CEO’s former firm still running the show at MEPA

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s newly-appointed chief executive Ian Stafrace has resigned his partnership in the firm Abela Stafrace and Associates, which is still handling MEPA’s caseload.

Following his appointment to CEO since having been contracted out by MEPA in 2001 to take over its caseload, the authority’s legal representation is now in the hands of Robert Abela and his wife Lydia Abela, the Labour Party’s executive secretary.

Robert Abela is the son of President of the Republic George Abela. The other legal advisor appointed by the law firm to substitute Ian Stafrace is Ian Vella Galea.

“Abela, Stafrace & Associates still remains the legal firm contracted by MEPA to assist the organisation with its caseload,” a spokesperson told MaltaToday.

The PL has strongly criticised the authority’s appointment of Ian Stafrace as its new CEO without issuing a public call for applications, stressing that the process lacked transparency and proves “government interference” in an autonomous authority.

Abela Stafrace & Associates has been handling the authority’s legal caseload since 2001, when the authority was embroiled in a high-profile legal feud with its chief lawyer and as a consequence, outsourced most of its legal caseload. 

At that time the partnership was fronted by George Abela, who had fallen out with former Labour leader Alfred Sant after serving as his deputy leader until 1998.

MEPA paid Abela, Stafrace & Associates the staggering amount of €1.23 million up until 2011 for handling its caseload.

As MEPA’s legal advisor Ian Stafrace was instrumental in drafting the laws which brought about the MEPA reform. He also took a prominent role in the revocation of controversial permits including the Ulysses Lodge case and the Mistra case.

As MEPA’s new CEO, Ian Stafrace’s package comprises a basic salary of €65,000 – which is set to increase to €70,000 in the second and third year of his appointment – plus a car and fuel allowance and a performance bonus of up to 15% of the salary.

Austin Walker, who was originally appointed as the Authority’s executive chairman, a post which included the duties of CEO, will see salary will be revised “once the transition is over and the roles of the Chairman and the CEO are settled.