A simmering row between top officials in the Maltese public sector has ignited after Ombudsman, Anthony Mifsud accused Principle Permanent Secretary, Mario Cutajar of trying to undermine his office.
In a letter to the Parliamentary Speaker, Mr Mifsud (pictured) said Mr Cutajar was trying to rein in his investigative work.
He was reacting to a recent report published by Mr Cutajar which laid out criticisms of the Ombudsman’s work.
Mr Misfud said the negative tone of this writing unjustly attributed a lack of transparency and accountability to the institution of the Ombudsman.
“This tone is taken as a reaction, if not a retaliation, to the opinions expressed from time-to-time by my office which have been critical of shortcomings in the public sector,” Mr Misfud said.
Addressing a press conference about Government action on the Ombudsman’s work, Mr Cutajar last month attacked Mr Misfud over the employment of persons of trust in his office.
The Ombudsman has long criticised the employment of people from outside the Public Service on a so-called ‘position of trust’ basis, even questioning if it is in conformity with the Constitution.
Mr Cutajar said the Ombudsman needed to be clearer about his own standards on persons of trust.
“I am informed that he also has people employed on a position of trust basis,” Mr Cutajar said.
Reacting to this and other claims of lack of transparency, Mr Mifsud said he “strongly denies the insinuations and allegations which are considered as attempts to discredit the institution and can only cause harm to public administration”.
The Ombudsman pointed out that his office was not answerable to Mr Cutajar, but only to the House of Representatives.
“The Principal Permanent Secretary ought to know that the Office of the Ombudsman is not an extension of the public administration and in no way falls under his scrutiny,” Mr Mifsud said.
Valetta, 10 January 2022
