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.
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.