Keep the WAGs out of the State

Pillow talk between a minister and their spouse is acceptable enough. Should it be brought into the ministerial boardrooms?

Marlene Farrugia and health minister Godfrey Farrugia (third and second from right) meeting the GWU.
Marlene Farrugia and health minister Godfrey Farrugia (third and second from right) meeting the GWU.

The health minister's partner taking up a voluntary position by the side of Godfrey Farrugia is setting such a stupid precedent in the government, one might as well say that this was probably unthinkable even by Nationalist standards. The fact that Marlene Farrugia's unpaid role as some sort of 'parliamentary assistant' to the health minister means we're bound to "see more of her" (as she so candidly put it), raises many questions about accountability, transparency and authority.

Joseph Muscat must have been uncomfortable about having both partners as government ministers. If this is only down to the fact that having a husband and wife, or fiancés as ministers in the same Cabinet is somehow impolitic, how does an unpaid assistant's role by the side of the minister work out then?

(By way of digression: if two ministers decide to marry, does that mean the woman has to forgo their job as they did in the civil service in the 1970s?)

The influence of ministerial WAGs in the partisan world of politics - prime minister's wives for example, retain one such position of influence as seen with Kate Gonzi and Michelle Muscat - is already such that having it overlap into the running of the State and its departments, makes it a dangerous practice.

Firstly there is the issue of accountability: as a voluntary role which Marlene Farrugia says was blessed by Joseph Muscat, the MP could assume (mistakenly) that she is accountable solely to the health minister, when she remains - as always - accountable to Parliament.

Secondly, the fact that she is unpaid makes the situation all the more invidious. A paid position comes with clear terms of reference, clear guidelines, and clear penalties where breaches take place. In short, Muscat should declare whether Marlene Farrugia is a "parliamentary assistant" being paid the regular MPs' honorarium.

Even then, the precedent being set of having one's wife or partner stand in for the ministers when they are too busy raises many questions about policy: who decides? Is it one minister or two? Will the minister delegate meetings and public presentations to the spousal assistant?

Ultimately, both the minister and Marlene Farrugia have their own clinics in Zebbug. One of them cannot practice his profession while being a minister, but the assistant gets to see her clients. Had this been the wife of say, a minister in charge of MEPA, would she as ministerial assistant also be allowed to retain her architectural firm and property deals?

Pillow talk between a minister and their spouse is acceptable enough. Should it be brazenly brought into the ministerial boardrooms? The business of running a State should not be disturbed by undefined and impolitical roles.

avatar
M.Vella I am simply appalled by the blatantly sexist title of this article. It looks like Malta has a lot of soul searching to do not only where attitudes towards the LGBT minority are concerned but also regarding attidues towards the majority - the female sex.
avatar
Mr Bruno, this issue is apolitical but has managerial problems to solve. Here is a comment which I wrote on the subject and feel relevant to yours below: "I am of the opinion that this situation will bring a good man down, because of undefined duties and responsibilities for this newly created post, rather than because of non remuneration. I am also of the opinion that Dr M. Farrugia is a capable, intelligent and achieving woman. Besides being an MP and in private medical practice. Thus she should be made responsible for anyone of the problem areas within the Public sector (I am sure these are abundant) even in the Health Ministry if need be. What I do not want to see is a repeat of the meeting with the GWU. That is, two persons practically vying for the Minister's position. This is bad management practice in the private and the public sector and needs amending very, very quickly!
avatar
One has got to be positive with this situation in mind.At the same time one needs to be careful.Marlene herself has said her role needs to be better scrutinised. Look at it from another point of view... The minister has a good 'sound board' that he can trust absolutely, so handled carefully and correctly, we should all benefit from the situation.
avatar
Bothe are MPS, PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES ready to serve and GIVE TO THE PEOPLE with all their HEART for our HEALTH'S SAKE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHAT'S WRONG IN ALL THIS when it is the Maltese Patient, the Maltese health Service that will ultimately benefit?????
avatar
It is really baffling how some people claim to be journalists. It is a far cry from having the privilege to publish an article and making sense. A published piece if not tackled well could expose the author’s deficiencies. This piece is a case in point. Matthew Vella did not want to give any news but besmirch the Government. For one thing Marlene apart from being married to the Minister concerned is also herself a Member of Parliament. So until the PM Joseph Muscat assigns her a particular task, what is so wrong aiding her husband? She is quite candid about the whole thing. She also would like that the PM would issue some guidelines on such situations. Instead of thanking her for working for free Mr. Vella takes her to task. Marlene is a competent and serious person who know that like all other MPs and Ministers she is also under the scrutiny of the. I do not know if this was the practice of the defunct PN administration but our Ministers will design their own policy. This with the urging of anyone but those involved. Please do not measure this Labour administration with the PN. Also give it chance to find its feet it has been only twenty days. The analogy with MEPA is to say the least ludicrous. How can anybody in his right mind compare a practicing dentist married to a health Minister with a person who has an architect’s office married to a minister whose portfolio includes MEPA. This consists of a very serious conflict of interest. One fails to comprehend the conflict of interest between the Health Minister who is facing a debt of 63 million Euros and his wife’s profession as a dentist. The author demonstrates his callowness when asserting that only a partner of a Minister who is also moonlighting as an aid can derive unfair advantage. Any spouse or partner not involved in politics attached to a Minister is able to obtain advantage from pillow talk. PS Where and when did Matthew Vella write about conflict of interest when the ex-Minister appointed his cousin Tancred Tabone as chairman of EneMalta.
avatar
Agreed completely!
avatar
There is no justification for such a stupid appointment. The PM only has one solution to resolve this mess - withdrew her 'appointment' with immediate effect. On the other hand it should not have been a problem whatsoever if they were both appointed Cabinet Ministers (with separate responsibilities of course). Yvette Cooper and Ed Balls were both in Gordon Brown's Cabinet, and might potentially serve in Ed Miliband's Cabinet should Labour win the next UK election.
avatar
Fully agree Wags Wives and girlfriends Habs Husbands and Boyfriends and worse still Mads Mothers and Daughters Mas Mothers and Sons should have no official role in politics otherwise we will be transforming the institutions into media gossip institutions as happens in sport and entertainment.
avatar
First at least allow them the prerogative of messing up , then and only then have you the right to criticise.
avatar
Agreed!.....However, if these two manage to fix our third world Emergency Department, long may they reign.