Spiteri Gingell steps down

David Spiteri Gingell chairman and CEO of MITTS, the government IT company has resigned, Government Investments Minister Austin Gatt confirmed in reply to a parliamentary question by Leo Brincat (MLP) yesterday.

Dr Gatt said the departure would be sorely missed because Mr Spiteri Gingell's contribution to the country was enormous. Mr Spiteri Gingell had been one of the main architects of the IT strategy and had worked on many other government projects under different administrations.

Reacting to a comment by Mr Brincat that this departure would mean another link in the chain of resignations under this minister, Dr Gatt said that comment was "below the belt".

There was no dispute with Mr Spiteri Gingell but he had felt he needed to move on.

Education Minister Louis Galea said that Mr Spiteri Gingell was still serving on the Malta Council for Science and Technology. Since the government had committed itself to raising its research and innovation from relatively low to ambitious, Mr Spiteri Gingell had felt that he could not take on other commitments.

Once the pension reform was approved by Parliament Mr Spiteri Gingell would also be transferring his work on the reform to other persons.

Asked by Mr Brincat whether Mr Spiteri Gingell's replacement at MITTS had already been identified and if he was someone who joined the company as a consultant recently, Dr Gatt said the person Mr Brincat was referring to had worked for one of the biggest firms in New York where he used to be in charge of projects which involved up to 400 persons.

Dr Gatt said that upon his return he had introduced him to Mr Spiteri Gingell - well before the latter considered resigning.

Although he was qualified for the job, this did not mean that a decision had been taken on who would succeed Mr Spiteri Gingell since a call for applications still had to be made.