MITA Annual Report 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS Mission Statement
01
Executive Chairman’s Statement
02
Board of Directors
03
Executive Committee
04
Executive Chairman’s Office
05
Strategy and Business Department
06
eGovernment and Corporate Serviced Department
07
Programme Management Department
08
Infrastructure Services Department
09
Service Management Department
10
Information Security and Governance Department
11
Finance & Contracts Department
12
Facilities Management Department
13
MITA Cares
14
Financial Statements
15
01 MISSION STATEMENT
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The mission of the Malta Information Technology Agency is:
We will formulate and implement digital policies, infrastructures and solutions to assist Government to further improve socio-economic prosperity.
MITA will enhance its services to help implement the Government agenda. Through policy direction and the adoption of new technologies the Agency will proliferate and attain a more connected digital Government. The Agency will adopt a dynamic approach within its business and technical functions, and co-ordinate work with stakeholders to assist Government in its mandate of improving the social and economic wellbeing of society.
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02 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Progress in technology is a continuum that is constantly redefining the business and our daily lives. Technology innovation is reshaping society, including the public sector. Government has taken an agile governance approach to enact legislations and update policies to embrace emerging technologies such as blockchain, IoT and AI. MITA’s strategy for Government information systems is to make use and maximise the benefits of current and emerging digital technologies. In this journey, MITA is being a conductor of change, taking a leading role to support the public sector to harness new technologies to facilitate service delivery to the citizens and the business. This will sustain Government to retain a high competitive economy with a strong ICT core. We aim to continuously repeat our success in e-Government services amongst our peer
Tony Sultana Executive Chairman
European countries and promote public service solutions that showcase the use of latest technologies.
increasing computing needs of the public sector digital evolution.
2018 saw an unprecedented investment in technology, funded through a mix of local
The path for the modernisation of the public
and EU funds. We are first in the region to
sector ICT landscape has thus been set. We
implement an enterprise hybrid cloud solution,
are at par investing in our employees to reap
a core attribute for digital transformation,
the necessary skills to equip teams on the
specifically to suit the demand of modern
path to cloud agility. We continue to believe
government. Through the mix of on-premise
in our people, their skills and competences,
public and private cloud infrastructure
who are our greatest assets to re-architect
environments, MITA will be able to cater for
and implement solution that leverage
diverse hosting needs, with back-up and
technology effectively to succeed in this
recovery infrastructure to sustain the ever
modernisation agenda.
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03 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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MITA Annual Report 2018
With pride we yearly celebrate our success stories. 2018 marks another year of achievements that were attained to our great satisfaction. During this period the Agency established the hybrid cloud infrastructure solution within our TIER III certified data centre. The solution offers a mix of on-premise public and private cloud environments to suit the computing needs of the public service for the modernisation of solution. In addition to our ongoing ICT service provisioning to Government, we embarked on the path to re-engineer legacy system to take full advantage of modern architectures and platforms. This is profoundly changing our practices and skill mix requirements. We are therefore committed to maintain our
Joseph Noel Agius, Dr. Aron Mifsud Bonnici (Board Secretary), Ing. Saviour Baldacchino, Dr Helen Borg Muscat, Tony Sultana (Executive Chairman), Anthony Borg
positive ethos of continuous learning. This is an opportunity of personal growth for our employees, through a mix of training, hands
acceleration programme, and retained our
on experiences and sharing of knowhow.
yearly commitment to offer summer work
We are committed to sharing our knowledge
opportunities for ICT students.
with the academia. We signed agreements with local tertiary educational institutions,
Our investment in technology, which this year
as we strongly believe in the value of
amounted to twenty-four million Euro is a strong
sharing our insight and providing hands on
demonstration of our strategic commitment
opportunities for students. We have invested
towards the modernisation of Government
in the setup of an Emerging Technologies
services. We aim to achieve this through our
Lab, set up a scholarship fund for Blockchain
commitment to continue to excel in the design
and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs)
and delivery of public sector ICT programs
studies, launched the 4th call for the YouStartIT
and services.
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04 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Ivan Alessandro, Efrem Borg, Jesmond Mizzi, Ian Bonello, Tony Sultana, Priscilla Bugeja, Pierre Vella, Emanuel Darmanin, Robert Galea, Wayne Valentine, Jonathan Cassar
2018 provided a myriad of opportunities
Our drive to harness new technologies and
bringing about challenging projects offering
maximise the use of data is focused to further
countless opportunities for learning and
promote the digital-first approach, making it the
growth. At top agenda, MITA positioned its’
preferred choice for the consumption of Public
commitment to support Government’s drive for
Services. We now aim to prioritise our effort
modernisation and exploit the use of emerging
to support Government priority to implement
technologies. This drive enshrined a positive
the once-only principle for the delivery of
outlook amongst employees, instilling a mind-
Public Services.
set for learning new skills and competencies, and willingness to be participative in this digital
Moreover, we collaborated with Government
innovation path.
to grow and sustain emerging ICT related economic sector. We acted through a
Investment has been on a tripartite focus,
participative approach aimed to nourish our
primarily on implementing an enterprise hybrid
skill through collaboration with startups and top
cloud solution, deliver modern devices and
tech players in emerging technologies, such as
modern desktop solutions, and re-architect
Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.
solutions and services as key enablers for digital transformation in the public sector.
We are proud to be players in this journey to
We are committed to further engage with
transform the Public Sector for digital future.
suppliers to complement our resources and
MITA continues to offer a place where to grow,
deliver secure and robust solutions exploiting
learn, and fulfil a career in ICT to the utmost, in
modern technologies.
an environment that has employees’ wellbeing central to its core. 10
05 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN’S OFFICE Aligning the Agency’s core competence to deliver our strategic intent
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We provide our people with the tools and opportunities to further develop their professional and technical skills whilst maximising their potential. Our human resources practices help promote flexibility, wellbeing and a culture of agility and adaptability to new technologies.” Isabelle Bonnici Executive HR Office
“We combine creative ideas to communicate the corporate wide engagements and achievements of our employees, with the aim to promote the use of technology, showcase our solutions, and extend our corporate reputation and visibility.” Clive Farrugia Acting Manager Marketing & Communications
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Achievements Day There is a time to work and another to
The Executive Chairman’s speech together with
celebrate and recognise our strong, talented
the Department Heads’ presentations reflected
and motivated workforce!
the Agency’s thrusts towards embracing new organisational responsibilities, unchartered
The annual MITA Achievements Day has
technologies, broader citizen centric initiatives
become a cornerstone in the recognition of our
and value adding capabilities.
employees, an opportunity to showcase our achievements and provide corporate direction
Inspired by the fact that the Agency’s workforce
for the forthcoming years.
is made up of individuals with different skills, background and aspirations, the Agency
It is with all this in mind that the theme of the
presented the 2018 Achievement’s Day Theme
Achievements’ Day organised on the 7th
as ‘Inkattru l- ħiliet tagħna’. This theme’s focus
December 2017 was towards ‘Shaping our Future’.
was towards encouraging growth of talent and
During this event the MITA Strategy was launched,
skills in the forthcoming years.
a launch that earmarked the start of three very engaging and demanding years: 2018 - 2020.
Centrally coordinated by the Marketing and Communications and Human Resources functions, all departments worked towards common goals, that culminated in the December 2018 event.
Strategy 2018-2020 One year after the launch of the MITA 20182020 Strategy the Agency visually portrayed the delivery of several initiatives falling under this strategy. Using our native language, representatives from all departments presented bold statements for the forthcoming years aimed towards further attaining this Strategy.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Corporate & Social Team Building The Agency believes in creating comradeship and collaboration to attain its goals and have an innovative and energetic workforce. During 2018, the Agency has encouraged, not one but two team building trusts. The first one, encouraged employees to organise their own event and bring together, during their free time, colleagues who enjoy similar interests or hobbies. These events not only served the purpose of getting to know colleagues in different departments and buildings but also served to increase social responsibility and awareness. The second Team Building trust was a structured and corporate event that worked towards understanding team dynamics,
2018 event brought together employees with
augmenting team work and addressing
different interests, skills and background. During
conflicts. Ten Corporate team building
this event, apart from having the opportunity
events were held in late 2018 involving all
to present their ICT skills, employees had the
Department Heads, line managers and other
chance to share other creativity skills including
leadership roles.
graphic design, craftsmanship, poetry, and the use of our native language.
Building & Sustaining Talent
The marriage of the creative arts with ICT is a contemporary and future paradigm that requires appreciation and foresight by the Agency at large. It is also an opportunity to
Talent must be encouraged, nurtured
encourage the workforce to seek creative and
and applied for the mutual benefit of the
alternate ways on how to address problems
organisation and the individual. The December
and create resolutions.
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Celebrating Our Achievements During the December 2018 event, employees were encouraged to showcase their work in innovative ways through rich visuals or innovative presentations. Videos, sketches and satire were the predominant tools used to depict the Agency’s work and challenges in an enticing and interesting manner for the appreciation of the whole audience. nominated from amongst their peers for This outcome comes as a result of numerous
excellence achievement and contribution during
initiatives undertaken by the Agency to train,
2018. The selection of the awards winners from
encourage and promote its workforce to actively
amongst the nominees was performed through
participate in PR activities involving filming, social
a mix of votes representing Senior Management
media, advertising and writing articles.
and employees’ preferences. Moreover, the Agency presented a token to employees who
Employees’ Engagement & Commitment The strongest asset of the Agency is a workforce that is made up by several experienced and dedicated employees who have their heart tied to the Agency and its mission and vision. The Agency is also composed of from several Millennial employees who are energetic and forward looking towards the application of new technologies and paradigms. At the Achievements Day, the Agency presented awards to a number of employees, who were 15
provided twenty-five years of service.
