David Borg a former aide of Joseph Muscat when the latter was still an MEP, has been named as the new chairman of WasteServ.

Helga Pizzuto, an engineer by profession will be his deputy while the other members of the board are Marsaxlokk mayor Edric Micallef, Godwin C Pulis,  geologist Peter Gatt, Iris Camilleri Mifsud and John Darmanin.

Environment Minister Leo Brincat said that he opted to announce the new board through a news conference to convey the message that this is the first process leading to the strategic review which is expected to be completed in six weeks time.

He remarked that the first priority will be to address a number of areas including those irregularities which the auditor general had flagged in his report some months ago.

The environment minister said that the internal audit carried out by Wasteserv is even of more concern since it took five years to complete with no valid justification except that “each request for financially sensitive information used to hit a brick wall.”

On the other hand Mr Brincat said that the new non-executive board members have been instructed to keep their distance from the people carrying out the strategic review and that he has no intention to do a witch hunt.

He added that all the reports included in the strategic review will be made public.