They say a day is a long time in politics.
So you may guess how long five years are.
That is precisely how long it took to reveal the truth, to see justice prevail. To bring back our three state hospitals. Five long years and 55 witnesses, 42 court sittings and over 3,000 pages of documents presented in court to enable the judge to pronounce one of the harshest, erudite, and comprehensive judgments redressing injustice, condemning fraudulent conspiracy, proclaiming the truth and denouncing the wicked.
Five long years of suffering lies, attacks, overcoming sometimes seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Five years of commitment, hard work, sleepless nights and sheer perseverance fuelled by an unquenchable thirst to see justice and the truth prevail.
Throughout, the journey was treacherous, most often it was a dark path to walk, sometimes a lonely place where the only thread to hang on to was hope. Hope that our country can find the path to reason. Hope that we can embark again on the road to normality. Hope that is-sewwa jirbaħ żgur.
The landmark judgment dished out by Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale has served all that and more. Much more. A judgment that has already become legal history, set judicial precedent and created a political milestone like none before.
The court first discredited the attempts of all eight defendants in a manner which is not only legally precise but which reveals the hypocrisy, deviance, and irreverence of them all. It proceeded to demolish the defence in merit presented principally by Vitals later renamed Steward describing it no less than as poor as the investment they purportedly attempted to demonstrate so tragically unsuccessful in front of the courts.
And therefore these considerations alone would have proceeded to cancel, rescind and nullify all contracts signed including all ancillary agreements thereto.
Making ample reference to the far-reaching conclusions of the auditor general’s reports the court compiled and concluded the serial deficiencies I had brought before it.
"Five long years of suffering lies and attacks”
Millions in investments supposedly committed upfront which never materialised, international bank guarantees which never materialised and were instead supported by Bank of Valletta with multiple loans amounting to €35,900,000 over a very short period of time, technical partners which never turned up, entire hospital buildings never even constructed and absolutely nothing from what was promised that was ever completed, sometimes not even commenced.
This was not a project to create a world-class health service but a master plan to defraud the Maltese people from its very conception.
But no, that was not all. Entering deeply and profoundly into the merits of my allegations of fraud permeating this most corrupt and dirtiest deal in our political history the court found premeditated fraudulent intent in the three instances I had so painstakingly indicated.
First before the tender was even published. Second during the evaluation process. Third and finally after and throughout the continuing saga. The judgment condemns both Vitals with their original shareholding structure and subsequently renamed Steward with the next tranche of investors as having conceived, contrived through machinations, and manoeuvring solely to defraud the people of this small but beloved nation of ours. Such was the extent of the malaise permeating this tragic deal.
Five years is a long time indeed. Both in politics and outside it. But today is not a day for counting but is a day for comprehension. Understanding the extent of this landmark case. Understanding the extent of responsibility that every single person involved should be carrying with immediate effect.
It is also a day to remember that these five years have seen Chris Cardona, Konrad Mizzi, Edward Scicluna and Joseph Muscat leave and honourable are no more.
These five years have seen our three hospitals duly returned to their rightful owners. The Maltese and Gozitan people. These five years have seen me stay, persevere, and passionately remain committed to fight injustices wherever they are borne, reveal the truth wherever it is hidden and champion the peoples’ fights wherever they have to be fought out. That is my continued commitment to the people.
Adrian Delia is a former leader of the Nationalist Party and current MP.