A building earmarked by the national broadcaster to serve as a TV studio and a sound stage has been rented to the new local enforcement agency.
Television House was part of a €10 million plan announced by PBS in 2012 to transform the whole area in Guardamangia into a broadcasting services creativity hub. However, although the government has not made any official announcement yet on the future of this project, there seems to have already been a change of plans.
Replying to questions by the Times of Malta, the Justice Ministry confirmed Television House was now hosting the offices of the Local Enforcement System Agency, or Lesa. In return, the government agency is paying the State broadcaster €36,000 in annual rent.
Asked to give details on the number of employees the new government agency recruited to run the local warden system, the ministry said former acting police commissioner Ray Zammit was given a financial package of €60,000 to run the agency. The operations director was given a salary in the region of €35,000.
Lesa was also making use of personnel who served as regional officers under the old wardens system.
Lesa was also making use of personnel who served as regional officers under the old wardens system
The ministry did not say how many people were employed by Lesa on a position-of-trust basis, apart from Mr Zammit.
The agency took over the running of the local warden system from the local councils in a bid to make the system more efficient.
Justice Minister Owen Bonnici says wardens must become friendlier with citizens and help out in the community and not only dish out tickets and fines. His decision to appoint Mr Zammit at the helm was harshly criticised by the Opposition, which called on the government to remove Mr Zammit.
Mr Zammit was removed from his post of acting police commissioner by the Prime Minster at the end of 2014 for “gross negligence” following a shooting incident involving the driver of former home affairs minister Manuel Mallia.
Mr Zammit was also found to have broken police rules when an inquiry revealed that, together with his two sons, at the time both members of the police force, he was involved in business with “shady characters” including the Gaffarena family.
Dr Bonnici defended Dr Zammit’s appointment at Lesa and described him as the right man for the job.