The previous government signed a deal with Swedish construction company Skanska, absolving it of any responsibility in the event of any shortcomings were found in Mater Dei Hospital, said Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Speaking in a radio interview with One News journalist Janice Bartolo, Dr Muscat said that the concrete which was used to build the Accident and Emergency Department at Mater Dei, was inferior to that used to “build pavements.”
He said that PN government paid €600 million out of taxpayers’ money, to be given an inferior structure in return. Dr Muscat said that it will cost €5 million to rectify the A&E building and an additional €30 million to make sure that the structural integrity of the hospital is up to standard.
“This all came to light because we wanted to expand the hospital . But the concrete is half the quality of what it should have been. The point is we as a country paid the money, but were not given what we paid for. Where did the money go? There are many questions about responsibility and accountability. But we will wait for the inquiry report first,” said Dr Muscat.
The Prime Minister said that the government was taking all necessary precautions to ensure that there is no danger to staff, patients and visitors to the hospital. “The PN accused us of mudslinging, but if any mud was thrown by the government, it was certainly better than the concrete that the hospital was built with,” said the PM.
He said the opposition cannot wash its hands of this matter. “When I was made Labour Party leader, the PN threw things at me that happened 10 years before I was even born, but the opposition leader does not want to assume political responsibility for things that happened just a few years ago,” said the PM.
He said that in 2009, the government gave instructions for a document to be signed with Skanska, whereby the government would have no right to approach or proceed against Skanska if anything was found to be sub standard. “We will be seeking meetings with them. Their international reputation is at stake on this issue,” he said.
Easter Partnership Summit
Turning to the Eastern Partenrship Summit in Riga, Dr Muscat said it looks that Malta is moving in tandem with EU policy to have the best relationship possible with Eastern countries such as Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
“The EU says Azerbaijan is a strategic EU partner. We were criticised for pursuing a relationship with Azerbaijan, for example, but it is emerging now that the EU wants this too. The EU must look beyond its shores and that is what Malta is doing,” he said.
Dr Muscat said the economy does not just simply grow. “We are told that we and Ireland will have the greatest economic growth in Europe. This is not because we sit and wait for things to drop into our lap, it is because we chase up investment and commerce,” he said.
Dr Muscat responded to criticism of countries such as Azerbaijan’s track record by saying that EU policy also states that it is better to bring such countries closer to the fold, because in doing so, they can be helped to change.
University
Dr Muscat said that the government wants another university and it wants it in the south of Malta. “But we need to find a compromise. It could be different sites, even some of the ones proposed by the environmentalists. We are ready to discuss a reasonable compromise and we are moving towards that,” he said.
Dr Muscat said he could not understand the opposition. “First it said it agreed, then it shed doubt on the proposal. Then the final twist was that Marthese Portelli said that if needs be, we can do without this project. It’s the same attitude as when we discussed the IIP and Barts. The PN is afraid of these projects and tries to ruin them,” he said.
Dr Muscat said that when it was in government, the PN had identified the site at Zonqor for use as a landfill. “If the land was good enough to use as a landfill, then it is certainly good enough for a university,” said the PM.
He said that it was his job to listen, and that is what he is doing. “We could, for example, split the campus between two sites. We have about 12 proposals from environmental groups and we are studying them. In all honesty, they are better than the ones put forward by the opposition,” said the PM.
He also levelled criticism at former minister George Pullicino for the way the ODZ plans were drawn up. “They are mind boggling, in the way that they skirt around certain sites. It makes you wonder who owns what, but maybe Pullicino is in a better position to explain that one,” he said.
Six star investment
Dr Muscat said he was very pleased that the Corinthia Group was bringing its flagship back to Malta, in constructing a new Six Star complex on the site of the Marina Corinthia, the San Gorg and the Radisson. “The €400 million investment, by a local company, is the biggest one ever seen in the Maltese tourism industry. We are trying to facilitate matters for the company to get their work done, such as allowing them to work over the summer months. We are trying to devise a plan whereby they can transfer rubble to the dumping site by barge, thereby avoiding the use of trucks, which would not disrupt residents or holidaymakers,” he said.
Dr Muscat said that while the number of rooms would stay more or less the same, staff complement would increase from 400 to 1,000 and the ITS needed to be prepared to train more Maltese youngsters for jobs in the tourism sector.