Training tender awards to be closely monitored

The newly set up Malta Association of Private Training Providers (MAPTP), which will closely monitor the awarding of tenders in training, is currently looking into a number of complaints that it has received on the awarding of tenders over the past few months and will be meeting the entities concerned.

The MAPTP would like to ensure that members sitting on awards committees will be free of any conflicts of interest to ensure transparency and accountability. It also emphasises that price should not be the deciding factor, since quality in training is extremely important and comes at a cost.

MAPTP president Rosanne Galea said all persons involved in the tendering processes, whether these tenders involved EU funds or otherwise, should know the exact rules of tendering processes.

The systems must be transparent and the results should include the reasons why the tenders were or weren't successful. It is evident that most of our members aren't happy with the way tenders are being handled in Malta; thus it was the association's intention to make full use of all channels available locally and overseas to make sure that training providers' rights are not tampered with.

"It is our intention to go forward to the authorities with cases that we feel should be investigated by an independent body and our members now have a procedure for reporting such cases directly to the council for further action," Ms Galea added.