No date has yet been set for the completion of Valletta’s new parliament building, with the government now waiting for the contractors to come up with a fresh plan to reduce the delay.

The building was supposed to have been ready in time for the return of MPs after the summer recess on October 13,  but the House of Representatives will have to stay at the Palace for now, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia said on Wednesday.

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, chairman of the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation which is overseeing this project, said yesterday he was not in a position to give a new deadline, even when asked if the project would be completed by the end of the year.

Once the building is ready, there would still be the need to test all the equipment, train the staff and ensure that everything is up to the specifications listed in the contract, he said.

A tour of the place yesterday showed that finishing works are considerably behind schedule. While some parts are not yet clad in the stone being quarried from Qala, other sections of the building lack internal finishes such as furniture, soffits, partitions and sanitary facilities. Work on the mechanical and electrical plant, lifts, audio visual system and security system have still not been completed.

As for the plenary chamber, there is no sign yet of the seats, desks and media facilities.

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