Bartolo urges government to clear UoM involvement with Sib Laboratories

Labour shadow minister for education Evarist Bartolo has urged government to clear the University of Malta's involvement with Sib Laboratories, after the latter's alleged involvement in money laundering was revealed by Italian investigators.

Italian press reports, amongst them La Repubblica, said investigating magistrates are looking into a €56 million money-laundering inquiry, of which €15 million were allegedly funneled to Sib Laboratories Ltd, a Maltese research company specialising in developing medical technologies.

Sib Laboratories had also organised the annual Salvatore Maugeri Research Award at the University of Malta.

"Government and the University of Malta must clear the university's involvement with Sib Laboratories Ltd. The University's reputation is at stake here and we cannot afford for it to be used as a cover-up," Bartolo said during a press conference this afternoon.

He added that on its website, the research company lauded its connections with Malta and Malta Enterprise.

Bartolo also said that the Malta Council for Science and Technology had cancelled its agreements with Sib Laboratories as soon as the company's alleged involvement with the money laundering case was revealed.

"It's government's duty to defend the University's name and reputation," he insisted.

During the press conference, Labour's spokesman for higher education Owen Bonnici also urged education minister Dolores Cristina to publish the documentation and findings of the Internal Audit and Investigation Department's investigation into the EU Youth in Action programme.

The programme had been suspended by the European Union in 2010 after it found lack of guarantees with which an office within the Education Ministry had managed the funds.

This morning, Cristina said that a major overhaul was carried out within the agency responsible of the EU funds, mainly focusing on segregation of duties and the strengthening of financial controls.

"This should be done for transparency's sake," Bonnici said.

On sports, Labour's spokesman Chris Agius said the PL recognized the government's investment in the sector and due importance given to it.

"But at the same time, substantial budgetary cuts were made which will heavily impact the stakeholders involved," he said.

Referring to the national swimming pool at Tal-Qroqq, Agius said that even though it lacked basic needs, the national swimming pool's budget saw a budgetary reduction of 5%.

"I hope that certain features which it lacks, such as a functioning counting clock, will not be made public internationally following yesterday's filming of 'Come un Delfino' at the pool," Agius said.