Despite heightened security, politically-motivated slogans continue to be daubed on the new Mater Dei walls.

Sources close to the Mater Dei project told this newspaper: “It is sad that this state-of-the-art national project continues to be the target of ferocious attacks from particular sections of the media. This is a systematic exercise to denigrate and demonize this project. A number of politically motivated writings/scribbles on walls in finished areas have been found. This is probably one of the results of such campaigns. Of course, cleaning up these writings costs time and money.”

Some weeks ago this newspaper reported other acts of wanton vandalism on the site including episodes of slashing of air-conditioning ducts and the deliberate setting off of fire alarms.