Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that the government has ‘taken measures to ensure that Steward Health Care pays the tax that it is owed.’

The Malta Independent on Sunday revealed how Vitals Global Health Care had used public funds to buy apartments and automobiles. Steward Health Care said: “When we took over the concession, Steward reconstructed years of general ledger accounts and audits that had not been done. We discovered a large number of assets and funds that had been used for purposes outside of the concession’s scope. These included investments in medical services, devices that were outside the terms of the concession through multiple companies, and other assets that were not related to medical services at all, such as automobiles and apartments.”

Asked whether all of this does not raise more doubts for him, regarding the VGH contract, and what a government led by him will do to ensure that the wrong that emerged from this contract is fixed and those guilty are punished, the PM said that the Government has “taken measures to assure that Steward Health Care pays the tax that it is owed.” The PM here is referring to Steward Health Care and not VGH.

“We have taken constitutional action, which Steward Health Care  rejected with another constitutional action; such process is currently being heard by the courts to give its decision,” he said. The Prime Minister is referring to court action over a €36.5 million tax dispute, which Steward is refusing to pay. The company is disputing the dues.

Abela added that there is also another pending case in the civil courts, that is contesting the validity of these contracts. This is in reference to the court case that had been filed by PN MP Adrian Delia who wants to ‘give the hospitals back to the people.’

He added that further government action will depend on the decisions taken by the court.