The new Ta’ Kandja national shooting range, inaugurated last year, is being scrutinised by the National Audit Office – particularly the way multimillion direct orders were awarded during its construction.
The shooting range, at the limits of Siġġiewi, had been promised by the Prime Minister on the eve of the last general election. It was built in under 12 months in time for the shooting World Cup in June 2018.
Originally estimated to cost under €7 million, the project costs spiralled to €14 million, despite the fact some parts of the range were not completed.
Times of Malta is informed the NAO is probing the approval of some 25 direct orders with a total value of €13 million by Sport Malta, the government agency responsible for the project.
At the time, the government had justified the use of direct orders for practically all the works involved because of the “urgency” of the project. A spokesman for the National Audit Office said this was not a full-blown investigation but an audit.
“A financial and compliance audit, not an investigation, is included in the NAO audit plan,” the spokesman said.
The “write-up” on the subject matter will be published in the annual Audit Report normally issued by this office towards the end of November, he said.
NAO sources said independent auditors are posing a number of questions to those responsible for the project, including on the multimillion direct orders given and the seal of approval issued by the Finance Ministry.
“It is not excluded that this audit will need a follow-up through a full-blown investigation,” the sources added.
Documents show that nearly all contracts for infrastructural works at the shooting range were given out without any competition and through direct orders.
Road builders Bonnici Brothers received more than €5 million in works, while contractors BAVA Holdings also benefitted from a number of direct orders, ranging from works on tiling and sanitary ware to excavation and electrical installations.
Direct orders were also issued for architectural plans, project management, relocation of buildings, apertures, range equipment and the supply of artificial turf, among others.
The project was controversial from the start as it was constructed on land belonging to the Policy Academy.
To avoid a lengthy planning permit, a legal notice was issued declaring that the project did not necessitate a full planning permit but only a development notification order, which is normally reserved for minor developments.
At the time of the project, Sport Malta was managed by an acting CEO, Chris Bonnet, a consultant to the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for sports, Clifton Grima and a former mayor of Gżira.
The Parliamentary Secretariat insisted that all was done “in adherence to public procurement rules”, but refrained from giving any further information.