Roads construction

Recently anonymous sources were quoted by reporters in the media on difficulties being experienced by the Malta Transport Authority to move forward with its programme of road construction. It was stated by these same sources that prices being quoted by contractors were far higher than the authority's estimate of costs, and that as a result the public was being inconvenienced.

The FOI in representation of all road works contractors wanted to put the record straight so that the public would know why certain road works were not materialising. Almost a year ago the Malta Transport Authority issued new regulations for road construction works that were meant to bring the standard of roads up to EU levels.

At the same time it issued and tried to impose a set of rates of payment to contractors built on the strength of a report prepared by German consultants more than a year before. This report only surfaced and was sent to the FOI when contractors repeatedly showed their unwillingness to undertake work at ridiculous prices. It was then stated that the report was meant to serve as a basis for discussion.

The FOI analysed meticulously the German consultants' report on a technical and financial basis and found it riddled with hefty inaccuracies, wrong assumptions, unsupported costings and conclusions that did not reflect any serious analysis of the particular situation under which road construction works has to be done.

It, therefore, came as no surprise that the rates offered to road contractors were unrealistic. The Federation discussed the report with consultants and high officials from the Malta Transport Authority and followed this up with a detailed analysis of what it found defective in the report.

The FOI sent its own detailed costings and its criticism of the consultants' report to the Authority and to the Minister for Urban Development and Roads more than three months ago. These findings were never challenged and no verbal or written contact made. A meeting with contractors promised by the Minister last May never materialised.

The Federation would have expected the Malta Transport Authority or the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads to issue a correction of this press statement distributed by anonymous sources. Official sources could have given the above facts so that the public would know what is holding up progress on road construction and repair work.

The FOI remarked that the inconvenience caused to the public is definitely not of the contractors own making. It is rather the attitude of the authorities that chose to impose unfair conditions on contractors without holding discussions, as the FOI was expecting, in an effort to find an equitable agreement to the satisfaction of both sides.