The government’s policy of outsourcing its software development is paying off as Maltese companies are achieving a high standards in innovation, both locally and abroad, said Investments, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt yesterday during the presentation of the SAP annual award for innovation.

The SAP Most Innovative Maltese Company Award for 2006 was awarded to Datatrak, which started operating in Malta in 1998. SAP, the world’s largest business software company, last year signed a three-year Vertical Strategic Partnership with the government with the aim of providing training on SAP’s software and helping small and medium enterprises to advance.

Minister Gatt said he is pleased with the collaboration between the government and SAP “as it has exceeded expectations.” The minister commented that since MITTS is no longer responsible for the software development sector, local companies have excelled, as did Datatrak, which created the Local Enforcement System (LES), the software used by local wardens.

He praised the company for its sense of innovation and for pursuing greater challenges abroad instead of resting on its laurels. In fact, Datatrak is currently well established in the UK and is making a name for itself in Italy, France and Spain, affirmed Dr Gatt.

SAP Italia general manager Augusto Abbarchi praised Datatrak for “investing in innovation so as to improve its market position and exploiting its fleet management and mobile solutions expertise.”

Datatrak Group CEO Joe Fenech Conti said the fact that the company was recognised by SAP as the most innovative Maltese company shows Datatrak is on the right track. He added that “we take pride in our innovative flair which we have channelled into producing solutions that succeed in the market place.”