Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1383989
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 16 JUNE 2021 NEWS MATTHEW VELLA THE Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit has published a list of all government jobs whose authority and control on vast amounts of money and in- fluence, qualifies them as politi- cal exposed persons (PEPs) The list, drawn up on advice of the National Co-ordinat- ing Committee on Combating Money Laundering and Fund- ing of Terrorism, means that such PEPs have to undergo a more rigorous assessment when their business relations are be- ing process by bankers or nota- ries, among other professionals. Subject persons are expect- ed to review PEPs' ongoing business relationships and any prospective occasional transac- tions. The list starts with the high- est-ranking members of the Maltese State and government: the President of the Repub- lic, the prime minister and all ministers and parliamentary secretaries, the Speaker of the House, but also all heads of sec- retariat within any government ministries. Next come members of the governing bodies of political parties, but limited only to po- litical parties represented in the House of Representatives: top positions such as party leaders and deputy party lead- ers, CEOs and deputy roles, secretary-generals and assis- tant secretaries. The Chief Justice and all Judg- es serving in the Courts are PEPs, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Malta, dep- uty governors and Central Bank directors, the Auditor General and the Deputy Auditor Gen- eral. All ambassadors, chargé d'af- faires and high-ranking army officials – the Commander and deputy commander – are listed as PEPs. Other senior state and govern- ment officials listed as PEPs are the head of the civil service, or the principal permanent secre- tary, the Attorney General and State Advocate, all permanent secretaries, the Ombudsman and other commissioners with- in the office, the Commissioner of Police and the deputy com- missioner, the Commissioner for Revenue, the Security Ser- vice head, the Information and Data Protection Commission- er, and the director, chair and depuy chair of the Asset Recov- ery Bureau. Also listed as PEPs are a host of high-ranking officials within state-owned enterprises. These comprise members of the ad- ministrative, management or supervisory Boards including chairpersons, CEOs, directors of state-owned (50% owner- ship) enterprises, and other en- tities were the government has a golden share. These include companies such as Air Malta, Enemalta or even smaller out- fits like Projects Malta. Top-ranking officials of public entities, constitutional bodies and government departments reponsible for licensing or per- mits that "could potentially generate considerable turno- ver" are also PEPs: they include the director of the Commerce Department, the chair, CEO and members of the Environ- ment and Resources Authority, the chair, CEO and chief audit officer of the Lands Authori- ty, the chair of the Licensing (Trading) Appeals Board as well as the licensing Board set up under the Real Estate Agents, Property Brokers and Proper- ty Consultants Act; the CEOs and chairs of the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA), the Malta Gaming Authority, the Malta Tourism Authority, Malta Further and Higher Ed- ucation Authority, Regulator for Energy and Water Services, and Superintendent of Cultural Heritage. All Transport Malta's units' chairs and CEOs, and deputies are PEPs: they include the COO of TM, the registrar general of Shipping and Seamen, the Cos of ports and yachting, harbour master, land transport directo- rate, transport strategy, corpo- rate services, civil aviation, and marine safety investigations. All chairs and members of the Planning Authority's exec- utive council, planning board, planning commissions, and the environmental and planning re- view tribunal. PEPs also include the roles of those whose imposition of ad- ministrative fines of substantial value has a significant finan- cial effect, such as the chair- person, CEO and members of the authority responsible for regulation and monitoring of the building and construction industry, the Director-General of Customs, the FIAU chair- person and director, the Malta Business Registry's registrar, the chairs, board members and CEOs of the Malta Communi- cations Authority and the Mal- ta Financial Services Authority. Also included are those roles who approval high-value con- tracts and tenders in excess of €250,000, such as the direc- tor-general of Contracts, the chair of the Commercial Sanc- tions Tribunal and General Contracts Committee, the CEO of Infrastructure Malta, and the chairperson of MITA. All roles involved in the grant- ing of citizenship or residen- cy are PEPs: these include the regulator for granting of citi- zenship (formerly IIP), and the chairpersons and CEOs of Iden- tity Malta Agency, Komunità Malta, and the Malta Residency Visa Agency. Chairpersons and CEOs of grant schemes – the Arts Coun- cil, the Housing Authority, Mal- ta Enterprise, and the Resource, Recovery and Recycling Agency – are also PEPs. Who is a PEP? Financial intelligence unit lists all government roles