construction of the Mater Dei hospital, the Prime Minister emphasised that government will not budge unless it is given a completion deadline and satisfactory explanations into the cost over-runs.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a party activity held at the Ta’ Xbiex PN club. He took the opportunity to be humourous and a typical Gonzi smile broke when he realised he had appropriated the phrase synonymous with General Workers’ Union secretary-general Tony Zarb, by saying “Issa daqshekk,” (enough is enough). However, his message was firm. “The proposals submitted by the company will not be deemed acceptable until they fully satisfy me in that things are being done properly and according to plan,” he said.

The government decided to suspend the discussions it was holding with the company over the cost over-runs at the Mater Dei Hospital after the counter proposals made by Skanska to the government’s demands were deemed unacceptable.

The government has the right to know why the costs have over-run the estimates made by the same company and even has the right not to pay for the excess if it is not given satisfactory explanations, Dr Gonzi said.

“I understand that since the original estimates were made, there were some technological advancements that would warrant a bigger expense. I am willing to pay more for a better product,” Dr Gonzi said, “but I want explanation as to why 900 doors were ordered for a particular place instead of the estimated 400 for example”.

“I also want to know why facilities estimated to cost Lm1 million will end up costing much more. If the government is not given explanations then it has the right to not pay,” he stressed.

Skanska submitted fresh proposals shortly after the negotiations were cut off, however the government is still not happy, Dr Gonzi said. The government will let nobody take it for a ride, he said, adding that it was disconcerting that the opposition leader seems to want to give these people some advantage.

“I must point out that the Labour government decided to expand the hospital from a 450-bed to a 1,000-bed hospital,” he said, “ a fact which had its obvious effect on the cost.” He said that he did not want to dwell on the past but that he wanted to put things in the right perspective.

Regarding the subsidy agreement that the government had to sign with the buses association, Dr Gonzi said that the government had finally reached an agreement on the matter in the interest of the Maltese people. The government will sign a Lm2 million subsidy plan for the

current year, also providing for the arrears of subsidies and the implementation of a number

of measures from preceding

agreements.

The payment has been staggered in phases, Dr Gonzi explained, the first payment will be given after the Malta Transport Authority certifies that the measures agreed upon in the past have been implemented, while the rest of the money will

be paid when the new measures have been

implemented.

A few weeks ago this newspaper revealed how bus owners were using the new buses subsidised by the government to carry passengers when on private duty and were using their old buses for public service.

The Prime Minister referred to this practice, saying that the government subsidised the public transport for the people’s benefit and expected the buses to be used in the public fleet. “If a bus driver is caught doing these things over and over then his bus will be confiscated,” the Prime Minister warned.

In this vein, he also mentioned the clamp-down on illegal dumping that the government had in plan. He said that he was sure someone would have something to say about the new legislation but insisted that the government will be going ahead with it. “If you ask me whether someone throwing away a cigarette end, a piece of paper or chewing gum should be fined Lm50 for it, my answer is a blunt ‘yes’.”

Over the past week the government gathered the five ministries involved in the matter to trash-out the final details, he said, and announced that the new regulations will be published in the coming days.

Regarding the Freeport’s privatisation, also scheduled for this week, Dr Gonzi said that as it was doing in other areas the government was privatising the Freeport in order to renew it, in the light of the new competitive regime it faced. “The Freeport is faced with stiff competition in the Mediterranean and we want it to win this

challenge.”

The country already has a good standard of living, especially given Malta’s lack of natural resources. Dr Gonzi said that huge progress has been made over the years. Now that the issue of EU membership has been resolved, the country can focus on its performance and make an even bigger success of the future.

Referring to the visit by Romanian president Ion Iliescu, Dr Gonzi said that these state visits were an indication of the country’s increased relevance since becoming EU members. One of the priorities on the agenda of Mr Iliescu, he said, was in fact Romania’s own accession bid. Now that Malta is a member, it has a part to play in the next enlargement, he said.