An inexperienced workforce coupled with the long-standing mentality that it was acceptable for public projects to be extended past the agreed deadline were among the factors causing the Parliament project’s continued delays, according to the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation.
In a House Business Committee meeting characterised by flaring tempers and barbed remarks bounced between Labour and Nationalist MPs, GHRC chairman Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said he could not provide a target date for the completion of the new Parliament. An updated programme of works presented by the contractors was still being evaluated, he explained.
“On Thursday, we were presented with a letter giving a tentative completion date. However, we insisted on supplementing the letter with more information, including a programme of works detailing what exactly would be completed week by week and day by day.”
Factors which led to contract delays, Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi continued, included innovative construction methodologies which, while unique, led to the drafting of the construction drawings to take longer than predicted.
The consortium was also made up of a large number of companies which were unable to work coherently together.
“Our CEO [Chris Paris] had to intervene personally to settle differences between contractors.
Piano project a ‘learning curve’
“It was also the first time that the Maltese worked under an architect like [Renzo] Piano – it was a learning curve. They were not used to it.
“And neither were the Italians, it seems,” he added, almost as an afterthought.
Italian contractor Michele Filiberti encountered difficulties regarding whether the chosen quarry yielded enough stone, he continued.
Another major setback was the delivery of the fixed furniture. Sub-contracted Italian furniture company Unifor did not honour its deadlines.
It was not a simple case of moving in the furniture, Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi said, as it was part of the design and closed off various services such as air conditioning.
He said a lot of work remained to be done on fixed furniture and partitions, testing and commissioning of mechanical works on all floors, the installation of fire doors and folding doors, the alignment of bridge levels, glazing and the installation of some soffit ceilings.
A lot of stone cladding work still had to be done on the building’s facade facing St James Cavalier and Pjazza Teatru Rjal. In the new Chamber of Parliament, stone works were almost complete but work was just starting on the installation of MPs’ desks, seats, fire doors, sky light screens, bathroom facilities and the testing and commissioning of the sound and mechanical systems.
Work started yesterday on a lift from City Gate to the ditch below. Other lifts were still being installed.
Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi said that when he took over, the project had spiralled completely out of control – it was neither on budget nor on target.
He recalled that the previous administration had set the target date for December 2012.
The fines, he continued, were a signal to all contractors that the government would not tolerate slippage and it meant business.
Nationalist MP Mario de Marco said that on July 8, the minister had issued a statement, assuring people that everything was on target and that contractors were expected to honour timelines.
It was therefore “unacceptable” that the minister and the GHRC were unable to provide a tentative target date.