Forward Looking Workforce The Agency operates in a dynamic environment filled with new opportunities that create high demands and expectations on its workforce. Motivating and retaining a skilled ICT workforce requires strong leadership that nurtures the full and hidden potential of its workforce. In its drive to support its highly skilled and forward-looking workforce, the Agency shall continue to create opportunities for skill advancement, job exposure and enrichment within a working environment that is conducive to change and creativity.
MITA Annual Report 2018
Training Statistics
€ 356 Employees
21,000 Hours of Training
€143,000 Investment
Emerging Technologies
GDPR
Covering
Local & Foreign Conferences
Management & Soft Skills
Technology
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06 STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Supporting National Agenda for a competitive economy with a strong ICT core
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We assist government in strengthening Malta’s digital economy. Our work supports the public administration in developing and implementing ICT strategies, policies and initiatives which enable Malta and its citizens to prosper as a digitally-enabled nation in all sectors of society.” Andre’ Damato Manager Client Relations
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A Year of Digital Outreach 2018 was quite an eventful year in terms of
was launched in collaboration with the University
Digital Outreach activities. Starting off the year,
of Malta. For this initiative an investment of
a full week of game-based learning sessions
€300,000 over 3 years was committed. MITA
were organised in collaboration with Esplora.
also gave the opportunity of a sponsorship to
The activity targeted young students, parents
MITA and Government employees to attend
and educators. This was part of the Erasmus+
formal Blockchain related courses.
Project – “Create Digital Games for Education”, aimed towards increasing the usage of digital
In cooperation with the University of Malta,
tools for learning.
Digital Outreach organised an AI Hackathon and delivered lectures to University, MCAST and
MITA committed to the Government’s strategic
students from Private Educational Institutions.
direction of establishing Malta as the Blockchain
As in previous years, a key initiative was the
Island, with the ultimate objective of attracting
Student Placement Programme. More than 350
and providing investment opportunities and
students studying ICT were offered a summer
incentives in the crypto ecosystem. Several
placement within 122 different organisations.
awareness sessions and technical courses were
This is a mutually beneficial programme for the
delivered by MITA to government officials and
ICT industry and for students alike, providing the
MITA employees to comprehend the use and
latter with exposure and learning opportunity
application of Distributed Ledger Technologies
to certain technologies/environments, and
(DLT). A scholarship scheme for students
the former with prospect to invest in human
studying Blockchain/DLTs up to doctorate level
resources of the future. In partnership with the Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary, MITA embarked on an EU funded project to increase the take-up of mobile public services amongst Maltese citizens and businesses. Training was delivered to 250 public officers coming from technical and non-technical background. An awareness campaign was carried out to inform citizens and businesses about the mServices. In addition, a research exercise was also conducted.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Student Placement Programme Statistics
A Gateway for Data Reuse The National Date Portal which was launched
377 Total Student Placements
as a live BETA website during late 2018, will act as a clearing house for all data related matters, including requests for data under the Public Sector Information Re-use (PSI) Directive. The portal will serve as a data governance and
118 Placements in Private Sector & NGOs
data management service designed to serve as the one-stop shop for the discovery of all legally based data employed by the Public Administration. Once the required Register or its Datasets are located, the portal will provide the user with all the relevant metadata including the legal basis, the public organisation
259 Placements in Government
responsible for its upkeep and other pertinent classification indicators about the data quality and availability. Depending on such a classification, and in line with General Data Protection Regulation
124410 Total hours of placement
(GDPR) obligations, by putting such data in the public domain, the user will also have adequate facilities for the on-line viewing or downloading of such data in a machine-readable, nonproprietary format as Open Data. It will also be used for the exchange of
>â‚Ź650K
feedback and clarifications in connection
invested in tomorrow’s workforce
businesses in Malta, as well as any other
with official datasets and registers both within the public administration, by citizens and interested parties who may come in contact.
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YouStartIT Accelerator Programme In 2018 the MITA Innovation Hub (MIH)
Secondly, the startup projects selected proved
launched its third and fourth editions of the
richer in technological content, since eight
YouStartIT accelerator programme focusing on
out of the twelve startups chosen focused
early stage tech startups.
on Blockchain with other projects tackling technologies such as deep tech, IOT and
2018 was crucial for the MIH on three counts.
Digital Games.
Firstly, the programme experienced a rapid internationalisation through the increase in
Thirdly, the MIH developed a greater degree of
the number of applications received; ninety-
maturation in terms of value delivered to both
four applications from nineteen countries for
startups and government. This was achieved
YouStartIT#3, and one hundred and seventy-
through richer content and the engagement of
three from fourty countries for YouStartIT#4.
an ever-growing network of mentors on the one
The total cash grant disbursed in 2018
hand; and active support of national policy goals
amounted to €85,000.
on the other. In fact, by dedicating YouStartIT#4 to Blockchain as a theme, MITA gave a valuable contribution to Government’s strategic direction of establishing Malta as a Blockchain Island. This year we also introduced new features in the Social Impact Agenda. This is a process, binding startups following the YouStartIT accelerator, to plough back value into the local startup ecosystem through press articles, lectures, workshops, meetups and other public events about digital technologies. Two years after launching the first accelerator, MITA’s accelerator programme is still the first and only one in active operation in Malta.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Laboratory for Emerging Technologies The MITA Emerging Technologies Lab was inaugurated by Hon. Silvio Schembri in October 2018. With an investment of ₏250,000 the lab aims to challenge MITA employees, Government officials, students and startups to learn about and explore emerging technologies, and share the knowledge gained and the benefits these technologies offer. MITA invested in the latest technological equipment including: a 3D printer, various virtual and augmented reality headsets, stations for microcontrollers and mini PCs that can be used for experimenting with Blockchain and mining. Some of the equipment was available at MITA’s stand during the Delta Summit. The summit was attended by over 4,000 delegates,
and hands on workshops are organised
including some of the best brains in the
to increase the knowledge on Emerging
Blockchain and DLT ecosystems.
Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Virtual and Augmented
Following the launch of the Lab, a programme
reality and various others. In addition, to further
of activities was set-up and various
the discovery and learning, MITA employees,
ongoing sessions on the different emerging
government officials and students have the
technologies are being delivered. Seminars
opportunity to work on their idea at the Lab.
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07 eGOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Unleashing digital potential to deliver modern public services
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We build and operate shared eGovernment services and corporate solutions based on the latest technologies that speed up transformation, strengthen digital capability, deliver public value and enable Government to anticipate the socio-economic challenges.� Michel Bugeja Enterprise Architect Corporate Initiatives
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Incorporating Latest Technologies & Best Practices The year 2018 was an important year for the eGovernment & Corporate Solutions Department (ECSD). ECSD delved into new technologies and best practices with the purpose to adopt modern, user-centric, and cost-effective solutions. To achieve this, ECSD, through its functional units, worked closely with the government especially the Chief Information Officers, academic institutions, the private sector and others, to deliver on MITA’s remit.
Cross-border Recognition of EU Member States Identity Schemes
appointed by the Certification Body during a TickITplus ISO9001 and ISO27001 audit in May. Subsequently, the team managed to integrate
During the year, ECSD successfully transposed
the German ID scheme based on middleware
the requirements of the EIDAS Regulation
with the Node by the specific time frames.
No 910/2014 for the mandatory recognition of Notified Member States. This Regulation
This resulted in Malta being one of only four
required that the Malta EIDAS Node be
Member States who successfully managed
operated by an ISO27001 certified organisation,
to meet the regulatory deadline for the
and moreover that the mandatory recognition
recognition of other Member States’ eID
of notified Member State eID schemes, namely
schemes. This was a fantastic achievement
Germany, commenced in September 2018.
for Malta, and MITA in particular. It not only averted any risk of infringement procedures
The project for the construction and the
but placed Malta among the leading Member
operations of the Node were successfully
States in the achievement of eGovernment
reviewed by the ISO External Auditors
services interoperability.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Successful implementation of Mobile Government Strategy 2017-2018 December 2018 marked the third phase
The Maltese Government, to date, has a
of the Mobile Government Strategy - a
substantial number of services published as
2-year plan focused on providing users,
mServices, spanning across different sectors
Maltese citizens, with a fresh and innovative
and targeting various government functions.
experience of consuming Government
Alongside citizen-facing mServices, there
services - a mechanism through which people
are a number mServices which are focused
could interact with Government anywhere
specifically on mAdministration, which are used
and anytime. MITA was present alongside
by public officers to facilitate their day-to-day
Government in attaining another important
jobs. Such mAdministration services have a
step towards facilitating Government services
direct and positive impact on the quality and
rendered to the public, promoting technology
efficiency of services being provided to the
and using innovative technologies for shaping
general public.
the Government technology landscape.
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Government Payment Gateway is now 3D Secure All credit card online payments performed
3D secure implementation logo and basic
through the Government Payment Gateway
information of the transaction.
