THE Maltese Psychological Association (MPA) said it "wholeheartedly" welcomed the regulation of the psychology profession which has started with the process of application for the issue of warrants to all qualified practitioners. "This will mean that all warranted psychologists will have fulfilled the training requirements specified by the Psychology Profession Act, 2004," the MPA said in a press release.

Referring to the report carried last Sunday, "Psychologists' union has no faith in regulatory board" MPA said it would like to make some clarifications.

"There are currently two unions representing psychologists in Malta. According to the Government Gazette of January 20, MPA is the larger union representing the majority of psychologists. "MPA would like to declare that its full confidence in the constitution of the Psychology Board and the legality of its setting up. The MPA council would like to establish that it has never received any complaints about the Board's composition from its members nor from any other psychologist."

MPA also pointed out that the Psychology Board is chaired by one of the pioneers in the practice and teaching of psychology in Malta. "She has been instrumental in the training of almost all psychologists at some stage of their career. Criticism of her suitability for the post is unfair and unjustified," the press release added.

All MPA members who are contributing to the regulation of the profession by working on the board are well established practitioners and/or academics of outstanding repute, MPA insisted.