Brian St John, former CEO of the Foundation for Medical Services, under fire over the Mater Dei Hospital weak concrete scandal, two years ago asked for a structural review of the emergency department building, this newspaper has learnt.
Documents seen by Times of Malta show that in July 2013, Mr St John asked for two quotes from architectural firm Cassar Grech and Ebejer, which had already been engaged to certify the hospital structure.
The requests were made in connection with plans to build additional storeys over the emergency department. Mr St John asked for a list of professional services required in relation to the project, including “the assessment of the existing underlying structure”. At the time, the Health Ministry, then headed by Godfrey Farrugia, turned down his request, saying the architectural firm had to be chosen through a tendering process.
Eventually, last August, the project was shelved when it was discovered that the emergency department structure could not withstand additional load due to the weak concrete in its foundations. Remedial works to strengthen the weak structure are expected to cost over €30 million.
In recent weeks, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Health Minister Konrad Mizzi repeatedly questioned whether Mr St John, who left his post at the FMS in May last year, was aware of these weaknesses and tried to keep the scandal under wraps.
Dr Muscat hinted last Sunday photographic evidence existed of Mr St John, now CEO of the PN media, shredding documents. He had already accused Mr St John of “hiding” a contract signed in February 2009, which exonerated Swedish construction company Skanska from any liability on the hospital building. The contact was found in the FMS safe, Dr Muscat said, though Mr St John denied such claims.
When contacted Mr St John declined to go into details but confirmed making two proposals to the Health Ministry in July 2013, including one on a structural review of the emergency department building.
“I had also recommended engaging the same architects responsible for the structure [Cassar Grech and Ebejer] to safeguard the government’s legal liability over the structure,” Mr St John said.
Asked whether he was aware that Mr St John had ever requested a structural review of the emergency department building, Dr Mizzi said he had no such information.
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