Bribery allegation was ‘joke’ yet former MCAST executive may still be on payroll

Education minister Justyne Caruana is refusing to state whether a former human resources manager at MCAST, whose allegations of corruption were disproven by a ministerial inquiry, is still receiving a full salary since being suspended in 2018.

Last week, MaltaToday revealed details of an inquiry which heard whistleblowers say that Josephine Abdilla – whose allegations had kick-started the inquiry – had attempted to pressure and influence their selection of teaching recruits. Abdilla has denied the claims.

Reviled by staff and teachers for her abrasive and suborning behaviour, Abdilla had alleged corruption and bribery at the heart of MCAST’s operations in an angry email to the education ministry, when she was placed on forced leave following complaints against her by co-workers.

Yet the former HR officer was unable to provide evidence for her claims.

In new revelations on the inquiry’s findings, it results that Abdilla had alleged that MCAST’s then chairperson of the board of governors, Silvio De Bono, had solicited a one-month salary as commission from MCAST recruits.

She claimed that despite being “so upset with the practice”, she had apparently placated Debono by having her own daughter take up a course at Debono’s own private educational institute, IDEA, for which she paid €500.

De Bono was surprised at the accusation, when he testified before the board of inquiry, stating that he was under the impression of having had a good working relationship with Abdilla.

He denied having demanded any such ‘commission’ from MCAST staff.

Yet Abdilla offered neither evidence for this allegation, nor a proper reason for her apparent inclination to ‘force’ her daughter to attend an IDEA course.

When asked to provide evidence for her allegation, Abdilla later retracted the serious accusation. “It’s a joke,” she told the inquiry, denying that De Bono had taken such a bribe.

The inquiry concluded, in its findings, that Abdilla had attempted, for reasons known to her, to create traces for a crime that had never happened.

Asked to comment about these findings this week, Abdilla told MaltaToday she had not read the conclusions of the inquiry report and refrained from commenting on the way her testimony had been reported.

“I stand on my response in the right of reply last Sunday” (Letters, MT2, page 3). “I negate any joking on my part on the matter,” she said when asked about her allegation about De Bono.

“The right of reply is sufficient to answer most of the points in respect of which you have asked for my comments.”

In another finding by the inquiry, it turned out that Abdilla was found of having made malicious allegations about one Anthony Saliba, an MCAST grievance officer to whom she had been reported by co-workers.

Abdilla claimed that Saliba had been a participant to a spate of irregularities that took place during a Pathway live-in in 2017, a programme designed for students with learning difficulties. The programme had been investigated by an internal college inquiry in 2017 after a whistleblower complained that Pathway teaching assistants had brought over their boyfriends to the live-in.

The same whistleblower however told the board of inquiry that Anthony Saliba had been extraneous to those events.

When asked about this allegation by MaltaToday, Abdilla claimed she had made no such assertion in his regard. “If it was reported as such, this is not something within my control.”

Abdilla was also unable to sustain her allegation with the board of inquiry that full-time lecturers had been paid in full despite working reduced hours, another accusation that fell flat when asked by the board of inquiry to back up the claim.

Abdilla has also refused to clarify her current employment status with MCAST, and whether she is still receiving a full salary while on forced leave from the College. “Regarding the payroll related matters, I suggest you address your questions to the ministry or consult the NAO audit reports on payroll matters.”

Inquiry findings

Last week MaltaToday reported how whistleblowers came forward to the 2018 ministerial inquiry board, saying they had been pressured by Abdilla in selecting favoured candidates for MCAST teaching jobs.

The inquiry forwarded their report to the police for investigation.

Yet the education ministry – namely spokesperson Etienne St John, permanent secretary Frank Fabri and MCAST principal James Calleja – has since Februrary 2021 refused to answer repeated requests by MaltaToday to explain why Abdilla remains suspended on full pay, despite the findings of the inquiry.

The ministry insists on not commenting on this inquiry, which reported Abdilla on possible perjury.

Abdilla would claim with these members of the MCAST interviewing panel that she had been instructed by top brass such as the ministry or Silvio de Bono, to pick the candidates of her choosing. In one case she complained that an unqualified candidate for a part-time lecturing post was not selected, “was required to be selected at all costs”.

In the case of a particular candidate for an English lecturing post, Abdila ordered one of the members that the candidate had to “come first”, and that the rest of the interviewing board had to be told that the candidate came “strongly recommended”.

Concurrently, the inquiry discovered a culture of bullying and harassment, mainly perpetrated by Abdilla herself in her own position of power, who was described by co-workers as a “vindictive, power-hungry” individual who had fostered a “fear mentality” amongst the MCAST administration.

The staff even accused Abdilla of having instigated subordinates in committing irregularities on recruitment, discriminatory practices and even falsifying score sheets for candidates interviewed for jobs.

The inquiry found that it was Abdilla’s “very weak, almost inexistent collaboration” between her HR department and the finance department, that resulted in an industrial dispute over incorrect salaries paid to 186 lecturers.