Work on the City Gate project has slowed down in recent months.The completion date of the City Gate project has been postponed by almost a year and it is running over budget by at least €6 million, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
The new Parliament building at the entrance to Valletta will not be functional before the second quarter of next year, a spokeswoman for the Infrastructure Ministry said.
The supply of stone from a quarry in Qala, which is being used for cladding, as well as the complexity of the design, are partly to blame for the delay.
Designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, the project unveiled in June, 2009, was due to be completed this month.
However, the Infrastructure Ministry said the former government did not abide by the original deadlines and works had therefore fallen behind.
The former government did not abide by the original deadlines
This contrasts sharply with a number of statements made by former minister Austin Gatt who was responsible for the project.
During a site visit last October, Dr Gatt had remarked that the project was on target and on budget. By that stage, €44 million worth of work had already been carried out, he had said.
But according to the Infrastructure Ministry, the project’s total financial outlay has soared to €86 million “with updates continuously being sought”. This revision was due to overruns incurred by the previous administration which the Government is trying to curb, the spokeswoman said.
Dr Gatt is refusing to speak to the press about any matter he was involved in as minister, saying he has now retired from politics.
In recent weeks, the Government decided to shelve part of the project which involved the embellishment of the City Gate ditch.
The original plans also included the construction of a second-class water reservoir to supply the new Parliament and irrigate the garden.
Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi had justified the decision saying it would save up to €1.9 million. Nevertheless, further cost-cutting might be necessary.
Following the change of government last March, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat met the Italian architect during a visit to the French capital. He also focused on “what could be done differently” in the Valletta project.
Meanwhile, doubts were raised about the suitability of the new Parliament building after it transpired that not all MPs would have their own office and that parliamentary committees would not be able to meet concurrently as there is not enough space.
Government MP Carmelo Abela had even floated the idea that Parliament should remain at the Presidential Palace in Valletta.
The original plans included a political history museum in the first block next to the capital entrance. However, remarks by the Prime Minister that this prominent building should not be restricted for the exclusive use of MPs for a few hours a week fuelled speculation about possible change of plans, including turning it into a museum about the capital.
In its reply, the Infrastructure Ministry told The Sunday Times of Malta that the original plans have been put temporarily on hold due to shortage of funds because of the budget overruns.
The spokeswoman added there was no decision about the museum.