The Public Accounts Committee and administrative improvement

Abstract

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Malta has, during most of 2010, received unprecedented public attention. The main source of this interest was the award of the contract for the extension of the power station at Delimara to Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor AS (BWSC), namely due to the large cost of the project, the allegations of corruption made, as well as the maladministration concerns highlighted by the Auditor General. The ensuing public discussion extended beyond the merits of the BWSC case itself to a wider debate about the extent to which the PAC in Malta was in a position to effectively contribute to public governance, particularly with regards to the efficient use of public funds, transparency and accountability.