Ftit ħsibijiet wara t-traġedja f’Ġenova

Wara l-kollass tal-pont f’Ġenova hemm numru ta’ lezzjonijiet, anke għalina, mijiet ta’ kilometri ‘l bogħod mill-pont Morandi.

Minkejja li l-investigazzjonijiet uffiċjali dwar l-għaliex seħħ dan il-kollass tal-pont għadhom bil-kemm bdew, il-media Taljana diġá qed tiddiskuti dak li ġara fid-dettall. Il-pontijiet kollha fl-Italja qegħdin taħt il-lenti, b’mod partikolari dawk li hu magħruf li m’humiex f’kundizzjoni tajba u li allura jistgħu, f’qasir żmien jikkollassaw huma ukoll. Dan jassumi sinifikat ikbar meta wieħed iqis li f’dawn l-aħħar ħames snin, fl-Italja, diġa ikkollassaw seba’ pontijiet oħra, u qiesu ma ġara xejn!

Bla dubju, fost il-lezzjonijiet ewlenin, jeħtieġ nifhmu l-ħtieġa li nieħdu ħsieb u nikkuraw b’mod adegwat il-proġetti pubbliċi. Għax anke f’Malta, wara li l-proġetti pubbliċi jkunu saru, ħafna drabi ftit nagħtu kas tagħhom. Ħarsa ftit lejn il-flyover li tifforma parti mill-bypass tal-Marsa/Ħal-Qormi kif inhi illum, tkun biżżejjed, avolja kif ħabbret Infrastruttura Malta nhar il-Ġimgħa ma hemm l-ebda ħsara strutturali. Huwa biss issa li tħabbar li ser jibda programm ta’ manutenzjoni, issa li n-nies, wara l-istraġi ta’ Ġenova, bdiet tistaqsi l-mistoqsijiet. Forsi, min jaf, mil-lum il-quddiem jibda jkollna skeda regolari ta’ manutenzjoni tal-proġetti pubbliċi kollha. Forsi xi darba l-mini ta’ Santa Venera ma jibqgħux iqattru.

Hemm ukoll x’jingħad dwar il-governanza tajba fil-proġetti pubbliċi.

Deċiżjoni riċenti tal-bord li jirrevedi l-kuntratti pubblici (Public Contracts Review Board) hi ta’ tħassib kbir. L-għoti tal-kuntratt għall-bini u t-tkomplija taċ-Ċentru tas-Saħħa f’Raħal Ġdid ġie mwaqqaf wara li Public Contracts Review Board esprima dubji serji fuq kif tmexxew il-proċeduri tal-evalwazzjoni tal-offerti. Fil-fatt ġie identifikat li żewġ professjonisti (inġinier u Perit) kienu konsulenti kemm tal-Fondazzjoni tas-Servizzi Mediċi tal-Ministeru tas-Saħħa kif ukoll ta’ tnejn minn dawk li tefgħu l-offerti. Fil-fehma tiegħi huwa diffiċli ferm biex nifhem kif ħadd mill-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi Mediċi ma nduna b’dan il-konflitt ta’ interess. Kont nistenna xi ħaġa aħjar mill-Fondazzjoni, għax jidher li ftit li xejn qed jagħtu importanza lill-ħtieġa ta’ governanza tajba fil-ħidma tal-fondazzjoni.

Issa li l-Public Contracts Review Board ħa deċiżjoni nistenna li l-korpi professjonali li jirregolaw l-inginiera u l-periti jeżaminaw sewwa l-kaz biex jaraw x’passi għandhom jieħdu f’dak li hu ksur ta’ etika professjonali bażika.

Il-kontroll adegwat tal-materjali li jintużaw fuq is-sit ta’ kostruzzjoni hi materja oħra ta’ importanza fundamentali. Din mill-ewwel tfakkarni fl-investigazzjoni li saret dwar il-kwalitá tal-konkos użat fl-isptar Mater Dei. Anke hawn kienet responsabbli l-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi Mediċi. Dwar dan ma kienx hemm biss l-inkjesta li saret taħt it-tmexxija tal-Imħallef irtirat Philip Sciberras imma ukoll rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali fuq talba tal-Ministru tal-Finanzi. Dan ir-rapport kien konkluż u ippubblikat f’Mejju li għadda.

