The Addolorata Cemetery project is yet to start more than a year after it was announced.

The government is still evaluating bids for a €16 million private-public partnership for the extension, maintenance and restoration of the Addolorata Cemetery over a year after the project was announced.

Many parts of Malta’s largest cemetery have been a shambles for years, with overgrown weeds, rusting signs and bags full of garbage marring the burial grounds.

Despite Health Minister Chris Fearne, whose ministry is responsible for running cemeteries, announcing the project in July last year, promising that the government would enter into the partnership “soon”, a ministry spokeswoman has confirmed to this newspaper that a consortium to carry out the works has yet to be chosen.

“At the moment the evaluation is still going on. Recommendation of the best bid is to be sent to the Department of Contracts before the end of the year,” the spokeswoman said.

So far, three consortia have submitted the best and final offer (BAFO), she said, but gave no further details. The government said earlier this year that five consortia had expressed interest in the call.

Once complete, the project will see 2,800 graves added to the “crowded” cemetery, with whoever is awarded the contract tied to a €6 million restoration. No details on when works are expected to commence were supplied.

Relatives whose loved ones are buried at the cemetery have long been complaining that it is in a run-down state, with bags full of garbage at every corner even after the government pledged to step up the presence of maintenance staff there.

claire.caruana@timesofmalta.com