Bs… Brains, Boobs and Balls!!!!... she’s a very capable lady.”

In response, Ms Farrugia, whose post contained a photo of her in a swimsuit, said “Of course boss, I’m the only HoD with the 2nd B. Im the only woman Head of Department…”

In his statement this morning, Mr Rizzo said that “It is not without much embarrassment that I find myself also having to express my regrets to the National Commission for Promotion of Equality (NCPE) and the general public for the bad example I have unwittingly given by the facetious remark I made.

“Finally, I wish to clarify that my remarks were not the result of or intended to show any favouritism and I recognise that the professional achievements of the individual concerned were achieved purely on her own merits.”

Mr Rizzo’s comments had raised public concern largely because of his position as the head of the ETC, which is responsible for “empowering, assisting and training job-seekers to facilitate their entry or re-entry into the active employment market, promoting workforce development through skills and competency development, and by assisting employers in their recruitment and training needs."

The ETC website also lists its core values. The first listed is “Honesty, integrity and accountability,” where the ETC pledges that they will “have personal integrity and uphold ethical codes of practice” and “act and behave consistently with what we advocate. Absolutely trusted by others.” It also reads: “We won’t let unacceptable behaviour go unchallenged.”

Another section of the corporation’s values is ‘Equality and inclusivity’, where the ETC pledges to not “engage in any activity that could reasonably be seen as bullying, harassment, or in any way improper.”

The Malta Independent report of 30 July