(GPG) now have an additional security step known as “3D Secure”. 3D Secure was
3D Secure offers an additional layer of security,
implemented by the Government of Malta in
hence safeguarding against the unauthorized
March 2018 and completely rolled out to all
use of payment cards.
Government services by August 2018. 3D Secure instils more confidence in the platform, as it serves as a supplementary authentication layer to the already secure
Sustaining our Success in eGovernment
GPG. This allows for successful transaction processing only if there is proper online
In November 2018, the European Commission
authentication through the passcode and
(EC) released the e-Government Benchmark
correct financial authorisation by the financial
Report for 2018. This measures the delivery
banks. Once the card details are inputted, if all
and performance of e-Government services
parties support and accept 3D Secure during
in thirty-four countries: the twenty-eight EU
transaction processing, a redirection will occur
Member States, together with Iceland, Norway,
to the 3D Secure verification portal of the card
Montenegro, Republic of Serbia, Switzerland, and
issuing bank. This is characteristically branded
Turkey. Malta’s performance in the benchmarking
by the bank, showing the card scheme
exercise, which was carried out in 2017, has been once again outstanding, with Malta reconfirmed as “the leader and the best performing country in the European Union (EU) for Digitisation”. The benchmarking study measures four top-level indicators as well as compares the performance of eGovernment services between the participating countries. Like previous years, Malta has again attained an exceptional result by being the leader in all the top-level indicators (user centricity, transparency, cross-border mobility, and key enablers) and ranking first overall.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Key enablers
@ eID 51%
eDocuments 63%
Authentic sources 53%
Digital post 51%
EU 28+Average* Service examples
P Can I use my eID to retreive a judgement?
Can I use eDocuments when obtaining a parking permit?
Can I use an eForm when submitting corporate taxes?
Can I receive government communication digitally only?
96%
100%
100%
100%
87%
93%
88%
100%
86%
91%
86%
100%
Best performers
*Biennial average 2016+2017 28
Government Payroll & HR Service Delivery The Payroll & HR Programme’s successfully
modern interface, together with the addition of
launched the new Government Recruitment
several new useful features to both candidates
Portal in the beginning of January 2018. The
and government HR Administrators.
new recruitment.gov.mt portal provided a new In March 2018, the Government Recruitment Portal services were enhanced by the launch of a new Mobile App named “Join the Public Service”. This Mobile App is highly coupled with the recruitment portal system and allows candidates to keep themselves up-to-date on new Government job opportunities, besides sending automatic notifications to candidates about jobs in their area of interest. As part of the Payroll & HR suite of applications, a new Mobile App, “My Personal Kiosk”, was launched at the end of November 2018 during the Government Mobile Public Services TakeUp project. This Mobile App is intended solely for Government employees, and provides visibility over their own HR & Payroll basic data such as their absences and payroll details records. In addition, this App is accessible via the e-ID, thus all Government employee can securely access their personal details.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Moving along the path for implementing Accrual Accounting As part of the Accrual Accounting Reform
During 2018, the project has reached important
within the whole of Government, MITA is
milestones namely the business reengineering
supporting the Ministry for Finance in the
aspect of the first phase of the Solution across
implementation of the Corporate Financial
ten Ministries and Departments. Throughout
Management Solution (CFMS). The project has
the year, MITA has been pivotal in ensuring
the aim of reaching the business objectives
that the technology fully supports the end-
of Government to meet local and EU financial
to-end business processes. The Agency was
reporting obligations. It will also bring about a
also instrumental in Government’s shift to use
shift in the way of doing business particularly
modern technology and kick start the process
through the introduction of workflows which
of migrating existing old systems to the CFMS.
streamline business operations across Government. It is estimated that two thousand five hundred users will be accessing the new Solution when fully implemented.
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08 PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT Embracing Digital Transformation to modernise public service operations
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We aim to keep our clients at the centre of our undertakings so as to assure the provision of value adding work. Sharing our technical and business knowledge is fundamental to provide the ideal solutions whilst promoting our professional image through our endeavours.” Doris Micallef Consultant IT Management & Consultancy Team
“We deliver service support on several information systems that are critical to the day to day operation of our clients. Through continuous efforts to maintain a strong business rapport with our suppliers, we ensure that the government is getting a satisfying return on ICT investment.” David Vassallo Senior Projet Leader Health Programme
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Enriching our Work Experience The Programme Management Department (PMD) is engaged in an ongoing internal transformation to ensure that emerging technologies will form part of solutions delivery to Government. Project teams have taken the opportunity to embark on modernization initiatives and include emerging technologies in their solution design. The CONvErGE programme has provided EU funding opportunities to modernize applications. This ambitious initiative requires that teams engage with service providers from the market to ensure timely implementation of applications and create capacity to work on modernization of core systems. Project Teams within PMD are engaging service providers to assist in the implementation of initiatives in areas such as Taxation, Social Security, Justice, Customs, VISA, INSPIRE and Public Registry. These resources are complimenting internal resources who apart from addressing ongoing client requirements are engage on modernisation initiatives. PMD has also worked with the Finance and Contracts Department to launch a Dynamic Processing System (DPS). This is a new procurement framework aimed to facilitate the engagement of service providers. DPS allows new suppliers to join at any time.
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In this context one can highlight the participation of teams in related projects, events and proof of concepts: • Strategy for the implementation of Business Intelligence within the Social Security Department; • Workshops with the Taxation Directorate of the EU Commission on Blockchain and Advanced Analytics; • Exploration of the use of Blockchain in the Health domain; • Participation in MITA wide initiatives such as virtual teams, Chatbots and smart contracts; • Implementation of mobile apps as part of central government initiative.
MITA Annual Report 2018
Executing our planned Strategic Objectives Ongoing work carried out during the year
various Government Departments’ solution
was a major part of PMD’s strategic objectives
to support Business First implement the
within various domains to implement
one-stop-shop concept for business clients;
Government initiatives.
• assist the Customs Department implemented “system to system” communication channel
PMD provided consultancy work to Jobsplus
for Traders to submit Import and Export
to define their ICT modernization plan,
declarations directly through their own
recommending the use of the newly procured
information systems. Furthermore, a Mobile
Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure. PMD consultancy
Notifications App was implemented to
services were also sought by Business First
provide instant information to economic
to define the requirement for the publication
operators on their status of import and
of a tender for the implementation of a
export declarations;
Business Register.
• support the Commissioner for Revenue to improve service delivery primarily through
Several Simplification initiatives were
the implementation of new mobile service
commenced by Government entities. PMD was
for citizens to allow them to check their
engaged to:
Income Tax and VAT dues, whilst allowing
• provide consultancy services to OPM to
them to settle payment through the mobile.
define and publish Tender for the Business
Notaries were provided the facility to submit
Inspections Solution;
their clients Promise of Sale (POS) and POS
• carryout various enhancements to core systems to facilitate workflow between
extension online; • Moreover, MITA was instrumental in:
· the implementation of the Budget measures of Tax Free pension and to issue refunds to more than 200,000 persons;
· facilitating improved taxpayer services, such that payments of Income Tax and Social Security Contributions can be paid within the MaltaPost branches;
· implementing additional online payments services, including the mandatory online VAT return / FSS end-of-year documents
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>26,000 electronic company tax returns 98% rate of the submitted tax returns
filing by employers engaging more than nine employees;
· setting up the mandatory VAT refund payment processing through SEPA direct
>350,000 electronic FS3s 85% of the submitted FS3s
credit;
· the integration of Taxation Systems with servizz.gov;
· the implementation of “MyAccount” online service to enable taxpayers provide their electronic means of communication
>21,000 VAT SEPA direct payment refunds
including IBAN, e-mail and mobile. Activities in the Social Security area includes support to the Ministry in the rollout of Case Management System for Welfare and Elderly, and assistance in the tender specifications for a
>200,000 persons issued budget measure tax refund
Housing Management Solution. Digital services were implemented to allow citizens to calculate the widowhood pension entitlement, refund of overpayments of benefits online, update their contact and bank details. Furthermore, various enhancements to the Social Security Information systems were
>220,000 electronic payments (covering Maltapost / Internet Banking and GPG payments) 200% increase over 2017
implemented to support the introduction of ‘Age 65’ proviso for pensioners, pensions assessment adjusted to take into consideration the National
Medical Aid beneficiaries stored on the Social
Insurance contributions paid after pensionable
Security Benefits Administration System; changes
age; automated award of Invalidity Pension
to award Free Medical Aid for an indefinite
to citizens certified as suffering from terminal
period in case of Diabetics; extension of validity
illness; enabled web services for ‘Pharmacy of
period of medical certificates and Single Means
Your Choice’ online access to data about Free
Test Categorization per household.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Moving into Modernised Ecosystem During 2018 MITA procured and installed a Hybrid Cloud infrastructure. Information Systems will now be designed cloud native and based on a service oriented architecture. This will render more effective the development and will provide an opportunity for employees to work on the latest technology platform using current best market practices such as using Microservices architecture that will enable the adoption of the Once Only Principle across Government. The Strategic Initiatives Team are working on the implementation of Software Reliability
Cloud Native designs.
