[WATCH] Taxpayers paying €750 each over five years for government payroll

Taxpayers paying €750 each over five years for government payroll • Video by Ray Attard

If the current trend of public sector employment continues, the taxpayer will spend an extra €750 over five years to support employee wages.

This extrapolation was presented by PN deputy leader Mario de Marco and MPs Claudette Buttigieg and Therese Comodini Cachia during a press conference at the Nationalist party headquarters.

De Marco said that between 2012 and 2014, there was an increase of 3,600 public sector jobs, bringing the total up to 44,500 in October last year. The Water Services Corporation alone, he said, choosing an example, saw 144 people employed between August 2013 and August 2014.

“This despite the government’s pledge to the European Commission that it would not add to public sector employment and would reduce the numbers,” he said.
He referred to a report published in 2013 in response to the EC’s recommendations for the reduction of government deficit.

De Marco went on to say that over two years, €126 million were paid out in wages to public sector employees.

“Although some of the workers were in fact needed and are qualified enough to carry out their jobs, there is a vast amount of these workers who were employed simply to gain more votes,” he explained.

De Marco said that after a number of years where the number of government employees was decreasing, numbers were back up to the levels typical of around 10 years ago.

He also called into question the employment of around 200 people to positions of trust, ranging from cleaners to dog handlers and other positions. He made mention of notable individual cases, where the excessive pay given to the individuals was public knowledge, such as that of Cyrus Engerer, now Malta's permanent representation in the EU and Konrad Mizzi’s wife among others.

Comodini Cachia, shadow minister for education and employment, recalled how she received complaints from members of the public, who said that the ‘jobs for the boys’ situation was unfair and demoralizing, particularly when promotions were up for grabs.

Buttigieg, shadow minister for health, said that the employment of unqualified individuals was impacting the health sector as well. The poor management at Mater Dei was leading to more patients in corridors, while she called Mount Carmel, whose experienced manager was replaced, a ‘Labour party club’.

“The government has brought fear and demoralization back, hiring incompetent people to honour its promises,” Buttigieg said.

“Given that this government was elected with a rallying cry for democracy, the people deserve more than this,” she added referring to cases that had come to public attention during these two years.