Skanska, one of the construction companies involved in building Mater Dei Hospital after acquiring the tender, has not been contacted by government on the recent revelation of ‘inferior concrete’ used in some pillars within the Accident and Emergency section of the hospital.

This newsroom sent several questions to Skanska about the situation, requesting answers, however were met with the following reply; “Skanska has not been contacted and has no information to comment on”.

Asked why Skanska has yet to be contacted, a Ministry of Health representative told The Malta Independent; “Since an independent inquiry board has been set-up as stipulated by the Inquiries Act with the primary motive of establishing the facts into the weak structures at Mater Dei, it is the remit of the Inquiry Board to seek information pertinent to the investigation, as it may require”. 

The government has set up a Board of Inquiry, headed by retired judge Philip Sciberras, to look into the situation at the A&E department. The board is analysing the criminal and civil liabilities resulting from the inferior concrete used in certain areas of the A&E department.

The government had said that the concrete used in certain pillars was only as strong as that used to build pavements.

Previously, this newspaper revealed that the recent tender to construct the Medical Assessment Unit, consisting of two new wards with a total of 68 beds, was won by Mekanika Ltd., with a contract value of €8,539,132.05.