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5 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2013 Energy minister's wife will operate from Shanghai Sai Mizzi Liang's financial package remains undeclared MIRIAM DALLI BREAKING its weeklong silence, Malta Enterprise has finally declared that Sai Mizzi Liang, wife of Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, will be operating from Shanghai. Her financial package was however not made public, with Malta Enterprise insisting her salary and conditions were in line with those applicable in Malta's foreign service. Local media reports have placed her basic salary at €40,000. In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, after Mizzi became the second government minister to tell journalists that any technical questions should be directed to Malta Enterprise, the company's office of the chairman listed Mizzi Liang's qualifications, which make her "excellently qualified for her mission". MaltaToday had sought clarifications from Malta Enterprise Chairman Mario Vella for over a week, but no replies were forthcoming. Mizzi Liang is a government envoy with the responsibility of promoting Asian investment in Malta and Maltese exports. She was engaged on 26 August for a "definite" (but unspecified) period. No additional details were offered, except that her targets include China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. Reacting to criticism of the direct appointment, Malta Enterprise said envoys are not appointed through public calls. "This is in fact not the first time that a government appointed a special envoy with a specific mission related to investment promotion, nor is it the first time that these envoys were contracted through Malta Enterprise," the office of the chairman said. "Her salary and conditions are in line with those applicable in Malta's foreign service." Mizzi Liang, a Maltese citizen, holds a first degree in international trade from Dalian, China, pursued postgraduate studies at the Beijing Prime minister's busy schedule in New York Joseph Muscat seeks 'to strengthen country's relationship with neighbouring countries in the Mediterranean' BETWEEN receptions and bilateral meetings, the first 48 hours of the Maltese delegation to the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly have been quite busy. The delegation, led by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, met with the Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra, Egypt's foreign minister Nabil Fahmy, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. Their third meeting taking place in New York, the warm rapport between Muscat and his Libyan counterpart was evident from the friendly greetings they exchanged. The two continued discussing the way forward following the signing of the memorandum between Malta and Libya, securing advantageous prices for the procurement of petrol, diesel, jet oil and LPG. Zeidan reiterated his government's commitment in collaborating with Malta on energy, while Muscat said the agreement will translate into peace of mind for both consumers and Enemalta workers. "This agreement goes hand-inhand with the memorandum of understanding signed with China, which will also result in Malta exporting energy," Muscat said. Muscat and Zeidan pledged collaboration in different sectors. Meeting the GCC Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, (left) and his wife, Sai Mizzi Liang (centre) Foreign Language University and has a master's degree in investment and finance from the University of Nottingham. She specialises in business development, international investment and trade promotion, market research and project management. Mizzi Liang has in the past developed business plans in various industrial sectors to access the Asian markets and also supported the development of tourism promotion. "A few years ago, Mrs Mizzi also project managed the first version of the Visit Malta websites for the Japanese and Chinese markets. She also carried out market analysis for international companies pursuing opportunities in China and in Asia. She worked with Big Four audit companies for a number of years as well as with international export firms in Asia and Europe," Malta Enterprise said. mdalli@mediatoday.com.mt During the meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council, Muscat spoke about the government's plan in directing its foreign policy towards Malta's neighboring countries in the Mediterranean. The GCC is a political and economic union of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Muscat highlighted the importance of a strong relationship between the island and GCC, both as an organisation and with the individual countries. Muscat insisted it was high time that Malta strengthened its relationship with Mediterranean countries. "This cooperation will give a particular focus to energy. And like agreements have been signed with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat with Libyan PM Ali Zeidan (Photo: Omar Camilleri/DOI) China and Libya, GCC Member States have an important role to play in investing in Malta's traditional and alternative energy," the Prime Minister said. He added that