Taxpayers pick up tab to fly Michelle Muscat to Bahamas to collect award

Taxpayers picked up the tab to fly the Prime Minister’s wife Michelle Muscat to the Bahamas in order to collect an award for her philanthropic work, in what a government spokesman described as a “personal stay”. A spokesman for the Prime Minister confirmed that the government paid €2,550 to fly Ms Muscat to the award ceremony held in Nassau, the Bahamas capital city. The government paid for her air ticket as she was invited as the Prime Minister’s wife, the spokesman said, adding that no further costs regarding her “personal stay” were incurred by the government. Despite not holding any government role, a press release announcing the Bahamas philanthropic award was issued by the Office of the Prime Minister. Replying to questions by the Times of Malta, the spokesman said Ms Muscat was the spouse of the Prime Minister and was invited in that function, which was why the press release was issued from the OPM. The spokesman said Ms Muscat was given the award in appreciation of the political and philanthropic work she had been carrying out both locally and internationally. Ms Muscat chairs the Bank of Valletta-backed Marigold Foundation, which was launched in 2014 after the bank...