Niftakru li l-Awditur Ġenerali fir-rapport tiegħu kien emfasizza li rriżultalu li kien hemm nuqqas kbir ta’ dokumentazzjoni dwar kull stadju tal-proġett (significant lack of documentation with respect to all stages of the project). Dan wassal lill-istess Awditur Ġenerali biex jikkonkludi li “l-inkapaċita tal-Fondazzjoni li tipprovdi l-informazzjoni bażika dwar proġett ta’ dan il-kobor ifisser falliment istituzzjonali u negliġenza grassa fl-amministrazzjoni ta’ fondi pubbliċi” (the Foundation’s inability to provide basic information relating to a project of this magnitude represents an institutional failure and gross negligence in the administration of public funds).

Min-naħa l-oħra, anke l-inkjesta immexxija mill-Imħallef irtirat Philip Sciberras identifikat nuqqasijiet kbar li dwarhom irrakkomandat li jittieħdu passi.

In partikolari qed nara quddiemi l-konklużjoni numru 5 tar-rapport Sciberras li tgħid li “in-nuqqasijiet gravi li nkixfu bir-rapporti tekniċi tal-lum jindikaw li l-konkos dgħajjef li nstab f’kull parti tas-sit hu riżultat intenzjonat ta’ azzjonijiet bi skop ta’ frodi. Il-Bord ifforma l-impressjoni ċara li l-ġrajjet li wasslu għal dan ma kienux riżultat ta’ koinċidenza, lanqas ma kienu providenzjali, imma warajhom kien hemm id moħbija li tagħti direzzjoni.” (the widespread failings uncovered by the present day technical reports indicate that the pervasive weak concrete found in the site is a result of intended fraudulent actions. Moreover the Board is left with a distinct impression that events as they transpired were not the fruit of coincidence or providence but seem to indicate an element of concertation and direction.)

Ma tantx jidher li sar wisq dwar dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet. X’qed nistennew? Li jaqa’ x’imkien?

Hemm tagħlim waħda bażika minn Ġenova: in-nuqqas ta’ governanza tajba tista’ twassal ukoll għall-imwiet.

Ippubblikat f’Illum : 19 t’Awwissu 2018

Lessons from the Genova bridge collapse

The collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genova should lead to a number of lessons which have an application hundreds of kilometres away from Genova.

Notwithstanding the fact that the official investigations into the bridge collapse have barely commenced, the media in Italy is discussing the possible causes of the collapse and whether there are any other bridges on the Italian mainland that may shortly have a similar fate. The fact that there have been some seven other bridge collapses in Italy during the past five years adds more fuel to this debate.

Among the many lessons to be learnt is the need to ensure adequate maintenance of public structures at all times. How does Malta score? Not very well, I would say. Have a look at the bridge forming part of the Marsa/Qormi flyover. It does not send out a good message even if, as stated by Infrastructure Malta on Friday, the flyover is structurally safe. The authorities in Malta have only announced the commencement of a maintenance programme for this bridge when questions began being asked as a result of the Genova tragedy.

Hopefully we will henceforth have regular maintenance schedules of all public structures and,  maybe, someday the dripping Santa Venera tunnels will be seen to permanently!

What about good governance in tenders for public projects? A recent decision by the Public Contracts Review Board is cause for concern. The award of the contract for the building and finishing of a health centre in Paola was halted by this Board after serious doubts regarding the evaluation procedure were raised. In fact, two professionals (an engineer and an architect) were identified as being simultaneously advisors of the Health Ministry’s Foundation for Medical Services as well as two of the three tenderers. It is, in my opinion, very difficult to understand how nobody at the Foundation for Medical Services was aware of this glaring conflict of interest. Good governance is apparently not the Foundation’s strong point.

Now that the Public Contracts Review Board has decided the case, I would expect that the professional bodies regulating the professionals involved take appropriate action on what is clearly a very serious breach of professional ethics.

