New MEPA CEO censured by former MEPA auditor

Former MEPA auditor Joe Falzon censured newly appointed MEPA CEO Johann Buttigieg for providing misleading information in a case officer report recommending the approval of a controversial development in Rabat.

An outline permit for the development of a multipurpose hall, stores and offices for the Xara Palace Hotel was issued in 2007, and the full permit was issued a few days before the 2008 general election. Johann Buttigieg was the case officer who recommended the approval in both applications.

In his report Falzon called on MEPA to withdraw the permit in question and reproached both the case officer and team manager for their "carelessness," asking MEPA to take action against both officers.

MEPA did not even reply to Falzon's report, as happened in a number of other cases where the authority disagreed with the auditor's conclusion.

Joe Falzon interpreted this to be a sign that MEPA agreed with the report.

Falzon's investigation in the case was prompted by Labour-leaning weekly it-Torca, which reported construction work on the former site of Leaders discotheque at Habel Bellu.

In July 2012, iNews reported that Johann Buttigieg was the case officer censured by Joe Falzon. The report highlighted Buttigieg's high-profile role in MEPA as the officer in charge of major projects and for being a member of the Integrated Pollution Control Committee, which is responsible for the issue of permits for power plants.

In his report Falzon noted that the development's footprint was far greater than the existing one and that the Structure Plan forbids any urban development in rural conservation areas.

Buttigieg, MEPA's former senior planning officer, was appointed its new chief executive officer last week following the resignation of former CEO Ian Stafrace. Buttigieg's contract is still being drafted.

Buttigieg joined the authority as an enforcement officer and later became a case officer. Later he became a senior planning officer and was assigned to major projects.

In his role Buttigieg worked on the South Malta Sewage Treatment Plant, the Flood Relief Project, the Ten-T project and Smart City.

Only two persons applied for the post vacated by Stafrace.

On April 20, before the internal call for applications was issued, Michael Farrugia described Buttigieg as his "point of reference in MEPA" when the Times of Malta quizzed him about Buttigieg's role.

Farrugia described Buttigieg as someone he could trust, who provided him with precise information on what was going on in the Authority.

In opposition, Labour was very critical of the direct appointment of Ian Stafrace as MEPA's CEO. Then-auditor Joe Falzon also questioned Stafrace's appointment in one of his reports.

Falzon's term in office expired last year, and he was replaced by Planning Ombudsman David Pace, who was chosen directly by Ombudsman Joe Said Pullicino.