The former head of the tourism institute, who resigned recently in the wake of an investigation that threw a shadow over his tenure, has returned as a lecturer.
Henry Mifsud tendered his resignation from executive director of the Institute of Tourism Studies last month following an investigation by the Internal Audit and Investigations Department, the Tourism Minister has confirmed in Parliament.
Replying to parliamentary questions by Opposition tourism spokesman Antoine Borg, the minister, Edward Zammit Lewis, said he had immediately accepted Mr Mifsud’s resignation, adding that Mr Mifsud was now a lecturer at the institute.
Dr Zammit Lewis has so far refused to publish the inquiry report which, he said, found a “lack of checks and balances” in the management of the institute.
He said that, while it was his wish to publish the report, he could not do so due to a “legal prohibition”.
Asked to explain what this “legal prohibition” was, he said that according to the law such investigations “shall be treated as confidential and shall be solely used by the directorate for the purpose of carrying out an internal audit”.
Mr Mifsud refused to comment when contacted, saying he did not know what the minister had said in Parliament about his resignation.
Asked to give a reason for his resignation and to state whether he agreed with the conclusions of the report, Mr Mifsud asked for questions to be sent by e-mail.
“I will then refer them to the minister and he can reply,” he said.
Mr Mifsud was appointed executive director of the ITS soon after Labour returned to power in March 2013.
However, last March he suspended himself from the post after media reports alleged misconduct.
His self-suspension was announced by the Tourism Minister shortly after a press conference given by PN spokesman Antoine Borg, who claimed that Mr Mifsud was abusing his position.
According to the allegations, Mr Mifsud was ordering ITS staff to prepare food, paid through government funds, for his private parties.
When asked about these allegations, Mr Mifsud did not reply.
Dr Zammit Lewis said the institute’s management was now addressing the shortcomings found in the investigative report.
Mr Mifsud was succeeded by Pierre Fenech.