The recruitment at Wasteserv during the general election fell between the parameters established within the tender agreement signed with the operator who handles the workforce, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Joseph Caruana told the Public Accounts Committee. 

In the sitting, Caruana also stressed that he in no way dealt with the recruitment at the government entity, given that it always fell within the financial budget. 

JF Services, the company which provides the workers for Wasteserv, was awarded a new tender agreement in 2014.  The company had provided the same service prior to the new contract, which Caruana said was more beneficial to the government entity.

The committee is currently investigating the recruitment of employees with WasteServ in July, particularly during the election campaign, after a request was made by the Nationalist Party.

In a previous sitting, Wasteserv CEO Tonio Montebello provided figures which indicated that 60% of WastServ employees that were hired in 2017 were employed during the election campaign, while more than 30% of the employees were from the 1st District.

Environment Minister Jose Herrera, who is politically responsible for WasteServ, contests on the 1st district, which includes the localities of Valletta, Floriana, Hamrun, Marsa, Pieta, Gwardamanga, and Santa Venera.

Quizzed on this matter, Caruana said the residences of new employees did not factor into the recruitment process, with MP Robert Abela saying that it appeared that the Opposition did not approve the recruitment of individuals from a particular district. 

Caruana was also asked about the 70 to 80 persons that were employed at WasteServ in the weeks following the fire at Sant Antin Plant on May 22, a few weeks prior to the election, despite the number of persons who were left without a place of work and had to be relocated.

"The fire was not a normal occurrence, but just because it burned down, does not mean that the work will reduce, actually it might increase," he said.