[WATCH] Auditor General has started probing hospitals and ITS deals

The National Audit Office (NAO) has started its audit of the concenssion through which three of Malta's hospitals were transfer to the company Vitals Global Healthcare, as well as that which saw the former ITS campus transferred to the DB Group.  

In January, the Nationalist Party (PN) request that the NAO investigate whether the public got good value for its money from the VGH deal. A similar request was made in relation to the ITS land transfer a few months late. 

In comments to MaltaToday Auditor General Charles Deguara stressed that his office had no executive powers and that therefore any action recommended needed to be taken by the relevant authorities. 

Deguara said there was currently no indication as to when the audits would be completed, adding that his office handled investigations on a chronological basis. 

“We have started working on the reports. The date when they will be released has not yet been established,” Deguara said. 

The Auditor General gave his comments following a meeting with Speaker Anglu Farrugia, during which he presented a long-term strategy for the NAO which will be implemented during the period 2019 to 2023. 

The strategy intends to contribute towards the improvement in governance and performance of the public sector, Deguara said. 

“Before implementing the strategy, we conducted internal and external investigations in the aim of improving performance across all sectors,” he explained, adding that it would also be looking to drive an increase in accountability. 

On his part, Farrugia described the NAO as a "vital partner". 

“We hope this strategy pushes forward the work done by the office, which already enjoys a very favourable and trustworthy reputation across the country,” Farrugia remarked. 

Asked whether the office required more employees and resources in order to properly carry out its function, Deguara said more employees could always be justified, but stressed that his office preferred quality over quantity. 

“Our aim is to have quality rather than quantity, and with the people we have working here we already have that,” he said.