The previous government paid €17,509 to the general secretary of the hunters’ federation in 2012 for “consultancy” about hunting and trapping, according to information published in Parliament.
Lino Farrugia was paid in seven instalments for consultancy services provided between 2011 and 2012, which he gave on behalf of the Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK).
Contracts were awarded by direct order, according to the information supplied by Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella in response to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Chris Agius.
Former Environment Minister Mario de Marco told Times of Malta the practice began under his predecessor, George Pullicino, and continued when he was minister in the last year of the Nationalist legislature.
He could not, from memory, remember exactly what the consultancy was for but his former permanent secretary said there was a specific contract stipulating what FKNK’s responsibilities were, such as the writing of certain reports every year.
He said the Government would require FKNK’s advice, especially on issues discussed with the European hunting lobby group.
When contacted, Mr Pullicino recalled that money was given to FKNK to help them participate in international conferences organised by FACE, the European Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation.
Mr Farrugia said FKNK was given a sum every year that was listed in every Budget as “assistance to hunting associations” and was used by the federation to write reports and other research.
“Consultancy is probably not the right word,” he said.
He stressed that FKNK was usually given about €9,000 annually but last year it received a bigger sum because its 2011 payments were delayed.
He said this practice started before Malta joined the euro, when the sum amounted to Lm4,000 (€9,300).
A spokesman for Birdlife Malta pointed out that no individual at Birdlife ever received similar payments and it was unclear what these were for.
Asked whether the Government would be revising the contract or extending it, a spokesman for Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes, said: “The present Administration will scrutinise any contractual commitments or consultancy payments and will then either revise, amend or terminate accordingly.”
cperegin@timesofmalta.com