The Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications have announced a Cabinet decision to set up a new Malta Information Technology Agency today that will drive the implementation of the National IT Strategy. The new organisation will absorb into it the operations of the MITTS Ltd and a range of functions previously carried out directly by the Ministry.

The Government said it felt the need for a permanent Agency to drive IT within the public sector itself and the wider community to ensure continuity in the effort which has since 2000 been led and managed directly by the Minister responsible for Information Technology. The absence of a permanent structure within the public sector to manage this important policy area was a threat to the development of these policies in the long term.

As part of this effort, the Government has also decided to empower the Malta Communications Authority to take over from the Ministry the direct implementation of the efforts to upgrade Malta's external ICT environment; to eliminate the digital divide; and to promote e-Commerce. The MCA is already endowed with expertise in these areas and the allocation to it of these responsibilities will eliminate existing fragmentation of resources and more effective results.

The two organisations - MITA and MCA - under the leadership of the Ministry responsible for IT and Communications are expected to build on the successes acheived so far by the eMinistry that has led the transformation of Malta into a world class model of excellence in the area, a magnet for international investment and a genuinely e-inclusive society.

The primary functions of the MITA as set out in its statute are to:

(a) Serve as the central driver of information and communications technology policy, programmes and initiatives in Malta.

(b) Deliver and manage the execution of all programmes related to the implementation of information technology and related systems in Government with the aim of enhancing public service delivery.

(c) Provide efficient and effective information and communications technology infrastructure services to Government as directed by the Minister from time to time.

(d) Proliferate the further application and take-up of information and communications technologies in society and economy.

(e) Promote and deliver programmes aimed at enhancing ICT education and the use of ICT as a learning tool.

The new Malta IT Agency will become the sole shareholder of MITTS Ltd and will eventually absorb that organisation as its operational arm. That process will be completed when the Public Administration Bill, currently being debated in Parliament, becomes law and the MITA becomes an Agency in terms of that law. MITTS Ltd does not trade in the market and there are therefore no reasons to retain the limited liability company structure in the new Agency.

Following Cabinet approval, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications has today appointed Claudio Grech (currently the Chief Executive Officer of SmartCity Malta Ltd and up to yesterday the Deputy Chairman of MITTS Ltd) as non-executive Chairman of the Agency.

All other former Directors at MITTS Ltd have been confirmed as Directors of MITA with the addition of Mr Juan Borg Manduca (Director of the ICT Institute at MCAST). The rest of the Board of MITA is composed of Dr Godwin Grima (Principal Permanent Secretary and Cabinet Secretary) who will be MITA's Deputy Chairman and Mr John Aquilina (CEO of the Management Efficiency Unit), Ms Joanna Genovese (Director of the Staff Development Office). The Board of Directors will also serve ex-officio as the Board of Directors of MITTS Ltd.

Minister Gatt thanked the outgoing Chairman of MITTS Ltd, Mr David Spiteri Gingell, for his sterling service to the organisation and his commitment to the development of ICT in Government. Mr Spiteri Gingell resigned from his position to pursue a career in the private sector consultancy field.

Commenting on the establishment of the Agency, Minister Gatt said that "this was the next logical step in the further development of ICT policy in Malta. With these moves we are significantly strengthening the policy development and programme execution capacity aspects of our agenda to make sure that the country does not miss out on the opportunities which this vibrant sector will present in the coming years.

"The upgrade of MITTS Ltd into the first national IT Agency is a clear vote of confidence which Government is making in the workforce of MITTS, in line with Government's declared objective in the SmartIsland Strategy to upscale the organisation towards the provision of higher value added services to the Government."

Minister Gatt concluded that "Although we have attained excellent results in this area, we want to keep on re-inventing ourselves in our bid to make our country the smart island.

The roadmap has been set in December 2007, when we launched the National ICT Strategy for 2008-2010. Today we have set in place the vehicles to deliver the plans we have set out for ourselves.