PM plays down warnings WSC recruitment part of Mizzi vote campaign

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has played down concerns that the Water Services Corporation is employing an excess number of water fitters as part of a vote mobilization campaign by No Portfolio Minister Konrad Mizzi.

Responding to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Censu Galea, Muscat – who is also energy minister – said that the WSC’s ongoing recruitment of new water fitters is intended to replace employees who have retired in recent years, and that the amount spent by the WSC on water fitters’ salaries will be cost neutral until 2018.

“The normal procedure is being used to recruit these workers, through a request to JobsPlus,” Muscat said. “The WSC will this year open three ‘new water’ production plants that are expected to generate around seven million cubic metres of new water from drainage. Although this will mean that water production will increase by 33%, the WSC will not increase its workforce.” 

The Times of Malta reported last week that the WSC recently appointed 150 new water fitters, the majority hailing from Fgura, Paola, Tarxien and Santa Lucija – Mizzi’s electoral district.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said that their appointment was a clear example of corruption, and accused Mizzi of vote-shopping with public funds.

“The government has not only abandoned the notion of meritocracy but is actively going against it. This case shows that you must vote for Konrad Mizzi in order to get a job at the WSC. Is that fair?”