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Marlene Farrugia abandons assistant’s role with health minister
Farrugia ‘volunteered herself’ to assist partner at health ministry, with no clear guidelines to the role.
3 April 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Marlene Farrugia
Labour MP Marlene Farrugia has decided to abandon her unpaid assistant's role by the side of her partner, health minister Godfrey Farrugia.
She was reported saying that she feared that the "excessive attention" her role had attracted would undermine the work of the ministry.
Earlier today, MaltaToday revealed that it was Farrugia who asked the Prime Minister that she be allowed to lend her assistance to her partner Godfrey Farrugia, the health minister.
Comments from the OPM's spokesperson contrasted 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.
READ MORE Editorial • Not all in the family
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.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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L-Hon Sinjura Farrugia ma nafx ghaliex cedit ghal pressjonji. Stennew li dawn ilKvalalieri ta Nazzjonalisti dawk li jiftahru bis solidarjeta sejrin jaghmaluu minn kollox biex jergaw jakwistaw lura dak is-siggu li barra li huwa komdu hemm minjira tahtu. Nhar it-tlieta kelli immur id-day care, u ghamilt sas-satejn ta wara nofs in-nhar, Kwart biex ghamilt operazzjoni minuri u hafna mill-hin l-iehor bil-qeda fl-art ghaliex ma kien hemm bicca siggu fejn il-pazjenti jistu ippogu. Bl-ugieh li kelli ma stajtx noqod bil wieqfa u intfajt f'rokna bil-qeda fl-art. Dan l-isptar state of the art jew riedu jghidu state of the "fart". Ghalhekk hemm bzonn min jghin lil Ministru tas-sahha ghaliex wisq nibza li hemm hafna qedin jaghmlu il-bsaten fir-roti biex il-gvern laburista jidher ikrah. Dawk tal-QS ma ghandhomx ghalfejn jara l-ebda karta tal-pazjenti, ghandu ikun hemm haddiem tal-isptar u mhux dawk. Naf li mhux tort tal-Lejber imma l-imbarazz li hemm irid jitrangia u mhux jidhol mal-pazjent u min ma jithallix. Il-Pajjent ghandu hithalla xi hadd mieghu ghaliex il-muguh irid li xi hadd mieghu u mhux xi security, dawk ma jifmhux.
Hafna mit-tobba huma tal-genn ghaliex veru jiehdu hsieb imma hemm min xorta qed jitraskura u mhux jaghmel xoghlu specjalment meta issir xi test, scan jew xi haga ohra u jindunaw li ghandu issir xi haga iqum naqra mir-raqda u jaraw li l-ebda pazjent ma ibghati ghal kapricc ta hadd. Minn ma iridx jaghmel xoghlu ghandu jitnehha min hemm. Kieku ma indunajtx jien kien ikolli nistenna max-xaharejn ohra biex issirli l-intervent avolja fis-ct scan deher kollox car u tond. Grazzi lit-tobba li meta tkellimt hadu passi immedjati.
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This situation should have never arisen. It was naive of the minister to allow this situation as it makes him look incompetent. He has alienated a lot of people with this blunder. It would be better if he bothered to met up with the staff that are loyal to the department and can really offer sound advice and solutions! Neither him and even less Mrs. Farrugia have any real experience of working in Mater Dei hospital.
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pazjenti fuq lis-strechers; waiting lists twal; kaos u dewmien fl-emergenza, u appuntamenti ma jipiccaw qatt, fuq hekk irridu ninkweta u nikumentaw, mhux min
ha jghin sabiex intaffu ftit mid-tbatija ta l-inefficenzja grassa li hawn.
MARLENE 'is an action taken person' u ghanda kapacita
li torganizza u tirregola l-instructions li tigi ordnata GHAL GID TAL-PAZJENTI KOLLHA; GHAX MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL.
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pazjenti fuq lis-strechers; waiting lists twal; kaos u dewmien fl-emergenza, u appuntamenti ma jipiccaw qatt, fuq hekk irridu ninkweta u nikumentaw, mhux min
ha jghin sabiex intaffu ftit mid-tbatija ta l-inefficenzja grassa li hawn.
MARLENE 'is an action taken person' u ghanda kapacita
li torganizza u tirregola l-instructions li tigi ordnata GHAL GID TAL-PAZJENTI KOLLHA; GHAX MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL.
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pazjenti fuq lis-strechers; waiting lists twal; kaos u dewmien fl-emergenza, u appuntamenti ma jipiccaw qatt, fuq hekk irridu ninkweta u nikumentaw, mhux min
ha jghin sabiex intaffu ftit mid-tbatija ta l-inefficenzja grassa li hawn.
MARLENE 'is an action taken person' u ghanda kapacita
li torganizza u tirregola l-instructions li tigi ordnata GHAL GID TAL-PAZJENTI KOLLHA; GHAX MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL.
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hekk sewwa ghax PM taghti semma u bxejn intom il medja kissirtuha minflokk tajghtu l-appogg halluna ha nahdmu
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A sensible move from MF which is relevant if we are going to have avoid Wags and Habs culture in politics. This is a political problem resulting from the fact that many MPs now have highly intelligent partners who are politically savvy and career minded and who can in theory contribute in their own right. In such situations it is even more important that there is a clear delineation between the roles of the couple. Indeed many high powered corporations have stopped involving or inviting spouses for the reason that it could lead to unethical issues. I am sure that given her many faceted talents there are many positions which do not raise ethical eyebrows in which MF can be appointed to serve, no doubt successfully, in her own right.
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ma naqbel xejn ma min ha din d decizzjoni.mela hekk sew,min joffri s servizz tieghu B'XEJNNNNNN naghmlu pressjoni fuqu biex jirtira..Halluna
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what a loss to the HEALTH SERVICE, and we did not have to pay a cent!
At the end of the day, it's a loss and waste of talent not using Ms. Farrugia's service!
Are the P.N. and their "fans" HAPPY now?
THE SPOILSPORTS!