Adequate quality control of materials used on site is another fundamental issue. The investigations regarding the quality of concrete used in the construction of the Mater Dei Hospital project comes to mind. The Foundation for Medical Services was also responsible for this project.

This issue has been dealt with not only by an inquiry led by retired judge Philip Sciberras but also by a report drawn up by the Auditor General at the request of the Finance Minister, which was concluded and published last May.

We may remember that, in the Auditor General’s report, it was emphasised that he found a “significant lack of documentation with respect to all stages of the project”. This led the Auditor General to conclude that “the Foundation’s inability to provide basic information relating to a project of this magnitude represents an institutional failure and gross negligence in the administration of public funds”.

On the other hand, the inquiry led by retired judge Philip Sciberras also identified various deficiencies in respect of which it recommended that action be taken.

I point in particular to conclusion No. 5 of the Sciberras report which states that : “the widespread failings uncovered by the present day technical reports indicates that the pervasive weak concrete found in the site is a result of intended fraudulent actions. Moreover, the Board is left with a distinct impression that events as they transpired were not the fruit of coincidence or providence but seem to indicate an element of concertation and direction.”

Apparently, not much has been done to date regarding the  implementation of the recommendations of these reports. Shall we wait for our own bridge collapse before action?

There is one basic lesson to be learnt from the Genova tragedy: a lack of good governance is a potential killer.

Published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 19 August 2018

Il-konkos f’Mater Dei : il-ħmar iwaħħal f’denbu

Qed naqra r-rapport tal-inkjesta immexxija mill-Imħallef Philip Sciberras dwar il-konkos fl-Emerġenza tal-isptar Mater Dei.

Ir-rapport fih bosta informazzjoni, imma fih in-nieqes ukoll. Dak li hu nieqes hu essenzjali biex tgħaqqad l-istampa kollha ta’ x’ġara u dwar min sar jaf xiex u meta. Peró xorta nafu ħafna iktar milli konna nafu, biżżejjed biex uħud mill-affarijiet li konna qed naħsbu li setgħu ġraw, issa nistgħu ngħidu b’ċertezza illi ġraw.

Kif diġà kelli l-opportunità li nikteb f’dawn l-aħħar ġranet, l-istorja kollha hi waħda ta’ falliment ta’ mekkaniżmi ta’ kontroll tal-kwalità tal-konkos. Fi kwalunkwè proġett ta’ dan il-kobor il-kontroll tal-kwalità tal-konkos hi kruċjali u allura ma nistax nifhem kif min mexxa l–proġett ma nvestiex iżjed f’dan il-qasam. Mhux biss fl-apparat, imma investiment ikbar f’persuni ta’ integrità bl-inkarigu li jassiguraw il-kwalità. Dawk li jassiguraw il-kwalità tal-konkos, kif rajna, huma importanti daqs l-awdituri finanzjarji!

Skanska kellha kull dmir u interess li tassigura l-kwalità u dan  bħala l-kuntrattur ewlieni. L-istess  il-Gvern li ukoll kellu kull interess, kemm direttament kif ukoll permezz tal-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi Mediċi illi jassigura ruħu mill-kwalità. Il-fatt li naqsu milli jassiguraw li din l-iktar parti kruċjali tal-proġett timxi fuq ir-rubini jfisser li kien hemm nuqqas ta’ serjetà kbira. Dak li qal Vince Cassar, dakinnhar Direttur Ġenerali tax-Xogħolijiet u illum Chairman tal-MEPA, hu riprodott fir-rapport tal-inkjesta, imma waqa’ fuq widnejn li donnhom ma riedux jisimgħu.

Hi stupidità li l-Gvern, prinċipalment permezz tal-Ministru Konrad Mizzi, jgħid li Simon Busuttil għandu xi responsabbiltà politika għal dak li ġara. Fl-opinjoni tiegħi r-responsabbiltà politika trid tinġarr imma mill-politiċi  li tul il-perjodu li dam jinbena l-isptar kienu responsabbli mill-proġett. Għax kull wieħed minnhom ikkontribwixxa, min ftit u min ħafna, min b’dak li seta’ għamel jew iktar b’dak li m’għamilx biex għandna din il-froġa.

