The transfer of a planning watchdog to the Ombudsman’s office has left two unhappy men in its wake.
While planning authority audit officer Joe Falzon publicly vented his frustration for not being informed in sufficient time that his office will stop functioning next week, Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino yesterday sounded surprised by the outburst.
It was Dr Said Pullicino who informed Mr Falzon of the upcoming change during a meeting on Wednesday.
“The discussion I had with Joe Falzon was in confidence and I expected it to remain so.
“I cannot divulge the contents of the discussion but Mr Falzon knew his term and office had to finish at some point following Parliament’s decision to abolish the post of audit officer,” Dr Said Pullicino said when contacted.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s audit office, which has served as an ombudsman of sorts, will stop functioning next week and its role will be taken up by a new environment commissioner under the Ombudsman. The legal notice putting into force the changes was published yesterday.
Mr Falzon was irked, saying he was only informed a week before and not given enough time to conclude pending investigations.
He complained that “nobody had the decency” to inform him well in advance.
Dr Said Pullicino said the government and Mepa were not in a position to inform Mr Falzon beforehand because of the way the process developed.
“The creation of the new post and the choice of person depended on a process that also involved the Ombudsman.
“When the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition fail to agree, the choice will be the sole prerogative of the Ombudsman,” Dr Said Pullicino said.
Under the new law, if the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition fail to agree on a name within 15 days of the post becoming vacant, the onus to appoint the commissioner will fall on the Ombudsman.
Sources said that veteran architect David Pace would be appointed environment commissioner but Dr Said Pullicino yesterday refused to confirm or deny.
“The appointments will be announced on Wednesday when I will also be giving details of the selection process,” he said.
When contacted, Mepa chairman Austin Walker said he could not comment on Mr Falzon’s recriminations because the appointment of the audit officer and the termination of his term were the govern- ment’s prerogative.
He pointed out that the appointment of the new environment commissioner also fell outside Mepa’s remit.
The Environment Ministry said it appreciated the work done by Mr Falzon during his eight years in the post. It recalled that Mr Falzon was initially appointed for a three-year period in 2004 and his term had subsequently been extended until the Ombudsman Act came into force.
The ministry said the provisions of the Ombudsman Act, which envisaged the removal of the Mepa auditor officer and the appointment of an environment commissioner, had the unanimous consent of Parliament and were designed to strengthen the scrutiny of the authority.
The Labour Party’s environment spokesman accused the government of sacking an official who had unveiled a series of environmental scandals.
“I’m convinced that GonziPN and Mepa officials will operate in a more tranquil environment now that they know they got rid of Mr Falzon,” Leo Brincat said.
Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio was critical of the decision to remove Mr Falzon.
“This confirms that Mepa, like the government, is structured to act in the interests of big business developers, rather than for environmental protection and sustainability,” he said.