Structural problems plague several areas of Mater Dei Hospital, not just the accident and emergency department, according to the latest tests by a multinational engineering firm.
Investigations carried out by Arup indicate that the hospital – the only public building in Malta specifically built to resist earthquakes – is not seismic-proof, sources told The Sunday Times of Malta.
When contacted, Health Minister Konrad Mizzi would not be drawn into commenting on the findings until the final report was concluded, but he said that no part of the hospital was in imminent danger of collapse.
Last September, this newspaper revealed that public pavements were stronger than certain concrete structures supporting the hospital’s A&E, which were too weak to withstand an additional two storeys.
Since then, the government has taken temporary measures to strengthen the A&E; appointed independent engineering firm Arup to review the structures across the entire hospital and the oncology hospital; and launched an inquiry to analyse potential legal liability of parties involved in the hospital’s construction.
The cost of permanently strengthening the A&E’s weak structures could surpass €5 million, and the price tag is expected to shoot up exponentially now that further tests have exposed structural problems across the entire hospital building.
The only positive news that emerged from Arup’s investigation is that the newly built oncology hospital has a clean bill of health.
Dr Mizzi said that by next month Arup would hand over its final report complete with the costings, remedial works and mitigation measures that had to be taken at Mater Dei.
Findings reveal contractual concerns
Initially, Arup was supposed to hand in its final report in February, but it extended its deadline to May to carry out more extensive works on problem areas.
The board of inquiry, chaired by Judge Emeritus Philip Sciberras, has also asked for an extension as it scrambled to sift through dozens of boxes of documents and interview the different companies, architects, surveyors and engineers involved.
Dr Mizzi said the board has asked for an extension until mid-May to complete its interviews. One of the delays was a consequence of finalising an interview with former minister Louis Galea, who lives in Luxembourg after he was appointed to head the European Court of Auditors. This was finally carried out over the Easter holidays.
Initial findings are showing up serious contractual concerns – such as the way agreements were formulated – that point to commercial liability, among others.
Asked what the inquiry had unearthed, Dr Mizzi said he preferred to have the report in hand before making any comment.
No need to issue a new tender- minister
The hospital’s development – which cost €600 million and took almost 15 years to complete – has been riddled with accountability and management problems. The contract for the hospital’s construction was eventually awarded to a consortium that included Swedish construction giant Skanska, together with Maltese developers Blokrete and Devlands.
Former prime minister Alfred Sant, who had been highly critical of the project, recently said: “The project stank from the very beginning all the way through. This was an issue of contracting and oversight.” In the meantime, the government has had to shift the location of its original 68-bed, two-floor project to another site on the hospital grounds at Tal-Qroqq.
In October, the planning authority gave the green light for these two floors, as well as an additional three storeys and a basement level to accommodate emergency wards and the national crisis unit.
Mekanika and Attard Bros – which had been awarded the tender to build the original 68-bed project, estimated to cost €11.2 million, with 85 per cent covered by the EU – kept the contract. The project is supposed to be finished by June or EU funds could be lost.
Asked why the government had failed to issue a new tender seeing this was effectively a new project, Dr Mizzi said there was no need since the scope and objectives of the project had remained the same.
He said the Contracts Department and the Planning and Priorities Coordination Division (PPCD), which managed the EU funds allocated to Malta, had given its clearance for Mekanika and Attard Bros to proceed with the project. Dr Mizzi said everything was above board and the project was on track, so EU funds would not be lost.
Construction works are at an advanced stage and the connection between the new building and the A&E is nearing completion. Orders have also been placed for the furniture and medical equipment. “By the end of this month the overall construction and the new ward level will be ready,” he said.