Talent Management as a Service
The most significant milestones in this context
A further key objective of the transformation
are the award of a Tender to design the
is to shift employees to a higher value work in
Taxation and Social Security Systems in a
the delivery of solutions to Government. Project
Cloud Native approach, together with the
Teams will seek to provide more value added
commencement of the redesign of the Courts
within their work both from an IT architecture
Systems to modernize them for the cloud.
and business application perspective. This
Engineering concepts aimed to ensure the implementation of sound principles in the
will ensure improving job content within the The Public Registry is also going through a
Department and creating new opportunities
modernization phase, through which the legacy
for employees, especially in emerging
systems will be replaced. The new Public
technologies. This will continue to be a primary
Registry solution will increase business value
focus for work design and training activities
as it will integrate with Health Systems, to allow
carried out on the job and in collaboration with
the online recording of deceased persons.
Human Resources.
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09 INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Adopting Hybrid Cloud as the gateway to digital transformation
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We maintain and evolve a cutting-edge infrastructure for our clients in Government. This technological landscape is the catalyst and the foundation for the application modernisation programme leading to the development of services that further improve and enhance the interaction between the citizens and government.� Alan Caruana
Enterprise Architect Systems & Database
38
Network & WiFi Services for THU & Delta Summit During the months of September and October
wireless LAN connectivity, WAN connectivity
2018, two high profile national events were
and security measures to mitigate possible
held to showcase Malta’s potential within the
security threats.
fields of Digital Arts and Blockchain. The THU 2018 event was held at Fort St. Elmo and the
The work for the preparation of these two
Mediterranean Conference Centre whilst the
events started in July 2018, initiating through
Delta Summit 2018 was held in a venue in
regular meetings with the organisers to
St. Julian’s.
understand their requirements and propose technical solutions. During the summer months,
MITA was a supporting partner for both
configuration of all network equipment was
events and provided the networking
carried out. The work required involved
infrastructure required for the provision of IT
exceptional co-ordination and teamwork to
services to participants attending the events.
ensure that all infrastructure would be fully
The services provided included wired and
operational in time for both events. Following these events, most of the network equipment was permanently installed at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, such that it can be used for other national events.
Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure for Government In the first half of 2018, MITA published an open Tender, part-funded through the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020, under the CONvErGE Programme, for the procurement of a Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure. Following a thorough 39
MITA Annual Report 2018
evaluation of the offers submitted, the Tender was awarded in September 2018, at a value of €11.5 million. This is the largest single investment committed by MITA. Immediately upon contract signing, work with the successful bidder commenced through a number of intensive design and architecture workshops. These were immediately taken forward to the implementation, configuration and testing phases, to meet the ambitious ‘Go Live’ date of 28th December 2018. The Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure will be the foundation upon which MITA will host the majority of Government’s Information Systems and Services and will be the cornerstone of MITA’s ambitious programme of modernisation of Government’s core applications.
for Internet Browsing. This was achieved with little impact on the user experience. A tender was issued for the acquisition of
Enhancing Internet Security, Performance & Availability
load balancers to replace the aging revers
In addition to ensuring the continuous
Furthermore, in 2018, MITA moved its Domain
operations and management of MITA’s Internet
Name Service (DNS) onto a Cloud Platform,
and Web Hosting Services, in 2018, the Internet
involving the migration of over fifty DNS zones.
Service Team migrated all the Government users
This presents benefits with regards to high
to use the newly acquired web filtering solution
availability and security.
proxy servers. The newly procured solution offers next generation load balancing capability to cater for both private and multicloud environments.
40
Embracing solid Governance, Tools and new Skillsets Along with ensuring the provision of wide
File Share Services, Systems and Database
range of services provided by the Systems
Services and Virtualisation Hosting, in 2018 the
Service Team, namely Directory Services,
team focused much effort into ‘transforming’ themselves to maximise the Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure in preparation for its operation in 2019. This included up-skilling on Cloud Native Service Design concepts to start to engineer services in shared, secure and fully self-service manner using platforms and technologies that encourage creativity, agility and reliability. In addition, a number of key services underwent a full technology refresh, namely Government’s User Authentication and Directory Services, among others.
41
Service
Statistics
File Sharing + Enterprise Archive
220 top level file shares, out of which 60 are also available via the newly implemented web interface
Server management
680 servers (Windows and Linux) managed centrally through enterprise tools
Database management
622 databases (mostly Informix and SQL Server)
Corporate Authentication
36,000 Active Directory accounts, most of which are synchronised to Azure so users can use their corporate identity to consume cloud services
Virtualisation Hosting (including Enterprise Storage and Backup)
368 virtual machines provisioned in 2018, out of a total of 1,200 VMs hosted on our platforms
MITA Annual Report 2018
Maintaining top-class Network Infrastructure for Government Throughout 2018, several major network changes were carried out by the Network Services team to continuously improve and future-proof MITA’s network infrastructure. During the first part of the year, the last remaining Segregated Hosted Environment related services were migrated from the legacy VPN Firewall Gateway (VFG) devices onto newly acquired next generation firewalls. As a result, the legacy VFG firewalls were decommissioned. The internet browsing bandwidth used across Government was also doubled, from 1Gbps to 2Gbps, such that services accessed over the internet and users’ internet browsing experience was considerably improved and any bandwidth ‘oversubscription’ was eliminated. During the latter part of 2018, the Network
Government NETwork (MAGNET) to MITA’s two
Services team upgraded MITA’s core network
fully managed Data Centres and through which
infrastructure to meet the requirements of the
all network traffic between the MAGNET and
various initiatives which MITA will be embarking
the Data Centres flows.
on over the next few months. Such new initiatives included the Hybrid Cloud Enabling
Apart from these network changes, the
Infrastructure project and the connectivity of
Network Services team worked tirelessly to
the new Oncology Data Centre Annex Room.
manage the operational work related to WAN and LAN whilst also providing consultancy
MITA’s core network infrastructure is the ‘hub’
services on various high-profile LAN
connecting all Government sites on the MAlta
Infrastructure projects.
42
10 SERVICE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT Focusing on digital value creation through seamless service provisioning
43
MITA Annual Report 2018
“We monitor and control the MAlta Government NETwork (MAGNET) through round the clock operations to ensure maximum service availability and optimized performance. Through our technical assistance and the utilization of the latest suite of tools we guarantee network uptime to sustain Government operations.” Jacqueline Ellul Senior Technical Services Officer Networks Operations Centre
“We strive to provide our clients with the highest quality Service Management, covering the Agency’s Service Catalogue and meeting established Service Level Agreements. Through the collaboration of a multi-functional environment, services are deployed, proactively administered and supported to meet highest customer satisfaction.” Mark Anthony Attard Team Leader Service Call Centre 44
User-centric Service Call Centre
Focused Client Services support
During 2018 the MITA Service Call Centre
During 2018, the MITA Client Services team
processed 143,000 requests that were logged,
supported and maintained over 40,000 assets
out of which 91,000 where phone calls.
within Government Departments and Officially
78,000 were related to calls requesting new
appointed bodies. This work included constant
services, while 65,000 calls involved providing
supplier management, ongoing assessment
assistance to client users. The established Key
checks, ensuring regular windows and antivirus
Performance Indicator to maintain lost calls
updates and handling various workstation
below 7% was successfully met, as the amount
related security threats. All this was done whilst
of unserved calls in 2018 amounted to 5.3%.
minimising impact on the users.
During this year the Service Call Centre was
Client Services were also involved in several
also engaged to lead the User and Access
projects such as the implementation of
Management project. This project seeks to
Microsoft’s Local Administrator Password
overhaul the way the client requests for new
Solution to regularly reset local administrator
MITA services are instigated, approved and
passwords on workstations. Preparations
processed. An analysis was carried out to
were also underway for a project that seeks
establish the type of client calls that can be
to upgrade the operating system of all
serviced through an automated process. It
Workstations joined to the CORP domain so
is estimated that around 60% of all service
that all workstations have the latest Windows 10
requests received by MITA Call Centre can
operating system.
be achieved through process automation. Implementing such a system entailed extensive
Another project was the Modern Workplace
baselining across various systems to ensure
initiative, where the team created all the
successful automation. In this regards,
necessary installation packages to be pushed
substantial effort was made to clean-up
through the System Centre Configuration
available service data.
Manager system.
A tender for the setting up and configuration
Overall, the Client Services team’s constant
of the User and Access Management Solution
effort was focused on keeping all government
was issued and awarded during 2018.
workstations updated with the latest updates
45
MITA Annual Report 2018
and technologies, to provide an easy interface to the end user and safeguard the government workstations. This is achieved, in collaboration with our engaged desktop services support partners, who together see that service requests are served within the established Service Level Agreement and to the user’s satisfaction.
Renovating our eMail Service Technology In 2018, the Government email infrastructure continued to meet the required targets in terms of availability and capacity as well as security. Throughout the same calendar year, the email infrastructure has receiving 83 Million messages from users over the internet, out of
supports the Government operations round
which 45% were blocked for security purposes.
the clock, retains the stability, resilience and performance it requires. In support of this, MITA
Notwithstanding the excellent levels of utility
has also ensured that the resources managing
and warranty translated into value enabled
and administering the given service have
for Government and other stakeholders, MITA
current skills with the ability of supporting every
has also focused its efforts onto renovating
aspect of the technology.
the existing architecture at all levels. In 2018 the plan, design and implementation of a new
MITA anticipates that through the years ahead,
Government email platform commenced and is
email shall remain one of the top channels for
underway for completion by end 2019.
stakeholder communication within and outside of Government. For this purpose, continuous
The preparation phase for this project was
efforts and investment for the improvement of
critical to ensure that this core service, which
such service is of top priority to the Agency.
