Transport authority’s chief officer also employed as Freeport’s senior manager

Transport Malta refuses to divulge contract of chief officer enforcement who is employed as Freeport’s senior security manager.

Ernest Tonna (right) accompanying Austin Gatt after November's no-confidence vote in parliament. Photo: Ray Attard/Mediatoday
Ernest Tonna (right) accompanying Austin Gatt after November's no-confidence vote in parliament. Photo: Ray Attard/Mediatoday

Transport Malta (TM) is refusing to publish the contract of one of its highest officials, who is earning salaries as both Chief Office Enforcement inside the transport authority, as well as the senior security manager at the Malta Freeport, a parastatal company.

Ernest Tonna, a former police officer and member of the Nationalist Party's 'Gakketta Blu' security retinue, is earning an annual salary of anything between €39,000 and €66,300, according to a reply by transport minister Austin Gatt in parliament on TM's seven chief officers. Tonna also receives a 15% performance bonus.

TM is refusing to reveal details of Tonna's contract, given the unusual set-up for a chief officer of the transport regulator to be employed within another state corporation, run by private operators, and which is itself regulated by Transport Malta.

Tonna also remains close to political circles: last October he was accompanying transport minister Austin Gatt in parliament after a motion of no-confidence by the Opposition was defeated. Tonna was also present for the Opposition's motion of no-confidence against government, which it lost, last January.

Transport Malta has confirmed that Tonna was on its payroll on one-year-long rolling contracts, and that Tonna's contract does not include any clause which entitles him to a compensation should his employment end before the contract expires.

