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Labour hits out at 'irregular' appointment of Mepa's environment director
The Labour Party have issued a statement in which they condemn the government for the direct appointment of Petra Bianchi as Director of the Environment without a public call.
20 April 2011, 12:00am
Rachel Zammit Cutajar
Rachel Zammit Cutajar
2 min read
Roderick Galdes, Labour spokesperson for Planning, Urban Development, Construction and Housing said that the position the Auditor General has taken is the same as that which was taken by the Labour Party, that Bianchi’s appointment was irregular.
Though Galdes voted against her appointment he said that it the problem was not Bianchi but the way in which she was appointed which is “in blatant violation of the law, denying the transparency that MEPA requires.”
Malta Environment and Planning Authority chairman Austin Walker justified the head-hunting exercise approved by the Prime Minister as it was a faster process than issuing a public call for applications, saying that the law allowed for such appointments to be made when the post was one of trust.
Bianchi was appointed head of MEPA’s Environment Protection Department in February to replace the outgoing Martin Seychell. She is the former director of heritage group Din l-Art Ħelwa.
Her appointment was approved by the MEPA board with eight votes in favour and one against on 4 February after she was hand-picked by Walker without a public call for applications.
Dr Bianchi was appointed for four years with a one-year probationary period.
Veteran environmentalist Edward Mallia filed a complaint to the Audit Office regarding the method of appointment.
On 8 February, Falzon asked the authority for more information on the appointment, which he received 10 days later.
However, Falzon noted that MEPA only asked the Employment and Training Corporation for clearance on 15 February after the appointment was made.
Falzon said it was “very unusual” that the selection process had been completed and the person appointed before authorisation from the Employment and Training Corporation was obtained.
Walker also claimed that from his experience “public calls also frequently give rise to claims of discrimination”.
Falzon rebutted this argument, insisting this was only true if a call for applications was worded to unreasonably favour particular candidates.
The auditor also highlighted relevant sections of the Public Administration Act which were not yet in force that showed how the legislator did not intend to make distinctions between positions of special trust and other posts.
While the auditor insisted this obliged MEPA to appoint people to positions of trust after a competitive process, Walker insisted the law was not yet in force and MEPA had no obligation whatsoever.
The report was vetted by a legal adviser from the Ombudsman’s office.
Rachel Zammit Cutajar graduated in economics from the University of Malta...
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Toninu naqbel mieghek pero kulhadd jaf li bil-proceduri b'kollox dan il-pajjiz kollox jghaddi u disgrazzjatament mhux l-ahjar nies jintghazlu imma lil min taf. Pero l-aghar u nerga nghid l-aghar u bhal melh fuq il-ferita meta jitfghu lil xi hadd li lanqas biss ikun jaf jimxi.
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Quote "Chairman Austin Walker justified the head-hunting exercise approved by the Prime Minister as it was a faster process than issuing a public call for applications."
I would also like to advise Austin Walker and the person who appointed him that building without a permit is a faster process than going through MEPA.
Maltese authorities are a disgusting shame.
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@ bejn il linji
Jien ghandi nifhem li din is-sinjura hija tajba f'xoghla. Li nixtieq nistaqsi hu jekk hemmx min hu kompetenti bhala u daqsa li nghata c-cans li japplika ghal din il kariga?
duncan abela •
My main concern is that there has been in recent years an ever growing spate of appointments where besides competency and qualifications one must have the right connections to aspire to a senior positions in public funded posts. With all its defects how much better , fairer and truer to our constitution was the situation when most appointments have to go through a public service commission. The situation has got even worse in the last couple of years where even posts of a technical nature have been caught in this discriminatory method of selection. Intelligent people with high qualifications but with no connections and worse still not willing to succumb to the art of arse licking or lacking political allegiances are now completely passed over by not even being given the chance of competing for appointments. Unfortunately this type of currupt system once it takes roots tends to become self perpetuating by whovever is in power.
Luke Camilleri •
Din "Ic-Cuc" kapaci billi hi Maltija u mhux barranija?
Keith Goodlip •
Since when has Gonzi's dictatorship called for public applications for jobs like this, when there are no many blue eyed boys in the queue.
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Jien ma nistax nifhem dawn ir-rapporti ta' l-awditur u anke tal-PL f'dan il-kaz kif jikkumentaw dwar il-mod tal-ghazla u ma jindikawx x'jahsbu dwar l-ghazla. Jien la naf lil din petra u lanqas jimpurtani; imma li jigu jghidulek ahna fuq il-persuna ma rridux naraw jekk hix tajba jew le ma nifimhiex.
Naqbel li fil-principju l-ghazla ta kull impjegat ghandu jsir skond il-proceduta li taghmel call for application pero l-ewwel ma jiena nghid li ghandna naraw hi kemm ser inhallsu u jekk hix kompetenti.
Sa fejn naf jien, u nemmen li hekk ghandu jkun, ghal certu pozizzjonijiet ta fiducja l-persuna tinghazel dirett.
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L-aqwa li Gonzipn jaghti fuq sidrhu u jghid kemm hu xi mibghut minn Alla. Il-hnizrijiet li sar taht Gonzipn qatt ma rajna bhalhom. Mhux fil-mizbla haqqu jindifen izda fin-nirien tal-infern. Izda forsi shabhu tal-knisja u zijuh l-Arcisqof jaghmlu sforx kbir halli jigi beatifikat miskin.
