PM intentionally misleading or uninformed about damaged turbine - Muscat
The power station at Delimara. Photo: Jason Borg
Labour leader Joseph Muscat this afternoon accused the Prime Minister of misleading or being uninformed on the case of the damaged turbine at the Delimara BWSC extension.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Muscat showed three audiovisual clips contrasting the comments made by Lawrence Gonzi on Sunday and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech on two separate occasions, including yesterday in Parliament.
While Dr Gonzi said that BWSC had already accepted full responsibility for the damages that the country would face due to this 'fiasco', Mr Fenech said that the cost of the damages was still being evaluated and this was expected to be contested by BWSC in court.
This, Dr Muscat said, showed that the government did not have a plan, was not credible and the Prime Minister was either intentionally misleading the country or was not being property informed.
He said BWSC would face a fine of €1.6 million every week starting on November 7 if the turbine was not fixed in time. This was capped at €24 million, at which point the government had the option of asking for a full refund.
So far, the government has said that the damage was likely to take three to six months to be fixed but the turbine had not yet arrived at its manufacturer so there was the possibility that this would take even longer.
However, if this took 20 weeks, which is five months, the fine would have already gone up to €32 million.
There were also other expenses that had not yet been calculated, such as on how this would affect Malta in terms of its emissions targets.
Meanwhile, the government had paid BWSC and those who had to receive commissions and only owed an additional €8 million.
This case, Dr Muscat said, strengthened the opposition's arguments on the St Philip's Hospital's contract and the need for it to be scrutinised appropriately before being signed.
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23 Comments
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C Muscat
Oct 24th 2012, 08:39
capped at 24m and later saying 32m.
If there is a capping that is the maximum amount; remaining to be paid 8m I am sure their is the performance guarantee usually 10% of the contract and usually on demand by the client.
Another point to be clarified: if the damages amount to the maximum the contrat can be stopped (BUT not when the work is already done).
Hope the contracts department above this.
E. Azzopardi
Oct 23rd 2012, 17:12
In fact it is very sad. The PN in government is losing points by the minute.
What are the facts? The PEOPLE have the right to know, or not?
Joseph Aquilina
Oct 23rd 2012, 18:39
The facts are written in the above article.. there is a fine of 1.6 million per week up to 24 million where then the government can ask for full refund ... so for me Joseph is just angry because the government has a chance to reduce the bill if not indeed get for free!!
Edward Mallia
Oct 24th 2012, 07:54
@Joseph Aquilina You mean ask for a full refund while actually keeping that (major) part of the installation that is actually working? Surely Minister Fenech should have broadcast this dazzling possibility to the four winds instead of bumbling to and fro sowing confusion. We MUST ask him to confirm your interpretation. If he confirms it we can at least sleep easy.
A.Felex Busuttil
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:53
So if the Government still need to pay €8 million how he is going collect back the fines if these amounted more than €8 million. It is already stated by Tonio Fenech that BWSE are going to contest this in court. This is a mature of amateurish From GonziPN. he was told that this is prototype. we were the guinea pigs .
Gonzi's par idejn sodi are now made of marshmallow.
Ronnie Callus
Oct 23rd 2012, 16:22
One can't imagine how one opt to buy a protype power station where most probably also it's spare parts are not mass produced.Who wrhere the people behind this fry.
Joseph Aquilina
Oct 23rd 2012, 17:08
Do you even know what a contract is? If a clause of the contract is broken you go to court and the court would force the guilty party to pay up.
From what I read Gonzi par idejn sodi has a chance of giving us Maltese a modern power station free of charge ... mintof would congratulate him personaly for such an achievment!!
Carmel Zammit
Oct 23rd 2012, 18:19
@ Joseph Aquilina
"Gonzi par idejn sodi" is only an illusion in gonzipn supporters minds. Reality shows otherwise. Just a little reminder of the times Gonzi had promised a review of the exploded electricity charging rates only to be negated a few days later by Dr. Austin Gatt. Not even on his back bench does gonzi have control imagine 'par idejn sodi'!!!!!! Only wishful thinking mate.
Eve Axiaq
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:18
L'aqwa li l gvern hallas lil BWSC full cash payment upon delivery. Manafx ghaliex kellu dik il hegga kollha!
Julian Borg
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:16
As usual the MLP trying to confuse two independent claims - one for delays and one for liability. Typical MLP to throw everything in one basket. The delay fines are automatic and BWSC have no choice. What the PM said is they expect BWSC to contest the liability claims. Crystal clear!
Tony Borg
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:43
@ Julian Borg
No you are wrong!!! On Sunday the Prime Minister said that BWSC have accepted liability not only for the automatic fines but also for other damages.
It is crystal clear but it seems that u do'nt want to see it.
Jeffrey Mallia
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:49
No no you are totally wrong....the typical GonziPN apoligists !! Your prime minister said "PM: BWSC have accepted responsibility for power station damage "
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121021/local/pm-bwsc-have-accepted-responsibility-for-power-station-damage.442040
David Scicluna
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:58
@ Julian. That is NOT what Gonzi said. He said that BWSC hace accepted full responsability. Nothing in this 'froga' is crystal clear.
Edward Mallia
Oct 23rd 2012, 16:10
Minister Fenech made it crystal clear, while opting for a choice -- to fall back on Marsa -- which may cost us a fortune without BWSC putting up AN EXTRA CENT. Work the efficient BWSC 'diesel' engines without 'accepting' the whole installation rather than inefficient Marsa without any certainty of BWSC paying out the "extra" costs.
Michael Magri
Oct 23rd 2012, 16:34
Julian don`t try to cover the guff of what Dr. Gonzi said on Sunday against what Minister Tonio Fenech said later. What is realy typical Mr Borg, is the way you PN apologists try to spin your `apologies` to cover GonziPN`s political lies.. And that`s Cristal Clear too..!!
GonziPN should show some prove of what he declared..
Guido Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2012, 17:50
@Tony Borg. Take my advice, refrain from trying to convince Julian with reality, he would'nt accept the truth but he goes round and round the garden, like a teddy bear. Who knows why?
Doreen Attard
Oct 23rd 2012, 14:59
As if the government had not already lost it's credibility, now we have the Prime Minister saying one thing on Sunday and the Finance Minister saying the opposite on Monday. How can anyone believe you, it's time to pack up, you're no longer fit to govern. Call general elections NOW.
Brian Gatt
Oct 23rd 2012, 14:44
Now I want to see how the PN apologists (lackeys) will defend their party after this gaffe for the person who self professed as having a "par idejn sodi"
J Martinelli
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:27
I am waiting for PL lackies to reveal what Joseph's plans are regarding Malta's future.
I want a guarantee that if Joseph becomes PM all his projects (any?) will be transparent, pre-costed, on time and work well first time.
I need a list of past Labour mega-projects which worked - at all. What? A very short list? None at all?
Those who never make mistakes are those who never do a damned thing.
J Busuttil
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:39
@ Brian Gatt
Did you miss yesterday's news that the deficit has been reduced, cruise liner passengers on the rise, tourism record this year.,dawk huma il-par idejn sodi.
Jeffrey Mallia
Oct 23rd 2012, 15:50
@ J Busuttil..........do you live in La La land ??
David Scicluna
Oct 23rd 2012, 16:01
@ Martinelli. So you consider this case as a mistake? @ Busuttil. It does not take much to make you happy. In Maltese, kemm tifrah bix-xejn!!
m. borg (slm)
Oct 23rd 2012, 16:09
Mr Martinelli, Dock 6, Airmalta, Seamalta, the Free port, housing estates.
Are for real man?
Please choose the reason of your report below: