MCAST inquiry extended to March

An inquiry board set up last July to investigate allegations of “administrative and operational aspects” at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology has been given a second extension, the Times of Malta is informed. A spokeswoman for Education Minister Evarist Bartolo confirmed that the board of inquiry, chaired by financial adviser Paul Bonello, was now given until the end of March to submit its findings. The board had been tasked with making its recommendations to the minister for possible further action by the end of September. Mr Bonello asked for more time and the deadline was extended to the end of 2018. However, the board still required more time, sources close to Mcast told this newspaper. “The inquiry, which started after a senior member of the Mcast staff made serious allegations of irregularities and which might also involve political figures, is proving to be complicated,” the sources said. They said it seemed there are many instances where senior Mcast officials and politicians responsible for the college might have looked the other way when reports of ‘abuse’ reached them. “It’s a very tricky inquiry,” the sources remarked. In a short statement last July,...