UPDATED: Police find no irregularities in Mcast IT courses tender
Four to be arraigned for alleged false declarations
(Adds reaction by Evarist Bartolo)
A police investigation requested by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo has concluded that no illegality or irregularity was committed by the selection board responsible for the granting of contracts by Mcast to private training providers for IT courses, the Education Ministry said.
Four persons from two private training providers are to be taken to court for allegedly making false declarations to a public authority when they submitted their tenders to the selection board, the ministry added.
“The only observation made by the police with regard to the selection board was that there was negligence which did not amount to a crime but should not be repeated,” the ministry said.
It added that the delay in the start of IT courses was not caused by Mcast, the Contracts Department or the Contracts Appeals Board. The appeals board could not consider the case before the files were released by the police after the investigation they were asked to carry out.
Now that the police investigation was over, the appeals board would announce its decision in the coming days.
Education Minister Dolores Cristina has instructed Mcast to ensure that the IT courses start as soon as the appeals board takes its decision.
Mr Bartolo in a counter-statement this afternoon said it was shameful that the Education Ministry was using the conclusions of the police investigation to hide the serious shortcomings of the selection board.
Mr Bartolo said that when the police concluded their investigations, they sought advice from the Office of the Attorney General on whether there were grounds for court action for criminal negligence. It was not unheard of for the police to wish to proceed but for the AG’s office to decide otherwise on a legal technicality.
Whatever technicality was brought up, however, nothing could hide the fact that the selection board altered the marks given in its first report, destroyed its first report and recommended the granting of the contract to all the companies that submitted a bid, even those, Mr Bartolo said, who did not meet requirements.
Were it up to the selection board, the contract would have been awarded to all the bidders, even those who, according to the police themselves, made false declarations about their facilities.
Mr Bartolo said he hoped that the Ministry of Education would learn from this case so that matters could be handled more seriously in the future.
The ministry said it wanted to again assure the students that they would be given the same standard of instruction and the same hours as the regular Mcast courses.
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In Discussion
41 Comments
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Muscat Peter
Nov 24th 2008, 10:14
@ ONE & ALL ...
I am convinced that there WAS quite a number of IRREGULARITIES in the Mcast IT courses tender and I am convinced SOMEONE is hiding the truth from us all.A number of persons from the Contract Division were interrogated by the police.
May I ask if anyone checked ALL FORMS of TENDER by applicant/s in the above tender?
I am not accusing the Police of not doing their duties but I am convinced that an INDEPENDENT INQUIRY will certainly give us all different FINDINGS and the truth.
MITTSGATE's true story hasn't ended with this Police report. Truth will prevail one day! I know for sure that ALL the employees in above mentioned Department were really astonished with the Police findings report. The very few are certainly celebrating a sigh of relief! What a shame!
Jien konvint li MHUX Il-Bambin BISS jaf kemm il-elf ragun ghandu Evarist Bartolo! Hemm ohrajn li jafu il-verita kollha izda imwerwrin li jitkellmu!
Sharon Mifsud
Nov 24th 2008, 09:52
I. Galea
It is amazing how you manage to get the facts wrong. The Police found irregularities on both the part of the board and on the part of some of the bidders. The irregularities of the bidders were criminal and those of the board were administrative irregularities.
What do you expect more from damning from the Police?
If the Police were not asked to investigate it would have never surfaced that:
(i) some bidders made false declarations and were still chosen by the MCAST board;
(ii) the MCAST board made administrative irregularities "which should never be repeated".
As a result of this investigation, all Maltese people hope that the Minister of Education take the example of Onor Austin Gatt and sack the people of the MCAST board concerned. Minister Austin Gatt sacked the CEO of MITTS when it was found that he commiitted administrative negligence.
Come on Minister Dolores Cristina, show us all that you mean business. Sack the people found guilty of administrative irregularities.
Evarist Saliba
Nov 23rd 2008, 13:48
@ Charles J.Buttigieg
You admit that Pat Muscat exagerted in her statement. This is not the only occasion when she has done so, and in exagerating, she did not respect the truth, for reasons that she knows best, at the cost of Malta's good name.
As far as I am concerned I have not reached the stage where I do not criticise government, as long as truth is respected. Read my comments on other issues to see for yourself.