46
Infrastructure Monitoring During 2018, the Network Operations Centre
MITA’s Data Centres, located at St. Venera
(NOC) continued to monitor, support and
and Mater Dei Hospital. To name a few,
maintain the respective ICT services within
these include; the new Centralized Health
the Government infrastructure on a 24x7
Storage, the Technology refresh for the
basis. With the assistance of the Network
NIDMS Infrastructure, the Certificate Authority
Management System, 281,045 proactive events
Replacement, the Additional Oncology System
were handled by NOC. Furthermore, from a
and the prominent Hybrid Cloud Enabling
Service Management perspective, the Network
Infrastructure System.
Operations Centre was involved in 10,667 Incidents and Service Requests, of which 79%, were solved by the team itself. As part of the ongoing drive and future commitment, the Network Operations Centre embarked on upgrading one of its main tool – the Systems Centre Operations Manager (SCOM), to its latest version. This would enable further enhancement on service monitoring meeting up with upcoming technologies. NOC contributed in performing backup management for around 1,420 servers daily, most of which utilize the Data Domain Backup infrastructure. From a Data Centre point of view, the Network Operations Centre was actively involved in the physical hosting of several high-profile systems within both of
47
Ensuring Business Continuity through Change Management To ensure service continuity, MITA practices thorough procedures for the management of Change, ensuring effective implementation and communication of the change action plan. Following the implementation of the newer version of the Change Management Solution, effort was focused to ensure proper maintenance of asset records. This was paramount for the effective management of change, ensuring minimum disruption and risk to IT services, thus improving the client experience.
MITA Annual Report 2018
Change Management Statistics
1200 400 Total number of Changes raised
Changes involving Critical Configurations Items
Top 5 - Top Level Services for which the majority of changes were carried out:
2
446 MITA Supported Applications
0011010 1001001 1011000
179 Database Management Systems
77 E-ID Certificate Authority
76 MITA Internal Tools
57 Email Service
48
11 INFORMATION SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE DEPARTMENT Putting Security and Governance at the heart of digital transformation
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We are responsible for the national Cyber-Security Awareness and Education campaign intended to instil a culture of cyber-hygiene amongst Maltese citizens. This mandate complements our department’s mission to predict, prevent, detect and react to cyber-abnormities whilst implementing measures to protect government’s digital assets.” Roderick Lia Senior Project Leader Cyber Security Programme
50
Information Security on top of our Agenda Digital transformation is a constant reality, in a domain where technology is always evolving. As technologies develop, so do the security challenges as a result of potential vulnerabilities previously unforeseen during their innovation as well as a result of cybercrime which aims to exploit both related technical and human weaknesses so as to reach its nefarious goals. Hence it is important that core Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services which MITA is responsible to deliver to Government are protected against the increasingly sophisticated and constantly evolving cyber threats. This role is being fulfilled by MITA’s Information Security and Governance Department (ISGD), which during
monitoring activities such as those on intrusion
2018 through its four teams, has embarked on
detection, malware detection, behavioural
a related optimisation plan within the domains
monitoring, network and traffic monitoring,
of human-capital, tools and processes as
identity monitoring and web application
indicated below.
defacement, on an ongoing basis. The team has also invested further in its security detection
Protecting our ICT Landscape
capabilities, deploying tools that make use of innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence which enable effective detection of abnormalities on our digital landscape.
Coupled with the need for more effective
The SOC team has been vested with the role
detection and response capabilities, a state
of Government Computer Security Incident
of the art Security Operations Centre (SOC)
Response Team (GOVMT-CSIRT), through
was established as a single point of contact for
which it serves as a central point of contact
information security events within Government.
on cyber security support and intelligence
The SOC team performs information security
for Government.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Instilling a Proactive Security Engineering approach The Security Engineering (SE) team aims to
guidance on the selection of technologies
protect the Government’s critical infrastructure
which provide adequate mitigation to potential
against malicious activity. This has been
vulnerabilities identified in a system architecture.
attained during 2018 through the execution of several security assessment exercises
deployment of systems and processes.
Continuous alignment to Security Governance best practice
The SE team has also provided consultancy
During 2018, the Security Governance (SG)
which are intended to help the Agency and Government, identify, classify and mitigate security vulnerabilities and risks, prior to the
both for internal Agency projects as well as for Government projects. Consultancy services included working with clients to build and/or design architectures that manage identified risks using proportionate controls; guidance on the secure development, deployment, operation and management of systems and services; guidance on the adoption and secure implementation of common architectural blueprints as well as
team has been instrumental in the articulation and the effective implementation of the Information Security Policy, that is based on the internationally recognised information security standard - ISO 27001 and that is applicable both to MITA as well as to the Public Sector. The policy consists of information security principles as well as prevalent best practices aimed at protecting Government’s digital assets. The SG team’s activities included designing a number of internal compliance checks so as to ensure the effective implementation of the Policy. Activities related to business continuity and crisis management planning have also been carried out within MITA so as to ensure further preparedness as well as resilience, in the critical service provision to Government. Additionally, the team has begun looking into a policy and compliance framework for hybrid cloud model adoption within MITA. 52
Reaching out to increase Cyber Security Awareness MITA under the direction of the National Cyber
organised during October by the European
Security Strategy Steering Committee within
Union, aimed at inducing further awareness.
the remit of the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and
Following an online survey amongst the general
Innovation, has in October 2018 successfully
public, a number of initiatives were undertaken,
launched a National Cyber Security Awareness
using traditional media, social media as well as
and Education Campaign for the coming years.
interactive forms of communication.
The Campaign, implemented and led by the Cyber Security Programme (CSP) team, focuses
The Campaign’s online presence was
on cyber hygiene best practices targeting
consolidated by CSP both through its dedicated
various audiences with various communication
Website as well as through the addition of social
channels so as to ensure effective message
media platforms including Instagram, Twitter and
delivery. The Campaign launch was one of
Youtube apart from Facebook.
the key activities held during the European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) - an annual event
In collaboration with Education authorities and institutions, the team has: • Supported the provision of cyber security related training mats for use amongst 4200 primary (state and non-state) school students and two videos as part of the new ICT education module introduced at Secondary school level; • Supported the provision of ICT equipment for cyber security related training purposes at MCAST; • Provided feedback for consolidation of the cyber security aspect in various lecture modules delivered both at MCAST and the University of Malta; • Supported the work placement of various tertiary level students through MITA’s Student Placement Programme.
53
MITA Annual Report 2018
In late October, a ‘Capture the Flag’ Hackathon – the Malta Cyber Crusades 2018 – was organised by the CSP team. This event covered the use of various security tools and security related topics which served as an opportunity for over thirty-five participants to enhance their cyber security skill capabilities whilst potentially eyeing cyber security as a work opportunity. The Awareness Campaign also focused on Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Three focus group sessions, involving the participation of over thirty SME business owners, in collaboration with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise
The team has also ensured more effective
and Industry, the General Retailers and Traders
delivery on cyber security through various drama
Union and the Malta Employers Association were
productions including through a TV series on
held. The purpose of these sessions was to
the local national station, which reached over
understand SME concerns and experiences on
55,000 viewers during the first two episodes
cyber security to be able to deliver the campaign
and through Pantos during Christmas time which
to the sector more effectively.
reached an audience of over 6,500 attendees.
54
Cyber Security Awareness Campaign
500
18%
8
7
Social Media posts
increase in followers on Social Media
Events
Presentations delivered
Audience reached
65% 63,430 General Public
55
5,000 Academia
33,000 Public Sector
increased traffic on Website
MITA Annual Report 2018
Information Security support for special major Events The ISGD has also been involved in events
In June 2018, the EU’s European Network
of national importance, whereby through the
and Information Security Agency (ENISA)
collaboration of multi-disciplinary teams from
organised a European Cyber Crisis simulation
security and operational areas, it ensured the
event targeting the aviation cyber space. ISGD
secure delivery of ICT services, tailored for
actively participated along with other key
the specific requisites of the event in question.
national counterparts.
Amongst these were the THU 2018 and the Delta Summit 2018.
56
12 FINANCE & CONTRACTS DEPARTMENT Investing to modernise internal financial controls and increase automation
57
MITA Annual Report 2018
“We go beyond the traditional procurement cycle to satisfy the needs of both our internal and external clients. We practice a robust process covering the purchase-to-pay and sourceto-contract cycles ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and practices.� Wayne Portanier Executive Procurement & Asset Management
58
Moving to a modern Enterprise Resource Planning Solution In 2018, MITA embarked on a corporate
• Facilitate processing and recording of data
project to consolidate and enhance internal
through system integration, enabling easier
systems through the procurement and
administration and an improved reporting
implementation of an Enterprise Resource
functionality across all Agency levels.
Planning solution. The solution shall meet the following objectives:
• Improve efficiency through the automation of internal processes.
• Provide a single point of access to business
59
information and increase collaborative
A Request for Information was issued in June 2018
capabilities, together with a single source
to ensure that MITA’s requirements are aligned
of storage to ensure seamless availability
with the products available on the market. The
of information.
plan is to publish a Call for Tender by Q2 2019.
