Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503864
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 JULY 2023 NEWS Teachers defamed demand MCAST MATTHEW VELLA FIVE teachers have sued the Mal- ta College for Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) as well as its former head of human resourc- es Josephine Abdilla, over an inter- nal inquiry that unjustly blamed them over untrue allegations. The lawsuit comes hot on the heels of a 2021 investigation by MaltaToday, which revealed that a ministerial inquiry's conclusions four years before, and kept under wraps, had disproven Abdilla's owns allegations of corruption against MCAST. The allegations were made only after she was placed on forced leave following complaints by her co-workers. The so-called Bonello inquiry in fact revealed that Abdilla was re- viled by staff and teachers for her abrasive and suborning behaviour. Her defamation suit a year later against MaltaToday's reports on the inquiry, proved unsuccessful. The five plaintiffs, lecturers who were in 2017 tasked with the Path- way to Independent Living Pro- gramme for students with learning disabilities, now accuse the Col- lege of having carried out an unjust internal inquiry into allegations made against them. Pathway inquiry in 2017 Specifically, two of the five teachers received written warn- ings for insubordination after a hastily-convened inquiry by the MCAST board of governors on a Pathway live-in – an annual stay inside an apart-hotel for the stu- dents with learning disabilities to apply 'daily living' skills acquired in the programme. The Pathway inquiry (uncon- nected to the later Bonello report) had been triggered by claims made by Josephine Abdilla's assistant, Denise Galea Pirotta, in an exit in- terview. But none of the five teach- ers were aware that the allegations consisted of accusations of inap- propriate, possibly criminal, sexual behaviour. These allegations in fact only came to light during Abdilla's un- successful defamation proceedings against MaltaToday, during which the Bonello report was produced as evidence. Although itself un- connected to the earlier Pathway inquiry, it referred to the serious allegations of "indecent sexual be- haviour, intimidation and aggres- sion, and sharing of alcohol" made during the live-in. The teachers were riled to see this part of the inquiry then giv- en maximum press exposure by The Shift, saying the published allegations that they had "partied, drank alcohol and had sex in front of disabled students" were totally false and untrue, not even featur- ing as accusations in the Pathway inquiry. Indeed, a request to MCAST principal James Calleja to defend JAMES DEBONO THE Benghajsa masts used during World War II to transmit encrypted messages could be dis- mantled over safety concerns raised by Malta Air Traffic Services. The 10 masts – nine timber and one steel - formed an integral part of the British mili- tary communications station in Benghajsa that played a crucial role in the Second World War. MATS, a government agency, is citing safety concerns to justify their removal and eventual storage. However, MATS is also proposing the erection of three 35m-high communication steel towers in the same area. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage is insisting that "all avenues for the restoration and conservation" of the masts are explored before their total dismantling is considered. "At most, the dismantling should be limited to the more dangerous and deteriorated parts of the pylons," the SCH said in its reaction to the planning application. The restoration of the pylons and the under- ground station was envisaged in a planning per- mit for the creation of a public park in Benghajsa issued in 2021. Moreover, when announcing the public park project in a press conference in 2019 former Ministers Jose Herrera and Konrad Mizzi had re- ferred to the regeneration of the communication station "as a tourist attraction" on land owned by Malta Air Traffic Services. The Benghisa Transmitting Station which was built by the Royal Air Force to transmit encrypt- ed messages to all parts of the empire was used between 1940 and 1976. The station included an underground facility and several timber and steel lattice towers above ground. According to the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage the whole site, which is largely intact is of significant historic and military architectural value warranting preservation. In fact, the Planning Authority is presently con- sidering the scheduling of the entire telecommu- nications centre. A Project Description Statement (PDS) pre- sented by government entity Parks Malta gov- ernment in 2020 had described the masts as "the most striking elements within the site" while noting that the masts "are in need of restoration and/or conservation." But MATS now argues that all pylons within the site must be removed due to safety concerns citing dangers to both MATS staff and the gen- eral public accessing the site. MATS also argues that the site operational requirements should take precedence over the approved application for the creation of the new public park, which foresees the restoration of the masts. Benghajsa masts which helped allies win World War 2 could be dismantled Permit for Benghajsa park project had envisaged the restoration of the pylons and the underground bunker as a tourist attraction but Malta Air Services Ltd is now citing safety concerns to justify their removal from the site Teachers penalised by unfair MCAST board of inquiry that set out to undermine Pathway learning disabilities programme want public apology and employment records repristinated