Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/958047
8 MAT THE W VELLA THE Planning Authority has re- vealed the salary of its executive chairman after its decision to turn down a Freedom of Infor- mation request was not upheld. The PA had refused MaltaTo- day's Freedom of Information request on the executive chair- man's new salary, after first di- recting the newspaper to make the request in the first place. It reflected the worsening climate of transparency, since the re- quest does not concern a docu- ment as defined by the Freedom of Information law. Those salaries are now in the public domain. Johann Buttigieg is now earning a basic salary of €83,324 which is then topped up with a €7,000 car allowance, chauffeur, paid fuel and car service, as well as a fully expensed mobile phone and €600 home telephone and internet al- lowance, and a membership fee in a professional body. Buttigieg is also eligible for a 15% performance bonus at the end of the year that brings his salary up to over €95,000 annu- ally – one of the highest salaries paid to government officials – and a significant 50% bump over his salary back in 2013. The chairman of the PA's plan- ning commission is then paid a basic salary of €38,539 and a gen- eral expense allowance of €8,152, including a non-pensionable al- lowance of €5,727, a telephone allowance (€512), mobile al- lowance (€815), car allowance of €3,029 or a car, as well as a €1,980 fuel allowance and one broadband internet connection. Members of the planning com- mission are paid €33,507 with a general expense allowance of €8,152, a non-pensionable al- lowance of €4,973, as well as all the other allowances for the PC's chairman. In the past, the PA has had no trouble answering similar re- quests on the salaries paid to former CEO Ian Stafrace and Buttigieg himself. Buttigieg's new salary and al- lowances were under discussion back in January 2017, when the former CEO was appointed ex- ecutive chairman with added responsibilities, which include chairing the PA's executive council under the new planning law. As CEO, Johann Buttigieg was receiving an annual salary of €60,000 then, €10,000 less than his predecessor Ian Stafrace. When he was appointed in 2011, Stafrace received a basic salary of €65,000 – which was set to in- crease to €70,000 in the second and third years of his appoint- ment. While Buttigieg is in charge of the day-to-day running of the PA, the PA chairman Vince Cas- sar is appointed on a part-time basis with a salary of €18,000. In 2013, his predecessor, Austin Walker, who was initially ap- pointed as executive chairman in 2008, received an annual salary of €93,000. The executive chairperson may only be dismissed by a resolution of the House of Representatives at any time "for a just cause". The law also specifies that fail- ure to achieve "the targets and objectives set for him by the Minister", amount to a just cause for dismissal. Additional reporting by James Debono News maltatoday SUNDAY 25 MARCH 2018 COURT NOTICE The Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals informs that the Civil Court, First Hall ordered the following sales by auction: Date Time Judicial Sale No Place Items 11 th April 2018 10.30am 32/17-AZ J.Zammit Limited C-37945 vs Daniela Grixti ID-432889M 3, 'ST.JAMES COURT', TRIQ IS- SIENJA, H'ATTARD Vehicle of the make Renault Megane with the registration number JBU 081 silver in colour. 11 th April 2018 11.00am 4/18-EGL J.Zammit Estates Limited C-52422 vs Loreta Zammit noe. et ID-432889M 3, 'ST.JAMES COURT', TRIQ IS- SIENJA, H'ATTARD Vehicle of the make BMW116i, grey in colour with the registration number IBQ 346. 11 th April 2018 11.30am 23/17-JGL J.Zammit Limited C-37945 vs Rodney Vella ID-432889M 55, J&J BOATYARD, TA' GHADMIJA, L-IMQABBA Vehicle of the make Alfa Romeo with the registration number CUT 156. Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar Civil Courts and Tribunals COURT NOTICE The Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals notifies that the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the sale by Judicial Auction of the following property to be held in the corridors of the Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Date Time Judicial Sale No Property 10th April 2018 10.30am 67/14 - EGL Dr. Joseph Ellis noe Vs Fenech De Fremaux Deborah ID 86876 M Quarter of an undivided share of apartament numbered 3, Kingstown Flats in Triq Testaferrata, Gżira valued at €11,000. Quarter of an undivided share of apartament numbered 4, Kingstown Flats in Triq Testaferrata, Gżira valued at €15,500. Quarter of an undivided share of apartament numbered 5, Kingstown Flats in Triq Testaferrata, valued at €12,000. Quarter of an undivided share of apartament numbered 6, Kingstown Flats in Triq Testaferrata, Gżira valued at €17,000. 17th April 2018 10.30am 6/17 - EGL C. Stivala & Sons C-4610 Vs Joseph Catania ID 201542M Property numbered 71, free and unencumbered accessible from a front garden in Triq Monsinjur Arturo Bonnici in Swatar, Msida, valued €305,000. Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card. Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals PA boss Johann Buttigieg now paid over €83,000 Executive chairman Johann Buttigieg. The PA first asked MaltaToday to file a Freedom of Information request for information that did not require an FOIA demand, and then proceeded to refuse the FOIA request. The authority's refusal was however not upheld on appeal. A 55-year-old Bulgarian from St Paul's Bay, who was con- ducting restoration works in Valletta, fell from a height of three storeys yesterday, and is currently in serious condi- tion. The man was working with- in a property in Old Theatre Street. An ambulance was called on site and the man was taken to Mater Dei hos- pital, where he was deter- mined to be suffering from grievous injuries. Police investigations are ongoing. THE two men who were ar- rested on Thursday after a police drug bust operation were arraigned before duty magistrate Yana Micallef Sta- frace yesterday. The two were denied bail and remanded in custody. Austin Mallia and Michele Artale were found to be in possession of several kilos of cannabis, a large amount of cash and a fireaarm, during a raid in their residence in Hamrun. A third man, Sandro Lo Presto had also been placed in custody, after investiga- tions yielded a mandate for arrest. The prosecution argued against bail, saying that since investigations were still on- going, the suspects should not be released and should be kept separate from each other in custody. The magistrate ordered that Mallia be sent to Mount Carmel Hospital to receive the required psychiatric as- sistance. Arthur Azzopardi and Christopher Chircop were defence counsel to the ac- cused. Inspectors Jonathan Cassar and Kevin Pulis pros- ecuted. Restoration worker in serious condition after three- storey fall in Valletta Two men arrested in drug bust operation remanded in custody