Matthew Vella
Former Nationalist secretary-general Joe Saliba has denied reports that he is working as a consultant to construction magnate Charles Polidano, reportedly on a €40,000 salary.
Saliba told MaltaToday that he was not working for Polidano, and did not rule out any potential employment when asked whether there were plans to work for Polidano.
“I am not working with anybody. Ideally, I will work with anyone who asks for my services,” Saliba said. “I’ll even work for MaltaToday if you ask me to be a consultant.”
Saliba’s comments reiterated his earlier statement to this newspaper two weeks ago, where he denied being in Polidano’s employ, although he stopped short of stating what his current activity was: “It’s not your business. Today I’m a private person.”
Similarly, former Labour deputy leader Michael Falzon had also denied being employed by the same Polidano.
“I am neither employed part-time, nor full-time, or in any other way,” Falzon said, before reminding this newspaper: “don’t you know I have already sued you for libel, and ceded three of the suits?”
Labour organ KullHadd last Sunday claimed Saliba, a stonemason by trade, was “expected” to be employed as Polidano’s consultant in one of his company’s subsidiaries.
Saliba however told KullHadd he was not going to answer any questions from the newspaper over the reports: “What I’m going to do is none of your business.”
Saliba resigned from his post as PN secretary-general in June after 11 years at the helm of the Pietà headquarters, having led three successful general election campaigns.
He had touted a potential consultancy job in the private sector back in June when interviewed on TVM programme Dissett last June:
“As I’ve said previously, there is no secret. I have a number of positive requests and I thank everyone since I was surprised at the amount of requests I’ve had from the private sector for consultancy work, and I have to take a final decision.
“There is no rush… I’ll see whether I will go into the private sector, do consultancy work, or back to my university job where I was financially better off than I am today.”
He was also asked on the same programme whether he had any intention of working for his close friend, construction magnate Nazzareno Vassallo, whose construction firm – like Polidano’s – also rendered services for the construction of the new Nationalist Party headquarters, Saliba’s final oeuvre.
In a country with no clear rules on party financing, Saliba’s summer holiday aboard Vassallo’s yacht with the contractor, stole the headlines in 2007.
But Saliba, who had ruled out any political activity or diplomatic appointments for the future, did not answer whether he was seeking a position in Vassallo’s firm.

mvella@mediatoday.com.mt

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