PA chairman assumes responsibility for hiring private jet for board member

Updated at 6pm with PD reaction Planning Authority executive chairman Johann Buttigieg has assumed responsibility for a decision to fork out thousands of euros to fly a PA board member to and from Malta by private jet. In a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon, the PA said that it had spent €8,750 on flying PA board member Jacqueline Gili from Sicily and back. This was (see receipt attached below) “within the limit that can be authorised by the executive chairperson” and that therefore “no further endorsements were required by government," it said.  The PA statement included a copy of a Bank of Valletta payment order of €8,750 to Swiss-based Lunajets, which it described as a "receipt of payment".  Ms Gili interrupted a family holiday last week to hop aboard the private plane and make it to a controversial PA board meeting concerning db Group’s City Centre mega-development in Pembroke. Ms Gili remained silent throughout the hearing, voted in favour of the project and was then flown back to Sicily by private jet. TIMES TALK: 'Too many people are willing to suck up to those in power' The project was approved by 10 votes to four. The government has denied any knowledge of the...