Sai Mizzi’s replacement will not occupy Consul General role – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta Enterprise
The new Malta Enterprise Representative, Jennifer Shen May, will not occupy the role of Consul General of the Republic of Malta in Shanghai, as Sai Mizzi Liang did before her, spokespersons at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Malta Enterprise have confirmed to The Malta Independent.
The ministry also revealed that Mrs Mizzi Liang will not continue in her post as Consul General and will be replaced by Ruth Mary Farrugia.
Ms Farrugia, is currently acting as the First Secretary at the Consulate General in Shanghai and is a former Consul General in Toronto, Canada.
The spokesperson went on to say that Mrs Mizzi Liang had “never received any remuneration from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for her post as Consul General.
Mrs Mizzi Lang’s original contract, which had expired on 26 August 2016, was tabled by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in parliament on 14 July 2014 and was based on those of former ambassadors Joe Cassar and Karl Xuereb.
This indicated that she had been given an ambassador’s salary, a diplomatic passport and diplomatic duties, plus payments that went beyond the basic salary.
The contract states that Mrs Mizzi will be getting €222,000 in three years plus payments that go beyond the basic salary.
Mrs Mizzi had a one-time payment of €8,500 to settle down and payment for container shipment, a representation allowance of €10,000 over three years, €8720
over three years in child allowance, €45,000 over three years for her residence, €30,000 over three years for a car and petrol allowance (conservative estimate), a payment for a driver which is not included in the package, €18,000 (conservative estimate) for use of telephony, and medical care.
Mrs Mizzi, her husband Dr Mizzi and the children can travel to and from Malta to and from China up to five times per year, all expenses paid.
It has been estimated that Mrs Mizzi Liang has earned €558,000 in her three and half year employment with the government agency. This amounts to €13,000 per month.
It is not clear what the salary of Mrs Shen May will be but The Malta Enterprise spokesperson had earlier told The Malta Independent that “the financial package will be more or less on the same lines as that of Ms Mizzi.”
The Ministry for Economy told the newsroom that they would not be able to provide the figures as Ms Shen May is not a politically exposed person.
Mrs Mizzi was first appointed to the post in August 2013 amid controversy after she acquired the role without an open call for applications.
On 26 February 2016 her husband Minister Without Portfolio Konrad Mizzi had announced she would be vacating the role.
However, on 26 August 2016, her contract was extended for a further six months by the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business.
Minister Cardona would later claim that he had informed the press regarding this extension. However, all independent media reported that in fact he said that he did not exclude Mrs Mizzi Liang from reappointment.
On 27 February 2017, The Ministry announced that Mrs Mizzi Liang was to replaced as the Malta Enterprise Representative in Asia by Jennifer Shen May.
Ms Shen May was one of the ten final candidates from the public call for applications in November 2016, the ME representative confirmed. A government statement read that Ms Shen May is by nationality Chinese, and is a qualified accountant.
“She has been working in Malta for more than 20 years, and has knowledge of business dynamics in Malta.”
“She speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, fluently. Her main responsibility will be to target and attract potential foreign investment from China.”
Ms Shen May will be one out of two ME representatives with the second being Mr Peter Paul Meli who is based in London.