Waqt li qed nixtarru dak li nkiteb fir-rapport tal-inkjesta beda ukoll jistema il-kor ikanta “mhux jien”. Għax kull min jissemma fir-rapport qed iħoss il-ħtieġa li jispjega kemm dak li għamel (jew dak li m’għamilx) seta ġie interpretat ħażin.

Matul il-ġimgħat li ġejjin l-istorja tkun iċċarata ħafna iktar milli hi s’issa, avolja ser tibqa’ l-ħtieġa tal-pubblikazzjoni ta’ rapporti oħrajn, li filwaqt li inkitbu, s’issa għadhom ma rawx id-dawl tax-xemx.

Jidher ukoll ċar ħafna li hemm numru ta’ “baqar sagri” li qed isir sforz partikolari biex ikunu protetti. Din storja li ser tibqa’ għaddejja għal xi ġimgħat sakemm il-Pulizija tiddeċiedi jekk hemmx provi biżżejjed biex tibda passi kriminali u iktar tard sakemm l-Avukat Ġenerali jagħti l-pariri tiegħu lill-Gvern.

Għax waqt li Konrad Mizzi ħabbar li dal-waqt ser issir laqgħa bejn il-Gvern u Skanska sadanittant nibqgħu nosservaw lill-ħmar iwaħħal f’denbu.

The hospital’s concrete

 

The issue came to the fore last September when Minister Konrad Mizzi said that there were problems with constructing additional wards on the Emergency Department of Mater Dei Hospital.  The contractor whose tender had been selected proceeded to carry out the necessary tests to ascertain that the existing buildings had the specified load-bearing properties. It was found that they did not.

All hell broke loose. Questions were asked as to how this was possible. Only one person kept his cool, former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech who, in September ,  declared  that he was not at all surprised by what was being said. He added that he was aware that Skanska, the contractor in charge of the hospital construction project, had repeatedly refused to construct additional floors because (it maintained)  the structure was not designed to carry such additional loads.

How come that only former Minister Tonio Fenech seems to have been aware of the design limitations of the hospital’s concrete?

On the other hand, whilst an inquiry is under way, Minister Konrad Mizzi is unethically disseminating selective titbits of information in order to make heavily loaded political statements.

Arup Group, a UK engineering firm, was commissioned by the government to analyse  the concrete used in the hospital’s structure. The report, which has already been submitted to the government and parts of which are being selectively quoted by Minster Konrad Mizzi, has not yet been published.

Likewise, the government is selectively quoting a waiver agreement between the Foundation for Medical Services and Skanska, signed on the conclusion of the project, presumably putting in writing what had been  agreed when addressing the final list of pending issues between the parties. The quotes being made lead to the conclusion that the waiver agreement was a blanket waiver. In fact, Minister Konrad Mizzi is actively encouraging such a conclusion. A full disclosure of the agreement would make it possible to consider whether the selective quotes are misleading –  as they most probably are.

Contrary to the manner in which the public debate has so far developed, the issue of the hospital concrete is primarily one of quality control on site, that is whether adequate quality control existed on site throughout the duration of the project. Such quality control requires that all concrete used on the Mater Dei project should have been sampled on use and tested according to established standards. Generally speaking, 28  days after use the project management team would have been in possession of the laboratory results on the concrete’s strength.

The questions which logically arise are whether the project managers had results indicating that the concrete supplied was not compatible with the relative specifications and, if such results did in fact materialise,  the manner in which they reacted to them.

The answers to these questions will point to the technical responsibilities arising both professionally and managerially.

Are there political responsibilities? I do not know. However,  the question of political responsibilities could arise if the politicians in charge interfered (directly or indirectly) in the technical decision taking. Political responsibilities  could also arise if the politicians obstructed the Foundation for Medical Services in the performance  of its duties by, for example, withholding funds or by dishing out appointments to persons who were not fit for purpose.

These are undoubtedly issues which the inquiry led by Mr Justice (retired) Philip Sciberras will examine, hopefully in some detail.