MITA Annual Report 2018
Government embrace Modern Workplace In 2018, MITA embarked on a strategic initiative to create a modern and more secure Digital Workplace for the Public Service organisation. This project objective is to provide the necessary tools to bring about a transformational change to enable Government employees to work from anywhere, any time and on any device in an efficient and secure manner. The ‘Government Modern Workplace’ initiative is part of the ‘Digital Transformation Process’ that MITA is leading across Public Service Administration. An initiative, that is congruous with the ‘National Digital Strategy 2014 – 2020’ and part of the Memorandum
seamless communication, created digital
of Understanding that Government signed
workspaces, and enable easier collaboration.
with Microsoft. Through this initiative MITA will
Even when users are hosted at different
gradually change the Government traditional
locations and are working on diverse devices.
licensing landscape from ‘perpetual per device’ to a ‘subscription and per user base model’,
The aim is to finalise the rollout of Office
which is aimed to standardize and simplify
365 across Public Sector by end of 2020.
desktop licensing.
Actual deployment started in October 2018, following an extensive online training involving
The deployment of Microsoft Office 365 mobile
users at two pilot sites. The initial milestone,
productivity suite across the Public Service
involving the deployment of Office 365 on
Administration will empower users to stay
all Government Information Management
connected, access their documents and files
Units’ personel workstations, was achieved
from any location, and work productively. This
successfully by end of 2018. Our foresight is
will bring about a transformational change,
now to reach out half of the Government Office
introducing innovative ways to facilitate
workers by end of 2019.
60
Devices for the Modern Workplace The Procurement and Assets section has once
MITA employs a one-stop-shop approach
again been the catalyst in providing Desktop
where departments across Government place
and Laptop workstations within Government
their requests for hardware. The whole process
Departments and Entities in 2018. A total of
is then handled by MITA, including supplier co-
1325 Desktop workstations, with approximately
ordination and management, to ensure that all
800 units alone being desktop replacements
Service Levels are met throughout the delivery.
at Mater Dei Hospital, and 2561 Laptops were
Through the process MITA also handles the
delivered throughout the year. This was done
Software Licensing process such that the end
through two locally established suppliers who
client receives a final product with the least
were engaged through open tenders.
possible interventions.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
Smart Contract in collaboration with UoM Early in 2018, MITA’s Finance and Contracts
of Malta and to economic operators alike. This
Department and the Faculty of ICT of the
collaboration involves the setting up of a smart
University of Malta (UOM) started collaborating
contract that may be employed whenever a
with a view of developing a practical use case
Government contracting authority purchases
that showcases the benefits of Distributed
goods from an economic operator.
Ledger Technology (DLT) to the Government MITA and UoM intend to demonstrate that through a smart contract, a contracting authority would be able to place orders for the supply of equipment, for the economic operator to acknowledge and action onto. Whereas the standard legal terms will remain wrapped into a natural language agreement, the role of the smart contract is to codify the performance aspects of a conventional contract. Milestones and timeframes, acceptance of consignments and payment together with the eventual levy of penalties for delay are important contractual matters that can be governed through a smart contract. MITA started work on the proof of concept in October 2018 with the help of three University and two MCAST students. The students will be building on the parameters prepared by the academic tutors and receive technical guidance from MITA’s Programme Management Department.
62
13 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT Increasing environmental sustainability in our daily operations
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MITA Annual Report 2018
“We strive to maintain a wide portfolio of facilities and administrative functions to fully support the Agency’s business and operational requirements. Our aim is to continuously foster a work environment that promotes employees’ wellbeing, while promoting environmental sustainability.” David Camilleri Driver/Messenger
64
ISO Certification and Related Activities During 2018, MITA continued its path of distinction by maintaining good results during the external audits against the three ISO Standards it holds, these being ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management, ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security (both standards under the TickITplus Scheme) and ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management. Through these standards, the Agency demonstrates that its internal policies and procedures are adhered to across the organisation and in its day to day operations. In addition to the external audits by international accredited bodies, the Certification Management Unit within the Facilities Management Department conducts a
achieve full benefit of its investment in the ISO
systematic number of internal assessments to
Standards it holds.
assess and recommend improvements in line with the implemented ISO standards.
MITA’s philosophy is that every single employee is part of its feat towards excellence,
Conformity with international industrial
therefore every department of the Agency is
standards is a very dynamic and ongoing
represented within the ISO Forum. The main
challenge. It inspires organisations to be always
duty of this Forum is to enable cross functional
abreast towards new methods of operation and
and continuous improvement of the Agency’s
emerging technologies which can transform and
operational procedures. Through the Forum,
improve their output and customer satisfaction.
information on standardisation can flow from
To this effect, the Certification Management
the roots of the Agency to management and
Unit continuously seeks to assist the Agency to
vice versa.
65
MITA Annual Report 2018
Maintaining the right facilities for MITA Data Centres The efficiency and availability of Government
Access Control, Building Management System
ICT services delivered by MITA depends heavily
and CCTV.
on its data centres facilities. Without reliable data centre services, MITA would find it difficult
In line with international standards and best
to meet its current service delivery requirements
practices of Data Centre operations, MITA
and hard to meet its hosting growth targets.
undertook several technical initiatives to ensure structured approach to its TIER III mandate,
MITA currently operates two main Data Centres,
namely:
with critical systems hosted on ‘active-active’
• Preventive maintenance programme for all
geo-clustered set-up.
critical components supporting the Data Centre functions in close coordination
The Facilities Management Department is
with Change Management and the Control
actively involved in the day to day operation
Centre;
of the MITA Data Centre in an effort to achieve
• Proactive and Practiced Failover
high level of functionality and maximise
Simulations - carried out on regular basis
operational efficiencies. This includes
to assess and confirm site infrastructure
management of Data Centre floor space
behaviour in case of faults and malfunctions;
and back of house support rooms, including
• Energy audits and analysis to ensure
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
operational sustainability practices in line
systems, Standby Generators, UPS systems,
with Uptime Institute guidelines and EU
Electrical distribution, Fire protection and
Code of Conduct for Data Centres. The
security management systems, including
in-house Energy Metering system monitors energy consumption aimed at improving and measuring energy efficiency including specific dashboards:
· Widget with real time outside temperature, Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating and power loads parameters
· History data of the PUE rating correlated with the outside temperature
· Energy Cost information
• Physical security reviews
66
Setting up of Computer Room at Oncology Hospital In addressing the underlying hosting
the provision of various works and services.
requirements for the broad portfolio of new
Installation works are currently underway and
ICT initiatives highlighted in the MITA Strategy
scheduled to be operational in Quarter 2 2019.
Plan and other EU funded Projects such as CONvErGE programme, MITA has embarked on
The additional Computer Room facility at Mater
the setting up of a ‘Fit for Purpose’ Computer
Dei Oncology Hospital will also provide the
Room at Mater Dei Oncology Hospital.
buffer space required to embellish the current Data Centre facility at Mater Dei Hospital since
During 2018, the Facilities Management
this facility has now reached its 10th year
Department undertook the design blueprints
in service.
and technical requirements for setting up an additional annex Computer Room specifically
The Oncology Computer Room project is
designed to host 18 racks.
another tangible commitment from MITA to provide high-quality data centre services as
The procurement cycle in this regard, has
well as MITA’s dedication to retain improved
kicked off, with the publication of 5 tenders for
uptime and economic value.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
New Emerging Technologies Lab Throughout the second half of 2018, the
officially inaugurated by Hon. Silvio Schembri in
Facilities Management Department stripped out
October 2018.
and refurbished the entire Level -1 basement area to convert it from stores into a state of
From its opening, the Emerging Technologies
the art open space to host the new Emerging
Lab has been a cradle of innovative ideas
Technologies Lab. Local designers were invited
for MITA employees and students alike who
to submit aesthetic proposals for the setup of
utilise the space and equipment provided
the lab space. Once the winning proposal was
to challenge and implement their ambitions
selected, in-house personnel commenced the
and immerse themselves into emerging
works which included finishes, carpentry works
technologies including Blockchain, Artificial
and mechanical and electrical works amongst
Intelligence, Virtual Reality, 3D Printing, Internet
others. The Emerging Technologies Lab was
of Things, etc.
68
14 MITA CARES
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MITA Annual Report 2018
MITA Cares, the Agency’s arm responsible to lead our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has further supported our solid statement towards responding to the needs of the most vulnerable groups in our society. It aims to contribute to the local society at large through our corporate participation as active citizens both toward social and environmental wellbeing. During 2018, the MITA Cares Committee and MITA employees, organised several initiatives and fund-raising activities in aid of various groups in need.
Fund Raising Activities
Donation of IT Equipment
This year’s activities included: • Dine-Out Event held at the MITA Head
Througout the years, MITA donated used IT
Office Canteen;
Equipment to the following beneficiaries:
• Sale of Easter Figolli in aid of Caritas PIP;
• Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology
• MITA World Cup 2018 Competition;
(MCAST); • Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF);
• Christmas Tickets Raffle;
• St. Joseph’s Home, Santa Venera;
• Social Team Building Activities:
• Dar Arka Ghajnsielem, Gozo;
· Gaming Experience
• Ursuline Sisters St. Rita Home, Tarxien;
· Pizza Night in aid of St. Jeanne Antide Foundation, Tarxien;
• Foundation for Social Welfare Service
(FSWS) Children’s Dream Project.
Donation of Office Furniture
· Gozo Jeep Tour;
· Fishing Event;
· Barbeque under the Stars;
· Sicily Tour;
· LAN Party;
· Shooting Range Event; · PMD Breakfast.
