Comments on: MEPA chairman is allowed to do private work as an architect

By: Carlos Bonavia

Carlos Bonavia — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:45:49 +0000

In reply to math.

….. and maybe on virgin land at Mistra …..

By: victor

victor — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:50:27 +0000

why worry? the president of the republic will see to it that the code of ethics is respected. . . What’s the matter ? don’t you believe me ?

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Żaren — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:51:24 +0000

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By: Arturo Mercieca

Arturo Mercieca — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:07:01 +0000

Some people are prepared to do anything as long as it permits them to exercise power. Probably, in this case, Vince Cassar would have been prepared to serve as MEPA Chairman even if he were to be paid no honorarium at all.

I was quite surprised by this choice. He has worked all his life in the public sector except for a recent stint monitoring roadworks. Both he and his brother were glorified and extolled by Michael Falzon.

He went on to become DG of the Works Department but on the appointment of Ninu Zammit, he immediately went off to become Perm Sec at the Min of Transport under Mugliett were he was not too successful in curbing doubtfully ethical behaviour.

Since retirement, he has been practising privately but I doubt very much whether he has ever submitted a single MEPA application as my impression is that he was more involved in monitoring roadworks on behalf of public entities.

It would have been more logical to appoint his brother to the role and there may be a spat of sibling rivalry in all this. It remains to be seen how successful he will be in resisting political interference (recent events at MEPA and his history do not augur well) and whether he will succeed in making over this byzantine organization which no one seems able to get a handle on.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:48:26 +0000

In reply to David. Architects are not necessarily well-trained in planning unless they have specialised in this field.

By: Claude Sciberras

Claude Sciberras — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:46:40 +0000

I cannot believe this. So why do we have a code of ethics? Surely there is some form of code of ethics which regulates these posts. And can anyone explain to me why, even when the code of ethics is being broken nothing happens, can the code be broken without sanction?

By: Philip Micallef

Philip Micallef — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:56:44 +0000

Very different treatment from the previous administration where incumbents of senior positions in regulatory authorities were not allowed to take up employment for at least a year after they leave the post with companies with whom the regulatory authority had dealings with.

By: Alexander Ball

Alexander Ball — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:37:09 +0000

Is it true they are, in addition to his 18k salary, going to give him unlimited bananas and a tyre hung on a rope from a tree branch (secluded spot naturally)?

By: maryanne

maryanne — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:53:51 +0000

This one is better. MaltaToday reports:

“But unlike Walker, Cassar will be able to supplement his income with private work, as long as it does not conflict with his MEPA duties.”

What is he going to do? Wash dishes in a hotel kitchen?

By: math

math — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:41:52 +0000

No you got it all wrong.

He will be allowed to practice creating architectural designs of only particular types… such as an invisible roof on the Tejatru Rjal and land reclamation on the Ghadira nature reserve pond.