The sooner this whole saga comes to an end, the better. It is about time that everybody’s mind is at rest. This includes the taxpayer, who is not yet certain whether he will end up footing the bill.

Published in The Malta Independent on Sunday, 31 May 2015

Il-konkos f’Mater Dei: min kellu idu fil-borma?

 

Fil-konferenza stampa ta’ Konrad Mizzi u Chris Fearne intqal li l-konkos dgħajjef f’Mater Dei twassal fuq is-sit fl-ewwel sitt xhur tal-1996.

Lawrence Gonzi, dal-għodu qalilna li l-ftehim [dwar il-waiver] bejn il-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi Mediċi (FMS) u Skanska qatt ma tela’ l-Kabinett għall-approvazzjoni. Dan minnu innifsu jnissel ħafna iktar mistoqsijiet dwar x’ġara fil-fatt u dwar min realment kellu idu fil-borma.

Imma l-gazzetti jidher li m’humiex jagħtu piż biżżejjed lil biċċa informazzjoni oħra li sirna nafu biha f’Settembru li għadda. Dakinnhar meta ħarġet l-aħbar li l-konkos kien dgħajjef u l-bini għaldaqstant ma jiflaħx piż addizzjonali, Tonio Fenech kien qal li xejn ma kien sorpriż. Kien żied jgħid li kien għalhekk li Skanska kienu irrifjutaw li jżidu l-għoli tal-bini.

Dan kollu jfisser li hemm min ilu ħafna jaf li l-kwalità tal-konkos użata f’Mater Dei kienet inferjuri minn dak ippjanat. Probabbilment ħafna qabel ma ġie iffirmat il-ftehim li skandalizza lil kulħadd.

Il-mistoqsijiet li jeħtieġu tweġiba huma bosta. Liema kienu l-idejn iħawwdu fil-borma tal-konkos ta’ Mater Dei? Kemm kienet ilha magħrufa din l-informazzjoni? X’kienu d-deċiżjonijiet dakinnhar li kienet magħrufa din l-informazzjoni?

Qabel ma jkun hemm tweġiba għal dawn il-mistoqsijiet ser ikun diffiċli ħafna li nifhmu kemm x’ġara kif ukoll min hu responsabbli.

 

Il-konkos ta’ Mater Dei

Dak li qed jintqal dwar il-konkos ta’ Mater Dei hu gravi ħafna.

Mhux biss għax mir-riżultati tekniċi qed jirriżulta illi l-konkos użat kien wieħed inferjuri. Imma fuq kollox għax qed jingħata l-messaġġ ċar li l-kontrolli interni li kien hemm f’sit ta’ kostruzzjoni tal-kobor tal-isptar Mater Dei, ma ħadmux.

Qed jingħata messaġġ ieħor gravi ħafna: li hemm irregolarità kbira li seta kien hemm min kien jaf biha u ipprova jostora.

Għax meta jinġieb il-konkos fuq sit ta’ dan il-kobor jittieħed kampjun li wara jintbagħat fil-laboratorju biex tiġi ivverifikat is-saħħa tiegħu. Wara 28 ġurnata suppost li l-managment tas-sit kien konxju tar-riżultati dwar is-saħħa tal-konkos. Għax inkella x’jiswa’ l-biżibilju periti u tekniċi oħra li kienu impjegati biex jagħtu servizz fuq is-sit u li tħallsu flejjes tajba għal snin kbar biex propju jagħmlu l-kontrolli u l-verifiki neċessarji?

Il-mistoqsijiet ewlenin li għalija jeħtieġu tweġiba huma:

1. saru t-testijiet tal-konkos?
2. min irċieva r-riżultati mill-laboratorju dwar dawn it-testijiet?
3. x’ħareġ minn dawn ir-riżultati ?
4. x’passi ittieħdu wara li ġew eżaminati r-riżultati dwar is-saħħa tal-konkos?

Qed nistenna l-konklużjonijiet tal-inkjesta immexxija mill-Imħallef Philip Sciberras li nittama li fosthom insib risposta għal dawn il-mistoqsijiet bażiċi.

