Eight-year-long Gozo pool project opens after new €3 million direct order

The long-standing issue of opening the Gozo pool, which replaced a relatively new Sports Complex in Gozo’s capital, has finally been resolved, as Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the facility this week.

The opening was preceded by a new direct order worth €3 million, issued by the Gozo Ministry to Excel System Construction (Malta) Ltd, which has been responsible for building the pool for the past eight years.

So far, the government has not provided details on the final costs of the pool, which are expected to be around €20 million. Additionally, there has been no explanation for why the same construction company received this new €3 million direct order to manage the facility.

During the carefully planned opening ceremony, both Prime Minister Robert Abela and Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri refrained from providing any details regarding the excessive costs and significant delays associated with the pool’s construction. This lack of transparency raises concerns, especially when compared to the original estimated cost of approximately 10 million euros.

The Shift posed several questions regarding the final costs of the project that began in 2017, including how much it has cost taxpayers and the reason behind a new €3 million direct order issued just days before the pool’s opening. However, the Gozo Ministry did not provide answers to these questions.

The facility features the first Olympic-size indoor pool in Gozo, along with various sports amenities for disciplines such as basketball, volleyball, and squash.

Covering the tenures of three different Gozo Ministers, the project was announced in 2016, and construction began in 2017.

Initially, the estimated cost for the project was €10 million, which required keeping the existing structure of the former Sports Complex intact while building a new pool next door. However, over the years, the project evolved into a completely new undertaking, leading to a significant increase in costs.

The original contract was awarded to Poli Excel Ltd, a joint company formed by Caqnu’s Polidano Brothers and a consortium that included Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli, arms dealer James Fenech, and Turkish contractors.

As the project evolved, it faced delays and rising costs, which led to changes in ownership of Excel System Construction. Portelli and the Turks transferred all their shares to James Fenech. In 2022, Fenech was acquitted by the courts of serious criminal charges related to a breach of EU sanctions against Libya in connection with another boat leasing company he owns.

Earlier this year, Minister Clint Camilleri stated in Parliament that his Ministry would soon publish a tender to manage the pool facility once it opens.

However, this never happened.

Just a few days before the opening ceremony, the same contractors that took so long to complete the project, in violation of the original contract, were awarded a multi-million Euro direct order to start managing the facility.

The pool project had to open its doors in 2021.