such cooperation could also include commercial investment. "Like the investment made by a Kuwaiti company in Fimbank, same could be done by GCC members in helping the stability and prosperity of other countries like Malta," Muscat said. GCC secretary-general Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani said Malta could help in facilitating their investment across EU Member States. Meeting Egypt, Algeria The Maltese delegation also met the Algerian minister for foreign affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, and Egypt's foreign minister, Nabil Fahmy. During his talks with Fahmy, Muscat was briefed over the current situation in Egypt. The Maltese PM said he hoped that the political process is implemented in the best possible way, as stability in Egypt was important for the Mediterranean. He also said that Malta considered Egypt as a trusted friend and important partner. With Lamamra, Muscat discussed tourism and expressed his government's desire to develop a stronger relationship with Algeria. The possibility of a joint commission being set up was also discussed. Konrad Mizzi denies involvement in wife's direct appointment JEROME CARUANA CILIA ENERGY Minister Konrad Mizzi has denied exercising any influence on Malta Enterprise and Minister for the Economy Chris Cardona in his wife's appointment as a government envoy to Asia. Mizzi's wife, Sai Mizzi Liang, was directly appointed as Malta Enterprise's investment envoy to Asia. According to Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, such a development would have led to the immediate resignation of the minister in democracies abroad. Asked whether he felt there was anything wrong with a minister's wife being given a job by a government entity, Konrad Mizzi insisted that it was "for the people to judge". Mizzi also denied having used his influence with either Malta Enterprise or Minister Chris Cardona. "She was the one who was approached for the envoy's post... I'm not going to enter into the merits of how ME works," Mizzi said. The energy minister insisted that members of the press were justified in asking questions about his wife's appointment but insisted he had nothing to do with it. "All I can say is that I wasn't involved in the appointment, save for the discussion we held as a family after she was approached. But I am not here to defend my wife, and I'm not her lawyer. If you have any questions, I refer you to who is responsible for the appointment," Mizzi said. The minister for energy insisted that his wife had been approached because Malta Enterprise felt that her qualifications made her fit for the job. "It was an appointment like any other, and she decided to go for it both as a challenge for her own ca- reer and to give something back. But I can reassure you that Ms Mizzi will not be involved in work with my ministry," he said. Mizzi added that his wife was keen to do the job and he hoped she did it well. On his part, Minister Chris Cardona on Monday said he had "no idea" how Mizzi's wife had been recruited by Malta Enterprise, an entity for which Cardona is politically responsible. However, he insisted that Sai Mizzi Liang's recruitment did not require a public call, as "she is specialised" in the area. Opposition calls for 'responsibility to be shouldered' The Nationalist Party has questioned the level of transparency with which the appointment of Sai Mizzi Liang as investment envoy to Asia was carried out. "Mizzi, Joseph Muscat and Chris Cardona must shoulder responsibil- ity for what has happened," PN Secretary-General Chris Said told the press when asked directly whether anyone had to resign over the appointment, as Simon Busuttil had declared. The Opposition insisted that political responsibility fell on the prime minister, given the Labour government's battle cry of meritocracy, transparency and good governance. Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami said that Mizzi Liang, ostensibly on a €40,000 salary and soon to be based in a Shanghai office, had been handpicked for the job. "I'm sure there are people out there who have as good a qualification for the job as the minister's wife." "The impression given so far is that the sole criterion used for her appointment is the fact that she is Chinese," Said added. He asked for the government to reveal her full salary and benefits, her job description, whether the appointment was discussed at cabinet level and whether permission from Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had been sought. "We also want to know whether Ms Mizzi Liang's parental links in Asia are being used for business connections in Malta." In a reaction, the Labour Party said the Nationalist Party was "panicking" because the government was on track with its plans to reduce water and electricity bills. "Because they cannot attack the minister, they are turning their guns on his wife," the PL said. The PL said the PN government itself used to make use of Mizzi Liang's services: "It appears that until they realised who Mizzi Liang was, the PN had faith in her abilities." Shortly after the Opposition's press conference, Malta Enterprise issued a statement detailing Mizzi Liang's qualifications.