Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1168782
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 SEPTEMBER 2019 3 NEWS Fondazzjoni Ċentru għall-Kreattività is launching a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) addressed to individuals, groups and consortia interested in the development and operations of an innovative Catering facility and an art merchandise outlet within its remits at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, Malta. The facilities shall be jointly developed with the Fondazzjoni's expertise in the arts and creativity sector and targeted to commence operations within the second quarter of 2020, jointly with and complimentary to the Spazju Kreattiv programme and other events held at St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire(PQQ) can be downloaded through Government of Malta online e-tendering portal www. etenders.gov.mt. Candidates may download all details on PQQ document. A clarification meeting will be held on Wednesday 25th September 2019 at 10:00am, Spazju Kreattiv, St. James Cavalier Valletta, Malta. Candidates shall forward details of their representatives (maximum three (3) for each economic operator) on procurement@kreattivita.org by noon of Tuesday 24th September 2019. Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) must be submitted through the Government Electronic Procurement System (e-PPS) by Wednesday 16th October 2019 – 09:30am Central European Summer Time. CONCESSION TENDER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS OF A CAFETERIA, CATERING SERVICES AND ART MERCHANDISE RETAIL OUTLET SPAZJU KREATTIV St James Cavalier, Castille Place, Valletta F O N D A Z Z J O N I Ċ E N T R U G Ħ A L L - K R E A T T I V I T À kreattivita.org +356 21 223200 Spazju Kreattiv St James Cavalier Castille Place VLT 1060 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 He added that since day one he had been saying that he had no issue with a pub- lic inquiry and his response had not wavered in the slightest. His only concern, he said, had been with the pub- lic inquiry p o s s i b l y prejudicing the ongoing criminal inves- tigations. "We will fol- low this reso- lution because we have nothing to hide. We have to make sure, however, that by launching a public inquiry we wouldn't be prejudicing any case. We have almost reached this balance now," Muscat said, adding that the announcement of the launch will soon be made. "The question [on the gov- ernment's take on a public inquiry] keeps cropping up as if we will change our answer, but we have been saying the same thing since day one," he said. The Council of Europe's deadline ex- pires just before the start of con- f i r m a t i o n hearings in the European Parliament for the commis- s i o n e r - d e s i g - nates. Helena Dalli, Malta's pro- spective next commissioner, is likely to face questions from MEPs on the Caruana Galizia murder. If by then the government would not have initiated a public inquiry, Dalli could expect to face flak on the issue. Government concerned with ensuring public inquiry did not prejudice criminal investigations Daphne Caruana Galizia DAVID HUDSON PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat has stuck to his statement on Sunday that he will be around after the Budget to ensure it is implemented, when asked whether he has changed his mind about leaving. Muscat was compelled on Sunday to stamp out speculation that he would leave just after the Budget after pro- spective candidates for his post stepped up their campaigning over the summer months. In an interview on One Radio he said he would not be leaving, "be- fore, during or after the Budget". On Tuesday, after exiting a Cabinet meeting, Muscat would not speculate on a timeline for his exit. "I have always been clear on this — I said I would not only work to present the Budget but to implement it as well," he told reporters. MaltaToday reported on Sunday that Muscat had asked ministers intending to contest the leadership once he va- cates the job, to tone down their cam- paigning. It's an open secret that Health Min- ister Chris Fearne, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and Transport Minister Ian Borg intend on contesting the lead- ership. "I will be working on the Budget and will stay on after the Budget," Muscat said. Muscat's hopes for a top EU job were dashed when he was not nominated as the next president of the European Council. Had he been nominated, Mus- cat would have had to resign as Prime Minister by 31 October. Joseph Muscat refuses to speculate on a timeline for his exit KARL AZZOPARDI THE Opposition will be asking Parliament's public accounts com- mittee (PAC) to investi- gate two recent reports on the Malta Financial Services Authority that concerned spending on golden handshakes. The Nationalist Party spokespersons Mario de Marco and Kristy Debono said the infor- mation that emerged so far indicated that these payments went against the principles of good governance. The PN said that po- litical responsibility must be shouldered for this abuse. One of the reports the Opposition was referring to, is an alleged golden handshake being con- sidered for an employee, who was axed. In an embarrassing situation for the gov- ernment, MFSA board member and former La- bour justice minister and deputy leader, Joe Brin- cat, filed a judicial letter against the authority's CEO Joseph Cuschieri on Monday. Brincat claimed that the payment was a breach of the law and brought shame upon the govern- ment's administration. The second report the PN was referring to was the recent retirement and re-recruitment of George Spiteri, the former MFSA human resources direc- tor, who was paid over €150,000 to retire, only to be re-employed in the same position by the Malta Business Registry, which was hived off from the MFSA earlier this year. "The Opposition con- demns the way the MFSA is making use of public funds," the PN said, call- ing on the PAC to inves- tigate the two cases. PN urges PAC to investigate MFSA spending on golden handshakes The PN condenmned "the way the MFSA is making use of public funds"