The Malta Environment and Planning Authority yesterday extended the contract of its audit officer Joe Falzon, whose reports in the past few years often lambasted the watchdog for the way it handled certain applications.

In a short statement yesterday afternoon, Mepa said Mr Falzon's three-year contract, which officially expires on Sunday, had been renewed.

The statement quotes Mr Falzon, an architect by profession, thanking the authority for the trust and cooperation the Mepa board, the authority and its employees have always shown in his work and in the audit office.

Ironically, the renewal of his contract comes not too long after the authority's chairman said the Mepa board was not happy with the audit office's work.

At the launch of the authority's 2006 annual report, chairman Andrew Calleja referred to some of the comments occasionally made by the audit officer in his reports as "sweeping statements".

The Mepa report said the way the auditor occasionally arrived at conclusions on the basis of interpretation and without reference to legal advice had "undermined the board's confidence in the audit office".

The auditor himself in the annual report commented on the resistance the authority sometimes puts up in respect to the investigative work of his office.

Asked why had the board renewed the auditor's contract given the statement made in the annual report, Mr Calleja said the comments were directed at the audit office not the person.

He said the board's decision was ultimately put to a vote and it was decided that Mr Falzon's contract should be renewed.

Last year the authority had also renewed the contract of Mr Falzon's assistant, Carmel Cacopardo, albeit after Mr Falzon threatened he would resign if Mr Cacopardo's contract was not renewed.

The Mepa board had at first refused to renew Mr Cacopardo's contract early last year on grounds that he was "impossible to work with". However, Mr Falzon threatened to resign if his contract was not renewed and the decision was reversed.

The audit officer is appointed by Mepa in consultation with the Environment Minister.

Attempts to contact Mr Falzon proved unsuccessful.

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