Education Minister refuses to explain why MCAST inquiry report remains hidden

Education Minister Clifton Grima refuses to respond to The Shift’s queries about why an administrative inquiry report about MCAST’s financial controls was not published in full, in spite of the fact that the board which carried out the inquiry repeatedly stated that the details of its findings form “an integral part” of the report.

Instead, the ministry simply published a press release that did not include information about what shortcomings were uncovered in an administrative inquiry after an embezzlement probe led to charges against the institution’s former financial controller, ex-PN local councillor Francine Farrugia.

While Farrugia faces an ongoing criminal case against her, MCAST’s leadership has so far largely avoided any consequences, in spite of years of advance warnings from the National Audit Office (NAO) that preceded publicly known allegations about Farrugia’s wrongdoing.

“The Ministry assures that there will be implementation of this report at MCAST in respect of parallel procedures which are currently ongoing in court. To avoid all equivocation, the covering letter of this inquiry is also being annexed with this press release,” the ministry’s statement reads.

That same covering letter, penned by the board which was appointed for the purposes of this administrative inquiry, outlines that a total of nine hearings were held. Several witness testimonies and a detailed technical report which includes the board’s conclusions are both described as “integral parts” of the report.

“Through a careful reading of these testimonies and from the documents exhibited (in this technical report), one can draw the conclusion that the state of MCAST’s leadership is not optional,” the board noted in its letter.

“…the conclusions of the board can also be found within this technical report on page 19, and that particular page requires reflection and careful reading,” the board adds.

In spite of the board’s clear emphasis on the importance of the details that make up its findings, the Education Ministry did not publish the report, nor did it answer The Shift’s questions about how it expects the public to believe these issues will be addressed when relevant information is being kept under lock and key.

When the administrative inquiry was first announced in August last year, the announcement was met with skepticism due to the board chair’s close ties with the government.

Besides being married to former Labour Party MEP Marlene Mizzi, retired judge and board chair Antonio Mizzi received several government appointments over the years, including as Chairman of the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports (AIMS), a role he was handpicked for by none other than the Education Minister himself.

Besides chairing AIMS, Mizzi also chairs the Embryo Protection Foundation, the Prisoners’ Parole Board, and heads the Office of the Law Commissioner.

Besides showering Mizzi with a raft of appointments, the government also tends to lean on Mizzi whenever a scandal unfolds and an “independent” inquiry is needed, as was the case with the benefits fraud saga that involved former Labour MP Silvio Grixti.