Liam Kelly
Nov 22nd 2008, 21:46
lgalea
Why not just stop trying to suggest that Mr. Bartolo is somehow vindicated and just admit that he got this one well and truly wrong; i know you won't particularly care, neither Evarist...ho hum, just another mud slinging exercise which didn't really pay off for us....but its the STUDENTS that are ultimately suffering....and that's not good enough.
The whole reason he launched an investigation was to try and prosecute and the fact is that there's nothing to prosecute.
Each and every tendering process is never going to be perfect; beit collusion amongst the tender companies or inaccurate bids, it ALWAYS has been and always will be, so theres nothing significant about that whatsoever.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 22nd 2008, 20:57
Obviously, people like Mr Buttigieg would simply 'applaud' Mr Evarist Bartolo for naming and shaming without first checking the facts. Oh, well!
@ Evarist Bartolo: It depends what kind of 'behaviour' we are speaking about. The person in question is known for his awful temper - that's one thing. But to claim other things about that person, which are infinitely worse, and to even mention it in Parliament before making sure you have all your facts, is evil, not just wrong - evil!
This is not the first time you attacked administrations of church schools - you did it three years ago about another Church school and you were proved wrong, both by myself and by the competent authrorities.
Get your facts right, and don't just believe your cronies.
Louis Gatt
Nov 22nd 2008, 20:56
It looks like Mr.Evarist Bartolo was right from the beginning after all. Four persons from two private training providers are to be taken to court for allegedly making false declarations to a public authority, and 'negligence' from the Board...so what else could one expect to find? Isn't that enough to justify an inquiry? I jolly well think it is.
Sharon Mifsud
Nov 22nd 2008, 19:09
Joe Vella
You said that the marks were changed as corrective action because 2 companies made false declarations. It is exactly the opposite: the selection board changed the marks so that all companies (including these 2 which made false declarations) are selected and given students. It was only the police who discovered that these 2 schools made false declarations. The selection board wanted to choose these 2 schools as well.
What are the authorities waiting to name these 2 schools and the 4 individuals concerned?
Remember:
the police DID FIND irregularities and in fact are arraigning 4 persons to court. The police DID FIND that the selection board did not their work correctly and their actions "should not be repeated".
This inefficiency from the board led one of the bidders to appeal and hence all the delays. It seems that this company was right to appeal and so it is only the selection board to blame for the delays. If they did their work correctly in the first place there would not be any appeals or investigations. the selection board should apologise and resign.
Charles J Buttigieg
Nov 22nd 2008, 19:00
@ Evarist Saliba
Tarnishing the good name of our Country is not an epidemic decease which started after 1987. Many of us have a clear memory of the infamous ‘Malta file-Is Malta burning?’ which was circulated throughout the globe and its originator was later made an Ambassador. And amongst other similar campaigns we also remember Fr. Joe Borg comparing Malta with Beirut.
I think that Pat Muscat exagerated her statement but that does’nt mean that corrupt practices are not rampant in our Country.Moreover I hope that now we have’nt arrived to a situation that when we criticise our administration’s wrong doings we would be accused of tarnishing the reputation of our country and our fellow citezens.
Evarist Bartolo
Nov 22nd 2008, 18:31
The person who should apologize is Mr Juan Borg Manduca, the chairman of the adjudication Board of the tender.
Why? 1. The tender was issued late in summer when it should have been prepared at least in July.
2. He formulated a set of criteria: premises to be properly licensed, accessible for disabled persons, 5 years' track record in ICT training.
3. Bidders had to get at least 70 marks or over to qualify.
4. He was told during board meetings that several bidders did not meet criteria and should be disqualified for making false declarations.
5. He went ahead and submitted report to board of contracts and only one bidder got 70 marks or over but recommended that all five bidders be awarded contract.
6. He ordered a secretary at MCAST to shred the first report and then submitted a new report where all five bidders got 70 marks or over.
7. During hearing of appeal case he said under oath that he did not know where first report was although he had ordered secretary to shred it.
I am saying all these things without any parliamentary privilege and am ready to prove in court this statement.
