The Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation (GHRC) has blamed its contractors for the fact that the new Parliament building operated for two and a half years without a compliance certificate.

The Times of Malta reported last week that the building’s compliance certificate, which is required before water and electricity can be provided, was issued on November 17 this year. The Parliament building was inaugurated on May 4, 2015, and has been fully operational ever since.

Supply converted from temporary to permanent in November 2016

In a statement, the GHRC, as project managers, said: “The delays for the submission of the documentation required for the compliance certificate was a result of non-adherence of contractual obligations on the part of the contractors.”

According to the GHRC, for the first year-and-a-half of full operations, the Parliament building was supplied with electricity as a Temporary Construction Site, as it had been since 2009.

The electricity supply was converted from temporary to permanent in November 2016, when the building was granted a first compliance certificate covering only the substation, generator, switch-room and security office below the St James staircase.

The GHRC confirmed that the final compliance certificate was only issued last month.

The statement was also issued on behalf of Malita Investments, a Special Purpose Vehicle set up in 2012 to finance the City Gate project, which is the lessor.

Piano’s office still awaiting full payment

The GHRC said part of the €300,000 claimed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) in unpaid fees had been effected last week.

However, the remaining payment would only be issued “once all documentation regarding City Gate project is provided by RPBW”.

In a judicial letter filed on Wednesday, the RPBW gave the GHRC until Friday to make the payment, including interest, or face legal action.

The €300,000 is an additional payment established in an ancillary agreement signed in March 2015, after delays in the completion of the Parliament project.

RPBW argues that the payment was due on “practical completion” of the building in May 2015.

The world-renowned architecture firm was engaged in 2009 to design the new Parliament building as part of the regeneration of the Valletta entrance, including City Gate and Pjazza Teatru Rjal.

GHRC has previously said that RPBW was paid around €7.7 million for its services.

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