Minister Justyne Caruana has defended her role in a controversial mega-contract for a home for the elderly that the National Audit Office said breached procurement law. 

Earlier this month the NAO noted that parliamentary secretaries involved in the deal had left the auditor’s office “incredulous” at how a mega-deal was not properly scrutinised.  

Caruana, who is now Education Minister, was one of two parliamentary secretaries politically responsible for the mega-deal. The other was Anthony Agius Decelis, now a Labour backbencher. 

The report said the government had "acted in breach of legislative provisions" and broke public procurement regulations in the St Vincent de Paul deal, which handed a €274 million concession to a consortium owned by James Caterers and a firm forming part of dB group, spanned the terms of two ministers and two parliamentary secretaries. 

The NAO found that the politicians’ failure to raise the deal at cabinet and also to have proper visibility was tantamount to dereliction of duty.

Caruana: 'I followed procedure' 

Asked about this, Caruana on Monday defended the deal, saying it had improved the service offered to residents at the home for the elderly.   

“As far as I know, through this project we were able to address the issue of a lack of service and a shortage of beds that has long plagued our country,” she said. 

During my tenure, the elderly sector made the greatest strides forward it has ever made in the history of our country.- Justyne Caruana

Asked if she felt she had shown a dereliction of duty, Caruana said: “obviously I always followed the directions given by the competent authorities."

"In this case, it was the Contracts Department and even the courts that scrutinised this case. I totally adhered to the correct procedure and I have also responded to questions that were put to me by the NAO,” she said.  

Caruana went on to add that her duty was to provide services for the elderly. 

“During my tenure, the elderly sector made the greatest strides forward it has ever made in the history of our country.”

The politicians involved in the deal.

Asked if she believed the deal was above board, Caruana said that if there were lessons to be learned from the deal then it was important these were taken in.  

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Robert Abela has said the deal should have been raised at cabinet level. 

A few days later, both the former and current social solidarity ministers last week denied responsibility for the deal. 

Current social solidarity minister Michael Falzon, who took up office in June 2017, insisted he “wasn’t involved in any of the stages of the process in any way”. 

Former social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia, who is now the minister for senior citizens and active ageing, said that he needed to “look at the report fully to see what it contains”.

Former parliamentary secretary Anthony Agius Decelis, who was also singled out by the NAO, has yet to comment on the matter.