Norma Saliba has stepped down from her role as Chief Executive Officer of the Centre of the Maltese Language (Iċ-Ċentru tal-Ilsien Malti), and was appointed Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Labour Party.
In a statement, the Labour Party highlighted her 25 years of media experience and wished her success in her new role. The Labour Party also extended its thanks to her predecessor, Ronald Vassallo, who resigned last month.
Ms Saliba will be succeeded by Maris Camilleri, currently a visiting research fellow at the University of Essex in England. Dr Camilleri previously lectured on syntax in the Department of Languages and Linguistics at the same university and served as a casual lecturer at the Institute of Linguistics at the University of Malta. Her linguistic research spans across England, Austria, and Malta, and since the beginning of this year, she has provided linguistic consultation to the centre.
Dr Camilleri has also published extensively on the Maltese language in academic journals.
The Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government will enter consultations with the National Counsil for the Maltese Language (Il-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti) regarding this leadership transition.
The Ministry, in a press release, expressed its gratitude to Ms Saliba for her “immensely valuable work,” not only in establishing the Centre of the Maltese Language but also for working on several projects and initiatives that promote the Maltese language, with a particular focus on children, journalists, and public administration.
Controversy surrounding the appointment
Ms Saliba's departure from the Centre of the Maltese Language comes after a lot of controversy surrounding her appointment and the operational structure of the language centre.
Reports revealed that Ms Saliba had been awarded a two-year contract worth €72,000 for her role as Chief Executive Officer, which led to concerns from various NGOs, including the National Counsil for the Maltese Language.
Key organisations in the language sector, such as the Akkademja tal-Malti and the Għaqda tal-Malti – Università, also expressed discontent, distancing themselves from the centre. They raised concerns about the lack of transparency in its establishment and criticised the absence of proper consultation with language experts and stakeholders.
The controversy surrounding the new language centre has placed additional pressure on the Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government, with calls for greater involvement from experienced professionals in the sector.
Despite these issues, the Ministry has remained committed to supporting the centre's mission to promote the Maltese language.
