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Simon Busuttil said today that he viewed a statement by Vitals Global Healthcare that its officials had no connection with Pilatus Bank with a "pinch of salt", saying his information was "a bit different".

Speaking at a press conference in Gozo, the Nationalist Party leader said Gozo Hospital, which was handed to VGH by the government, would be nationalised by a new PN government in the national interest because it was the only hospital in Gozo.

VGH would, however, be able to retain their management of St Luke's and Karin Grech Hospital, although their contract with the government would be investigated.

Dr Busuttil said the haste with which the government awarded its contract to VGH led one to suspect underhand dealings, a situation made worse when the government blanked 60 pages of the contract when it was published.

The handing over of Gozo hospital to VGH had been a massive betrayal for the people of Gozo. VHG had so far been handed €80m of taxpayers' money and there was nothing to show for it. Therefore, nationalisation of the Gozo hospital, rather than being at a cost, would save money, he said.

Dr Busuttil promised that all workers would have their jobs guaranteed, including former government workers who had moved to VGH. They would be able to revert to the civil service.

The Opposition leader said many promises made by Labour for Gozo had not been kept.

The Barts medical school was supposed to have opened last September, he said, and a new 250-bed hospital was meant to have been commissioned last January.

The Gozo general hospital was also supposed to have been modernised and some workers were now working out of containers. It would be a new PN government which would modernise the hospital once it was back in government hands, he said.

Dr Busuttil also reiterated other promises for Gozo including urgent work on the proposed tunnel between the islands, and the setting up of a Gozo Regional Council.

Arterial roads to Victoria would be built from Marsalforn, Żebbuġ, Xaghra and Nadur. Funding for residential roads would be raised by €3 million every year.

New businesses would be exempt from income tax up to €200,000 over three years. 

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