Ian Borg’s man at Transport Malta steps down, remains at agency on full pay

Minister Ian Borg’s lasting hold on Transport Malta has been loosened with ousting of one of his key officials from a top position at the beleaguered regulator and agency, The Shift can report.

The Shift is informed that it was on the direct instructions of the Prime Minister that Transport Malta’s new CEO Jonathan Borg ordered deputy CEO and COO Kevin Farrugia to step down with immediate effect.

Farrugia, who was appointed to one of the top jobs at the agency in 2018 by then-transport minister Ian Borg directly, is known to have been one of the key people at the agency that curried favour with Borg’s constituents.

The Shift has already reported Farrugia was one of a group of individuals involved in the driving licences corruption scandal, through which recommended individuals were given licences without sitting for exams or by being given considerable assistance from examiners.

The scam was allegedly run by Transport Malta official Clint Mansueto, who is facing criminal charges, with the help of a closely knit group of Borg’s friends including his former consultant Jesmond Zammit.

Farrugia, former CEO Joseph Bugeja and his personal assistant Rachel Debono, who is now working within the office of Robert Abela)  are known to have been aware of what was going on.

Sources at Transport Malta told The Shift that Farrugia’s head has been on the block for a long time, particularly since Transport Malta was removed from Borg’s ministerial portfolio after the last election.

Parked outside but still on a €100,000 contract

The Shift is informed that instead of terminating his contract, as normally happens in such circumstances, Farrugia will be retained on Transport Malta’s payroll with a far less significant job description and with little to do.

Sources at the authority said that Farrugia is to be transferred to administer the Foundation for Transport – a talking shop financed by the government in which the Malta Chamber of SMEs, the Malta Employers Association, MCAST and Malta Enterprise are also members.

According to his three-year definite contract signed in 2019, Borg’s political canvasser had been placed on a salary of over €100,000 a year.

That included a basic salary of €78,000, a performance bonus, allowances for a car and fuel, mobile and residential phones and international health insurance for himself and family members.

His contract, which was meant to have expired in 2022, stipulates that Farrugia – an accountant and auditor by profession – is to not engage in any other work, not even part-time, apart from that at Transport Malta.