Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545651
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 1 JULY 2026 NEWS Kurt Farrugia to head Residency Malta, Labour CEO to captain Transport Malta FORMER Transport Malta (TM) CEO, Kurt Farrugia has been appointed CEO of Residen- cy Malta, while Leonid McKay will head the transport watch- dog. Last week, MaltaToday report- ed that Farrugia was set to take over the entity. This followed the death of Residency Malta's former CEO Jonathan Cardona, as well as a fallout between Far- rugia and Transport Minister Chris Bonett. This newspaper had reported that Bonett was pushing for TM to be headed by his chief of staff, Stephanie Bonello, while OPM wanted McKay at TM's helm. On Tuesday, the Education Ministry confirmed that Farru- gia will take over at Residency Malta on 1 July. The ministry also expressed its appreciation for the contribu- tion of the late Jonathan Cardo- na, "whose dedication and vision played an important role in the growth and success of Residenza Malta." Leonid McKay, who was cho- sen as the Labour Party's CEO in 2024, has been placed as TM's CEO. Before his time at the PL, McKay headed Jobsplus and the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis. Meanwhile, Chris Bonett's chief of staff, Stephanie Bonello was allowed to head the Sustain- able Transport Ministry's mass transport project. Bonello is a lawyer by pro- fession and has worked in the public sector for more than nine years, where, among other things, she worked on affordable housing reforms. Bonett thanked Kurt Farrugia for his service at TM and wished McKay and Bonello well for their new roles. MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Under the proposed sanctions: Dean Bugeja, Kyle Navarro, Alec Fenech, Aidan Muscat and Jacob Saliba each face a three-month suspension and must cooperate with AQIU educational initia- tives for five years; Ben Plump- ton faces a four-month suspen- sion and must provide medical evidence by 31 December 2026 that he has undergone treatment for gambling addiction, in addi- tion to participating in educa- tional initiatives for five years; Jake Bonavia and Liam Galea each face a four-month suspen- sion, a $750 fine and a five-year commitment to AQIU educa- tional programmes; and Jake Tanti faces a four-month sus- pension, a $1,000 fine and a five- year commitment to educational initiatives. The AQIU said that if the ath- letes admit the charges and ac- cept the proposed sanctions by 7 July 2026, they may qualify for a partial or full suspension of the period of ineligibility and any associated fines, provided they commit no further integrity vio- lations within the following two years. The case stems from allega- tions that emerged during the 2026 European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, prompting the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports (AIMS) to launch an investiga- tion in January. In June, the Aquatic Sports As- sociation (ASA) said an internal investigation had found no pri- ma facie evidence of match-fix- ing after reviewing information submitted by AIMS. In a statement, the Aquatic Sports Association Malta said it was satisfied that the AQIU has confirmed that no evidence of match-fixing, match manipula- tion, or any attempt to improp- erly influence the outcome of any match could be identified. However, the association said it takes "seriously the fact that the investigation did identify betting-related activities by in- dividuals bound by the Integrity Code". "While these activities did not, on the evidence before the AQIU, amount to manipulation of competitive results, any bet- ting by covered persons raises legitimate integrity concerns and falls short of the standards the Association expects of those who represent Maltese aquat- ics. The ASA will continue to engage constructively with the AQIU and with the individuals concerned as they consider the responses open to them under the Code," the ASA said. The ASA said it is developing a comprehensive programme of training and awareness-raising initiatives for athletes, coach- es, match officials, and support personnel, covering the rules on betting, the consequences of breaches, and the support avail- able to those who may be ap- proached to engage in improper conduct. No evidence of match-fixing but players breached World Aquatics betting rules The Education Ministry confirmed that Kurt Farrugia will take over at Residency Malta on 1 July, while Leonid McKay will head Malta's transport authority on 3 July • Chris Bonett's former chief of staff will head the Sustainable Transport Ministry's mass transport project The top seat at Transport Malta was the source of a fallout between its former CEO and Transport Minister Chris Bonett