Ballotti vows to restore NYC stability
Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti has sought to reassure parliament that government is addressing the leadership crisis at the National Youth Council (NYC), pledging that a substantive board will soon be established to restore stability.
Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly on Thursday, Ballotti walked MPs through the series of events that have left the council in limbo since the expiry of its interim board in August. He stressed that the ministry remained fully engaged in resolving the matter.
Ballotti told lawmakers that when the interim board was appointed in 2010, it did not assume the powers of the executive chairperson, as those were clearly defined in the National Youth Council Act of 2009.
He explained that subsequent arrangements regarding the executive chairperson’s role were made in line with ministerial approval and oversight by the Public Service Commission.
Turning to recent developments, Ballotti acknowledged a letter sent to the minister by certain NYC affiliates ahead of the interim board’s expiry in June. However, he pointed out that the correspondence had not been signed by all affiliates, nor by the chairperson of the executive council.
“While the request for a meeting was noted, scheduling before the interim board’s expiry was unfortunately not possible,” Ballotti said. He confirmed that a follow-up meeting was later convened with affiliate representatives, regional chairpersons and the NYC director in attendance.
Legal wrangles
On the contentious issue of suspensions within the NYC, Ballotti emphasised that any such action must follow a strict procedure.
He conceded that internal requirements had not been met in recent cases, creating challenges.
“My office is working tirelessly to resolve this issue and to ensure that NYC’s operations are not disrupted,” he said. “We are committed to restoring normality in line with the NYC Act and the Public Enterprises Governance Act.”
He further revealed that a court case involving former NYC board members, the ministry, and the council was settled out of court on 10 June. The settlement, he explained, committed the ministry and interim board to resolving the root causes of the dispute, including regional and constitutional leadership matters.
Governance turmoil
Ballotti\'s statement comes against the backdrop of a heated governance row at the NYC. On 28 August, director Calista Schwartz-Gowases issued a memo declaring that the operations of the executive chairperson’s office would fall under her authority “until further notice”. She cited her role under the Act as head of administration and chief accounting officer.
Her move was immediately rejected by Kotokeni Willem Kotokeni, chairperson of the NYC’s representative council, who branded it an “unlawful” takeover. He argued that the executive chairperson serves as the political head of the council, a function that cannot legally be assumed by the director.
Kotokeni warned that the director’s actions created a conflict of interest and risked undermining institutional integrity. He urged the ministry to intervene urgently, describing the situation as a “dangerous precedent” in governance.
Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly on Thursday, Ballotti walked MPs through the series of events that have left the council in limbo since the expiry of its interim board in August. He stressed that the ministry remained fully engaged in resolving the matter.
Ballotti told lawmakers that when the interim board was appointed in 2010, it did not assume the powers of the executive chairperson, as those were clearly defined in the National Youth Council Act of 2009.
He explained that subsequent arrangements regarding the executive chairperson’s role were made in line with ministerial approval and oversight by the Public Service Commission.
Turning to recent developments, Ballotti acknowledged a letter sent to the minister by certain NYC affiliates ahead of the interim board’s expiry in June. However, he pointed out that the correspondence had not been signed by all affiliates, nor by the chairperson of the executive council.
“While the request for a meeting was noted, scheduling before the interim board’s expiry was unfortunately not possible,” Ballotti said. He confirmed that a follow-up meeting was later convened with affiliate representatives, regional chairpersons and the NYC director in attendance.
Legal wrangles
On the contentious issue of suspensions within the NYC, Ballotti emphasised that any such action must follow a strict procedure.
He conceded that internal requirements had not been met in recent cases, creating challenges.
“My office is working tirelessly to resolve this issue and to ensure that NYC’s operations are not disrupted,” he said. “We are committed to restoring normality in line with the NYC Act and the Public Enterprises Governance Act.”
He further revealed that a court case involving former NYC board members, the ministry, and the council was settled out of court on 10 June. The settlement, he explained, committed the ministry and interim board to resolving the root causes of the dispute, including regional and constitutional leadership matters.
Governance turmoil
Ballotti\'s statement comes against the backdrop of a heated governance row at the NYC. On 28 August, director Calista Schwartz-Gowases issued a memo declaring that the operations of the executive chairperson’s office would fall under her authority “until further notice”. She cited her role under the Act as head of administration and chief accounting officer.
Her move was immediately rejected by Kotokeni Willem Kotokeni, chairperson of the NYC’s representative council, who branded it an “unlawful” takeover. He argued that the executive chairperson serves as the political head of the council, a function that cannot legally be assumed by the director.
Kotokeni warned that the director’s actions created a conflict of interest and risked undermining institutional integrity. He urged the ministry to intervene urgently, describing the situation as a “dangerous precedent” in governance.
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