Next MEPA watchdog to be appointed by Ombudsman

Currently the MEPA auditor is appointed directly by the MEPA board, with the choice being ratified by the Minister responsible for the authority following a discussion in parliament’s planning and development committee.

When asked by MaltaToday whether Auditor Joe Falzon will be retained in his post after his terms expires later on this month, a spokesperson for parliamentary secretary Mario Demarco replied that the Ombudsmnan will be appointing a Planning and Environment Commissioner “on whose name there is agreement between the government and the opposition”.

But in the absence of such an agreement, the Ombudsman will have the final say. According to De Marco the Government and the Opposition have already agreed in Parliament that the Ombudsman may appoint Commissioners for Administrative Investigations for specialised areas as may be determined by him, with the concurrence of the Prime Minister.

A Bill entitled “an act to empower the Ombudsman to provide administrative and investigative service to specialised Commissioners for administrative Investigations, and to designate such Commissioners as officers of Parliament” has already been presented to Parliament.

But it is not clear whether the law will be approved in time to ensure that a planning ombudsman will be in place by the end of the month. Asked by MaltaToday whether he has been approached by the government on his future, Falzon curtly replied “I have not been contacted by anybody on what is going to happen”.