Leaders Ltd wins back airport concession

Malta International Airport said in a four-line statement yesterday that following the tendering process for the allocation of a skin care and cosmetics outlet, its board had unanimously accepted the recommendation of the adjudication committee to award the tender to Leaders Ltd.

The allocation of the outlet had been the subject of a long running controversy with the government, a minority shareholder in MIA, having expressed serious concern in July after an initial company decision to allocate the outlet to Franks Travel Retail Ltd instead of Leaders, which had operated the outlet since the airport terminal opened in 1992.

The issue had also been taken to court where the Civil Court ruled that Leaders Ltd was not entitled to remain in occupation of the shop once its agreement with MIA had expired.

MIA had categorically denied allegations of favouritism and nepotism made by Leaders, insisting that it had acted correctly in accordance with the contract it had with Leaders and that it had selected Franks Travel Retail on purely objective and scientific criteria and not out of nepotism.

On September 3 MIA announced it would make a fresh call for tenders "in a spirit of transparency and integrity" and to clear all possible doubts. The company had said it would appoint an independent commission to administer and adjudicate the tendering process.