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The enforcer for the Gambino family - err i mean W Gatt!
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Hafna ghajjurin hawn zgur.
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Hafna ghajjurin hawn zgur.
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Hafna ghajjurin hawn zgur.
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U dan il-ftit li nafu. Ahseb u ara li kieku nkunu nafu kollox. U il-Ministru Gatt kien jitkaza b'siehbu Wistin bi zwieten li kienu jaghmlu li jridu. Illum dhalna fl-EU u kullhadd jistenna ahjar. Mhux jimpjega nies bhal Ernest Tonna b'zewg salarji fenominali li l-anqas gradwati bil-Phd ma jaqilghu, meta l-anqas huwa kwalifikat ghal xogholijiet hafna u hafna anqas mill-imjiegi li ghandu.
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Tajjeb. Ernest Tonna ghax ghandu lil Ministru Gatt ghamel 25 sena jibla kemm jiflah u shabu tal-gakketa blu baqghu jittewbu!
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On what criteria was Ernest Tonna employed in these two positions? He simply has secondary education without O-levels. The Maltese should be grateful to Minister Gatt's policy of mediocrity.
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A low-life thug, what the mafia call a foot-soldier; his criminal record would be even more interesting reading if the police are not aware that they have to look the other way. One of the personal body guards for W Austin Gatt - all paid for by the tax payer - the same tax payer who would get his teeth kicked in by this low-life and no justice will ever be done. In the meantime there are university graduates who do not make half of what this shit-for-brains is making.
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Dan mhux l-istess bniedem li ma hax pjacir li s-super one tv mar jiffilmja l-festa nazzjonalista ta s.pawl tal-belt??
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Luke Camilleri
We have the right as tax-payers to know how our taxes are spent to get the full value ! We have entrusted Gonzi and his coteries to administer Malta and its finances, these finances are not theirs but theirs to administer wisely....if possible as if thee were there personal funds and not to squander on family , friends and sustainers!
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Jekk jitla Gvern Laburista u jnehhi il hela bhal fil kas ta dan tal gakketta blu li offja ilu jerda il kaxxa ta Malta min 1987 u ghandu job imfassal ghalih u bzewg salarji enormi biex joqghod cicci bil qeghda ma jghamel xejn u meta tinqala xi vot parlamentari bhal fil kas ta non fiducja ta Ministru u forsi suppost qieghed ix-xoghol, dan kas ta serq sfaccat, mela nehhejna lil Dockyard, nehhejna haddiema ta L-Airmalta, nehhejna haddiema tat Telemalta, tas Seamalta, bihhejna kull assi li kelna biex impjegajna lil tal qalba dak huwa sagrilegg politiku li min hu responsabbli suppost ihallas ta dan is serq, serq iva Sur Tonna, hawn min mghandux ghaxja ta lejla u ghal dawk mghandniex flus imma ghal dan il brigand ghandom, din korruzzjoni insejhila jien , u jekk jitla Gvern Laburista skandli bhal dawn ma jsirux ghax dan li gab lil Malta bdaq dan dejn, akkumula bi hnizrijiet bhal dawn ,iva hekk gara.
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Jekk jitla Gvern Laburista u jnehhi il hela bhal fil kas ta dan tal gakketta blu li offja ilu jerda il kaxxa ta Malta min 1987 u ghandu job imfassal ghalih u bzewg salarji enormi biex joqghod cicci bil qeghda ma jghamel xejn u meta tinqala xi vot parlamentari bhal fil kas ta non fiducja ta Ministru u forsi suppost qieghed ix-xoghol, dan kas ta serq sfaccat, mela nehhejna lil Dockyard, nehhejna haddiema ta L-Airmalta, nehhejna haddiema tat Telemalta, tas Seamalta, bihhejna kull assi li kelna biex impjegajna lil tal qalba dak huwa sagrilegg politiku li min hu responsabbli suppost ihallas ta dan is serq, serq iva Sur Tonna, hawn min mghandux ghaxja ta lejla u ghal dawk mghandniex flus imma ghal dan il brigand ghandom, din korruzzjoni insejhila jien , u jekk jitla Gvern Laburista skandli bhal dawn ma jsirux ghax dan li gab lil Malta bdaq dan dejn, akkumula bi hnizrijiet bhal dawn ,iva hekk gara.
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Jekk jitla Gvern Laburista u jnehhi il hela bhal fil kas ta dan tal gakketta blu li offja ilu jerda il kaxxa ta Malta min 1987 u ghandu job imfassal ghalih u bzewg salarji enormi biex joqghod cicci bil qeghda ma jghamel xejn u meta tinqala xi vot parlamentari bhal fil kas ta non fiducja ta Ministru u forsi suppost qieghed ix-xoghol, dan kas ta serq sfaccat, mela nehhejna lil Dockyard, nehhejna haddiema ta L-Airmalta, nehhejna haddiema tat Telemalta, tas Seamalta, bihhejna kull assi li kelna biex impjegajna lil tal qalba dak huwa sagrilegg politiku li min hu responsabbli suppost ihallas ta dan is serq, serq iva Sur Tonna, hawn min mghandux ghaxja ta lejla u ghal dawk mghandniex flus imma ghal dan il brigand ghandom, din korruzzjoni insejhila jien , u jekk jitla Gvern Laburista skandli bhal dawn ma jsirux ghax dan li gab lil Malta bdaq dan dejn, akkumula bi hnizrijiet bhal dawn ,iva hekk gara.
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Jekk jitla Gvern Laburista u jnehhi il hela bhal fil kas ta dan tal gakketta blu li offja ilu jerda il kaxxa ta Malta min 1987 u ghandu job imfassal ghalih u bzewg salarji enormi biex joqghod cicci bil qeghda ma jghamel xejn u meta tinqala xi vot parlamentari bhal fil kas ta non fiducja ta Ministru u forsi suppost qieghed ix-xoghol, dan kas ta serq sfaccat, mela nehhejna lil Dockyard, nehhejna haddiema ta L-Airmalta, nehhejna haddiema tat Telemalta, tas Seamalta, bihhejna kull assi li kelna biex impjegajna lil tal qalba dak huwa sagrilegg politiku li min hu responsabbli suppost ihallas ta dan is serq, serq iva Sur Tonna, hawn min mghandux ghaxja ta lejla u ghal dawk mghandniex flus imma ghal dan il brigand ghandom, din korruzzjoni insejhila jien , u jekk jitla Gvern Laburista skandli bhal dawn ma jsirux ghax dan li gab lil Malta bdaq dan dejn, akkumula bi hnizrijiet bhal dawn ,iva hekk gara.
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Yesterday Vassallo the PN MP was scandalised because the Mosta Council issued a direct order of 3000 euros! The incredible thing is that Vassallo said nothing about the PN minister who issued a direct order at Delimara worth millions of Euros! And now we have it in black and white: an other blues eyed boy receiving two salaries! Does he write articles against the LP? Is he a consultant like some of the notorious boys and girls who write nasty things against the LP on their blogs?
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Heyyy ara Ernest of AXIS......good old days!!
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And then they attend church all the time and receive Holy Communion. Hypocrites of the worst kind!!
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Dak listess Ernest li kien ic chief bouncer Axis fin 90's ??? dak kien veru ****
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Zack Depasquale
Mhux tajjeb, min hu mejjet ghal qatra u min hu mejjet fis-sakra, u ghal haddiem iz-zghir jew li m'ghandux qaddisin xoghol prekarju biss.
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blue eyed boys, hallas it taxi lol
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Hniezer b'zewgt ihluq. Jiffungaw kemm jiffungaw ma jixbghu qatt. X'ma jdahlux idejhom fil-butt meta tassal il-maratona tal-milied. Igri nehielsu minn dan il-gvern halli nehielsu mill-ilpup tieghu ukoll. Imbaghad jistaqsu lil PL minn fejn ser igib il-flus, tnehhi minn nods lil dawn is-sangisugi taft taqta somma sabiha mill-ispiza tal-gvern.