Huwa wara li jkollna dawn it-tweġibiet li nistgħu nikkunsdraw xi ftehim sar bejn l-FMS [Foundation for Medical Services] u l-kumpanija Skanska.  Iżda jkun tajjeb li qabel ma nikkummentaw dwar dan il-ftehim inkunu nafu l-kliem eżatt tiegħu għax dan jista’ jagħmel differenza kbira.

Sadanittant ikun għaqli li jieqfu l-ispekulazzjonijiet għax dawn m’huma ser isolvu xejn. Meta l-fatti jkunu magħrufa jkun stabilit ukoll min ikkontribwixxa biex seħħew dawn il-fatti. Imbagħad ikun possibli li kull min kellu responsabbiltà jerfa’ dak li jmissu.

Nittama biss li ma jiġrix bħas-soltu u jintefa l-piż fuq iż-żgħir.

Fuq dan il-blog dwar l-istess suġġett ara:

Skanska u Tonio Fenech dwar il-konkos f’Mater Dei.

Mater Dei: Ir-responsabbiltà ta’ Tonio Fenech hi li tingħata spjegazzjoni.

 

Sqaq San Filep

 

Wara żmien twil bi ftit li xejn informazzjoni dwar l-isptar ta’ San Filep, matul din il-ġimgħa kellna indiġistjoni.  L-informazzjoni iżda ħarġet bit-tabuxù għax il-Gvern jagħtiha biċċa biċċa. Kif u meta jaqbillu. Qatt biex jinforma.

Is-serjeta’ kienet titlob mod ieħor. Imma s-serjeta’ m’hiex kwalita’ tal-Gvern immexxi minn Lawrence Gonzi.

Kif anke deher waqt id-dibattitu ta’ nhar it-Tnejn li għadda fil-Parlament hemm ħafna affarijiet li m’humiex ċari u għaldaqstant huwa meħtieġ analiżi twila u dettaljata tal-konsiderazzjonijiet kollha li wasslu għall-ftehim bejn il-Gvern u l-kumpanija ta’ Frank Portelli l-Good Shepherd Group Limited, is-sid tal-isptar.

L-ewwel ħsieb imur fuq is-sit innifsu. Għaliex l-Isptar San Filep?

It-tweġiba m’hiex waħda sempliċi. Id-diskussjonijiet kienu ilhom sejrin minn ftit wara l-elezzjoni tal-2008. Ħadd ma qal xejn għal żmien twil. Dak li kien qed jiġri rriżulta minn sentenza mogħtija mit-Tribunal għat-Talbiet Żgħar nhar l-4 t’Ottubru 2012 fil-każ bejn Icon Studios Ltd u Good Shepherd Group Limited. Fil-paragrafu 7 tal-konsiderazzjonijiet tat-Tribunal jingħad li Dr Frank Portelli nhar l-1 ta’ Marzu 2010 semma n-negozjati li huwa kellu mal-Gvern u li kienu ilhom għaddejjin għal 18-il xahar. Il-każ quddiem it-Tribunal kien dwar ħlas konness mad-disinn ta’ website tal-Isptar San Filep mill-kumpanija ta’ Dr Ġeġe Gatt, iben Austin Gatt.

Issa 18-il xahar qabel l-1 ta’ Marzu 2010 jfisser Settembru 2008!  Dan ifisser li n-negozjati ilhom sejrin 4 snin. Bdew ftit wara l-elezzjoni ġenerali tal-2008.

In-negozjaturi ghan-nom tal-Gvern kellhom jikkunsidraw jekk il-pjanijiet tal-Gvern għal sptar ta’ Riabilitazzjoni ta’ madwar 280 sodda setgħux jitwettqu f’dan is-sit ta’ 75 kamra b’110 sodda. Il-ħtieġa li l-kapaċita tal-Isptar tiżdied għal iktar minn darbtejn u nofs tista’ tikkunsidraha billi l-ewwel tħares lejn il-potenzjal tas-sit u wara tara mal-MEPA jekk din il-possibilita tistax titwettaq.

