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Students’ council dubs MP’s investigation request ‘unnecessary attack’
KSU says Owen Bonnici’s call for investigation of Students’ House transfer is attack on its integrity.
20 December 2011, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Above investigation? The KSU's president says an MP's request for the Auditor General to investigate the commercial use of Students' House is 'cheap political mileage'.
University students' council KSU has taken umbrage at a request by a Labour MP to have the Public Accounts Committee or the Auditor General conduct an audit of the commercial rental of parts of Students' House by KSU to third parties, and whether this is covered by any guidelines.
"KSU feels that such a request has warranted an unnecessary attack on the autonomy and integrity of not just KSU, but also the numerous student organisations which are housed in Students' House," the council said in a statement on Owen Bonnici's written request to the PAC.
Defending its record of transparency as a student body that publishes its financials at its AGM, KSU said it depended on the funds from the rental of Students' House to commercial entities.
According to Owen Bonnici, government rules were not followed in the granting of Students' House to the KSU and the decisions on who the properties were let out to. and at what price was taken solely by the students' council.
The KSU is saying that the University Council, the highest governance body at the University of Malta, formally handed part of the building formerly known as University House in 1994, to the KSU administration.
"KSU is a totally non-profit organisation, receiving no public funding whatsoever for its operation. Funds are solely garnered through sponsorship agreements, renting of outlets in Students' House, and a number of events throughout the year. The funds collected from the rental of such outlets are a vital source of income which fund a good part of the projects conducted by KSU for the benefit of the whole student body."
KSU said its financial independence was one of the crucial characteristics that guarantee the council's autonomy and independence as the highest student representative body at the University of Malta.
A former KSU president, Carl Grech, dubbed Bonnici's call for investigation "cheap political mileage" in a Facebook post, insiteronline.com reported.
Grech, a law student, said Bonnici "knows all too well that the few square metres that KSU uses for the purpose he found offence with are a lifeline for KSU. It's no secret that without that revenue KSU quite simply would not be able to operate."
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid of the investigation Mr.PN Puppet?!!
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It seems KSU believes that, as a PN organisation, it is above the law.
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Dawn li ghadhom studenti diga qed ihossuhom 'il fuq mill-ligi?
Ian George Walker •
What is Karl Grech and the KSU afraid of? If everything what done as it should be,they should WELCOME an investigation.
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'Political mileage'? Is this a confirmation that the KSU is a political tool? In who's interest does KSU operate? They barely ever raise their voice on anything and when they occasionally emerge from hibernation, they are very lame. Unless, Labour is in power, that is. Do they really expect us to believe that they do not get any funding elsewhere? How did SDM fund all the goodies they tried to buy students with in the recent KSJC elections?
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If KSU have not broken any government rules when renting out parts of students house, they should not object to any investigation.But if they have broken existing rules, then their outburst against Dr. Owen Bonnici is uncalled for !
