Architect set to build €10 million ward for hospital government intends to close

One of the government’s favourite architects when it comes to direct orders, particularly those connected with the Ministries of Health and Gozo, is set to get a €10 million contract to build a new ward at Mount Carmel Hospital despite the government saying the hospital would be closed.

Through his Doric Studio, Frank Muscat partnered with Camray Company Ltd – generally known for restoration projects- and submitted the lowest offer in a new tender issued by the Health Ministry.

Through a joint venture named Care Design, Muscat and Camray offered to do the job for €9.9 million, slightly less than the budget. The project is mainly financed through EU Funds.

His closest rival is Polidano Brothers, of Charles Polidano known as Iċ-Ċaqnu, which placed an offer that was half a million more.

Frank Muscat made a name for himself as a result of the number of direct orders he was given by former Minister Justyne Caruana.

Most government contracts issued when Caruana was in charge, both as Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing and Gozo Minister, were directed to Muscat, mostly through direct orders.

This had irked many architects, particularly Gozitans, who complained that Muscat could not suddenly become an expert in all architectural files, from building wards at St Vincent De Paul to designing a new breakwater in Marsalforn, which has never seen the light of day.

Although Caruana is now out of Cabinet, having been sacked by Prime Minister Robert Abela after giving her boyfriend a government job, she is still involved in the Health Ministry as a consultant to Minister Jo Etienne Abela.

The tender itself, issued for Mt Carmel, is controversial.

It was published weeks after Minister Abela announced that Mt Carmel would close, raising questions about why a new €10 million ward was needed when the hospital was about to be closed.

Minister Abela insisted that the tender be issued with a medical brief related to psychiatric care, as it was already in the pipeline before his appointment.

He insisted that the investment would be recovered as the block would be used for something else. No details were given on what its future use would be.

The project’s funds will come from the EU’s Next Generation Fund, which is why the tender was issued.

A source said, “We cannot throw away €10 million in EU funds,” while admitting that this was another case of bad management by the health authorities.