Inquiry recommends disciplinary action against three education ministry officials

An inquiry that has looked into the EU’s decision to suspend funding to Malta for educational programmes has called for disciplinary action against three senior officials at the Ministry of Education and the agency responsible for the programmes after finding that the whole affair “could have been avoided."

3 June 2010, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

In its concluding report, the board of inquiry stated: "The Board feels that the positions of the officers responsible at the National Authority (the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education Christopher Bezzina and the Director Policy Development and Programme Implementation Robert Tabone) as well as the National Agency (National Coordinator Mauro Parascandolo) are no longer tenable and recommends that appropriate action is taken in line with the applicable procedures."

The Board said that although there was clearly “no intent on the part of any of the stakeholders and individuals involved to act irresponsibly” and/or against the interest of the positions they hold and the public service in general, "the situation leading to the suspension (of the funds) could have been avoided".

It said that the National Authority which managed the programmes "consistently failed to take the necessary action to bring its internal management procedures in line with the European Commission's minimum requirements."

The issues were highlighted by the European Commission in various communications and monitoring visits.

The board said the message from the European Commission regarding the risk of suspension of funds was clear and repeated, in writing, on more than one occasion. "Decisive action should therefore have been taken by the National Authority and the National Agency as soon as the risk was detected."