Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/570058
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2015 4 News MCAST reserves the right to accept or refuse in part or in whole, any or all tenders submitted. Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology Administration Building, MCAST Main Campus, Corradino Hill, Paola PLA 9032. T: 2398 7100 F: 2398 7316 E: tenders@mcast.edu.mt www.mcast.edu.mt Invitation to tender Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of Life Advert part-financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-financing rate: 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds Investing in your future MCAST T. 23/2015 TENDER FOR THE SUPPLY, DELIVERY, INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF AIR HANDLING UNITS AT THE MCAST STUDENTS' HOUSE Tender documents may be requested by email (on the email address below) or collected from the Purchasing Department at the MCAST Administration Building (at the address below), from Monday to Friday, from 08:30hrs to 16:30hrs. Tenders should be placed in the pre-addressed envelope and deposited in the appropriate tender box at the MCAST Administration Building, at the address below, by no later than Monday 28th September 2015 at 11:00hrs. The Principal of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology notifies that offers from interested parties will be received for: Controversial SOFA still raises doubts for parties CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "We have never raised the issue with this government as it is a political issue beyond our competence," Palumbo said of the delicate mat- ter. Palumbo has a 30-year conces- sion on the shipyards, but Palum- bo had been told in unequivocal terms that Malta would not sigh a SOFA any time soon. "There's a big tender coming out in January which we'll bid for, however the Americans will obviously exclude us," Palumbo said. Both sides of the House of Rep- resentatives are known to be in agreement over red lines laid down in 2012 by then foreign minister Tonio Borg over visiting foreign servicemen. MaltaToday understands the cross-part agree- ment stands to this day. A Status of Forces Agreement takes place with the United States to station its military forces in the host country. Essentially it estab- lishes the rights and privileges of foreign personnel present in a host country in support of the larger security arrangement. Irrespective of the potential rev- enue visiting naval ships brings, a SOFA is controversial because it means granting US military per- sonnel legal privileges and dip- lomatic immunity, which could prevent the host country from taking legal and criminal action against soldiers. Just three weeks ago in an in- terview with The Times, Gen- eral Workers Union boss Tony Zarb called on the government to hold a wide-ranging consultation process over the matter. He said Malta "should not accept work under all circumstances, nor at any cost" when questioned about the SOFA. Zarb said he opposes hosting military ships and aircraft in- volved in wars, but did not rule out a discussion between govern- ment, opposition and unions. "A solution needs to be found so that revenue is not lost." The SOFA with Malta has been a priority for the US government in the past years. Soon after the appointment of ambassador Gina Abercrombie- Winstanley in 2012, it was re- ported in that year that the PN government and Labour opposi- tion were in agreement over pro- tecting Malta's national interests with regard to visiting foreign servicemen. Tonio Borg and then shadow minister George Vella plainly refused to cede jurisdiction on crimes and offences committed by visiting United States military personnel. Following a declaration by Ab- ercombie-Winstanley that "the US would love to have a Status of Forces Agreement with Malta", Borg and Vella had come out in agreement in putting the coun- try's national interest above eco- nomic gain. Although Abercombie-Win- stanley had made it clear that "this is a decision to be taken en- tirely by the government and the Maltese people", Borg had replied that he would not cede jurisdic- tion over any offences committed on Maltese soil by foreign nation- als – one of the major sticking points in any SOFA agreement. When Malta ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which enforces the arrest and prosecution of people for crimes committed out- side their countries of origin, the Bush administration suspended its regular military funding to the Armed Forces of Malta, when Malta refused to give immunity to US servicemen. The United States, which is not a member of the ICC, demanded that participating states sign bi- lateral immunity agreements (BI- As) to protect Americans from the jurisdiction of the ICC. Malta lost its US foreign financ- ing in 2004 because it did not sign the BIA. The US still forwards interna- tional military education and training funds for the AFM. In its congressional budgetary justification, the State Depart- ment's office of foreign assistance said that Labour's election in 2013 did not change "the largely bipartisan political consensus for maintaining Malta's constitu- tionally-mandated neutrality". Despite Malta's neutral- ity cause, the island has hosted military assets from EU member states and the United States as a support base for missions against the Gaddafi regime during the Libyan civil war in 2011. New bus routes postponed as union talks continue NEW bus routes planned to come into force today have been postponed as talks between Malta Public Transport and the General Workers' Union (GWU) continue. The public transport operator said in a statement yesterday that the introduction of new drivers' duties and rosters were also postponed. "Although no service disrup- tions are anticipated, the new duties will not come into force and services will continue with the current routes and schedules until further notice," the com- pany said. The opposition's spokesperson on transport, Marthese Portelli said in reaction that the govern- ment's reform in public trans- port "has failed". Portelli said transport minister Joe Mizzi's "incompetence is not only having a detrimental effect on commuters but also on public transport employees". Palumbo Shipyard's managing director said the company has lost up to €30million from US Navy ship repairs