Prime Minister Robert Abela has altered the procedure for the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) in secret, allowing for more flexible appointments of substitute members ad-hoc. The changes, effected by way of a legal notice without consultation, have raised concerns of government interference in public tender appeals.
According to The Shift, the rules governing the PCRB had elaborated procedures for substituting board members. The amendments remove these stipulations, and the Prime Minister or the Finance Minister is empowered to appoint substitute board members “whenever circumstances demand.” The vagueness in the above words may lead to politically motivated selections, which will undermine the autonomy of the board.
Already, as reported on The Shift, four new substitute members have been appointed by the government: Labour supporter Richard Matrenza, Labour’s Lead programme participant Ana Thomas, engineer Damien Gatt, and Lawrence Ancilleri. These individuals may now replace sitting board members – like Chairman Kenneth Swain and Vice Chairman Vincent Micallef – at the government’s will.
This move is part of a wider trend towards more executive control over autonomous bodies. The Shift points out that in 2023, Abela altered the procedure for appointing the Standards Commissioner, introduced legal hurdles for magisterial investigations into government officials, and withheld publication of his cabinet’s asset declarations.
These amendments are against institutional safeguards against corruption in public procurement.
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