Convicted PL executive candidate given promotion before election

Philip Gatt, a candidate for Labour’s national executive who was convicted in a corruption-related case in 2018, was promoted at the Building and Construction Authority shortly before the last general election, The Shift can reveal.

Gatt was initially recruited as a customer care official at the authority, which falls under Minister Jonathan Attard’s political responsibility. The Shift has been informed that a vacancy allegedly tailored to Gatt was issued before the election and that he was selected for promotion to senior executive.

He is among 32 candidates competing for 12 elected places on Labour’s national executive, which determines party strategy and approves electoral candidates, among other powers.

In December 2018, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech sentenced Gatt to 180 hours of community service over an offence connected with permits for stalls at the Żebbuġ market. She also ordered the confiscation of €1,000 in proceeds and payment of €339.42 in expert costs.

Although Gatt admitted all three charges, the court acquitted him of two, explaining that a guilty plea could not justify a conviction unsupported by the evidence. It found no proof that issuing market permits formed part of his duties as a project manager. He was convicted only concerning improper influence.

Labour defended accepting his nomination, saying he qualified under its rules and citing its belief in second chances.

Gatt’s promotion comes amid mounting concerns that the construction regulator is becoming Attard’s personal political fiefdom.

Among the latest appointments is Deborah Felice, described as a long-standing Attard canvasser, who received a package worth around €70,000 annually as head of customer care. The Shift reported that she continued working primarily from the minister’s offices rather than at the authority.

Lawyer Ivan Meli, another close associate of Attard, was recruited on a senior management package approaching €90,000.

Matthew Zammit, known as “Il-Funk”, was hired on a package approaching €60,000 after being dismissed from the Lands Authority following allegations of abuse.

Sources told The Shift that he worked from Labour’s headquarters during the election campaign instead of reporting to the BCA, while remaining on its payroll.

The authority also absorbed former Joseph Muscat aide Ronnie Vella following Attard’s intervention.

Officials said these appointments had damaged morale among experienced staff, reinforcing concerns that an authority responsible for construction oversight was being used to accommodate political loyalists while career public officers were sidelined.