Meta tkellem fil-Parlament il-Ministru Tonio Fenech ma ta’ l-ebda assigurazzjoni dwar jekk il-MEPA tistax toħroġ permess ta’ din ix-xorta. Għamel sewwa, għax jiena naħseb li hu diffiċli ħafna għall-MEPA li toħroġ permess bħal dan. L-issue tal-parking diġa issemmiet fil-Parlament mill-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni: li żżid il-parking b’iżjed mid-doppju m’huwiex faċli f’sit li hu ristrett. Ma dan trid taħseb biex iżżid il-faċilitajiet kollha biex il-kapaċita’ tagħhom tkun addattata għad-daqs ġdid tal-isptar. Jiena naħseb li dan ser ikun diffiċli ħafna. Naħseb li l-anqas jekk l-isptar jitwaqqa’ u jsir disinn mill-ġdid ma jista’ jinħoloq disinn aċċettabbli minħabba li is-sit hu wieħed ristrett!

Meta tqabbel din id-diffikulta’ mal-flessibilita’ sostanzjali li joffri l-Isptar San Luqa, t-team tan-negozjaturi u l-konsultenti tagħhom mill-Fondazzjoni għas-Servizzi Mediċi għandhom ħafna x’jisjegaw. Għax jekk diġa jidher ċar x’diffikultajiet hemm għalfejn tibda l-mixja f‘dak l-isqaq ?  Sqaq li fi żmien tlett snin jista’ jfisser li l-proċess ikollu jerġa’ jibda mill-ġdid b’ħela ta’ ħafna żmien u fondi pubbliċi.

It-tieni punt li rrid nagħmel hu dwar il-fatt li meta l-Gvern għażel li jikkonsidra l-Isptar San Filep immedjatament eskluda l-alternattivi l-oħra kollha li seta kien hemm.

Eskluda l-iSptar San Luqa li dwaru jidher li sar studju dettaljat, skond ma qal il-Ministru Cassar. Dan l-studju identifika li għall-isptar kollu l-ispiża ta’ refurbishment kienet ser tigi tiswa’ ftit inqas minn €40 miljun. Issa biex jinħoloq Sptar ta’ Riabilitazzjoni ta’ 280 sodda m’hemmx bżonn tal-Isptar San Luqa kollu iżda biss parti minnu. Meta tqis id-dewmien ta’ 4 snin negozjati mill-2008 lil hawn (u min jaf kemm ser indumu iktar) hu ċar li kieku ittieħdet id-deċiżjoni favur l-Isptar San Luqa mill-ewwel fl-2008, l-isptar ta’ riabilitazzjoni ilu lest u jiffunzjona għal tlett snin. B’deċiżjoni bħal din favur l-iSptar San Luqa  l-pazjenti kieku ilhom li emigraw għal  faċilitajiet aħjar mill-kurituri tal-isptar Mater Dei.

Waqt id-dibattitu Parlamentari ta’ nhar it-Tnejn issemmiet ukoll il-possibilita li hemm sidien ta’ lukandi  li kienu interessati li jipproponu illi l-lukanda tagħhom tkun konvertita għall-użu ta’ sptar ta’ riabilitazzjoni. Jiena naħseb li proposta ta’ din ix-xorta toffri diffikultajiet daqs is-sit tal-isptar San Filep  kemm għall-parkeġġ kif ukoll biex tipprovdi l-faċilitajiet kollha meħtieġa. Pero’ qabel ma tara l-proposta u tkun konxju ta’ dak li qed ikun offrut ma tistax tifforma opinjoni definittiva.

Meta nqis kollox naħseb li l-unika proposta sura hi li jintuża l-Isptar San Luqa.

Il-problema ma  ħoloqiex Frank Portelli li iddiskuta ma min kien interessat li jixtri l-isptar tiegħu. Ħoloqha l-Gvern li mexa ħażin mingħajr ma qies sewwa u bir-reqqa l-ftit riżorsi li suppost qiegħed jamministra.

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu jagħmel sens li min ħa d-deċiżjonijiet jiġi mgħarbel sewwa qabel ma jkun iffirmat il-kuntratt.   Għalhekk hu meħtieġ li l-Parlament jiċċaqlaq.

published in Illum, Sunday 21st October 2012