St James Hospital is in talks with a new foreign investor for the takeover of the hospital and is no longer in talks with a group of Palestinian and US investors, The Malta Independent has learned.

Interim CEO Albert Micallef confirmed that the group was in talks with another US investor “in the interest of St James”.

He emphasised that the deal had not fallen through but the only thing that changed is the fact that the hospital had kick-started negotiations with another American company “in the interest of the St James”, but stopped short of revealing who the new investors are. This newsroom contacted hospital owner Josie Muscat for a comment and said that the hospital is currently holding “various talks”.

When pressed to say why the hospital chose to change the investors it initially held talks with, he said he would not like to comment “for the time-being”.

In March this year, The Malta Independent had reported that St James Hospital in Sliema was set to be sold to foreign investors, a group of American and Palestinian businessmen in a deal worth millions.

The new owners were meant to keep the name of St James, while all other property that is so far run under the St James name would be renamed Santa Maria. However, the deal with the foreign investors has not yet materialised and each time this newsroom asked Mr Muscat whether the deal had fallen through, he always gave the same reply, that “negotiations are still underway”. He never said that the investors had changed.

Dr Muscat had also been asked whether new investors had stepped in but had refused to say if this was the case.

He did say, however, that the building of the company’s new hospital in Bulebel was “still underway”.

He stressed that the company’s other medical facilities in Żabbar, Tarxien, Żebbuġ and Burmarrad are not part of the deal and will be renamed Santa Maria.

Asked whether the new Bulebel hospital would also be called Santa Maria, Dr Muscat had replied: “I’d rather not say anything at the moment; things are changing every day. All facilities are operating normally.”