PM invites Skanska chairman for meeting

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday wrote to the chairman of Skanska inviting him to Malta to discuss the Mater Dei Hospital issue before the government resorts to further action.

The Prime Minister wants to reach an agreement with Skanska, builders of the new hospital at Tal-Qroqq, covering the final projected cost, a definite deadline for completion and the penalty to be incurred by the construction company if the hospital is not finished on time.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told The Times that in his letter Dr Gonzi said that although he appreciated that progress had been registered during talks between representatives of the two parties, the impasse needed to be resolved.

The spokesman said the government wanted to hold the meeting as soon as was practically possible, possibly next week. He said it was hoped that the Skanska chairman would react positively to the request for a meeting.

Negotiations between the government and Skanska Malta Joint Venture (SMJV) over the completion of the Mater Dei Hospital were suspended by the government at the beginning of the month shortly after the construction company had submitted a set of counterproposals. Despite two more proposals from Skanska, the negotiations remained suspended.

The talks had been taking place between teams representing the government and Skanska following a meeting between the Prime Minister and senior Skanska officials.

During that meeting Dr Gonzi had insisted on an explanation and a justification for an increase in the estimate that the construction company was presenting to the Foundation for Medical Services (FMS) for the completion and opening of the hospital.

Last Saturday, the Prime Minister insisted that the government was not prepared to foot the bill for the mistakes and inefficiencies of others. A few days earlier, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said Dr Gonzi would be summoning the chairman of Skanska to Malta should there fail to be developments about the matter.