Farrugia volunteered herself to assist her partner at health ministry

The Office of the Prime Minister has suggested that it was Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, who asked that she be allowed to lend her assistance to her partner Godfrey Farrugia, the health minister.

Comments from the OPM's spokesperson contrasts statements by Farrugia herself, who insisted that it had been Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who assigned her the role when quizzed by the press on Monday on her unpaid assistant's role to the minister.

"Her offer to help in the ministry was welcomed by the Prime Minister given that there is no conflict of interest and also on condition that she receives no financial remuneration," the OPM said, without clarifying the extent of the influence this parliamentary assistant's role will carry.

But in comments to MaltaToday, Marlene Farrugia reiterated that it had been Joseph Muscat who asked her to assist newly-elected MP and now minister Godfrey Farrugia, defending her position as a voluntary assistant to her partner, a role which gave rise to criticism about the lack of transparency of this role.

"When you ask a politician to assist a minister you won't expect that person to do administrative work or serve tea," the MP said, when asked about what her role consists of.

She already appeared by Farrugia's side during a meeting with the General Workers Union, and then in a subsequent press conference - ordered by Castille - following the minister's media blunder where he asked journalists to leave the room without giving any comments himself.

Marlene Farrugia has however admitted that her role is "open to interpretation", given that it was not delineated by Castille. "But I am a politician... what kind of work do you expect me to do?" she said.

She added that it was the minister who ultimately the decision-maker, and that any meetings she will hold would be according to the minister's briefing and accompanied by the ministry's permanent secretary. "My role is to simply lighten the minister's load," the Zurrieq-born dentist said.

Farrugia will in fact continue practicing her profession as a dentist, but she still has the Prime Minister's 'blessing' that her new role will not constitute a conflict of interest.

This was also confirmed by the Office of the Prime Minister, which however added that it will be the health minister's - her partner of several years - responsibility to make sure that there is no conflict of interest.

"Her role is limited to assist in areas which the minister deems fit. The minister is there to take decisions and carry political responsibility for any decisions taken," the OPM's spokesman said.

The ministerial code of ethics makes no reference to the employment - paid or otherwise - of family members by ministers. It does state that ministers are "duty-bound to avoid any conflict, real or potential" between their private interests and public duties."

Other MPs are also expected to be appointed to positions to work close with or represent a minister on the ground. In fact, the OPM compared Farrugia's appointment to that of Anthony Agius Decelis, a paramedic by profession, who has been given an office at St Vincent de Paule elderly home to oversee an audit which is to be carried out soon.

These roles will be unpaid and the MPs will only receive their pay as members of parliament while retaining their profession. Their title will not be "parliamentary assistants", a role introduced by the Nationalist administration to quell a backbench revolt. The role had been tagged with a higher MPs' honorarium.

And yet, Joseph Muscat himself never had at heart such token roles, telling the press in Brussels back in March that he was against assigning parliamentary assistants.

Instead he wants every MP in his parliamentary group to serve in the areas in which they are competent. "All MPs were elected to serve and all of them are very enthusiastic to do so as public servants," the OPM said.