PL ‘dinosaur’ to be given Tourism Authority chairmanship

Former Labour Minister Charles Mangion, 73, is to be given a top government position after having been sidelined when Robert Abela became prime minister.

The Shift is informed that Mangion, from Luqa, will be appointed chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) – the remit of Minister Ian Borg.

The MTA controls one of the most productive sectors of the economy and is given a huge annual budget. The Authority has been criticised for its lack of transparency and accountability.

Sources close to the industry told The Shift that the return of Mangion was not being welcomed with much enthusiasm. Abela was told to find someone more dynamic and young to spearhead the crucial industry. Abela ignored the suggestions.

“Mangion was privately harming the party, particularly the prime minister, as he was not given any important position since Abela took over the government. It seems that Abela got the hint and wants to tame the dinosaur,” Labour sources said.

Mangion will need the approval of the Parliamentary Public Appointment Committee to take over the MTA. This requires a simple majority.

Mangion will be taking over the leadership of the MTA from Gavin Gulia. After more than 10 years at the helm of the MTA, Gulia was given a new position as Malta’s ambassador to Poland and has taken up residence in Warsaw.

After failing to return to parliament in 2013, Mangion was immediately appointed chairman of Enemalta by former minister Konrad Mizzi.

On his watch, Enemalta was embroiled in various scandals and shady deals, particularly the investment in the Montenegro wind farm, the controversial new gas-fired power plant, and the sale of part of its shareholding to the Chinese government.

In 2017, upon Labour’s second electoral success, Mizzi appointed Mangion chairman of Air Malta, leading to the start of its rapid demise.

While Air Malta was registering heavy losses under Mangion, Mizzi signed a collective agreement that, according to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, was the last nail in the national airline’s coffin.

Despite Air Malta losing some €170,000 a day, in 2019, Mangion and Mizzi told a press conference that the airline had managed to make a profit. This was a false declaration later confirmed by Minister Caruana.

Mangion was replaced at Air Malta when Abela took over Labour, and Mizzi was forced to resign.