Why does the money trail always lead to the Prime Minister’s Office?

While Joseph Muscat’s chief of staff is embroiled in Panamagate, his deputy chief of staff clearly tells us that the AUM is all about chasing the money. Alex Muscat, the Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff sounds the trumpet – yet again – for the (non-)American (non-) University of Malta. His focus is what a good business the AUM is and goodbye to educational standards. The OPM seems to be all about business money.

The OPM still tries to convince us that this development spree on prime seafront and ODZ land is actually going to be an educational institute and not primarily a real estate rip-off. It does so miserably by comparing it to other universities which are nothing like it. It does tell us, however, what we already knew: Sadeen would be able to convince enough Middle Eastern parents to send their adolescents to a ‘safe country’ named Malta. It also unashamedly tells us that the Maltese have been ripped off while Sadeen stands to make a grand amount.

But what really exposes the Office of the Prime Minister’s involvement in the AUM saga is actually the zeal with which that office and the Prime Minister himself defend Sadeen and, amazingly, throw in information that should only be available to NCFHE and not to the Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff.

Muscat writes that the AUM is affiliated with ‘now also Clemson University’. Amazing. Here goes the OPM once again name-dropping for Sadeen.

May I ask how does Joseph Muscat’s deputy chief of staff know of affiliations with Clemson University? Isn’t it representatives of Sadeen or NCFHE, which receive information from Sadeen itself, who could have this information? NCFHE has repeatedly told us that procedures are confidential and it will not give details to the public about it.

The name dropping of Clemson University... is not in the public sphere. Has the OPM leaked this confidential information?

I am at a loss about what to conclude as to which one of these – I must assume – gave the Prime Minister’s Office this information?

Was it maybe some meeting similar to the one at which Joseph Muscat told us he brokered this investment?

Hasn’t the Prime Minister’s Office done enough to promote the AUM? Is it unashamedly not bothered with respecting the independence of NCFHE? Is it so brazenly defensive of its chosen Sadeen against other bona fide higher education providers in Malta, who have worked hard to keep high standards? Is it not concerned that what Alex Muscat writes poses the high risk of having a company churning out degrees for the right price?

NCFHE was set up in 2012 with sufficient independence to assess all university applications, without fear or favour, only to applicants fit for purpose.

Since May 2015, the OPM has repeatedly challenged NCFHE’s conclusions. NCFHE, under Martin Scicluna’s chairmanship, ensured that Sadeen – not deserving of being a university – is licensed only as a higher education institute.

Does the Prime Minister care to respect the chair he himself chose? Does his office care to understand that there is an AIM and not an AUM? Does his office care to understand where its powers end, and where those of an independent body start?

Does his office care to realise that even blessed ones need to go through a rigorous process that no sane Prime Minister would allow to be tarnished by involving himself and his closest staff in promoting or defending that applicant

It seems that for the blessed ones rigorous processes – upon which Malta’s reputation of excellence in education depends – are mere tiresome bureaucracy and rubberstamping processes.

Let me go back to the name-dropping of Clemson University. This information is not in the public sphere. Has the OPM leaked confidential information that is found in the due diligence process being carried out by NCFHE? If so, why has it done so? What possible reason would there be but to pile more pressure on NCFHE?

This is not how I wish my country to be governed. Malta, and its educational system, deserves far better.

Therese Comodini Cachia is a member of the European Parliament for the Nationalist Party.