Sai Mizzi’s contract renewed by government

Sai Mizzi Liang will remain the Malta Enterprise China Envoy after her contract was renewed, according to reports published by journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Mrs Mizzi was first appointed to the post in August 2013 amid controversy after she acquired the role without an open call for applications. It was revealed that she was pocketing €13,000 a month for her services.

Mrs Caruana Galizia claims that Malta Enterprise Chairman William Wait confirmed this over a telephone conversation the two had earlier yesterday.

She has quoted him as saying: “There was a call for applications to fill the post, and we had a lot of interest. There were many applications,” he said. “Then her contract was renewed.”

When asked as to whether or not Sai Mizzi’s contract held the same terms and conditions as her previous one, Mr Wait said: “I am not sure when it was renewed exactly but I believe it was in the last quarter of 2016.”

Mr Wait has avoided multiple phone calls by this newsroom to confirm or deny these reports.

Questions surrounding Sai Mizzi’s employment emerged after PN candidate and radio presenter David Thake called the consulate in Shanghai and asked for Mrs Mizzi, only to be told that “she is not here right now” but also that “she still works here.”

According to both Maltese and Chinese government websites, Mrs Mizzi also holds the post of Consul General at the Malta Consulate in Shanghai.

In 2014, when it emerged that she had been given an ambassador’s salary, a diplomatic passport and diplomatic duties, Minister George Vella confirmed that Sai Mizzi was not employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Office of the Prime Minister, in replies to questions by this paper, implied that Mrs Mizzi’s job is primarily that of a diplomat and secondly as a trade envoy.

The Malta Independent attempted yesterday to contact Chris Cardona’s and George Vella’s ministries all day for comments on Sai Mizzi’s current position. This newsroom is yet to receive a reply.

Early yesterday, Mrs Mizzi’s husband, Minister Konrad Mizzi, insisted that he would not answer questions that involved his personal life and that these should be directed to the responsible authorities.

The screenshot above was taken from the Foreign Affairs Ministry website yesterday morning.

“My guidelines are that I am here as minister within the office of the Prime Minister on these (energy) matters and all other questions should be answered by the responsible authorities.”

Dr Mizzi said last year that his wife would relinquish her China post. Mrs Mizzi’s €13,000 a month package has been the subject of controversy throughout this legislature.

Back in August, Economy Minister Chris Cardona did not exclude reappointing Mrs Mizzi to the role. Her contract expired that month.

But in September the government announced that it had appointed a successor.