Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/661117
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 APRIL 2016 4 News CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Another official notification imposing an administrative penalty was sent to Sadeen Education In- vestment on 18 March. "In both instances, no communication was received from Sadeen Education In- vestment Ltd. In the coming days, in line with Chapter 12 of the Laws of Malta, the NCFHE shall be taking further steps to secure settlement of such administrative penalty," the spokesperson said, suggest- ing legal action for the payment of the fine. The NCFHE said it was not in a position to divulge the amount of the penalty it had imposed. Under education laws, licensees who breach licensing rules are liable to an ad- ministrative fine not exceeding €4,000 and an additional penalty of not more than €116 for each day during which the offence continues. In 2015 the Labour government an- nounced with much fanfare that Sadeen would build an 'American University of Malta' over a campus stretching across 90,000 square metres of virgin land. The area was downscaled to 18,000 square me- tres and part of the proposed campus relo- cated to the Bormla docks after a national protest against the use of virgin land, led by the fledgling Front Harsien ODZ. The name "American University of…" is best known in the cases of Beirut and Cai- ro, which for more than a century signified an American style of education in prestig- ious colleges. The Sadeen Group is a construction firm with interests in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, but in Malta it has been represented by Ca- nadian lawyer Thaer Mukbel and has a reg- istered address at the headquarters of mid- tier accountancy firm RSM International. Sadeen's mark of quality so far has been to pay DePaul University of Chicago to provide curricular materials for 10 degree programmes. NCFHE chairman Martin Scicluna had to fend off criticism from the Opposition for his own defence of a controversial legal notice that relaxed the onerous conditions for educational institutions to be classified as universities, and which was published days after the government signed its agree- ment with Sadeen. The rules allow the NCFHE to invoke the "national interest" as one of several criteria for the legal recognition of an educational institute as a university. The minimum fields for programmes leading to higher diplomas, Bachelors' and Masters' degrees, were also reduced from six to four; and the requirement for universities to have at least four fields in which doctorate pro- grammes are offered, was removed. The law was tweaked three days after a heads of agreement was signed with Sad- een, forcing education minister Evarist Bartolo to deny that the rules were intro- duced to appease the Jordanians. Sadeen plans to attract 4,000 students with an annual intake of 1,000 freshers from the Middle East, the Gulf region, North Africa as well as Europe. Their web- site for 'AUM' still claims its university building will be spread over 90,000 square metres, the original site earmarked for the project. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Sadeen ignores NCFHE warning Licensing breaches incur fines of up to €4,000 and an additional daily €116 penalty Bonnici will abolish criminal libel after censorship bill TEODOR RELJIC JUSTICE minister Owen Bonni- ci said that he would be pushing for the removal of criminal libel but the pending censorship and freedom of expression law which is yet to be approved by Parlia- ment takes precedence. Speaking after the launch of the Malta International Arts Festival at Fort St Elmo in Val- letta, Bonnici said that he per- sonally agrees with the removal of criminal libel and the govern- ment was discussing the matter internally. However, the minister said any bill proposing the removal of criminal libel would have to wait for the approval of the vilifica- tion law. "We'll first get the censorship and freedom of expression law passed in parliament, then we'll move to criminal libel," he said. But Bonnici warned that defa- mation laws would remain as people should have a right to sue for libel if they are slandered. His comments come in the wake of the political controversy surrounding the criminal libel proceedings initiated by former police commissioner Peter Paul Zammit against opposition MP Jason Azzopardi. Zammit filed his complaint over a press conference Azzo- pardi convened over a data pro- tection investigation that found the former police chief respon- sible for the leak of a police in- spector's personal file. The Opposition is alleging that the decision by the execu- tive police to press charges on Zammit's complaint was pushed by the government, a charge the Prime Minister has denied. Fenech resigns, cites travel pressures from healthcare job TIM DIACONO NATIONALIST MP and cardiac surgeon Al- bert Fenech has resigned from Parliament, cit- ing work commitments in his new role as head of a cardiology hospital within St Luke's. "In order to maintain my manual skills until the new hospital opens, I would have to travel abroad on a monthly basis for a period of not less than four days in order to continue operat- ing," Fenech wrote in his resignation letter to PN leader Simon Busuttil. "That would at best interfere with parliamentary attendances and therefore proceedings. You generously agreed to wait to see if in fact this would occur." In his response, Busuttil said that Fenech's resignation developed as a result of the Labour government's "senseless decision" not to allow Fenech to work at Mater Dei beyond pension- able age. "It is nothing short of scandalous that the health minister [Konrad Mizzi] finds no qualms in opening a secret company for himself in Panama, but then finds no inner strength to overcome partisan considerations and retain your services in the best interests of Maltese patients. I find this deeply disturbing." Albert Fenech was elected from the tenth dis- trict to fill a seat vacated by George Pullicino on his election on two districts. The seat will now be filled in through a co-option, with the new MP not necessarily coming from the ranks of election candidates who did not make it to parliament. Former MP Karl Gouder, mayor of St Julian's, could be tipped for a return to the House. In his resignation letter, Fenech said that his new job would require him to advise and par- ticipate on collaboration projects with Georgia and Slovakia, entailing a considerable amount of travel. The new cardiology hospital is part of a €200 million investment project into St Luke's, Ka- rin Grech Hospital and the Gozo Hospital by Singapore-based Vitalis Global Healthcare – a project that has been harshly criticised by the PN, but which Albert Fenech vehemently de- nied was linked to his resignation or that his departure boils down to a conflict of interest. "We discussed any possibility of conflict of interest as the party was not in favour of the Gozo project," Fenech wrote. "However, we both agreed that as I was not a member of the VGH executive board I would have no say in that regard." However, Labour in a statement said that Fenech chose the hospital project "over Busut- til's negativity and bitterness". Fenech admitted that he would not be able to dedicate enough time towards the forthcoming general election, which he described as "so cru- cial for the country's future". "The party will need all hands on the pump to show a new, different, decent and honour- able way of running our country again," Fenech wrote. "For the reasons I have explained above, I will not be in a position of putting in my all for this to happen and I think it best for the country and the party that someone else takes over who does not have these constraints and who can wholly dedicate resources to this important and imperative cause." "I am sure there is agreement on the fact that were it not for the personally motivated machi- nation which, unfortunately, found backing from the highest quarters of government, the circumstances of my professional career could have remained unchanged, and the commit- ment I had taken when I ran as candidate for the party you lead would have sustained. Re- grettably I have had to adjust to these changed circumstances and I would be loath to see these circumstances also affect further the political contribution I would have wished to make." The Sadeen group outside Castille, together with representatives from De Paul University and RSM Consulting, the audit firm whose address the company is registered at "We discussed any possibility of conflict of interest as the party was not in favour of the Gozo project" A mock-up of the St Luke's Hospital refurbishment, one of three hospitals privatised to Vitals Global Healthcare. Fenech will head the cardiac unit in one of these hospitals