Il-Ministru għall-Finanzi l-Prof. Edward Scicluna enfasizza li l-Gvern huwa kommess li jikseb proċess ta’ akkwist pubbliku li jkun trasparenti, effiċjenti u kontabbli, u jnaqqas in-numru ta’ appelli permezz ta’ komunikazzjoni u għarfien.Dan se jnaqqas l-ispejjeż burokratiċi u amministrattivi fuq l-industrija.
Il-Prof. Scicluna kien qiegħed jitkellem waqt konferenza stampa li saret fl-uffiċċji tal-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Kuntratti Pubbliċi (PCRB) fil-Furjana nhar il-Ħamis 23 ta’ Jannar 2014, fejn kien ippreżentat b’Rapport ta’ Kontabilita` għall-Bord ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Kuntratti Pubbliċi li ddettalja il-ħidma mwettqa mill-PCRB matul l-2013.
Waqt li indirizza l-media, il-Prof. Scicluna laqa’ l-ħidma li qed titwettaq mill-bord attwali, li ġie maħtur fl-1 ta’ Lulju tal-2013.
“Għandi l-pjaċir ngħid li l-Bord il-ġdid ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Kuntratti Pubbliċi kien f’pożizzjoni li, matul it-tieni nofs tal-2013,effettivament irdoppja r-rata tal-ħidma tal-Bord filwaqt li naqqas wkoll l-ispejjeż amministrattivi, u drastikament tejjeb l-komunikazzjoni mal-Bord tal-Kuntratti,” qal il-Prof. Edward Scicluna.
Akkumpanjat miċ-Chairman tal-PCRB Dr Anthony Cassar, il-Prof. Scicluna qal li sa ftit ilu, il-Kummissjoni Ewropeakienet wissiet lil Malta li l-proċess ta’ akkwist pubbliku tal-pajjiż kien fost l-itwal fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Il-Prof. Sciclunarrimarka wkoll li l-proċess ta’ akkwist twil ħafna poġġa fil-periklu il-finanzjament tal-UE għall-Malta għall-perjodu 2007-2015.
“Il-Gvern il-ġdid huwa kommess sabiex jagħmel l-akkwist pubbliku aktar trasparenti, kontabbli u effiċjenti. Għandi l-pjaċir ngħid li l-akbar titjib irreġistrat s’issa kien titjib fil-komunikazzjoni li preċedentement kien assenti bejn id-Dipartiment tal-Kuntratti Pubbliċi u l-PCRB.”
“Issa hemm komunikazzjoni tajba u koperazzjoni qawwija. Dan huwa essenzjali fil-kisba tal-mira tal-Gvern biex inaqqas in-numru ta’ appelli permezz ta’ komunikazzjoni aħjar, għarfien, u l-fehim, tal-proċeduri ta’ akkwist pubbliku u r-rekwiżiti,” qal il-Prof. Scicluna.
Matul l-indirizz tiegħu, Dr Cassar spjega kif fl-aħħar sitt xhur tal-2013, il-Bord il-ġdid rnexxielu kważi jelimina l-ammont ta’ każjieti li wiret, u tniżżlu minn 46 każijiet pendenti, għal 12 biss.
Hu qal ukoll li l-PCRB il-ġdid irdoppja n-numru ta’ seduti li nstemgħu matul il-perjodu (minn 49 għall-88).
Huwa żied li l-ispiża medja għal kull smigħ niżlet bin-nofs, minn €1,638 għal biss €689, u li l-Kontribuzzjoni Netta medja ta’ kull smigħ żdiedet minn €144 matul l-ewwel sitt xhur, għal €578 matul it-tieni sitt xhur.
“Għall-konferenza stampa attendew ukoll il-Membri tal-Bord tal-PCRB Dr Charles Cassar, is-Sur Richard Matrenza, is-Sur Lawrence Ancilleri u s-Sur Carmel Esposito, kif ukoll d-Direttur Ġenerali tad-Dipartiment tal-Kuntratti, is-SurAnthony Cachia.”
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Government committed to more transparent and effective public procurement
Minister for Finance Prof. Edward Scicluna underlined that the Government is committed to achieving a public procurement process that is transparent, efficient, and accountable, and reduce the number of appeals through communication and awareness. This will cut the bureaucratic and administrative costs on industry.
Prof. Scicluna was speaking during a press conference held at the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) Offices in Floriana on Thursday 23rd January 2014, where he was presented with an Accountability Report for the Public Contracts Review Board which detailed the work carried out by the PCRB during 2013.
Addressing the media, Prof. Scicluna welcomed the work being carried out by the current board, which was appointed on 1st July 2013.
“I am pleased to note that the new Public Contracts Review Board was able to, during the second half of 2013, effectively double the work-rate of the Board while also reducing administrative costs, and drastically improve communication with the Contracts Board,” said Prof. Edward Scicluna.
Flanked by PCRB Chairman Dr Anthony Cassar, Prof. Scicluna noted that until recently, the European Commission had warned Malta that the country’s public procurement process was among the longest in the European Union. Prof. Scicluna also remarked that Malta’s overly-long procurement process had also endangered EU funding for the period 2007-2015.
“The new Government is committed towards making public procurement more transparent, accountable, and efficient. I am pleased to note that the biggest improvement registered so far was an improvement in the previously-absent channel of communication between the Public Contracts Department and the PCRB.”
“Now there is a good communication and strong cooperation. This is essential in the attainment of the Government’s goal to reduce the number of appeals through better communication, awareness, and understanding, of public procurement procedures and requirements,” Prof. Scicluna said.
During his address, Dr Cassar outlined how during the last six months of 2013, the new Board managed to almost eliminate the inherited case load, reducing it from 46 pending cases, to only 12.
He also said that the new PCRB doubled the number of hearings heard during the period (from 49 to 88).
He added that the average cost per hearing also dropped by half, from €1,638 to only €689, and that the average Net Contribution per hearing increased from €144 during first six months, to €578 during second six months.
“The press conference was also attended by PCRB Board Members Dr Charles Cassar, Mr Richard Matrenza, Mr Lawrence Ancilleri and Mr Carmel Esposito, together with the Director General of the Department of Contracts, Mr Anthony Cachia.”
Thursday, 23 January 2014
