UPDATED - The Malta Union of Teachers has written to the Mcast Principal protesting that an external call had been made for the post of Institute Director - Engineering and Transport.

The union pointed out that the engineering institutes that are about to be merged are each headed by a director and therefore there was the luxury of two directors to choose from.

Moreover, if anything, an internal, rather than an external call, should have been made. The excuse that this institute would be a new one, because the old institutes would be closed, was unacceptable, the union said.  

On face value, it said, this appeared to be a move to remove experienced and proven people to make way for others. It asked whether this was the way how Mcast thanked its present directors.

It asked the Principal's office to recall the call for applications and issue an internal call for which incumbents may apply. 

MCAST REACTION

In a reaction, Mcast said it was normal practice for calls for application for senior management posts to be issued both internally and externally.

"All internal applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply for such posts and on many occasions internal applicants are selected for such posts followed an open and transparent selection process," it said.

In the case of the new post of Director of the Institute of Engineering and Transport, which has come about through the amalgamation of three institutes,  Mcast said the Principal had met with the directors currently running the institutes, assured them of Mcast's high regard for their work and committed that they would be retained at director level within specific roles which are needed at Mcast, irrespective of whether they are selected or not for this new role.