The contractor who, according to the Malta Council for Science and Technology Chairman Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, was responsible for the late completion of the Bighi science centre called Esplora has not yet paid any fines as stipulated by the contract, Times of Malta is informed.
Last May, Dr Pullicino Orlando blamed the contractor for the late completion of the project and insisted fines would be imposed for delays in its delivery.
According to the contract for works, Esplora was to open its doors in December 2015
After the MCST refused to reply to a number of questions by this newspaper, the Times of Malta has now learnt through a freedom of information request that the negotiations on fines to be imposed on the lead contractor – FMM Joint Venture – are still ongoing.
Stating that, according to the works contract, the target for completion was the end of 2015, the Education Ministry said that “discussions regarding penalties are presently ongoing with the Department of Contracts”.
The Education Ministry’s position is the same as that taken by the former Nationalist MP eight months ago, when Dr Pullicino Orlando said that discussions were ongoing on imposing fines on the consortium, formed by C&F Building Contractors and Central Power Installations Ltd.
Blaming the contractor for delays “notwithstanding constant pressure from MCST”, Dr Pullicino Orlando told this newspaper “consultations with the contracts department were already in motion in relation to the relevant penalties.” Asked for the value of the penalties which are expected to be imposed according to the contract, the Education Ministry did not specify.
According to the contract for works, Esplora was to open its doors in December 2015.
However, the project was hit by various delays and only managed to make it to a soft opening at the end of October.
Originally, when the project was announced by MCST in 2012 under the chairmanship of Dr Pullicino Orlando, it was said that the €26 million project would be open to the public by the end of 2014. However, the target date was later extended by a year.
Most of the project was financed through EU funds (€14.5 million) topped up with national funds (€11.5 million).
Despite the delays, Dr Pullicino Orlando said that none of the EU funds, which were to be spent by the end of 2015, had been lost.
The science cenre project transformed the former Royal Navy Hospital within the Villa Bighi complex in Kalkara into a state-of-the-art science centre spread over 22,000 square metres.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com