Former finance minister John Dalli today denied claims made in an inquiry report that he subcontracted works at Mater Dei hospital. 

In a statement, Mr Dalli made reference to an earlier PN press conference.

"I would like to comment on the statements made by Claudio Grech and Claudette Buttigieg in the Press Conference that they gave this morning.

"I also maintain that whoever is responsible for the bad workmanship at the hospital should be held fully accountable, whoever he is.

"It is pathetic that these spokespersons of the Nationalist Party have picked on a statement made by architect Albert Cauchi and are spinning it in their latest phobic attack on me.  Cauchi said 'Then Minister Dalli came in and was in charge of the Cost Plus, he was everything.  All the subcontractors came from him'.

"As seen from the report, Mr Cauchi does not get very nice character references from the people that worked with him.  I do not know him therefore I cannot judge.  However I declare that these statements by Cauchi are a lie," Mr Dalli said. 

He made the following points:

1. The Cost Plus contract was owned and administered by FMS.

2.      FMS appointed Howarth-CLS/E.C. Harris as cost controllers on the project. 

3.      I have NEVER introduced any contractor, sub contractor or supplier to the project.

4.      Architect Martin Attard Montaldo asserted that the ultimate decision on choice of subcontractor rested with Skansa JV.

5.      Architect Martin Attard Montaldo also insisted, following specific questioning by the Board, that he was never subject to any political pressure to favour any specific subcontractor.  In fact he was requested by me to issue a declaration to this effect following the controversy regarding the involvement of my brother.

6.      Mentioning my brother, it should also be mentioned that when the Cost + agreement was signed, my brother had been completely out of the project for 4 years.  This puts paid to the insinuations and innuendoes being spun by the PN spokespersons, Mr Dalli said.