The NAO’s latest report proves that we are working differently - Robert Abela

The National Audit Office’s report proves that we are working differently, Prime Minister Robert Abela said during a political event in Marsaxlokk on Sunday.

Abela said that back in 2020, when he was first elected as the Labour Party’s new leader, he recalled how during his first ever political event in that role, he had highlighted the hospitals deal and had given his word that the government was going to analyse the situation and take decisions accordingly.

Without “going into the technical details,” Abela said that the latest report shows how the government was always stern with Steward Health Care in telling them to follow their obligations and that “we [the government] are not going to change the agreement.”

The National Audit Office published its third and final report last Monday in a wide-reaching audit into the concession awarded by the Government to

Vitals Global Healthcare Ltd (VGH) in relation to the Gozo General Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital and Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital – a concession which later passed to Steward Health Care.

The report found that former Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi had misled Cabinet to get a side agreement which would have granted Steward €100 million if the concession was signed.

It also showed that Abela was days away from signing a newly renegotiated concession with Steward, but only refrained from doing so due to concerns over the legality of the new agreement, vis-à-vis procurement regulations.

On another note, Abela spoke of how his government continues to create change as “our country has remained the country in Europe that creates the most jobs.”

Additionally, he said that it was also the European Commission which had to change its economical prediction into a better one for the country, “which confirms the strong economy our country has.”

The PL Leader said that the government is going to continue investing in the country.

“We are currently working on new schools and major projects, in Rabat, Malta and Rabat, Gozo, Msida, Ħal Għaxaq, Santa Luċija and Nadur, among others. We will finish these and start others because we want to reach higher levels. And we can talk about this type of investment because our country is doing well.“

Speaking about the Summit between European Leaders which was held in Iceland earlier this week, Abela mentioned how leaders of other European countries asked how Malta managed to come first again in the list of rights for LGBTIQ+ people, to which he replied that Malta was now going to launch a new strategy in the community for the coming five years.

On the energy sector, this week during a meeting of nine countries of the European Union bordering the Mediterranean, the Government pushed the idea for Europe to become a hub of clean energy, which “can spur the commitment of the European Union towards a decarbonised Europe, with an independent energy sector.”

“Another principle to ascertain environment protection is by protecting agricultural land,” he said.

This week, another reform on the agricultural sector also came into force, which experts in the sector described as one of the boldest decisions the sector has ever seen, Abela said.

Abela also spoke of how, in the coming week, the Games of the Small States of Europe are going to take place.

“Let’s support them,” he said, adding that the nation is also predicting great results.

The Prime Minister concluded by congratulating Health Minister Chris Fearne, who later today will be made President of the World Health Assembly.