Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1501789
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 JUNE 2023 NEWS www.pa.org.mt PLANNING AUTHORITY The role enquires the selected candidate to provide assistance to the Unit Head, and ensure that all administrative functions within the Unit are working efficiently and meet the requirements of the Planning Authority and the public in general. Successful candidates must be in possession of the following:- Qualificati ons: Graduate at MQF 6 (first degree) preferably in Human Resources Management or in Business Administration or in Management or in Public Policy, or comparable qualifications as recognized by MQRIC. Management may consider other relevant qualifications at MQF level 6, which are related to the specific section/ unit activities, where the vacancy occurs. E xperienc e: No experience is required, however administrative work in a professional organization with managerial staff with experience in supervising secretarial/ minor staff, and working within multi-disciplinary teams will be considered an asset. S kills Good oral and written communication skills, fluency in Maltese and English, staff management, work supervision, inter/intra personal skills in dealing with a wide variety of professional disciplines and technical staff, leadership skills, the ability to motivate staff together with knowledge, and efficiency in using ICT tools. Candidates are to present scanned copies of all qualifications with their application together with proof of local equivalence issued by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), for any qualification(s) which are not awarded by University of Malta or MCAST. Candidates who are in possession of qualification(s) in a language other than English, are to present a translated copy of their qualification(s) in English. All certificates, the proof of local equivalence, the completed Declarations by Candidate, which can be downloaded from https:// www.pa.org.mt/en/ vacancies, and the Jobsplus Employment History, which can be downloaded from https://jobsplus.gov.mt/, are to be presented with the application, by the closing date for submissions. Candidates who are 3rd country nationals, are to have a valid working permit by the closing date for submissions of the call, which permit is to be presented with their application. The position carries a starting annual salary and allowances of €25,556 a performance bonus and other benefits. The above post is for an indefinite period. Interested candidates are advised to submit their application, by sending an application via email on jobapplications@pa.org.mt together with a detailed curriculum vitae in pdf format by not later than S unday, 9 th July 2023 to: The Human Resources Manager Planning Authority Ref: Assistant Officer (Administration) Jobsplus Permit No. 228/2022 Further information is available on our website: www.pa.org.mt/en/ vacancies Join our TEam ASSISTANT OFFICER (ADMINISTRATION) Career OppOrtunity vacancy land surveyor.indd 1 20/06/2023 08:57:03 Zoo regulation still in limbo almost three years on MATTHEW FARRUGIA ALMOST three years on, gov- ernment has still not given a specific timeframe for the in- troduction of new zoo regula- tions. Despite saying that a final proposal to amend zoo legis- lation was set to be presented to cabinet, in June of 2022, no update has yet been given on when such regulations, or what the final proposal for the regu- lations looks like. Responding to journalists during a press conference, An- imal Rights Minister Anton Refalo said that he understands the frustration felt due to the delay. While reassuring that "government is politically com- mitted to present legislation regulating zoos," Refalo stated that all stakeholders' interests are safeguarded in this process. In 2020, government pro- posed the prohibition of big- cat cub petting at zoos in a White Paper, but relinquished it just 24 hours later follow- ing outrage by zookeeper and known Labour adherent Anton Cutajar. Zoo regulations have so far remained the same despite the White Paper proposals. From her end, parliamenta- ry secretary for animal rights, Alicia Bugeja Said simply stat- ed, "We are working so that we can implement this law in the coming time." MATTHEW AGIUS A vehicle stopped by police over a missing number plate resulted in the driver being arraigned on drug charges. Inspectors Jonathan Pace and Warren Galea charged 19-year- old Lee Formosa from Marsa with unauthorised possession of dan- gerous drugs and possession of co- caine and heroin in circumstances denoting that they were not exclu- sively for his personal use. Formosa was also accused of driving a car without a driving li- cence, insurance cover or even li- cence plates. Further charges were pressed, relating to recidivism and the alleged breach of bail condi- tions which he had been handed on Christmas Eve last year. The youth, who told the court that he was unemployed, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bail was requested by his team of defence lawyers, Franco Debono, Lennox Vella and Francesca Zarb. Inspector Pace objected to the request. He testified to how po- lice officers had pulled a car over after noticing that it was missing a licence plate. As the car stopped, officers noticed "peculiar move- ments" inside the vehicle, sug- gesting that the driver was passing something over to the passenger. Formosa had been behind the wheel of the car, explained the in- spector. One of the police officers told his colleagues that there appeared to be drugs inside the car. As he was getting out of the car, Formo- sa, who was described in court as "known to the police drugs squad," told the officers that the drugs were not his. Formosa was arrested after 32 sachets of heroin and 46 sachets of suspected crack cocaine were found in the vehicle, with a total weight of 18 grams of heroin and 17 grams of cocaine. The car's two occupants had been granted police bail until the ownership of the drugs could be established, said the inspector, telling the court that although the amounts of drugs found were small, the defendant did not work, which was indicative that he had an illegal form of income. Answering defence lawyer Fran- co Debono, the inspector con- firmed that the defendant had obeyed the conditions of his police bail. Debono argued that this case would end up before a drug court, which emphasises treatment not punishment. "How can you ask the court to throw him in prison now? Had he given you a hard time tracing him while on police bail, it would be one thing, but that did not happen." The court rejected the bail re- quest in a decree issued later in the afternoon. Missing number plate leads to crack, heroin find