Opposition leader Adrian Delia said he was willing to join forces with the Prime Minister should the latter decide to terminate the hospitals’ concession agreement which he said had already cost taxpayers €240 million.
“I will keep fighting to revoke this deal. Let us join forces to terminate it as the country cannot keep paying these foreigners all these millions when it is getting nothing in return,” he said.
Dr Delia who in 2018 had taken the government to court over this controversial 30-year concession signed in 2016, was addressing a news conference at the party headquarters in Pieta.
He noted that Prime Minister Robert Abela was caught in the middle of a struggle between his predecessor Joseph Muscat, who had reportedly asked the government for more money on behalf of US Group Steward Health Care, former health Minister Konrad Mizzi who had piloted the original deal, and the incumbent health minister Chris Fearne who was not satisfied with the agreement.
Under this controversial deal, Vitals Global Healthcare which at the end of 2017 transferred its concession to Steward, had taken over the management of the Gozo General Hospital, St Luke’s and Karin Grech Hospital in Malta. Moreover, Steward was bound to invest around €200 million in new medical facilities. On the other hand, the government would be paying around €50 million per year for the entire duration of this concession.
Dr Delia criticised the deal saying neither Vitals nor Steward had honoured their investment commitments. He added that the money spent from taxpayers’ funds since 2016, which amounted to around €240 million could have been spent for social housing, mental health facilities, treatment of cancer and diabetes patients.
“Konrad Mizzi, Joseph Muscat and Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, who is responsible for government’s expenditure, were directly responsible as they were involved in the deal,” the Opposition leader said.
“Government is bound to terminate the agreement and investigate their involvement,” he added.
Dr Delia said the deal had raised questions from the very beginning as the government had signed a memorandum of understanding with Vitals, even before the latter had been given the concession.
Moreover, it was recently reported that Cabinet had waived a €9 million penalty to Steward which was supposed to have been imposed in view of the fact that it had not honoured the investments which it was contractually bound to deliver.