Charles J Buttigieg
Nov 22nd 2008, 18:14
Mr. Bartolo we applaud you for proving a point. The police investigation concluded that there were negligence during the process and passed their conclusions to the Attorney General which means that the police did not rule out the possibility of illegal irregularities. It however confirmed irregularities as negligence is an irregularity.
Before the Police investigations were concluded I remarked that this is starting to look like a duplication of the Mistragate Affair. A quick look at the comments by the familiar names, that are always out to defend the PN even when it was shamed, would confirm that you had done your duty diligently.
Marion Pace
Nov 22nd 2008, 18:10
@PDebono
Yes you should thank Mr. Bartolo for his interest that the best tuition is given to your brother!
Do you want your brother believing the that he is qualified to standard and that when he actually works he gives a bad name to MCast because he wasnt given series tuition!
Shame on You! Read the whole article please.
"The only observation made by the police with regard to the selection board was that there was NEGLIGENCE which did not amount to a crime BUT SHOULD NOT BE REPEATED,” the ministry said."
Who knows how much more negligence there is and is being ignored.
muscat.pat
Nov 22nd 2008, 17:30
Just before one enter Mater Dei, there is a famous Maltese cross which sums up what happens in the whiter than white island of ours:" rajt ma rajtx smaj ma smajtx'
Sinclair Calleja
Nov 22nd 2008, 17:30
To all you people who are saying that everything in Malta is working as it should, all I say to you is, keep it up. Better live a dream than to live a nightmare, since the truth might be shocking. Anybody who has someone close working in public institutions knows what I'm talking about. Unfortunately, the truth behind these malpractices is never uncovered by the legal system, due to some technicality or another, and it remains between just the person(s) concerned and God Himself. I'm trying to be as diplomatic as possible - you might want to call it throwing of mud as many did before the election. I call it reality. And unfortunately, life is not fair, and some people, as always, are milking the cow while it is still around. Someday, somewhere, may justice be served.
Anthony Mizzi
Nov 22nd 2008, 17:14
"negligence which did not amount to a crime but should not be repeated"
Four to be arraigned for alleged false declarations
...SO THERE WAS SOMETHING......as always with tenders / contracts and direct orders with the P.N. administration stamp.
Well Done Mr. Bartolo, keep up the good work, in the interests of the tax paying citizens.
Alfred Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2008, 17:14
You see, Mr Kelly! The students did not have the apology they deserved from Evarist Bartolo.Rather, Mr Bartolo is demanding an apology by the Government to the students for the harm, delay and loss of lessons, inconvenience he (Bartolo) caused them by his unfounded accusations. Arrogance never played second fiddle to humility.
Joe Vella
Nov 22nd 2008, 17:10
l Galea
If the marks were changed for no apparent reason that is irregular. If the marks were changed, as a result, the false declarations made by two of the companies coming to light, that is called taking the appropriate corrective action.
Then again for the MLP and the little elves who couldn't think for them selves, everything that moves has an aura of corruptness.
It is coming quite clear as stated before that poor Evarist was taken to the cleaners.
lgalea
Nov 22nd 2008, 16:35
Franco Farrugia, J Martinelli
How can you say that he was wrong when what was alleged did result? Were not the marks awarded changed when only one company qualified so that friends may be given a part of the tender when initially they did not qualify?
Liam Kelly
Apologize for what? For bringing to the attention of the authorities something that was possibly corruption as it was and is his duty to do and in fact it did result that the marks were changes so that those who did not qualify will be able to qualify and take part of the tender?
In my opinion this is corruption, even though it may not be enough to be considered as a criminal offence.
"however, nothing could hide the fact that the selection board altered the marks given in its first report, destroyed its first report and recommended the granting of the contract to all the companies that submitted a bid, even those, Mr Bartolo said, who did not meet requirements."
This means that if those companies are given part of the tender our students will be lectured by low quality companies who did not qualify. SHAME
Joe Vella
Nov 22nd 2008, 16:23
@ J. Borg
"What about the case instituted in court on the same subject."
Have verified if the case instituted in court, as you pointed above, are not the same firms/individuals that the police report is claiming that they have made false declerations.
However, what I do find real offencive in your post is what follwed to the above statement which is the following: " This shows that things weren't done as they should and so there was something wrong."
