Labour television presenter Karl Stagno-Navarra, who last month was engaged as Transport Malta’s media consultant, was awarded a direct order of over €20,000 last year.

According to a notice that appeared on The Malta Government Gazette this week, Mr Stagno-Navarra was awarded a direct order of €21,600 by the Office of the Prime Minister in July last year. He provided “services related to communications and research analysis”, the official notice said.

The Sunday Times of Malta reported that Mr Stagno-Navarro was appointed a consultant media coordinator at the transport watchdog last month, receiving €1,500 a month.

It remains unclear how Mr Stagno-Navarra was selected for the role, with questions to Transport Malta on whether he was recruited directly, as a person of trust or following a public call remaining unanswered.

Services varied according to the projects at hand, upcoming events

Though the transport regulator would not say whether Mr Stagno-Navarra was employed on a full-time or part-time basis, he had told The Sunday Times of Malta his services varied “according to the projects at hand and upcoming events”.

The Times of Malta has learnt that Mr Stagno-Navarra retained his role at the government’s investment promotion agency, Malta Enterprise, a post he has held since before joining the Labour television channel.

No replies were forthcoming from Malta Enterprise when asked for a copy of his contract, despite several reminders by this newspaper. Questions sent to the Economy Ministry, politically responsible for Malta Enterprise, also remained unanswered at the time of writing. Similarly, questions sent to Mr Stagno-Navarra were not answered by the time of going to print.

Once synonymous with the Nationalist Party’s television station, NET TV, Mr Stagno-Navarra switched to the Labour’s ONE TV channel in 2016, where he has since been presenting a daily current affairs show aired during the early evening slot.