Time 2BFrank

In-negozjati dwar il-bejgħ/kiri tal-isptar St Philip’s ftit li xejn hu magħruf dwarhom. Għax saru fil-kwiet u ħlief lejn l-aħħar ftit li xejn kien hemm paroli dwarhom. Hu diffiċli ħafna li issib informazzjoni. Imma ftit sibt ukoll.

Nhar l-4 t’Ottubru 2012  t-Tribunal Għat-Talbiet iż-Żgħar taħt id-direzzjoni tad-Dottoressa Yana Micallef Stafrace tat deċiżjoni fit-talba numru 1515/2010 bejn żewġ kumpaniji: Icon Studios Limited (C 26538) u Golden Shepherd Group Limited (C 14949). Ta’ l-ewwel kienet rappreżentata mill-Avukat Ġeġe Gatt iben Austin Gatt. Tat-tieni rappreżentata mis-CEO tal-Isptar St Philip’s, t-Tabib Frank Portelli.

Il-każ kien dwar ammont żgħir (€1663.80) li Ġeġe ried lill-Frank iħallas ta’ xogħol fuq website li kien għamillu wara li kienu iltaqgħu u ftehmu dwar dan fil-Lukanda Westin Dragonara nhar it-23 ta’ Diċembru 2009! Id-deċiżjoni kienet favur Ġege. Frank kien ordnat iħallas l-€1663,80 bl-interessi.

Ta’ interess fid-deċiżjoni hemm dan il-paragrafu enumerat bin-numru 7 :

“Wasalna fl-1 ta’ Marzu 2010 ……………… u Dr. Portelli qed isemmi n-negozjati li kellu mal-Gvern li kienu ilhom għaddejjin għal-18-il xahar u li kien għadu jittama f’konkluzjoni.”

Mela issa nafu li in-negozjati bdew madwar sitt xhur wara l-elezzjoni ta’ Marzu 2008 u 18-il xahar wara (f’Marzu 2010) kienu għadhom għaddejjin.

In-negozjati bdew sitt xhur wara l-elezzjoni tal-2008.

Nafu x’kien l-impenn ta’ Frank fl-2008 f’Villa Arrigo jassisti lil Gonzi fil-ġirja tiegħu wara n-nagħaġ li intilfu!

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kolli l-Gvern għandu obbligu ikbar li jwieġeb ħafna mistoqsijijiet dwar l-isptar St Philips. Hemm bżonn ta’ tweġibiet ċari dwar kemm l-isptar St Philips jaqdi l-ħtiġijiet tad-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa u kemm ġew meqjusa sewwa l-alternattivi.

Fl-assenza ta’ tweġibiet ħadd m’għandu jagħti tort lill-ħadd li jikkonkludi li l-ftehim li jidher li huwa konkluż huwa ħlas minn fondi pubbliċi għall-ħidma f’Villa Arrigo fl-interess tal-Partit Nazzjonalista lejlet l-elezzjoni ġenerali ta’ Marzu 2008.

L-Awditur Ġenerali għandu jeżamina sew x’ġara.

Il-Parlament għandu bżonn jistenbaħ ftit!

Its time 2BFrank.

A step in the right direction

The presentation by maverick MP Franco Debono of a motion requesting that Parliament and the Auditor General should examine the proposal that government takes over St Philip’s Hospital is a step in the right direction.

The decision for government to take over the private hospital was taken after negotiations between auditing firms representing government and the hospital owners concluded terms for an eight year lease with the option to purchase. No call for tenders was issued. The hospital owner however issued a call for an expression of interest in the acquisition of the hospital.

There are various matters which the Auditor General should examine.

First: is the proposed takeover of St Philip’s Hospital value for money or is it a political gimmick on the eve of general elections?

Second : isn’t the proposal to take over St Philip’s Hosptal just a confirmation of bad planning involved in the development of Mater Dei Hospital which has resulted in its being too small for the country’s needs so soon after being finalised?  Who was responsible for the Mater Dei brief which has resulted in wards bursting at the seams and  hospital corridors being transformed into wards? Who will shoulder political responsibility for this failure?

Third: is it right for government to negotiate with those who are in breach of the Companies Act through non-submission of audited accounts for a number of years?

Four companies are involved in St Philip’s Hospital. All of them have not submitted audited accounts for a number of years as can be noted through the list of documents available online  at the Registry of Companies. The Golden Shepherd Group Ltd   (C 14948) has last submitted its audited accounts on July 15, 2008. Private Health Investment Ltd (C 24386) has last submitted its audited accounts on February 1, 2007. Medicaid Ltd (C 5283) has last submitted its audited accounts on September 14, 2007. Biomed Laboratory Ltd (C 14303) has last submitted its audited accounts on October 12, 2007.

The Golden Shepherd Group is owned by Frank Portelli, Private Health Investment Ltd and Medicaid Ltd.  Private Health Investment Ltd is owned by Medicaid Ltd and Biomed Laboratory Ltd.  Medicaid Ltd is owned by Frank Portelli whilst Biomed laboratory Ltd is owned by Frank Portelli and Medicaid Ltd.

I await the Auditor General’s conclusions!   I also look forward to Dr Frank Portelli’s comments on government’s health policy and its implementation.

first published on di-ve.com Friday 12 October 2012