Be the first to comment!Update: Justyne Caruana resigns as Education Minister
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Update with the MUT response below – The Government has announced in a brief statement that earlier today Justyne Caruana informed Prime Minister Robert Abela of her resignation as Minister for Education.
”The Prime Minister accepted this resignation,” it said.
Justyne Caruana, in a statement on social media, confirmed her resignation as Minister for Education earlier today.
”I got into politics to serve. I was never tied to the seat of power and so I felt that this was the best decision at the moment for the Government and the Labour Party,” she said.
Dr Caruana went on to say that ”I am challenging the report of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. Not least the procedure used.”
”Therefore, through my lawyers, I initiated proceedings before the First Hall of the Civil Court in its constitutional jurisdiction,” Dr Caruana said.
She concluded by saying that,”even though I will not run in the next general election, I consider this an important step in defending my and my family’s reputation. Above all, for every institution in our country to work with respect for the basic principles of justice.”
The report released last week by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life George Hyzler, said that that the awarding of a €15,000 contract to Daniel Bogdanovic by the then Minister for Education Justyne Caruana, has amounted to an “abuse of power.”
Update MUT
The MUT in response to the resignation of the Education Minister, said that it welcomed the news, adding that it was ”necessary for the education sector to continue to move forward after having already been shaken by the changes of three Ministers in the last two years.”
Having ”closely followed the situation regarding the report of the Commissioner for Standards against Minister Caruana it was clear from the outset, and long before the report came out, that the Minister’s decision to award a contract to a close person was wrong,” it said.
The Union said that Commissioner George Hyzler’s report ”confirmed that the Minister had violated the code of ethics of Members of Parliament, and therefore did not yet have the necessary moral authority and integrity to run the Ministry of Education.”
