Ministry official’s role on AFM promotions board defended in parliament

The deputy chief of staff at the Ministry for Home Affairs sits on the promotions board of the Armed Forces of Malta to act as a “ministry liaison”, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said on Tuesday.

Bonnici was replying to questions raised in parliament, on behalf of Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia. The matter, which sparked controversy among the Nationalist Opposition last year, was raised by Jason Azzopardi, the PN’s spokesman for home affairs.

Bonnici admitted that Ramona Attard does not enjoy military expertise but was chosen due to her high position within the Ministry for Home Affairs. “She knows how the AFM works on a daily basis, because it is her job to know what the operations of the army are,” he said.

In the written reply, the Home Affairs Minister said all board members are high officials with different responsibilities within the ministry and are therefore familiar with the AFM’s operations.

“The board, which includes the AFM Commander, is very similar to how the board was composed in 2011 and 2013. The difference is that now it includes representatives of the Home Affairs, whereas before it included representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister who at the time was responsible of the army,” Mallia said.

Fielding various questions by Azzopardi and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil on Attard’s qualifications to assess candidates, Bonnici said the board included military experts.

“It would have been a wrong decision if the board was only made up of [Attard]. But the board is made up of various members with military expertise and she is the ministry’s liaison,” Bonnici said, when asked whether he agreed with Attard’s appointment.

“Placing her on the board was a good decision because ultimately it is the Minister who shoulders the responsibility for decisions taken and it is imperative that the minister, or his representative, is at the centre of decisions.”

Bonnici said he was convinced that Attard “had the national interest at heart” and decisions taken reflect this. He also reiterated that Attard’s appointment should be evaluated in conjunction with the other experts sitting on the board.