Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/519957
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 MAY 2015 12 News MIRIAM DALLI EDUCATION Minister Evarist Bartolo said he was "100% com- mitted" to see that the accredita- tion for the 'American University of Malta' (AUM) is followed thor- oughly, after issuing new rules al- lowing for new universities to offer fewer doctorates. The new rules published ear- lier this month allow the National Commission for Further and High- er Education (NCFHE) to invoke "national interest" as a criterion to recognize a new university; as well as reducing the minimum fields from six to four, in which higher diplomas, Bachelors' and Masters' degrees are offered. They also remove the require- ment to have at least four fields in which doctorate programmes are offered. The law was tweaked three days after the signing of an agreement with Jordanian construction firm Sadeen to construct a private uni- versity, making it unproblematic for the NCFHE to green-light the AUM's aspirations. But Bartolo has insisted that AUM's curricula – drafted by De- Paul University of Chicago – will still undergo "a rigorous process" to receive accreditation. "I will be 100% committed to see that things are done by the book. I was the first in the past to attack bogus univer- sities who ripped off students and I will definitely not allow any uni- versity to offer degrees which are not in line with international re- quirements and the Bologna Proc- ess," Bartolo said. The minister, a known advocate for transparency, also said he had no qualms with the way Labour had handled the Jordanian invest- ment: there was no expression of interest for the university, or pub- lic tender for the siting of the uni- versity at Zonqor Point. But Bartolo insisted that the government "never gave Sadeen any shortcuts to make their lives easier", and that negotiations were still ongoing. "This can in no way be compared to the Smart City negotiations where the government sold the land at a cheap price with clauses allowing the resale of land by the investors." Bartolo also said the Sadeen agreement would be published in due course. "It contains informa- tion which is commercially sensi- tive and it is not possible to pub- lish it now due to ongoing talks between the parties involved." TIM DIACONO LABOUR MP Mar- lene Farrugia has asked Archbishop Charles Scicluna to withdraw a MEPA application to con- struct two Church schools in land ly- ing in outside de- velopment zones in Ghaxaq. "You have al- ready proven that you are not afraid to take clear stanc- es on issues that you believe to be in the public inter- est," Farrugia wrote in her letter to Sci- cluna. "I know that you can feel the public's pulse throbbing heavily on issues related to our national natu- ral heritage and our agricultural land. "While I don't have the words to thank you in the names of the thousands of people who have been educated so impressively by Church schools over the years, I ask you to lead this country by ex- ample and promise the public that the Church will not request MEPA to sanction further development in ODZ areas." Farrugia shared her letter on her Facebook wall. "I believe that you will do a great service to Malta and the Church if you were to retract the current applications for the construction of Church schools and seek alter- native land that is already devel- oped." Farrugia added that she has simi- larly requested Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to guarantee that a future PN government will protect ODZ land. "The Labour government must be urged to move towards a sus- tainable form of investment that safeguards our natural national heritage and the precious agricul- tural activity that remains." In a separate Facebook post, Farrugia hit out at a recently an- nounced proposal to construct a yacht marina and cruise terminal at a former limestone quarry in Qala. "Some quarries should never have been given permits in the first place, let alone permits to extend and grow and grow," Farrugia wrote. "Does rehabilitating quarries jus- tify more and more development in ODZ areas? Is this the new way of rehabilitating quarries? Will this be the precedent?" She argued that the construction of a yacht marina and cruise termi- nal, but not of a massive develop- ment, were included in the Labour Party's electoral manifesto. "We are the same people who spoke out against the development in Hondoq, Chambray and Ta' Cenc," she wrote. "What is happen- ing to the Labour government?" THE new environmental collec- tive opposing construction on outside-development-zones has demanded that each MP makes a clear statement on their position about projects proposed on ODZ land. Front Harsien ODZ was created in the aftermath of a proposed pri- vate university at Zonqor Point, in Marsaskala, an ODZ area. "As a people's movement founded and run by Maltese citizens hailing from all walks of life, Front Harsien ODZ demands from every MP a clear statement on his or her posi- tion with regard to environmental issues and projects proposed on ODZ land, in particular the project proposed in Marsaskala. "The Front strongly believes that Maltese citizens have every right to know where their representatives stand with regard to these develop- ments, and which of their Repre- sentatives is ready to defend public land," the front said. 'No short-cuts on American Uni' Farrugia tells Archbishop to retract ODZ Church schools application Front wants MPs' statement on ODZ Marlene Farrugia at the launch of Front Harsien ODZ