Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1414163
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS www.pa.org.mt PLANNING AUTHORITY The role requires a person to develop, set up and support geographic datasets in the Authority through appropriate training, systems development and database management, maintenance, presentation, internal dissemination and externalisation. The person is required to have: Qualifications: First degree (or similar post graduate qualifications) in GIS, Geography, ICT or similar graduate or post graduate qualifications. Experience in spatial aspects of GIS dataset management will be considered an asset. Skills: Interpersonal and teamwork skills. Candidates are to present scanned copies of all qualifications with their application together with any local equivalence evaluation, which documentation is issued by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) in case of foreign certificates (excluding Ordinary and Advanced Levels) and certificates which are not issued by MCAST or the University of Malta by the closing date of submissions. The above post is for an indefinite period. Interested candidates are advised to submit their application, together with a detailed curriculum vitae in pdf format to: The Human Resources Manager Planning Authority Ref: Assistant GIS Development Officer Jobsplus Permit No. 280/2021 or via email on jobapplications@pa.org.mt For further information visit our website: www.pa.org.mt/en/ vacancies C losing Date: 26 th S eptember 2021 JOIN OUR TEAM Assistant GIS Development Officer CAREER OPPORTUNITY vacancy.indd 1 06/09/2021 06:42:43 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Indeed it was Fenech who in- itiated his conversation with Castaldi Paris, telling him his 'Uncle Ray' had informed him that he had been a contender for the villa. "I had no idea, otherwise I would have never moved on it," Fenech told Castaldi Paris on 2 September 2019. "I'm ready to give it up anyway as I bought it for no reason. I got it for €3.1m." Castaldi Paris chipped in: "I was going to get it for €4m," he claimed. "I was going to flip it," he told Fenech, who said he had bought it on a whim after being charmed by its commanding views. "I was worried. I don't even muscle in like that in my busi- ness affairs," Fenech replied. "Let alone on something like this… with you." Castaldi Paris replied: "No king, don't worry. Next deal we do something together. I bought a house in Kensington instead. For more, obviously… I have three houses there and am now looking for a big mansion… saw a nice one, £16 million which I might close on this weekend." Fenech agreed with his friend's property savvy: "London's num- ber 1. Whatever I have extra, I spend there. Don't talk to me about Bulgaria… and beware of Paris because it is a fucking nightmare. Bought a house €8m but it cost me another 2. London is transparent. Sterling's good right now and there will be some four opportunities. Once Boris [Johnson] settles in I believe it will skyrocket." After that Fenech again told Castaldi Paris he wanted to be clear that he was not tied to the Mdina property if the notary wanted in on it. Castaldi Paris was magnanimous about the of- fer: "I appreciate king, but really, don't worry." 'It was all bluff' Apart from admitting to Malta- Today that the chats were noth- ing but bluff, Ian Castaldi Paris insisted that his parliamentary declaration of assets was correct. The MP said he owns two res- idential properties in Lija, two apartments in Santa Venera, and his office in Attard. "During the few chat exchang- es, stupidly and silly enough and [what was] pure men's talk bluff, I told [Fenech] I have proper- ties in UK and was going to buy a bigger one. Don't ask me why I bluffed but I do confirm that men between us sometimes use this talk. Perhaps it made me feel good saying this. I honestly don't know." When asked why he had prof- fered such claims, Castaldi Paris told MaltaToday that he thought big talk in business could make him out to be a "success in soci- ety". "Today, or rather after becom- ing an MP I did realise that this bluff-talking has to stop and therefore I regret that, yes, occa- sionally, I did bluff or joked on having properties abroad, which is not true. You learn from your mistakes and I do acknowledge this." Castaldi Paris also said that af- ter becoming MP and submitting his declaration of assets, "I took the free initiative to write to an authority and informed them that I did occasionally have some bluff Whatsapps with friends and colleagues on owning property abroad. I informed the authority that I do not own and never did own any property or properties abroad, never had or have any bank accounts abroad and never had and don't have any compa- nies abroad. Neither me, my wife and none of my family members. I also offered a full power of at- torney unlimited, should they want to check or ask anyone an- ywhere in the world. I also have a receipt and acknowledgment of such letter." Mdina deal But what has now emerged clearly now is that Ian Castaldi Paris was well aware of the 2019 property deal, and its seller, the broker Joe Camilleri. Indeed, a year later when he be- came a Labour MP, he was assist- ing Camilleri in drawing up an affidavit on the sale that had fall- en through months later when Yorgen Fenech was arrested in November 2019. Now, in December 2020, Camilleri was attempting to have brokerage fees of €93,000 he paid to Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar and her aide Charles Farrugia 'it-Tikka' – nominated by Yorgen Fenech as his brokers – returned. Castaldi Paris, an eighth district 'rival' to Cutajar, obliged. And when news broke in 2021 of Camilleri's legal entreaties to Cutajar to return the cash, the former parliamentary secretary for equality had to resign her government post, and submit herself to an investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards in public life. But when testifying before standards czar George Hyzler, Castaldi Paris was ambiguous about his role in the entire affair, refusing to testify on the Camill- eri affidavit. From the evidence collected by Hyzler, Camilleri would have torn up the affidavit and the Standards Commissioner on- ly got to see a soft copy version from the laptop of Times of Mal- ta journalist Ivan Martin, who had penned the story naming Castaldi Paris. MaltaToday asked Castaldi Paris whether he ever told Hyzler that he was well aware of Yorgen Fenech's property deal as early as 2 September, 2019. "I don't think he asked me that kind of ques- tion," Castaldi Paris replied. "But I knew Camilleri as a property dealer always asking me about potential buyers." Ethics investigation Hyzler concluded that Rosianne Cutajar had pocketed a broker- age fee from the sale and broke ethics when she failed to declare the income in her yearly declara- tion of assets filed in parliament. The Standards Commissioner has also suggested that his report be passed on to the tax authori- ties for further investigation. The Tax Compliance Unit in- itiated an investigation into the Mdina property deal, including Cutajar and her associate, soon after the news first appeared in the press. Cutajar's aide Charles Farrugia testified that she had nothing to do with the sale, however, Hyzler noted inconsistencies in the tes- timonies he heard that suggest- ed Cutajar had done more than simply suggest Fenech's name. She had also been present for the viewing of the property and had contacted Fenech since he was late on that occasion. Cutajar even told Camilleri she had carefully counted together with her father the commission money received on the deal, ac- cording to a sworn statement by Camilleri to Hyzler. Two days af- ter the cash was given to Cutajar at a Valletta restaurant, the pol- itician called him and said she had confirmed the amount after meticulously counting it together with her father. "Cutajar said she had never made that much mon- ey before," the statement reads. Camilleri claims in the sworn statement that he had repeated- ly told Cutajar she would have to return the money if the deal fell through. The deal did eventually collapse when Fenech was arrest- ed over his alleged involvement in the murder. Castaldi Paris knew of Mdina deal at inception