Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512265
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 NOVEMBER 2023 NEWS sent the CEO an email on 5 June 2019 with an attachment titled 'Contract RCutajar' which was the draft contract of employment. This chronology and the payment of arrears in Cutajar's first pay cheque, led the NAO to conclude that the contract was backdated, a practice deemed irregular. NAO questions competence On a different note, the NAO also questioned Cutajar's compe- tence for the role considering the job description included in the contract that also required her to prepare and review financial reports. The NAO said: "Notwithstand- ing the arguments put forward by Hon. Cutajar, the NAO is of the opinion that certain functions and duties required technical ex- pertise, such as the preparation and review of financial reports, and the ensuring of legal com- pliance. In both these respects, Hon. Cutajar did not have the necessary expertise to fulfil these duties in a diligent and profes- sional manner, thereby casting doubt on the rationale to engage the consultant and the basis of her employment." Additionally, the audit office found "scant evidence of work carried out" by Cutajar in her new role. "In sum, based on the submis- sions by the ITS and Hon. Cuta- jar, the evidence of work carried out by the consultant [Cutajar] over a period of approximately eight months consisted of screen- shots of the calendar event of two meetings organised by the CEO ITS, the referral of the Institute's organisational chart, and journal entries of another ITS official corresponding to four meetings," the NAO said. Under-declared income The NAO expressed "concern" over Cutajar's submissions to parliament, which under-de- clared her income from public funds. According to the NAO, Cuta- jar's gross income declaration submitted with the Cabinet Secretary was understated by €14,132. Aside from her engagement with the ITS, in 2019, Cutajar earned income of €43,777 from her role as Commissioner for Simplification and Reduction of Bureaucracy and €26,165 as a Member of Parliament. Aggre- gated with the €18,190 earned in 2019 as consultant, her gross earnings amounted to €88,132. "This income exceeded the €74,000 declared by Cutajar by €14,132," the NAO said. Only last week, the Standards Commissioner said he was una- ble to investigate the ITS consul- tancy deal given to Cutajar since a complaint about it was filed too late according to the law. Cutajar erroneously had claimed the report exonerated her from wrongdoing. The NAO findings today clearly put a damper on the MP's eupho- ria. Rosianne's tourism school contract When was Rosianne Cutajar engaged as a consultant? The contract of employment was entered into between Institute for Tourism Studies CEO Pierre Fenech and Cutajar on 2 May 2019. What was her remuneration? The contract of employment was for a three-year period with a remuneration set at €27,000 annually. She was paid an hourly rate of €21.63 per hour, exceeding the threshold in force at the time of €18.59 per hour. What hours was Cutajar expected to work? The contract stipulated that she had to work for 24 hours a week. What were Cutajar's duties? The contract stated that her duties comprised providing strategic and operational support, establishing performance standards and indicators, acting as a representative of the Institute and facilitating stakeholder management, the drafting and reviewing of financial documents, and enforcing adherence to legal guidelines and internal policies. When did the contract end? Cutajar resigned from her employment as consultant on 13 January 2020 on her appointment as parliamentary secretary for equality and reforms. How much did she earn? During her engagement as consultant, Cutajar earned a gross income of €19,195. over Cutajar's employment ITS CEO Pierre Fenech (above) employed independent MP Rosianne Cutajar (left) as a consultant The NAO said the financial beneficiary of the breaches flagged in its report was Cutajar but this was facilitated and rendered possible by the actions of Pierre Fenech when consenting to the disbursement of public funds "he was duty bound to safeguard"