The only bid received for a project to extend Mater Dei’s emergency department and build new mental health wards to replace Mount Carmel Hospital is almost double the government’s estimated costs.
The tender was issued in December, and its closing date had to be extended multiple times at the request of contractors interested in bidding for the project. Yet when the call closed last week, only one company had submitted a bid, significantly limiting the government’s options.
CE-BB Projects Ltd, the sole bidder, quoted a price of €136 million for the ‘design and build’ project, where the contractor would be responsible for the entire project from start to finish.
However, the price is significantly higher than the government’s estimated value for the project, which was outlined in the tender document as costing taxpayers an estimated €80 million.
The Health Ministry anticipated a cost of €80 million in the tender document.
CE-BB Projects is a joint venture between CE Installations Ltd, owned by Labour’s Minority leader of Naxxar local council, and Bonnici Group.
Bonnici Group Managing Director Gilbert Bonnici, a former business partner of Prime Minister Robert Abela, sits on the board of CE-BB Projects alongside Labour councillor Mario Brincat.
Is there a very wrong estimate of the outlay required, or is it simply a question of someone bent on making money – loads of it, in fact – out of the situation?
Both stink to high heaven!!
When considering that Mercury Towers was around 180 million, then your question answers itself! These are just making loads of money on our backs (the tax payers!)
I can smell that awful stench that eminates from the OPM when the shit is about to get exposed, You just know that this is going to be one of the many turds floating in the Castille pond.
The name Bonnici and a deputy labour mayor and Mario Brincat tells us why the bid is nearly double what the government estimated but I guess they never estimated the kickbacks estimate for the cronies and politicians and the PA?
And guess what, when the project will be finished, it will also somehow exceed this amount as well with any excuses they can fathom up to widen their pocket with Maltese taxpayers money.
Simply robbing the POOR to make the rich wealthier!
That’s lejber for you!
And I ask, who will ensure that the payment will be effectively e40 and not plus this and plus that and really as normally is done
to double the price?