MITA donated Office Furniture to Caritas Malta, Richmond Foundation and St. Monica
All proceeds form the above activities were
School, Mosta.
donated to MITA Cares. 70
President’s Solidarity Fun Run MITA employees participated in the President’s Solidarity Fun Run. This event is yearly organised by the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.
Cash Donations MITA Cares provided cash donations on behalf of MITA employees towards fund raising events or specific projects in aid of the following beneficiaries: • Puttinu Cares; • Caritas Malta; • FSWS-Sedqa ; • ALS Malta Foundation; • FSWS-Appoġġ • Agenzija Sapport; • Paolo Freire Jesuits; • Hospice Malta; • Id-Dar Tal-Providenza; • L’Istrina.
Christmas Party for the Children MITA Cares organised a Christmas Party for MITA employees’ children. The funds gathered through the participation fee was used to buy presents for the children.
Blood Donations MITA Cares encourages its employees to donate blood. This is a noble gesture to save
Supporting Persons in need
lives. Transport is periodically organised for employees to travel from MITA to the Blood
MITA Cares financed the cost of a motorised
Donation Unit and back.
wheelchair to a MITA employee.
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MITA Annual Report 2018
MITA Kids Technical Session MITA Cares organised a half-day Tech Summer Programme for MITA kids during the month of February 2018 aimed at teaching different technologies in a fun way. Another two sessions were organised in collaborating with the MITA Digital Outreach team focusing on technologybased activities for children. The latter were organised during the summer months.
MITA Staff Donations MITA employees regularly donated cash contributions to the MITA Cares on a monthly basis through schemes administered by MITA.
Donation of Vacation Leave
In addition, some MITA employees donated one-off cash contributions.
MITA employees donated vacation leave hours. These hours are added to the Vacation Leave
Sponsorship
Support Pot which is used by MITA Cares to support MITA employees who are long term absent from work due to serious illness.
MITA sponsored the provision of a VM server based on Azure to Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek for a period of twelve months.
Technical Assistance
MITA sponsored the cost of several plaques
MITA employees volunteered in handling the
that were donated to blood donors during the
back-office function during TVM’s fund-raising
National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS)
programs in aid of Puttinu Cares and Caritas.
awards ceremony. In addition, MITA sponsored
This involved answering pledge telephone
the cost of mini plants for NBTS to distribute to
calls from donors and coordinate logistics to
blood donors.
collect pledges.
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15 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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MITA Annual Report 2018
BOARD MEMBERS’ REPORT for the year ended 31 December 2018 Board members
Mr Tony Sultana - Chairman
Mr Anthony Borg
Ing. Saviour Baldacchino
Mr Joseph Noel Agius
Dr Helen Borg Muscat
Board secretary
Dr Aron Mifsud Bonnici
Registered address
Gattard House
National Road
Blata l-Bajda HMR 9010
Malta
The board members of the Agency
services to Government. Additionally, the
present their annual report and the audited
Agency promotes and delivers programmes
financial statements for the year ended 31
aimed at enhancing ICT education and the
December 2018.
use of ICT as a learning tool. MITA is also involved in initiatives aimed at proliferating the
Overview
further application and take-up of information and communications technologies in society and economy.
Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) is the central driver of Government's information and communications technology policy, programmes and initiatives. The Agency is responsible for the delivery and management of all programmes related to the implementation of information technology and related systems in Government with the aim of enhancing public service delivery. MITA also provides information and communications technology infrastructure
Core ICT Services to Government Throughout 2018, the provision of Core ICT Services to Government detailed by means of a contractual agreement between MITA and the Office of the Prime Minister, continued to provide the basis for the provision of the core ICT infrastructure to Government. 74
Embarking on our new three-year strategic plan: MITA Strategy 2018 - 2020 January 2018 saw the start of a three-year
At par with this implementation, we continued
strategic plan that will see MITA reaching
to invest in the necessary data centre
a three decades of service. Through the
infrastructure, including servers, storage and
focus on the corporate drivers: Leadership,
networking capabilities, to better facilitate the
Transformation, Innovation and Governance,
hybrid cloud capabilities such as self-service,
MITA led the pace to implement its ambitious
automation and orchestration, with highest
strategy to support Government achieve
reliability and resilience.
the digitalisation of the public administration from the front-end services to back-office administration.
Aligning our technology platforms in line with the rapid pace of technology and business change We have implemented a hybrid cloud platform within our Data Centre, designed to facilitate the accelerated digital transformation process of the Public Service. It is designed to offer flexibility, with deployment options to cater for the diverse computing needs of public sector business solutions. This has enabled us to offer traditional managed hosting environments, as well as the availability of cloud hosting services, coupled with the necessary agility, scale and security offerings.
75
Chief Technology Office In this period of unprecedented rate of technology change, where several strategic initiatives are in progress to modernise the Government’s ICT infrastructure, a new Office reporting to the Executive Chairman, was established to lead the Agency’s Technology Strategy, Architecture and Direction, including the steering of the Technology Committee (TECO). More than ever, we need to ensure that a common technology direction is driven in sync with the Agency’s strategic goals. The remit of the Chief Technology Officer extends to liaise with the internal and external stakeholders to ensure Government’s technology landscape remains relevant, effective, and provide value for money to the citizens and business alike, whilst meeting the objectives as set out in our Strategic Plan.
MITA Annual Report 2018
Empowering our Service Call Centre, Network Operations Centre & Security Operations Centre Our Service Call Centre (SCC), the Network
security, while enabling the facility for cloud
Operations Centre (NOC) and the Security
computing resources. We aim to enrich the
Operations Centre (SOC) are three strategic
client user experience across multiple devices
pillars of our service operations. Together
and platforms using these modern tools that
they are our frontline to foresee the ongoing
will enable users to the transition and embrace
operations of our complex ICT infrastructure
the change to be brought forward through the
landscape and support the public service ICT
ever changing digital workplace.
operational business needs. To further empower our competent human resources, who run these units efficiently and effectively, we further invested in tools to better monitor the network, systems and services, and proactively predict the threat of security incidents. We started looking into tools that leverage power of Artificial Intelligence for IT operations, including cybersecurity.
Modernization of Government Information Systems to support Digital Transformation We have set the way and trigger the path
Equipping our clients with modern workplace tools
for the modernization of core government information systems, including taxation, social security, public registry solutions, etc. We are adopting the most appropriate modernization options including code re-design, recreating new applications from scratch, as well as
Following the major investment for the
procuring new solutions.
procurement of software licences through the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, MITA started
Our internal teams are taking advantage of
deploying modern workplace Microsoft Office
modern software development methodologies,
365 solutions within the public service. We
such as DevOps combined with microservice
are empowering our clients with modern
based technology, to develop client solutions
workplace tools designed to facilitate increased
through evolutionary design and small codebase,
productivity, efficiency, collaboration, data
which are easy to deploy and scale as necessary. 76
eServices are increasingly prevailing for transitioning to Digital Government
Improving access to eGovernment solutions and strengthening core platforms
Malta has once again topped in all fronts of
Further to the simplification of the eID, the
the European Commission - eGovernment
trusted authentication mechanism to access
Benchmark Report for 2018, obtaining
Government eServices, we focused to enhance
most marks in all four priority areas, i.e.
the solution to transpose the requirements of
User centricity, Transparency, Cross-border
the EIDAS Regulation No 910/2014. We are
mobility and technological key elements for
now proud that Malta has been one of only
online-services.
four Member States who had successfully managed to meet the regulatory deadline
This is by no coincidence, MITA continuously
for the recognition of other Member States'
supports the public administration to improve
eID schemes.
current eServices and looks further to widen the eServices portfolio offerings. This year
We have also enhanced the government
alone, we have published 33 additional
payment gateway to introduce another
new mService (published through Maltapps)
layer of security by implementing the 3D
including 13 mobile apps and 20 responsive
Secure authentication. This measure further
websites, widening the scope of the service
protects online payments against electronic
offerings. Some of these services incorporate
payments fraud.
mTransactions, offering the support of payment functionality and the processing of personalised information through the use of a login and password via eID. We are supporting Government’s commitment to achieve higher online services integration, offering end-to-end service provisioning that
National Cyber Security Awareness and Educational Campaign
address more citizens and the business life events. Throughout this process we are
MITA, under the direction of the National
leveraging technology to automate supporting
Cyber Security Strategy Steering Committee,
processes to reduce service delivery cycles.
is leading the National Cyber Security
Typical cases include the Business 1st solution
Awareness and Educational Campaign, which
and the Customs Electron System portal.
was launched in October. This is a two-year
77
MITA Annual Report 2018
programme aimed to raise awareness about
Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Internet
cyber threats and share recommended best
of Things, and 3D printing. The lab is aimed
practices to empower citizens and businesses
to host individuals to explore emerging
protect their digital assets and identity. It aims
technologies, and share the knowledge gained
to increase knowledge and instil a sense of
and the benefits these technologies offer.
shared responsibility to practice safe and informed behaviours on the Internet.
