‘Point of reference’ is giving orders at Mepa

A planning authority officer, described by Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia as his “point of reference”, has been making decisions and issuing orders to staff, according to insiders. The insiders say the officer, Johann Buttigieg, was earmarked as the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s next CEO. Dr Farrugia confirmed last night that Mr Buttigieg was his “point of reference” at Mepa. He was instructing Mr Buttigieg on what needed to be done there. “He is helping out with giving Mepa a certain direction,” Dr Farrugia said. Asked how Mr Buttigieg had been chosen and why, Dr Farrugia said he was a person he could trust and provided him with precise information on what was going on. He denied that Mr Buttigieg was “the anointed one”, poised to take on the role of CEO, adding that he was one of 560 Mepa employees who could apply for the job when the internal call for the post was eventually made. Dr Farrugia said a selection board would be set up. Although the members had not been chosen yet, he said he would prefer if it was made up of people from both within and outside Mepa. Sources at Mepa said that Mr Buttigieg, who could not be reached for comment, has been...