New 'expensive cars' cost MEPA €440,278

The full time employment of the nine members of MEPA’s Environment Planning Commission will cost MEPA €440,278 a year.

In reply to a parliamentary question by Roderick Galdes Prime Minister  Lawrence Gonzi revealed that Commission chairpersons Sandra Magro and Franco Montestin will earn an annual salary of €54,043. This sum includes a €38,184 basic salary, a €1,980 petrol allowance and a car, and two additional non pensionable allowances of €13,879.

The other board members will receive € 47456 a year each. This includes a basic salary of €32,456, a petrol allowance of €1,980, a car and two additional non pensionable allowance of €13,020.

All board members and their families are covered by a health insurance and have free mobile phones and land lines.

The board members are Bjorn Bonello, Claude Borg, Saviour Borg, Elizabeth Ellul, Anthony Ellul, Anna Maria Montaldo and John Mangion.

Not all members of the commission were chosen through a public selection process. While nine persons were selected through a public call  the government resorted to head hunting after  two of these refused the appointment.  Three persons were approached but only two accepted.

The appointment of full time boards was a key element in the MEPA reform. The members of the commission had to give up their private profession to avoid conflict of interests. Previously when part time architects used to sit on the DCC boards they were often involved in decisions effecting potential or past clients.

MaltaToday is informed that  in the absence of a lucrative financial package very few architects or planning professionals would have accepted  to give up their private practice to take this public post.

Back in June, when asked why he “deserved €93,000 a year”, MEPA Walker did not mince his words. “It all depends,” Walker said. “If you decide to buy an expensive car, than you have to pay for it.”