Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1493176
8 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 FEBRUARY 2023 December 11 December: Daphne Caruana Galizia reports that VGH threw a Chris Party at Westin Dragonara Hotel in St Julian's. "Ram Tumuluri and some other Indian gentlemen from overseas were the hosts." 1 January: 50 additional beds were to be provided to Karin Grech hospital. VGH failed to achieve this milestone by the indicated date and until the concession was transferred to Steward Healthcare. Concession milestone February 14 February: Government and VGH enter into the first side letter to the Service Concession Agreement. Through this letter, government waived the obligation to provide financing agreements by 19 February 2017 but extending the deadline to 30 June the same year. Konrad Mizzi sworn in as Minister for Tourism following the 2017 General Election. Chris Fearne retains his role as Minister for Health. 30 June: Several amendments were signed to the Service Concession Agreement, HSDA, and LSA: SCA Deadline for works revised from a fixed date to one relative to the attainment of construction permits HSA Date of provision for additional beds extended from 1 January 2018 to 1 January 2020 LSA Formalisation of the list of resources as corresponding to 1,536 staff 30 September: 80 rehabilitation beds for St Luke's Hospital Concession milestone €16 million paid by government to VGH in 2016 €33 million paid by government to VGH in 2017 2018 February 16 February: Bluestone Investments transfers 1,140 shares to Steward Healthcare and another 60 shares to Ashak Rattchali, of American nationality. Armin Ernst and Michael Callum replace Tumuluri and Pawley as directors. 31 May: Completion of new building at Gozo General Hospital 30 September: New Gozo General Hospital should have been up and running 31 December: Completion of St Luke's Hospital beds Concession milestone 29 March: The handover plan was to be submitted to Government, but VGH failed to do this by the specified date 2 September: Josie Muscat announces that the sale of Capua hospital has been called off 13 May: Vitals Global Healthcare registered in Malta with all shares held by Bluestone Investments Malta Ltd 18 May: VGH Management Ltd and VGH Assets Ltd registered in Malta. Mark Pawley and Ram Tumuluri are directors of the companies. 19 May: Closing date for the submission of bids. The following companies submitted bids: 1 Vitals Global Healthcare 2 Image Hospitals Ltd 3 BSP Investments Ltd June Cabinet approves a memorandum submitted by Konrad Mizzi asking Ministers to approve the award of preferred bidder status to the VGH and the commencement of negotiations September 9 September: Projects Malta notifies VGH that government intends on awarding it the services concession for the three hospitals October 13 October: Konrad Mizzi gives Cabinet an update on the public- private partnership for the sites. According to him, the following agreements were finalised: CA Concession Agreement HSA Healthcare Services Agreement LSA Labour Supply Agreement ED Emphyteutical deed November 30 November: Vitals Global Healthcare, together with its subsidiary companies, signs the service concession agreement with government December 7 December: Government and VGH Management sign first and second addenda to the HSA. Several changes were made to the services, activities and operations to be carried out by VGH, and government agreed to take up 100 additional beds HSA 2016 January 8 January: Government and VGH Management enter into the Labour Supply Agreement, allowing government to supply employees to VGH Management so that the company can meet the terms of the transaction agreement Concession milestone April 29 April: Konrad Mizzi loses his Energy and Health portfolio and is sworn in as Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister. Chris Fearne replaces him as Minister for Health. May Daphne Caruana Galizia publishes a damning due diligence report claiming that Keith Schembri and Malta's ambassador to Dubai promised Shapoorji Pallonji and UAE-based Global Health Care that they would be awarded the hospitals privatisation project if they worked with Ram Tumuluri and Shaukat Ali Chaudry. 19 May: Konrad Mizzi and Ram Tumuluri sign side letter to the transaction agreements. VGH's obligation to present financing agreements to government was waived to 19 February 2017 June VGH finally submits handover plan, in fulfilment of the concession milestone. This condition had been waived through the side letter signed on 19 May 30 August: Design plans were to be submitted to government. VGH failed to achieve this milestone by the indicated date and until the concession was transferred to Steward Healthcare. Concession milestone September 15 September: Government and VGH enter into a second side letter to the transaction agreements. Here, they acknowledge that VGH had computed the accurate value of the charges for deployed employees of government to VGH and subcontracted human resources. October 13 October: 12 anonymous companies are quietly registered in Jersey, some of which have similar names such as Vitals Global Healthcare Ltd and VGH Malta. December Technoline Ian Vassallo mysteriously buys out his boss and purchases Technoline using a €5.14 million loan from Tumuluri and Shaukat Ali through their offshore companies in Jersey. 11 December: Daphne Caruana Galizia reports that VGH threw a Chris Party at Westin Dragonara Hotel in St Julian's. "Ram Tumuluri and some other Indian gentlemen from overseas were the hosts." €16 million paid by government to VGH in 2016 2 September: Josie Muscat The Vitals deal 2014 April Cabinet Reshuffle: Konrad Mizzi given added responsibility for health and public-private partnerships October 9 October: Pivot Holdings set up in Malta by the would-be investors of Vitals Global Healthcare Pivot Holdings Ltd 10 October: Economy Minister Chris Cardona signs MoU with the developers of a proposed project, including the two companies set up the day before Mark Edward Pawley Director of Bluestone Special Situation 4 Ltd Ashok Rattehalli Director of AGMC Inc Mohammad Shoaib Walajhi Director of Pivot Holdings Ltd Chaudhry Saukat Ali Director of Pivot Holdings Ltd November 23 November: Some investors bring Ambrish Gupta into the picture. Gupta is made a 35% shareholder and investors agree that they need to raise funding Ambrish Gupta 2015 February The people behind VGH boast of their MoU with the Maltese government - two months before the request for proposals was published March Gupta reaches a deal on how to finance the Vitals project. The deal includes Bluestone owners Mark Pawley and Ram Tumuluri, Portpool Investments (PIL), and Bluestone Special Situation 4 Ltd. VGH seeks funding A presentation drawn up by Vitals refers to the Gozo and Malta medical complex in a bid to attract finance to their project. The project includes St Luke's, Karin Grech, and Gozo General Hospital. It also indicates that government would pay a minimum yearly sum of €70 million for beds that would be used in the public health service. St James Hospital Towards the beginning of 2015, Chaudry Shaukat Ali introduced an American doctor to Josie Muscat, the owner of St James Hospital. One evening, Muscat attended a meeting with Shaukat Ali, Iqbal, and some other investors. On 4 March, news breaks that Josie Muscat is selling off Capua hospital and the St James brand to American and Palestinian businessmen. 18 March: Government signs an agreement with Barts Medical School for the opening of a campus in Gozo. 27 March: Several days later, government publishes a request for proposals for the granting of a services concession to operate three hospitals: St Luke's, Gozo, and Karin Grech hospital. On the same day: Ram Tumuluri was appointed director of Bluestone Investments Malta Ltd May 13 May: Vitals Global Healthcare registered in Malta with all shares held by Bluestone Investments Malta Ltd Bluestone Investments Malta Ltd December 9 December: Bluestone Investments Malta set up locally 18 May: VGH Management Ltd and VGH Assets Ltd registered in Malta. Mark Pawley and Ram Tumuluri are directors of the companies. 19 May: Closing date for the submission of bids. The following companies submitted bids: 1 Vitals Global Healthcare 2 Image Hospitals Ltd 3 BSP Investments Ltd June Cabinet approves a memorandum submitted by Konrad Mizzi asking September Hospitals scandal laid bare