Karl Stagno-Navarra
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has steered clear of any commitment to setting up a Board of Inquiry to investigate the alleged irregularities during the adjudicating process of a €200 million contract for the extension of the Delimara power station.
Instead he reiterated Infrastructure Austin Gatt’s observation that the aggrieved company, Hutney-Bateman, did not appeal against the decision by the Department of Contracts.
Replying to questions forwarded by this newspaper following the allegations raised in a letter sent last March by the Israeli-owned firm, the Prime Minister said that his office “cannot interfere in the adjudication process of tenders.”
“Public procurement regulations in Malta (as anywhere else in Europe) give the right to anyone who feels in any way aggrieved by a procurement process, to appeal from a decision by the Department of Contracts,” he said. “The company in question could have appealed the decision, however, it did not.”
Asked if the Legal Notice that increased the emission levels was discussed and approved by Cabinet, the Prime Minister simply replied : “our regulations, as amended in January, are now fully compliant with EU regulations.”
While ignoring the question as to whether he would consider setting up a Board of Inquiry to investigate the alleged irregularities, the Prime Minister did not reply to the question put forward by this newspaper if he believed that the increase in emissions, together with the implications of enlarging by approximately 400 per cent the current footprint at Delimara, together with the prospective toxic waste to be generated is in total contrast to the environmental goals promised by his administration
The Prime Minister also ignored vthe question if he believes that that this is a scandal.
In another development, Minister for Resources and Infrastructure George Pullicino also replied to questions forwarded by MaltaToday, and insisted that the amendments introduced to increase emissions have brought local legislation “exactly in line with the Large Combustion Plants Directive 2001/80/EC. Our regulations are fully compliant with EU emissions rules,” he said.
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