Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/809226
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 9 APRIL 2017 3 News PN flags conflict of interest for new BA chairman MIRIAM DALLI PUBLICIST George Mifsud has been appoint- ed as the new chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority, replacing Tanya Borg Cardona, who was forced to tender in her resignation earlier this month. Mifsud, who founded one of Malta's oldest advertising agencies in 1975, was appointed by the President of the Republic on advice of the Prime Minister. The Office of the Prime Minister said the ap- pointment was carried out following consulta- tion with the leader of the Opposition. During the consultation process, PN leader Simon Busuttil suggested the appointment of either Ombudsman Anthony Tabone or Chief Justice Emeritus Joe Said Pullicino. However, the PN said it was objecting to Mifsud's appointment, on grounds of "conflict of interest", saying Mifsud had direct commer- cial interest with the national station and could never be in a position to regulate a company with whom he has a commercial relation. Mifsud founded MPS, a marketing and com- munications company, in 1975. In 2011 he be- came non-executive chairman of the company. As an advertising agency, Mifsud's company is directly involved in media buying on behalf of corporate clients. In his letter to Prime Minister Joseph Mus- cat, Busuttil flagged the conflict of interest for Mifsud, saying he cannot conduct business with PBS in the morning and then decide complaints filed against PBS in the afternoon. "This would be a bigger conflict of interest than the one which led to the resignation of Tanya Borg Cardona," the PN said, referring to the consultancy job that Borg Cardona was given with the government during Malta's Pres- idency of the Council of the European Union. Busuttil argued that Muscat had ignored Mifsud's conflicts of interest and chose to ap- point an individual to a Constitutional post without bipartisan consent. The PN reiterated that persons who hold im- portant posts should always enjoy parliament's support, with a two-thirds majority. On its part, the government said that the PN's representative on the BA, Chris Scicluna, was a public relations professional at Hype PR. "The Opposition leader publicised the names he proposed for chairman. In the process, the Prime Minister employed flexibility, but the Opposition leader kept on objecting. "One of the persons Busuttil nominated was Anthony Tabone, who served as chairman of the board from 2011, and was kept in his role under this administration. Tabone, who carried out his duties in the most respectable manner, also had a main role in a company which had commercial relations with PBS, its major cli- ent," the government said in a reaction. "The Opposition's objections betray the dou- ble standards of someone who wants to oppose everything." Mifsud was ambassador to Bulgaria between 2007 and 2013 and also served on the board of directors of the Gozo Channel between 1999 and 2004. He was appointed to the BA post following Borg Cardona's departure, who was forced to resign as a result of workers' protests. Barman's aggressor rearrested on appeal of Attorney General THE Attorney General filed an urgent application to appeal a court's decision granting bail to a 23-year-old Serbian national, who grievously injured a barman in Bu- gibba. Judge Edwina Grima yesterday afternoon ordered the rearrest of Srđan Simić (pictured), who had been granted bail by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona against a personal guarantee of €5,000. While the prosecution argued strongly against bail, the court re- quired Simić to sign the bail book daily between 4pm and 9:30pm. The magistrate broadened the timeframe after hearing that Simić is fearing retaliation from the vic- tim's family. Simić was also ordered to re- main indoors between 10:00pm and 5:30am, as well as not to ap- proach Munchies or any of the ci- vilian witnesses. Simić was charged with invol- untarily grievously injuring Ryan Magro at Munchies Pub. Magro is a well-known musician and plays guitar for Claudia Faniello, who will represent Malta during this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Witnesses to the incident said the argument took place when two men were asked to leave after becoming intoxicated and began to bother other patrons. One of the men then turned to Magro, who was smoking a ciga- rette outside, and smashed a pint glass in his face, causing grievous injuries to his left eye. Magro's family members and witnesses have described the attack as "un- provoked". Simić was arrested along with two other men on Wednesday af- ter police raided an Qawra apart- ment. A witness who testified during Friday's sitting said a man had grabbed Simić by the shirt and told him to leave. The same wit- ness admitted to being drunk at the time. Lawyer Roberto Montalto is appearing for the accused whilst lawyers Franco Debono and Yan- ika Vidal are parte civile. George Mifsud founded MPS in 1975. The PN says he has a conflict of interest as the non- executive director of an advertising agency that is involved in media buying