Chief Justice given use of a second official car

Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri has been granted the use of two official cars, The Times has learnt. All members of the judiciary are eligible to use one Government-funded, chauffeur-driven car for their official and private engagements, the Justice Ministry confirmed. However, the Chief Justice has permission to use two. Asked to explain why the Chief Justice needs two vehicles at his disposal although having just one driver, a Justice Ministry spokesman said: “While judges and magistrates have a car to use for both official and personal reasons, Dr Camilleri has one car for official use and the other for private use.” Sources close to the judiciary said this was the first time that the Chief Justice had been given access to two cars paid by the taxpayer. “Although there were instances where Dr Camilleri’s predecessors asked to have a second car to be at par with ministers, the authorities always turned down such requests, insisting one was enough,” the sources said. The Prime Minister, ministers and parliamentary secretaries have a second car at their disposal as well as the official ministerial one. According to an agreement reached between the Government and the judiciary in...