Now you already prejudicated the case before the courts without being privy to any of the information infront of the courts. Where is the concept of "Innocent until proven guilty" rest with the litlle elves and the MLP in general
Joseoh Dalli
Nov 22nd 2008, 16:06
Mela, ghax taghmel xogholok, u tirraporta xi haga li hi hazina lil Puluzija saret hazina issa wkoll!?
Dr.Evarist Bartolo ghamel xoghlu. U ta' dan haqqna nirringrazzawh.
Fi kliem il-ministru stess - li x-xoghol ma sarx sew, anzi sar hazin, u Dr.Evarist Bartolo ghamel sew li rraporta.
Il-Gvern ghandu jitlob skuza tal-izbalji tieghu u tal-Bord quddiem l-Istudenti, ghax kieku x-xoghol mil-ewwel sar tajjeb, dan ma kienx jigri!
Pero ghal hafna minnkhom, l-aqwa li tipprotegu lil Gvern u mhux l-Istudent, biex anke xoghol bl-addocc kapaci tiggustifikawh!
John Simpson
Nov 22nd 2008, 15:59
Mr Martinelli
Four persons (private training providers) are to be taken to court. WHAT FOR?? Did the police find irregularities or not?/ (Maybe they have been stealing sweets HA! HA!).
Did I hear this story befor? YES JPO.
George Caruana
Nov 22nd 2008, 15:27
As long the Executive (cabinet, public service) and Legislative (parliament, standing & steering committees) Bodies of the State are ONE AND THE SAME, shameful stories as this one will continue to prevail in our state administration.
Evarist Bartolo
Nov 22nd 2008, 15:21
@ Franco Farrugia
I have never abused of my parliamentary privilege and am ready to repeat what I said in parliament a week ago: A person was made to leave Eden Foundation for his behaviour and I asked whether it makes sense to have this person turn up and take a post at a sixth form church school. He can verify these facts with top people in the Eden Foundation.
fredmallia
Nov 22nd 2008, 15:18
Well done Mr Bartolo. Carlessness is the only thing that our 'impartial' police found! this was not a surprise, our 'lovely' police never find anything wrong our of these bunch of pnsupporters...
Evarist Bartolo
Nov 22nd 2008, 15:12
Government should apologize to the 600 students who will be starting their courses at least two months late. I hope that when new tenders are issued for private training providers the disgraceful behaviour of the adjudication board does not repeat itself. The board changed their original marks, shredded their first report, recommended that all bidders (including the two that the police will take criminal proceedings against) would be awarded the contract. The board did not bother to check the false declarations made by some bidders and would have allowed these bidders to operate in unlicensed and uninsured premises, inaccesible for disabled persons and without the five years experience in ICT education requested in the contract. The government should be ashamed of itself for protecting the disgraceful behaviour of the adjudication board.
Evarist Saliba
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:57
@ Muscat Pat
Could you quote your source that Malta is "one of the most perceived corrupt countries in the world"?
It is a fact that Malta slipped 3 places in the last survey on the subject, but this does not mean that Malta is perceived as one the most corrupt countries in the world. Why tarnish your country and your fellow citizens in this manner?
Alfred Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:56
Mr Kelly. As you said, Mr Varist Bartolo and the Labour Party deserve each other. Varist will give MCAST students the same kind of apology, the MLP gave to the people for the horrors it committed in the 70s and 80s. That is, nil.
J Martinelli
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:41
@ L Incorvaja
"As usual your blinkered view of Maltese politics is reflected in your every post". What about your (and other's) when you see nothing good in what your government does? If you think that the police investigation was in any way biased, why does your party not challenge it in the courts? Stop thinking 70s and 80s.
@Muscat Pat - quote rankings out of some 180 countries before you throw an open statement like that.
@ Andrew Camilleri -"Carelessness and negligence".... You are right, they should not occur but Mr. Bartolo's allegation was more than that and in fact created inefficiencies in the form of unnecessary delays in the resumption of IT courses!
Who pays for these delays? Simple, the students who will have to cram their study time in order to catch up with their delayed courses.
Mike Micallef
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:18
The main title of this article is very misleading. 4 persons will be arraigned in court. If everything was right why these persons are being arraigned to court? The main title and the subtitle of this article should have been swapped!!!
