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I refer to your article regarding the legal advisors chosen by MEPA. Some inaccuracies need to be corrected in spite of the fact that detailed and clear answers were sent following questions by your paper.
MEPA’s decision to outsource a portion of its legal services did not arise, as your journalist states, because of a contentious challenge to its internal operations. Indeed, MEPA, since its inception, has outsourced a part of its legal services but these two pieces of information, given to your journalist, were separated in the article in such a manner as to render them unrelated and, therefore quoted out of context.
Your journalist alleges that the sum of Lm48,000 was given to Abela, Stafrace & Associates in 2004. This is incorrect and misleading. Also, one should point out that it is in the Authority’s competence to choose between outsourcing services or direct employment. One of the criteria for this choice is the value for money it is given both from services rendered by in-house and by outsourced elements.
Sylvana DeBono
Public Relations Officer
Malta Environment &
Planning Authority
Editorial note: The sum of Lm48,000 paid to Abela Stafrace Associates was the consultancy fee published in Parliament by Environment Minister George Pullicino
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