Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said in Parliament this evening that government will fight tooth and nail with Skanska Joint Ventures, the main contractor for Mater Dei during construction, about the inferior concrete found to have been used to construct the Mater Dei Hospital.

During the Parliamentary session on Monday, an argument broke out after Energy Minister only tabled part of the Arup report (The report carried out by the UK firm who tested the concrete in 2014 and 2015) along with the full inquiry report by Judge Philip Sciberras, the inquiry that looked into who provided concrete, the contracts etc.

Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil requested that the inquiry report as well as the Arup report be tabled in Parliament, and Minister Mizzi tabled them. Minister Mizzi said only part of the Arup report regarding the emergency section was tabled, which caused quite a stir in the Opposition area. Dr Mizzi said costings are still going on for other parts of the building and assured the PN that the other parts of the Arup report will be published when they are done.

The Opposition Leader said that, since the Minister made reference to both reports, he awaits the Minister to table the whole report.

The Minister said that there will be other opportunities to discuss the other areas of Mater Dei at a later date and questioned whether the Opposition wanted to speak in light of the inquiry report.

The Opposition asked the Speaker for a ruling for the Energy Minister to present the whole Arup report.

The Minister said the part of the Arup report tabled deals with the Emergency ward, which again resulted in complaints by the PN side. 

The Prime Minister said that the inquiry has been published and it will be passed on to the authorities. "The Minister said that parts of report are still being worked on and I give my word that once these works on the report are completed they will be made public. We are in the highest institution and here today people are realising the excuses the opposition makes in order not to speak on this issue. The Minister chose to come and publish all that is relevant to the Mater Dei Emergency Ward inferior concrete situation".

He stressed that all parts of the Arup report on areas that do not have anything to do with the hospital will be shown later when they are complete.

The Opposition Leader stated that the reason they want the whole report published is due to the fact that Parliament expected this to be done. "Transparency for us is not legalism, and we are asking you to be transparent. A clear reference was made to both reports. As your rulings have read Mr Speaker, the whole reports must be published".

PL MP Charles Mangion stressed that this is an inquiry report that speaks on a project that was supposed to cost around 200 million, yet cost around 800 million from the taxpayers money.

Konrad Mizzi said that he only mentioned the Arup report in the context of the inquiry report and at that only mentioned the Arup report section on the emergency ward.

Speaker's ruling

In his ruling, Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia said that he cannot order the Energy Minister to publish the document and said that the Minister did not make any reference to the Arup report.

PN Leader Simon Busuttil, following the speaker's ruling, gave his intervention and said that “transparency for this government is nothing but an electoral slogan,” adding that the report that was repeatedly referred to was not tabled regardless of the Speaker's ruling.

“The Opposition wants and has always worked for the betterment of public health. The PN had invested in a new hospital and in the type of service given in the hospital. A PN administration invested in a new hospital of the highest level and we would expect it to give the best possible treatment. Former Labour Prime Minister Alfred Sant had called it “state of the art” Dr Busuttil claimed. There must be nothing to stop it from being a hospital of the highest level. If these levels are not there, then persons responsible must bear that responsibility.”

"The Opposition made clear, if there was wrongdoing, then whoever did wrong must carry responsibility".

"From what the Minister said, it seems that the Mater Dei Project, that began 20 years ago, saw inferior concrete used. We await that those who were responsible pay and carry responsibility."

Dr Busuttil said that companies were also mentioned, one of whom built the PL headquarters, and another that was under John Dalli.

Minister Mizzi mentioned 35 million euros, which is what it will cost to repair the Mater Dei problem. Dr Busuttil asked the Minister, "what is he going to do to ensure the people do not pay this price, but rather those responsible pay?"

At this point the PL delegates, including the Prime Minister began laughing. Dr Busuttil asked “what steps will government take not only to hold accountable those who used inferior materials, but also take money from those who did wrong”.

The Opposition leader also asked where the 35 million euro sum came from, given that the Arup report is not yet concluded. "We want those who were responsible for bad tests and using inferior concrete be held responsible."

