Muscat’s man, James Piscopo, to take over Lands Authority

Transport Malta chairman and CEO James Piscopo is being touted for the position of Lands Authority CEO, as Planning Authority boss Johann Buttigieg is expected to remain in his post, MaltaToday has learned.

Piscopo, a close friend of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and one of the political strategists of the Labour Party, was pushed by Muscat himself and Transport Minister Ian Borg to take the post, sources have revealed.

The Lands Authority is considered one of the most difficult entities to reform and it is hoped Piscopo will be able to catalyse the needed reforms.

Until last week, Buttigieg was being mentioned as the frontrunner for the top job at the Lands Authority despite his position at the PA.

Johann Buttigieg was previously mentioned as the frontrunner for the top job

Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Borg categorically denied that Buttigieg would be leaving his post as PA chairman, though his ministry had previously neither confirmed nor denied that Buttigieg would also be taking over the Lands Authority.

A spokesperson for the ministry did, however, confirm that a public call for applications for the post of Lands Authority CEO would be issued “in the imminent future”, following the resignation of Carlo Mifsud after a mere 16 months in the post.

Piscopo, a former Air Malta employee who was later recruited by Muscat as the Labour Party’s CEO, was appointed chairman and CEO of Transport Malta soon after Labour’s electoral victory in 2013 with a financial package of over €85,000.

In that role, he oversaw and delivered important projects including the Kappara Project and the Coast Road.