Yesterday’s statement by Johann Buttigieg that he has transferred the directorship of a private company operating in the planning sector to his own son is simply a gimmick. It will do nothing to conceal his proven corrupt behaviour or make his position at the Planning Authority (PA) any more tenable.

First and foremost, Johann Buttigieg should be fired from the PA immediately because he was found to have conspired with developer Yorgen Fenech over development applications and business deals while serving as CEO of the public authority responsible for assessing such applications impartially. In conversations that began over chat and continued at private parties hosted by the developer, Buttigieg demonstrated his willingness to engage in business deals with developers and facilitate the approval of projects that benefited them.

He also recently lied when he claimed that these conversations took place three weeks before he ceased to be head of the PA, when, in reality, they had taken place many months earlier.

This massive scandal exists independently of the separate scandal involving his ownership of a private company operating in the planning sector while heading the PA. His ridiculous decision to relinquish the company’s directorship while transferring it to his son, and remaining the sole shareholder, amounts to little more than a change of name – the typical prestanome arrangement used to conceal one’s business interests. Moreover, this move would never have happened had the media not exposed his blatant conflict of interest.

No lame PR manoeuvres will conceal the crude reality: Johann Buttigieg is a corrupt CEO. Every minute the Government allows him to remain in his position makes a mockery of Malta’s institutions and sends the message that corruption in planning is the norm.

Johann Buttigieg must be fired immediately and permanently barred from holding public office or taking up consultancy positions, to begin to reverse the immense harm being done.

We also demand a full inquiry into the illegitimate ties between Johann Buttigieg and developers, alongside the introduction of laws requiring public officials to communicate with interested parties exclusively through official channels. A transparency register covering all meetings between public officials and interested parties must also be established.

Organisations
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers Association Malta
Wirt Għawdex

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Ċajta kerha: Johann Buttigieg jittrassferixxi r-rwol tiegħu ta’ direttur ta’ kumpanija lil ibnu – keċċuh mill-PA immedjatament

Johann Buttigieg ilbieraħ iddikkjara li ttrasferixxa r-rwol tiegħu bħala direttur ta’ kumpanija privata li topera fis-settur tal-ippjanar lil ibnu stess. Din l-azzjoni hija sempliċement gimmick – waħda li ma taħbix il-fatt li huwa korrott bil-provi u li ma tagħmilx il-pożizzjoni tiegħu fl-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (PA) waħda fattibbli.

L-ewwel u qabel kollox, Johann Buttigieg għandu jitkeċċa mill-PA immedjatament għax instab li kkonfoffa mal-iżviluppatur Yorgen Fenech dwar applikazzjonijiet għall-iżvilupp u ftehimiet kummerċjali waqt li kien qed iservi bħala CEO tal-awtorità pubblika responsabbli għall-valutazzjoni ta’ dawn l-applikazzjonijiet b’mod imparzjali. F’konverżazzjonijiet li bdew permezz ta’ chat u komplew f’festini privati li organizza l-iżviluppatur, Buttigieg wera r-rieda tiegħu li jidħol fi ftehimiet kummerċjali mal-iżviluppaturi u jiffaċilita l-approvazzjoni ta’ proġetti għall-benefiċċju tagħhom.

Dan l-aħħar gideb ukoll meta sostna li dawn il-konverżazzjonijiet seħħew tliet ġimgħat qabel ma waqaf ikun il-kap tal-PA, meta, fir-realtà, kienu seħħew ħafna xhur qabel.

Dan l-iskandlu enormi jeżisti indipendentement mill-iskandlu separat li jinvolvi s-sjieda tiegħu ta’ kumpanija privata li topera fis-settur tal-ippjanar waqt li jmexxi l-PA. Id-deċiżjoni redikola tiegħu li jċedi d-direttorat tal-kumpanija lil ibnu, u jibqa’ hu waħdu l-uniku azzjonist, tammonta biss għal bidla fl-isem – l-arranġament tipiku bi prestanome użat biex jaħbi l-interessi kummerċjali. Barra minn hekk, din il-mossa qatt ma kienet issir kieku l-midja ma kixfitx il-kunflitt ta’ interess sfaċċat tiegħu.

L-ebda manuvra li tippruva tikkontrolla l-perċezzjoni pubblika mhi se taħbi r-realtà: Johann Buttigieg huwa CEO korrott. Kull minuta li l-Gvern iħallih fil-pożizzjoni tiegħu twaqqa’ għaċ-ċajt l-istituzzjonijiet ta’ Malta u tibgħat messaġġ li l-korruzzjoni fl-ippjanar hija normali.

Johann Buttigieg irid jitkeċċa immedjatament u jiġi mċaħħad b’mod permanenti minn kwalunkwe kariga pubblika u pożizzjoni ta’ konsulenza, imqar biex titreġġa’ lura parti mill-ħsara enormi li qed issir.

Nitolbu wkoll li ssir inkjesta sħiħa dwar ir-rabtiet illeġittimi bejn Johann Buttigieg u l-iżviluppaturi, flimkien mal-introduzzjoni ta’ liġijiet li jirrikjedu li l-uffiċjali pubbliċi jikkomunikaw mal-partijiet interessati esklussivament permezz ta’ mezzi uffiċjali. Irid jiġi stabbilit ukoll reġistru ta’ trasparenza li jkopri l-laqgħat kollha bejn l-uffiċjali pubbliċi u l-partijiet interessati.

Għaqdiet
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers Association Malta
Wirt Għawdex