MEPA auditor sends chairman report on Petra Bianchi’s appointment

Petra Bianchi was handpicked without any public call for applications, a decision that fell foul of MEPA’s new direction towards transparency and accountability.

“I had received a formal complaint on Bianchi’s appointment. I have just finalised the preliminary report which is now in the hands of chairman Austin Walker for his comments. As soon as I receive his comments I will send the report to the complainant,” MEPA auditor Joe Falzon said.

Falzon was tight-lipped when asked about the conclusions of his report, insisting that it is not prudent to speak before the chairman replies to his report.

Asked for his opinion on the legality of the more recent appointment of MEPA lawyer Ian Stafrace as MEPA’s new chief executive, Falzon replied that he would have no problem investigating this appointment, which is “identical” to that of Bianchi if someone presents a formal complaint.

The government has justified Bianchi’s appointment saying that MEPA can issue a call for applications or directly appoint a director to head its directorate.

“To expedite this process the MEPA board decided that in this case the most appropriate approach was to directly appoint its Director for Environmental Protection.”

Bianchi’s predecessors in the post, Ray Piscopo and Martin Seychell, were both selected following a selection process and both had scientific background in engineering and chemistry respectively. Bianchi holds a doctorate in English literature from Oxford as well as an MBA from the Maastricht school of management.

Bianchi’s responsibilities include biodiversity, air pollution, waste and the implementation of EU directives.

In February, parliamentary secretary Mario de Marco described Bianchi’s appointment as an opportunity for MEPA to communicate its environmental efforts better. “Dr Bianchi who comes from outside the public service and her experience with NGOs can help change the perception that MEPA is inward looking.”

MaltaToday is informed that there are five ways through which people are appointed in public sector posts.  

Applicants for a post can be chosen from among persons registering for employment or for an alternative job with the Employment Training Corporation. They can also be chosen through an internal call within the entity involved or the entire public sector.  

Another way is to issue a call for applications open for Maltese and EU citizens. Appointments to sensitive posts can also be made directly by the Prime Minister but only after informing the ETC.

Labour has also hit out at the way MEPA officials were directly chosen and appointed by the government. This week MaltaToday yesterday revealed how  MEPA’s ‘new’ chief executive Ian Stafrace had been handling the authority’s caseload since 2001, when the authority was embroiled in a high-profile legal feud with its chief lawyer and as a consequence, outsourced most of its legal caseload.

MEPA paid Abela, Stafrace & Associates – formerly the legal firm led by President George Abela – €1.23 million for handling its caseload, while legal chief Anthony Degateano was ordered to handle only appeals case, because he had filed a series of civil suits against MEPA's director-generalfor unfair disciplinary action.