The government’s official website, www.gov.mt, has wiped out all available information on appointees to the dozens of government boards and agencies that form part of the extended public sector.
In an inexplicable move that goes against the concept of open government and transparency, the names of hundreds of individuals appointed to government boards have been removed from the website.
The government’s online service now only provides the name of the board or agency and the ministry under which it falls. There is no longer any information on the boards’ compositions or any information on the entities’ chairpersons and board members as was the case until recently.
The government’s chief spokesperson Edward Montebello has not replied to a request for an explanation. Montebello, a former Labour Party spokesperson, regularly refuses to take questions from the independent media.
The deletion of public information from the government’s official portal comes in the same week that Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana is holding an expo, which is more an expensive public relations exercise, showcasing the government’s advancements in the use of technology.
Sultana, who headed the government’s IT agency, MITA, until a few weeks ago, is also not explaining the new restrictions imposed on public information.
The government’s lack of transparency, the withholding of public information and an aversion to the independent media have increased dramatically under the current administration.
While questions from independent digital media newsrooms are consistently and deliberately ignored, freedom of information requests are also frequently turned down by ministries and public agencies.
The government has also had its various departments and agencies mount a SLAPP campaign against The Shift’s freedom of information requests in an attempt to financially cripple the independent newsroom.
The government has so far been losing one case after another.
OHSA has no idea of how many tower cranes are operating in Malta
‘Tal-Bamboċċu’ demands payment from developers over Jerma Palace deal
Prime minister cites new excuse to keep asset declarations secret
Opinion: Debt rising, truth falling – Caruana’s misleading claims
Sign up to our newsletter Stay in the know
"*" indicates required fields
Tags
#agencies
#boards
#edward montebello
#FOI
#freedom of information
#government website
#Malta
#SLAPP
#Tony Sultana
Related News
OHSA has no idea of how many tower cranes are operating in Malta
‘Tal-Bamboċċu’ demands payment from developers over Jerma Palace deal
Prime minister cites new excuse to keep asset declarations secret
Opinion: Debt rising, truth falling – Caruana’s misleading claims
Embarrassment as Malta fails to reach European higher-education standards
Health minister’s former trainee sits on FMS board that employs him
Authorities consider changes to planning rules to override court decision on Ta’ Xbiex restaurant
Payments to failed €55 million project contractor kept under wraps
Opinion: Byron Camilleri’s mess
Tax chief fails to fill €29,000 legal role, hands €78,000 contract to former minister
Bunkering association calls for observation of rules among Maltese players
I think Sultana should also explain the current restrictions imposed on remote workers, which were displayed as favourable measures in the media, but in reality there has been a drastic reduction on remote work throughout the public service ! viva t-traffic from 16th June
They hide everything from the people as they know there is something wrong . They promised they would be transparent on all things and simply did the opposite and this is shameful.
This Gov has a method similar to that of Communist countries . Give all those who side with you the country’s wealth, lie to the people and brain wash the uneducated, Interfere in education to keep all under their thumb, control the media and crush and kill those who oppose them. This is all contrary to what a democratic country should be facing today.
Maybe they all have been fired? Or somebody hacked the site and deleted everything.
Somebody in their IT management was really pissed off?
A big reshuffle is being planned and the whole setup has been deleted ?
Too many cheques were issued and someone pulled the plug?
AI took over, and Gahan blew his top.
Looks like a fit of pique from Malta?s bratty PM.
Putin’s Russia comes to Malta. Thanks to the MLP dictatorship.
That’s what they meant in 2013 with transparency.
Aw c’mon, what do you expect in this dystopian one party Mafia state. These people are gangsters and very very dangerous, Omerta rules in many forms and this is just one of them. They really don’t give a fuck bottom line.
it is normal, so they can hide people appointed without any experience and hide the income received from government positions, by now it is understood that none of these government workers pay taxes .. all of them evade that I ask poor citizens to repay the lost money ..
to better hide the spending spree on consultants.
This is a harbinger of things to come!
All Autocratic regimes move in this way to stifle citizens’ rights.
No use, Robert Abela beating his chest and pretending he is a good boy. Actions speak louder than words.
Come next election, Labour needs to be booted out.
Agree, well explained.
Indeed and why, even at its current minimum implementation, it hasn’t been applied to the public sector.
Very well said