Investment in Promoting technology tomorrow's workforce innovation and For the 10th consecutive year, the Student Placement Programme was launched in March. technology This initiative demonstrates Government’s entrepreneurship commitment to enable students, who are furthering their studies, to gain work Through its Innovation Hub, MITA has
experience through a summer work placement
continued to sustain further startups through
in the public sector, private sector or NGOs.
its Accelerators program - YouStartIT - now
This is an opportunity for students to have
in its 4th edition. We continued to support
their academic studies enriched by new
these startups develop their innovative ideas
perspectives, experience and business insight
into prototypes, through financial grants,
gained through working in an ICT environment.
consultancy services and tools, to establish value preposition. YouStartIT4 was hosted
Moreover, MITA signed a Memorandum of
as part of the Delta Summit 2018, the Malta
Understanding with the University of Malta in
blockchain and digital innovation conference.
August, offering scholarships to students to read for Masters and Ph.D. programmes in
In addition, we have inaugurated the Emerging
ICT, Finance, Law and Management, with a
Technologies Lab aimed to provide a space
focus on Blockchain and Distributed Ledger
to explore new emerging technologies, such
Technologies (DLT). The fund allocated
as DLTs and Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence,
amounts to â‚Ź300,000.
78
Financial review The overall financial performance of the
systems, risk management systems and the
Agency for 2018 shows a net surplus before
internal and external audit functions whilst
tax of €1,221,106. Revenue from the provision
ensuring the objective assessment of the
of projects and ICT services to Government
Agency’s performance and its management.
reached €27,462,556, up by 6% from
The MITA Internal Audit Office reports to
2017 results.
the BAC, enabling independence and the structural separation from management to
MITA also continued its investment programme
enhance objectivity.
to enhance and expand Government underlying infrastructure, with total investment
The Internal Audit Office (IAO) primary mandate
for the year amounting to €1.1m. Furthermore,
is to ensure an independent disciplined
during the year project expenditure of
approach in evaluating and improving the
approximately €3.6m was funded under the
Agency’s controls and in adding value to the
CONvErGE programme which is part-financed
operations of MITA. Risk based Audits and
by the European Regional Development Fund
reviews are conducted as commissioned by
(ERDF). Direct operational costs increased by
the BAC and as illustrated in the IAO annual
6% over 2017 as MITA continued in its efforts to
Internal Audit plan. IAO focuses on verifying
manage and contain costs for Government.
selected MITA processes to address identified key risks at both strategic and operational
Corporate Governance
level in collaboration with the Enterprise Risk Management function. IAO also recommends improvement in reviewed business functions and audit follow-ups.
The Board Audit Committee (BAC), made up
During 2018 IAO conducted thirteen audits
of Dr. Helen Borg Muscat (Chairperson), Dr.
and process reviews which all contributed to
Vincent Marmara and Mr. Jurgen Zammit, plays
ascertain that the Agency’s internal controls are
a key role in assisting the MITA Board to fulfil
sound and that MITA reputation is safeguarded.
its oversight responsibilities in internal control
79
MITA Annual Report 2018
Board Members' Responsibilities The Agency's statute requires the board
The board members are responsible for
members to prepare financial statements for
keeping proper accounting records which
each financial year which give a true and fair
disclose with reasonable accuracy, at any time,
view of the state of the affairs of the agency
the financial position of the agency. They are
and of the profit or loss of the agency for that
also responsible for safeguarding the assets of
year, in accordance with the requirements of
the agency and hence for taking reasonable
International Financial Reporting Standards
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud
as adopted by the EU. In preparing these the
and other irregularities.
board members are required to: • adopt the going concern basis unless it is
The financial statements of MITA for the year
inappropriate to presume that the agency
ended 31 December 2018 may be made
will continue in business;
available on the Agency's website. The board
• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; • make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; • account for income and charges relating to the accounting period on the accruals basis; • value separately the components of asset
members are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the financial statements on the website in view of their responsibility for the controls over, and the security and jusridictions, where legislation governing the preperation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from requirements or practice in Malta.
and liability items; and • report comparative figures corresponding to those of the preceding accounting period.
This report was approved and authorised for issue by the Board Members on 5 April 2019, and signed on its behalf by:
Mr Tony Sultana Chairman
Mr Anthony Borg Board member 80
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT to the Members of Malta Information Technology Agency
Opinion We have audited the accompanying financial
independent of the entity in accordance
statements of Malta Information Technology
with International Ethics Standards Board for
Agency, which comprise the Statement of
Accountants' Code of Ethics for Professional
Financial Position as at 31 December 2018,
Accountants (IESBA Code) together with the
and the Statement of Profit or Loss and
ethical requirements that are relevant to our
Other Comprehensive Income, Statement of
audit of the financial statements in accordance
Changes in Equity and Cash Flow Statement
with the Accountancy Profession Act in Malta,
for the year then ended, and a summary of
and we have fulfilled our ethical responsibilities
significant accounting policies and other
in accordance with these requirements and the
explanatory notes.
IESBA Code.
In our opinion, the financial statements give
We believe that the audit evidence we have
a true and fair view of the financial position
obtained is sufficient and appropriate to
of Malta Information Technology Agency
provide a basis for our audit opinion.
as of 31 December 2018 and of its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU, and have been properly prepared in accordance with the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386).
Other Information The board members are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Board Members' report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not
Basis for Opinion
cover the other information. In connection with our audit of the financial
We conducted our audit in accordance with
statements, our responsibility is to read the
International Standards on Auditing (ISAs).
other information and, in doing so, consider
Our responsibilities under those standards
whether the other information is materially
are further described in the Auditors'
inconsistent with the financial statements or our
Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial
knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise
Statements section of our report. We are
appears to be materially misstated.
81
MITA Annual Report 2018
Responsibilities of the Board Members The board members are responsible for the
and to issue an Auditors' report that includes
preparation of the financial statements that
our opinion.
give a true and fair view in accordance to International Financial Reporting Standards
Reasonable assurance is a high level of
as adopted by the EU and for such internal
assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit
controls as the board members are necessary
conducted in accordance with ISAs will always
to enable the preparation of financial
detect a material misstatement when it exists.
statements that are free from material
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error
misstatements, whether due to fraud or error.
and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably
In preparing the financial statements the board
be expected to influence the economic
members are responsible for assessing the
decisions of users taken on the basis of these
entity’s ability to continue as a going concern,
financial statements.
disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we
basis of accounting unless the board members
exercise professional judgement and maintain
either to liquidate the entity or to cease
professional scepticism throughout the audit.
operations, or have no realistic alternative but
We also:
to do so.
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements,
Auditors' Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements
whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery,
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable
intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or
assurance about whether the financial
the override of internal control.
statements as a whole are free from material
• Obtain an understanding of internal control
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error,
relevant to the audit in order to design
82
audit procedures that are appropriate in the
We communicate with the board members
circumstances, but not for the purpose of
regarding, among other matters, the planned
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness
scope and timing of the audit and significant
of the entity's internal control.
audit findings, including any significant
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness
deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the board members. • Conclude on the appropriateness of the board members' use of going concern basis of accounting and based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditors' report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures
Mr Manuel Castagna
are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit
for and on behalf of
evidence obtained up to the date of our
Nexia BT
auditors' report. However, future events or
Certified Public Accountants
conditions may cause the entity to cease to continue as a going concern. • Evaluate the overall presentation, structure
The Penthouse, Suite 2 Capital Business Centre, Entrance C
and content of the financial statements,
Triq taz-Zwejt
including the disclosures, and whether
San Gwann SGN 3000
the financial statements represent the
Malta
underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
83
Date : 5 April 2019
MITA Annual Report 2018
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the year ended 31 December 2018 2018
2017
â‚Ź
â‚Ź
Revenue
27,462,556
26,024,041
Cost of sales
(19,617,130)
(18,554,600)
Gross surplus
7,845,426
7,469,441
53,123
101,397
(6,856,452)
(6,749,604)
Operating surplus
1,042,097
821,234
Investment income
211,224
-
3,219
2,791
Finance costs
(35,434)
(15)
Surplus before taxation
1,221,106
824,010
Income tax
(342,662)
(177,273)
Surplus for the year
878,444
646,737
Total comprehensive income
878,444
646,737
Reversal of provision for cost of service pensions payable to Government Administrative expenses
Interest receivable and similar income
84
Statement of Financial Position at 31 December 2018 2018
2017
â‚Ź
â‚Ź
3,327,832
3,790,959
Investment in subsidiary
-
33,776
Investment in associate
20,000
20,000
Deferred taxation
472,556
508,035
3,820,388
4,352,770
17,004
16,833
5,321,267
3,532,562
29,679
-
14,813,399
9,639,128
20,181,349
13,188,523
24,001,737
17,541,293
Notes ASSETS Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment
Current assets Inventories Trade and other receivables Current tax recoverable Cash at bank and in hand
Total assets
85
MITA Annual Report 2018
2018
2017
â‚Ź
â‚Ź
4,542,497
4,542,497
3,117,785
2,239,341
7,660,282
6,781,838
965,795
1,110,840
67,614
67,584
15,306,242
9,561,042
-
19,989
1,804
-
15,375,660
9,648,615
Total equity and liabilities
16,341,455
10,759,455
Total equity and liabilities
24,001,737
17,541,293
Notes EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Capital and reserves Capital reserve Accumulated fund Total fund Non-current liabilities Provision for liabilities and charges Current liabilities Provision for liabilities and charges Trade and other payables Current tax payable Short-term borrowings
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board Members on 5 April 2019, and signed on its behalf by:
Mr Tony Sultana Chairman
Mr Anthony Borg Board member 86