Former ministerial aide Silvio Scerri, who has landed a top job with the transport watchdog on a position-of-trust basis, has still to sign his employment contract, Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi said yesterday.

Sources told this newspaper Mr Scerri was already working for Transport Malta.

Mr Scerri was chief of staff at the National Security and Home Affairs Ministry when Manuel Mallia lost his job in the Cabinet following a shooting incident involving his driver in December 2014. The latter was expelled from Cabinet over his handling of the incident.

Dr Mallia was appointed Competitiveness Minister in the latest Cabinet reshuffle but Mr Scerri was not re-engaged.

However, Mr Scerri has been hired by the government as chief enforcement officer at Transport Malta for an unspecified annual salary, which, however, is believed to exceed €50,000. Malta Today reported on Sunday he was recruited without a call for applications being issued.

We have nothing to add beyond what is already public in another newspaper and which the ministry and Transport Malta confirm

When asked why Mr Scerri had been appointed on a position of trust basis, what were his responsibilities and what his remuneration package, including perks, consisted of, a Transport Ministry spokeswoman would only say: “We have nothing to add beyond what is already public in another newspaper and which the ministry and Transport Malta confirm.”

Confronted about the matter yesterday during a news conference in Baħrija, Mr Mizzi defended the appointment, saying it was in line with other chief officers within Transport Malta.

Nevertheless, no details of Mr Scerri’s remuneration package were divulged.

Asked about Mr Scerri’s responsibilities, the minister said he could not give an exact reply for the simple reason that he “had not yet signed the contract”.

During his time as Dr Mallia’s aide, Mr Scerri was a controversial figure and was frequently in the Opposition’s line of fire over allegations that he exerted his influence well beyond his remit.

At the time, the home affairs ministry was responsible for the police force, the army and public broadcasting. Prior to March 2013, when the Labour Party was elected to power, Mr Scerri was a director of Nexos Lighting, but he has since relinquished the post.