PN proposes changes to Ras Ħanżir quay project
Project ‘should never have ended up in its current state’, party says
The Nationalist Party has called for changes to the Ras Ħanżir quay project in advance of a new tender being issued for the project.
On Thursday, Transport Minister Chris Bonett told Times of Malta Infrastructure Malta would be publishing a new tender for the Grand Harbour merchant shipping quay “towards the end of summer”.
The original agreement for the €65 million development was cancelled after only 10 per cent of the work had been carried out by Excelsis Energi Üretim Construction Consortium.
In a statement Friday, the PN said the new tender should include a fixed ramp, or ‘RoRo berth’, to make sure the new quay would be able to accommodate a variety of operations in “any weather conditions”.
The party said the floating dock proposed by the government, instead of a fixed offering, "would mean limiting how this space can be utilised.”
It said the PN “and now also the Malta Maritime Forum... believe this project will only be complete if it is equipped with everything necessary to accommodate all the opportunities this sector can offer.”
Turning to recent developments in the project, the Opposition said it was “seriously concerned” about the way the tender had been halted, stressing that a project of this importance “should never have ended up in its current state”.
The party said that having invested millions of euros in the sector, private stakeholders needed to be reassured the government was making the “best possible use of public funds” and the available space within the port.
“The Partit Nazzjonalista demands that the Government be transparent and provide clear answers to the various concerns being raised by stakeholders in this sector”, the party said, adding that if there had been incorrect information in the original tender, “this must be explained”. It also asked for information on any studies carried out to assess the works.
The PN – which said the maritime sector was “at the heart” of its vision – stressed the importance of knowing whether work on the project would continue with the same contractor or be given to an alternative provider by direct order.
“The Maltese people expect that public funds and the space within the Port are used in the best possible way, responsibly, and that maritime infrastructure is tied to a clear and sustainable national vision.”
The statement was signed by Shadow Maritime Affairs Minister Ivan Castillo and Shadow Infrastructure Minister Joe Giglio.