Third top job in two years for Joseph Cuschieri’s daughter

The daughter of disgraced Project Green CEO Joseph Cuschieri has moved on to another top job at another government agency, the third such job in two years, despite being in her early twenties.

Katrina Cuschieri, recruited as a government consultant by her father’s long-time friend, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli in 2022, despite her young age and lack of experience, has now been given a new position as Business Development Manager at Infrastructure Malta.

Her recruitment was one of the first decisions made by Steve Ellul, the failed MEP candidate who was made CEO shortly after his poor result at last June’s elections.

Ellul used to hold the same role – CEO at Project Green – which Katrina Cuschieri’s father now has.

Joseph Cuschieri shows designs to Minister Miriam Dalli and two of his new managers as Project Green CEO.

Sources have told The Shift that Ellul handpicked Cuscheri without following routine recruitment procedures and placed her under his direct supervision as part of the CEO’s office staff.

Ellul did not reply to questions about details of the recruitment process, whether Infrastructure Malta had published a vacancy announcement for a business development manager, or how many other candidates were interviewed before Cuschieri was selected. He also turned down a request for her contract.

It is unclear why the government’s roads agency, tasked with implementing infrastructural upgrades along Malta’s road network, needs a business development manager.

In 2022, as soon as she returned to Malta from her studies in London, Minister Miriam Dalli immediately gave Katrina Cuschieri – the granddaughter of former President George Vella – a contract to serve as her consultant.

She was later internally promoted and put on a €50,000 financial package usually reserved for senior and experienced advisers.

The minister also appointed Katrina Cuschieri to the board of another government company under her control, Clearflow PLC, a subsidiary of the Water Services Corporation. She is still a director of the company, in addition to her new job at Infrastructure Malta.

Her father, Joseph, was booted out of the Malta Financial Services Authority in 2020 after revelations of his close relations with businessman Yorgen Fenech, accused of involvement in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Joseph Cuschieri was caught going on a Las Vegas trip paid for by Fenech with his friend and MFSA chief legal officer, Edwina Licari.