In the Press: Skanska freed of Mater Dei liability

Stories from today’s national press

Times of Malta

The Foundation for Medical Services (FMS), had freed Skanska of any liability in exchange for the company dropping more than €23 million in claims. It was seen as a success for FMS at the time since it had managed to shrink Skanska’s claims from €30 million to €7 million. However, this may now cause a problem for the government to be able to afford the funds to make the necessary changes after it was discovered that the concrete used was of an inferior quality.

In- Nazzjon

The inquiry set up into the materials used in the Emergency Department at Mater Dei Hospital presents a conflict of interest that the Government is effectively hiding from the public. Ex-Judge Philip Sciberras, who was appointed by the government to investigate is father to Alex Sciberras, the FMS board secretary. FMS was the company in charge of construction at Mater Dei and furthermore, Alex Sciberras is a known exponent of the Labour Party; he was a candidate in the general elections and he is very politically active.

L-Orizzont

According to a reprt issued by the Nationaist Government in 2002, the proposed rubbis dump at Zonqor and anotherfive sites, was meant to accommodate some 1,500 tonnes of waste everyday with a maximum of 425 tonnes per hour. The Nationalist government was also proposing that the site and surrounding roads  would see some 280 trucks every day with a maximum of 70 trucks per hour.

The Malta Independent

Mount Carmel Hospital’s management is bearing financial losses of over €8 million  which had accumulated by the time the Labour Party was elected two years ago, according to hospital CEO Clifton Grima; who had been appointed shortly after the 2013 election. Although the amount of debt had not changed much since his appointment, it was stalled and was therefore no longer increasing. Despite these debts, the hospital managed to create a new youth residence located outside the hospital, inaugurate specifically to keep children and adolescents away from adult patients.