Keep the WAGs out of the State

The health minister's partner taking up a voluntary position by the side of Godfrey Farrugia is setting such a stupid precedent in the government, one might as well say that this was probably unthinkable even by Nationalist standards. The fact that Marlene Farrugia's unpaid role as some sort of 'parliamentary assistant' to the health minister means we're bound to "see more of her" (as she so candidly put it), raises many questions about accountability, transparency and authority.

Joseph Muscat must have been uncomfortable about having both partners as government ministers. If this is only down to the fact that having a husband and wife, or fiancés as ministers in the same Cabinet is somehow impolitic, how does an unpaid assistant's role by the side of the minister work out then?

(By way of digression: if two ministers decide to marry, does that mean the woman has to forgo their job as they did in the civil service in the 1970s?)

The influence of ministerial WAGs in the partisan world of politics - prime minister's wives for example, retain one such position of influence as seen with Kate Gonzi and Michelle Muscat - is already such that having it overlap into the running of the State and its departments, makes it a dangerous practice.

Firstly there is the issue of accountability: as a voluntary role which Marlene Farrugia says was blessed by Joseph Muscat, the MP could assume (mistakenly) that she is accountable solely to the health minister, when she remains - as always - accountable to Parliament.

Secondly, the fact that she is unpaid makes the situation all the more invidious. A paid position comes with clear terms of reference, clear guidelines, and clear penalties where breaches take place. In short, Muscat should declare whether Marlene Farrugia is a "parliamentary assistant" being paid the regular MPs' honorarium.

Even then, the precedent being set of having one's wife or partner stand in for the ministers when they are too busy raises many questions about policy: who decides? Is it one minister or two? Will the minister delegate meetings and public presentations to the spousal assistant?

Ultimately, both the minister and Marlene Farrugia have their own clinics in Zebbug. One of them cannot practice his profession while being a minister, but the assistant gets to see her clients. Had this been the wife of say, a minister in charge of MEPA, would she as ministerial assistant also be allowed to retain her architectural firm and property deals?

Pillow talk between a minister and their spouse is acceptable enough. Should it be brazenly brought into the ministerial boardrooms? The business of running a State should not be disturbed by undefined and impolitical roles.