The selection board responsible for this "carelessness" should ask for an apology. What are the salaries of the persons in this board who were found to be careless in their work?
C Borg
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:11
In my opinion this article should be separated in two parts, the first on what the ministry is claiming and the other on what the police are saying. The two pieces do not necessarily complement each other. The ministry has political interest to paint the situation as rosey and to discredit Mr Bartolo; on the other hand the police are duty bound to find the truth.
Thus, the truth is there black on white, that is that four persons will be arraigned in court for false declarations, details of which still have to emerge; whilst the selection board acted irregularly but not enough to incriminate them.
In conclusion, the title is misleading as it is only quoting what the ministry is saying but not what the police are stating. Maybe it would be more appropriate to change to: 'Polce finalise probe on Irregularities in MCAST IT courses', this way people like Mr Farrugia and Mr Martinelli would have to read the entire article and not just the title.
Mike Micallef
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:11
So, if it were not for Evarist Bartolo, students would have been sent to schools not up to standard. Well done Evarist! Now we hope that the Selection Board apologises for being "careless" prompting a bidder to appeal resulting in students being left out. The Ministry should take action against the persons concerned.
P Debono
Nov 22nd 2008, 14:11
Thank you Mr. Evarist Bartolo.
Not only did your actions delay my brother's course by over three months and counting, you have left him unemployed, idle and not to mention depressed, thinking he isn't as good as the others that have started the course.
As a former Education Minister, I expect much better conduct from you.
jesmond zammit
Nov 22nd 2008, 13:53
kull inkjesta li saret taht dal gvern kollha ma sabu xejn f hadd tajd ghaliex
F J Brincat
Nov 22nd 2008, 13:20
Mr Martinelli,
Perhaps you should re-read the article; although not verging on the criminal, carelessness in the adjudication procedures did occur. What amounts to “carelessness” and what amounts to “irregularity” is bound to be open to interpretation.
What is it with some people that are prepared to condone carelessness so long as it is their party in power?
Liam Kelly
Nov 22nd 2008, 13:11
Right then Mr Bartolo; Will you apologise to every single one of the IT students whose course was delayed?
Quite frankly, you and the labour party deserve each other.
L. Incorvaja
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:46
@ Mr Martinelli
As usual your blinkered view of Maltese politics is reflected in your every post. When did a police investigation In Malta EVER find anything wrong with the Government in office or give a ruling that would put a shadow of doubt on its doings? That's Maltese politics for you.
A Mangion
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:40
Dear Varist Bartolo an apology is due! Let's use your phrase Varist : iktar kemm jinbidlu l-affarijiet, iktar kollox jibqa' l-istess...fi hdan l-MLP
Muscat Pat
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:39
@ Martinelli
You are right! In Malta there is no wrong doing, but there are a lot in the stars that you or I might think of. Is it by coincidence that Malta isamongst the most perceived corrupt countries in the world? No, we are not corrupt, the others are!!!!!
Andrew Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:31
@Mr Farrugia.
What the Police investigation concluded was that there was no CRIMINAL activity in such matter. However this does not exclude that irregularities have taken place due to other reasons. Carelessness and negligence are two situations which would not be caught by a criminal investigation but that would still however affect the selection process in a negative way!
J.Borg
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:27
@ Franco Farrugia
From what i read the police stated that there was carelessness which did not amount to crime but should not be repeated.
What about the case instituted in court on the same subject.
This shows that things weren't done as they should and so there was something wrong.
For me Evarist Bartolo was right to point out and behave as he did...that shows what a politician has to do.
J Martinelli
Nov 22nd 2008, 12:25
One by one, every allegation made by the MLP or its MPs, remains just that.
This is another case of wrong finger pointing and the MLP's credibility is lowered another notch.
Let's not forget that Mr. Bartolo is often labeled as one of the MLP's moderates!!
Franco Farrugia
Nov 22nd 2008, 11:42
So, Mr Evarist Bartolo appears to have been wrong in this matter.
What if this same MP was also wrong in the attacks and allegations he made about a Brother of the Christian Schools (Freres) in Parliament? Bartolo cannot be held accountable for this behaviour thanks to parliamentary privilege.
Will he ever be able to make good for this actions?
Shameful!