Clayton Bartolo

The Honourable Clayton Bartolo
Bartolo in 2022
Member of the Maltese Parliament
Personal details
Born	(1987-06-02) 2 June 1987 (age 37) Tal-Pietà, Republic of Malta
Political party	Independent (since 2024)
Other political affiliations	Labour Party (until 2024) Socialists & Democrats (European affiliation)
Spouse	Amanda Muscat ​ (m. 2024)​
Alma mater	University of Malta

Clayton Bartolo (born 2 June 1987) is a Maltese (Labour Party) politician and former Minister for Tourism.[1][2] He first entered politics as a councillor and later deputy mayor of the local council of Mellieħa.[2] He was elected as a Labour member of the Parliament of Malta in June 2017.[3]

Known for his lavish spending and controversies,[4] in November 2024, he was forced to resign as Minister for Tourism and as a Labour MP after a scandal broke out involving the promotion of his then-girlfriend and personal secretary Amanda Muscat to a consultancy role and allowing her to receive a salary without fulfilling her duties for 13 months.[5] He continues to serve as an independent MP.[2]

Scandals and resignation

An investigation by Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi found that Bartolo, together with fellow Minister Clint Camilleri, breached the ministerial code of ethics through a consultancy contract they gave Amanda Muscat, at the time, Bartolo’s girlfriend and personal secretary.

Commissioner Azzopardi found that following the start of the extramarital relationship between Bartolo and Amanda Muscat in 2020 – then his private secretary – the latter was promoted to a much higher grade as policy consultant, a position for which she was not qualified for. It was found that despite her supposed move to the Gozo ministry, Muscat never worked at Clint Camilleri’s Ministry and never wrote a single consultancy report for which she was supposedly hired. Instead, the Commissioner found that Muscat continued to work at Clayton Bartolo’s ministry as his private secretary but received her salary from the Gozo ministry.[6]

Bartolo, considered a close ally of Prime Minister Robert Abela, initially refused to resign. Prime Minister Abela, having personally terminated Muscat's contract in 2021, initially insinuated that he wouldn't ask for Bartolo's resignation, instead deferring the decision to the bi-partisan parliamentary standards committee.[7] Nevertheless, after a second scandal emerged where Muscat was alleged to have received a €50,000 kickback for a Malta Tourism Authority deal, Prime Minister Robert Abela forced Clayton Bartolo to resign on 26 November 2024. Furthermore, Abela expelled Bartolo from the Labour parliamentary group.[2][8]

Personal life

Bartolo has been married to Amanda Muscat since 28 June 2024.[9][10]

References

1. "These are Robert Abela's ministers and parliamentary secretaries". Times of Malta. 15 January 2020.
2. "Clayton Bartolo resigns as Tourism Minister as second scandal emerges". Times of Malta. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
3. "Hon. Clayton Bartolo MP". Parliament of Malta. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
4. "Clayton Bartolo's story of lavish spending, controversy, record tourism numbers". Times of Malta. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
5. "Fact check: How much more did Amanda Muscat earn as a consultant?". Times of Malta. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
6. "Two ministers abused power by giving girlfriend lucrative job she didn't do". Times of Malta. 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
7. "PN MPs: 'Stop lying about us to shift attention from pay scandal'". Times of Malta. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
8. "Clayton Bartolo's wife suspected of receiving €50,000 kickback for MTA deal". Times of Malta. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
9. Sciberras, Clara (29 June 2024). "Watch: Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo Gets Married In Lavish Wedding". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
10. "Eyebrows raised as minister's wedding coincides with film awards set-up". Retrieved 27 November 2024.