Herrera spent €19,000 for 24-hour personal security during political crisis

The minister for the arts and local government, José Herrera, engaged a private security firm to provide 24-hour personal protection for him through the months of December and January, due to the national crisis that followed the arrest of Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech.

Herrera issued two direct orders as then minister of the environment for “residential security services”, to the firm Protection Services Malta, which ran from the 16 December, to 15 January, for a total of €19,050.

A spokesperson for the minister confirmed with MaltaToday that there was no specific threat directed to the minister at the time, when Fenech’s arrest on suspicion of having been the mastermind in the Caruana Galizia assassination provoked national protests in Valletta.

December 2019, national protests reaching fever pitch outside Parliament. Ministers and MPs look on. Herrera is first from right

“The services were not contracted due to any specific threat directed to the minister but as a precautionary measure to ensure that during such a delicate period and particular circumstances, the security of Dr José Herrera in his official capacity as government minister, is handled in a professional manner and proactively avert any unwarranted situations which could arise.”

The spokesperson said Herrera’s personal protection was provided at “all places 24 hours a day”. She described it as an “unpleasant circumstance” that ended after the election of Robert Abela as prime minister.

According to the security firm’s website, Protection Services Malta has occupied itself with various cultural and arts-related events’ security, as well as providing 24/7 security at Pjazza Teatru Rjal. One of the company’s principals, Jason Pisani, is a former Armed Forces serviceman who in 2007 was acquitted of having assaulted a Liberian national in Sliema, who had once been detained inside the Safi barracks for asylum seekers.