Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/860911
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 AUGUST 2017 9 News Manager (Projects) The Permanent Secretary (Financial Services & Iden ty) invites applica ons for the posi on of Manager (Projects) on a European Regional Development Fund Programme (ERDF) 02.035—Connected eGovernment (CONvErGE). Further informa on including details a ached to this posi on, can be obtained from the OPM website: www.opm.gov.mt Interested candidates are invited to submit a le er of applica on, a detailed CV, and copies of their cer ficates to the HR Branch at the Office of the Prime Minister via email on: human-resources.opm@gov.mt or by post to the address below, by not later than Monday, 21st August, 2017 at noon (Central European Time) Late applica ons will not be accepted. Solici ng will automa cally disqualify any applicants. Address: HR Branch, Office of the Prime Minister, Auberge de Cas lle, St Pauls Street, Valle a, Malta T: 2200 1017/2200 1010| E: human-resources.opm@gov.mt Opera onal Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 "Fostering a compe ve and sustainable economy to meet our challenges" Call for Employment part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Co-financing rate: 80% European Union; 20% Na onal Funds JAMES DEBONO THE Lands Authority had issued its consent for the development of the new Chiswick House School in an open field owned by the State in Pembroke. The proposed private school devel- opment has irked residents in Pem- broke who are demanding that the open area, bordering on the town's garigue but still included in the de- velopment zones, be left free of any building. The Lands Authority took over the functions of the former government property division. Indeed, the planning application presented on 5 May by Chiswick director Bernie Mizzi includes a declaration by the applicant that the owner – which in this case is the gov- ernment – has "granted consent" to the proposal. According to a circular issued in 2016, all planning applications on public land have to be accompanied by a clearance from the Lands Au- thority stating that it finds "no objec- tion in principle" to the submission of an application on the site in ques- tion for the proposed development. At this stage the Lands Author- ity can object to the application and abort it. The Lands Authority's own website reminds applicants that prior to the submission of a planning applica- tion for any proposal on government property, the applicant is obliged to send electronically the full package of drawings and related details to the authority for its clearance. Despite the consent issued by the Lands Authority, on Tuesday even- ing, Environment Minister José Her- rera turned up at a protest organised by residents who oppose the devel- opment, stating his ministry sup- ported the residents and was against the siting of the school in Pembroke, Asked by the Times of Malta whether the government can stop the process, a spokesman for Her- rera said: "The government cannot simply stop the process, because the applicants have a right to apply and go through the procedures which ap- ply in such circumstances." The spokesman said that the inde- pendent institutions – the planning, land and environment authorities – would be taking decisions according to established laws and procedures. School director Bernie Mizzi claimed that it was the authorities who directed Chiswick to the gov- ernment-owned plot in Pembroke. The application foresees 36 classes, outdoor sport facilities, and 82 out- door parking spaces on a 15,000m2 site. The school insists that only 25% of the site would be built over but residents insist that this open space should be preserved. The development is located within the Development Zone in an area where development is guided by a local plan policy which obliges the PA to prepare a development brief setting the planning parameters for the zone. The policy earmarks the zone for both residential and non- industrial commercial development. Mizzi is the wife of businessman Alec Mizzi, one of the main share- holders in the Midi consortium whose tenure at Manoel Island was also challenged by residents there in a campaign spearheaded by Gzira's Labour mayor Conrad Borg Man- ché. Together with NGO Kamp Emergenza Ambjent, activists de- manding access to the blocked fore shore, in the process raising ques- tions over the lease held by MIDI on the island. Lands Authority had issued consent for Pembroke school MATTHEW VELLA JOHN Dalli is seeking €1 million in damages in a new complaint he has filed with the European Court of Justice. After having had his claim for unfair dismissal by the European Commission thrown out by the same EU court, Dalli is now insist- ing he should be compensated for the damages endured after his res- ignation – on the suggestion of his then boss José Barroso. A source at the European Court told MaltaToday that Dalli is de- manding "compensation for the prejudice, notably the moral prej- udice, caused to [Dalli] by the un- lawful behaviour of the Commis- sion, in the context of the adoption of the oral decision of October 2012, taken by the President of the Commission to terminate [Dalli's] office with immediate effect." Dalli was asked to step down by Barroso when a report by the EU's anti-fraud agency OLAF claimed to have circumstantial evidence that Dalli was aware of a €60 mil- lion bribe attempt, to reverse a re- tail ban on snus tobacco. Although Dalli was not allowed to read the OLAF report, Barroso insisted he leave the Commission. Subsequently, Maltese police ar- raigned Silvio Zammit, a Sliema businessman who requested the €60 million bribe from snus pro- ducer Swedish Match, who sug- gested he could get Dalli to reverse the ban. As health commissioner Dalli was in 2012 pushing new rules under the Tobacco Products Di- rective, although no attempt was made to overturn the ban on snus tobacco. OLAF had also suggested that Maltese lawyer Gayle Kimberley, whom Swedish Match hired to lobby both Silvio Zammit and John Dalli, had played a duplicitous role by encouraging Dalli how to pitch the €60 million price to Estoc, the smokeless tobacco lobby of which Swedish Match was a member. Since then, five years have elapsed from the alleged crime, which would mean that any trad- ing-in-influence charges are now time-barred. While OLAF never suggested that Dalli should be charged with either bribery or trading in influ- ence, former Commissioner of Police John Rizzo has insisted he intended to arraign Dalli on the strength of the Maltese police force's own investigations after October 2012. But Malta was plunged into elec- tions at the start of 2013, and Dalli left the island claiming he required medical treatment. Rizzo says he was unable to arraign Dalli at the time as Malta went into political overdrive. Last week Dalli said in a state- ment that the police had never informed him about any arraign- ment, after the Times of Malta reported that Attorney General Peter Grech had green-lit the ar- rest warrant in 2013. "I communicated with the police over the phone during December 2012-March 2013 about my return dates to Malta. The police were informed about the date of my return before I arrived in Malta," Dalli said. Dalli arrived back in Malta on 6 April, 2013, a week before Rizzo resigned from office. "Rizzo had ample time to take the action he believed he should have taken. "I believe this lack of action was due to the fact that the political pressure he had before the elec- tion, had vanished. "He himself said in court that he was being pressured by the media and by parliament… this pressure was on the same day the [Nation- alist] administration lost a confi- dence vote." Dalli revives dismissal suit with €1 million damages claim Welcome to the Commission... a rare smile between sworn enemies John Dalli (left) and former Commission president José Barroso