“Government, on this case, was more interested in mudslinging than finding who was truly responsible. They were more interested in calling for me to uphold political responsibility, however I was still at University at the time. It is the Prime Minister's responsibility to ensure the proceedings are handled correctly. Why was there a continuous leakage of this case by the Prime Minister and the Energy Minister before the report concluded? If the report was ready this morning, can you please explain how the Minister knew about the information beforehand?”

There was a lack of transparency, the Opposition Leader claimed. “Why did government say it cannot take any action. Why is government so incompetent that, before even picking a fight, it states that the waiver prevented them from going after Skanska".

“The government claimed there was a waiver, yet when looking at the agreement it is not true that government can’t take action”.

"Alfred Sant wanted two extra levels on the hospital, when MEPA gave him permission for one. If he wanted to build more storeys, wouldn’t there have been a test done? And if a report was made why haven’t we heard of it? What happened during those two years? I must remind you that Michael Farrugia was the Health Minister back then".

"Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi barely mentioned John Dalli, who is now a government consultant," the Opposition Leader added.

“All the sub-contractors came through John  Dalli, the report said”.

George Pullicino asked who the lawyer that the government consulted on this material was. As for the FMS tender for the emergency department extension, was there any mention of the pillars needing to be reinforced? Who won that tender?

Anthony Agius Decelis also asked how works will affect the services offered in the Casualty? He also asked if there is a contingency plan.

Beppe Fenech Adami said that the inquiry report read that Skanska’s responsibility is not reduced. He asked the Prime Minister if he still believes the waiver exempts Skanska’s responsibility. He asked whether government will keep defending contractors or go after them. In this signed agreement, government had many lawyers involved. “Did you call them to speak with them? Were they called in front of the board?”

He asked whether the inquiry, run by Judge Phillip Sciberras assisted by his son who was very much involved in the PL, led this inquiry and asked whether they had the decency to call for the lawyers involved in the contracts, who he said was Henri Mizzi.  

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that Brian St John backed down when when Skanska had waived the waiver in their face when they discovered the reservoir issue.

Ministerial statement

The Energy Minister, during his Ministerial statement said that the facts were established on the Mater Dei structure.

He said Arup had concluded its tests. Mr Mizzi said that it all started when the government was about to expand the hospital’s emergency wing.

He said that the outcome of tests on the concrete were so shocking that the government ordered an investigation on the whole Mater Dei building.

He was speaking in parliament following a news conference held at Castille on the board of inquiry report’s conclusions on Mater Dei Hospital’s concrete structures.

Today, the conclusions were presented to the government who in turn read out the statements made by the board entrusted to look into what led to Mater Dei’s structure-related deficiencies and who was behind them. A number of deficiencies were highlighted by the inquiry, which described the whole issue of the concrete structures at the hospital, as a “scam”. It also ruled that the certification of the hospital’s concrete was “fraudulent”, pointing fingers at Skanska Joint Venture while also implying that others may have benefitted from this scam.

The main points of the report were the fact that the strength of the concrete used was much lower than was meant to be, and that tests on the structures were done by Skanska itself “which is not normal procedure”.

He said he couldn’t say for sure who was supplying the concrete, however said that work between 1996 and 1998 left no impact on the emergency wards, however work on D1.3 and D1.1, parts of the emergency ward occurred in later years.

The project management office was not ready for such a construction, the report said, however this does not reduce their accountability.

Dr Mizzi argued that a company who was awarded the supervision contract in 1994, Ortesa spa was in a position to ensure that works were correct, however did not take action, even when allegations were made. The inquiry said that this was naïve of the government at the time.

Turning to the waiver, he said that the final agreement with Skanska later became a blanket waiver as part of the project conclusions agreement, and said that John Dalli, Minister at the time, was not kept up to date.

He also said that inferior concrete was found in 2011 in the reservoir, and Skanska invoked the waiver with FMS dropping their claims.

He said that the inquiry found Skanska civilly responsible for the structure quality, and project management would also be held responsible. 

He said that tests by Skanska were practically fraudulent. 

Inquiry report

Arup report