Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532025
3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 31 JANUARY 2025 NEWS GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 EDITOR: PAUL COCKS Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt FROM PAGE 1 The NAO expressed concern over the decision to forego the original plans. Following the publication of the NAO's report, Jason Azzopardi called for a magisterial inquiry into the project carried out by the Gozo Ministry, claiming a €700,000 bribe was paid. In his request, Azzopardi singled out Clint Camilleri, the permanent secretary for the Gozo Ministry, John Borg, architect Godwin Agi- us and architect Andrew Ellul. Speaking to Gozo Today, Camilleri explained that follow- ing the publication of a call for offers in September 2018, cover- ing emergency repairs on parts of the road, the tender was awarded to Road Construction Co. Ltd, which came in with an offer of €652,207. This was 'the cheapest technically compliant offer' the ministry received. This tender only covered essen- tial repair work on the top part of Mgarr Road, and Road Con- struction was paid €112,660.58 after digging up specific areas in a bid to identify the reason for the damage on the road. But it was immediately evident that the road foundation had extensive structural damage. By agreement with all parties con- cerned, the contract was termi- nated since it was evident the tender could not cover the work that was discovered to be neces- sary. In May 2019, a second tender was issued, covering the work in Mgarr Road in Nadur, as well Sant' Antnin Road in Ghajn- sielem. Whilst the estimated budget allocation for this tender was projected at €14,001,539.40 VAT included, in October 2019 the tender was awarded to Road Construction Co. Ltd for €9,430,983.63 including VAT. "Moreover, the contract also provided for an additional 30% in 'extra quantities' and a further 30% for new items," he said. This is a general practice in especially works contract, to address un- foreseen circumstances. This means that the originally total projected value of procure- ment for the project could rise up to €22,402,463.10, including VAT. Camilleri pointed out that this amount would only cover the contractor's work and not the ancillary work on the two roads, such as road markings, crash bar- riers. In fact, this ancillary work ended up costing around €1.5 million, which were never cov- ered by the said tender. Camilleri said that when he was appointed Gozo minister in Janu- ary 2020, the contractor had not yet carried out any work under the second tender. The road had been closed for almost two years by that time, and in the mean- time, additional issues had arisen. "Certain entities requested addi- tional infrastructure work to cater for increased development in Na- dur, including a walk-through cul- vert," he said. "It was also decided to install a roundabout between Nadur Road, Sant'Antnin Road and Mgarr Road." Furthermore, Minister Clint Camilleri men- tioned that in line to relevant cir- culars issued by the Department of Contracts, mandatory com- pensations were given to contrac- tors as part of the compensation scheme due to war in Ukraine. Camilleri said that it was ev- ident that the work necessary went even beyond the remit of the second tender. Faced by such scenario, the ministry decided to ask the con- tractor to enhance its technical experts on the project and ap- point a technical team to provide technical and structural designs for the work needed. The techni- cal team, following a sequence of approvals in line with the public procurement regulations was ap- pointed, composed of four archi- tects. This contract modification was for a total of €420,000 During the same time, to safe- guard its interests, Architect Godwin Agius was contracted as a technical expert for the Min- istry to support and oversee the process. Perit Agius was short- listed following a competitive ne- gotiated procedure among three experts who were requested to submit a financial offer for their services. Agius, following an in- dependent evaluation process and following approvals from competent authorities, he was awarded such services being the cheapest technically compliant. Eventually, based on developed designs, Camilleri said that a ne- gotiated procedure was triggered for €5,700,667.85 covering 'quan- tities' that were not covered by the second tender. For good gov- ernance purposes and as a good practice, the Minister pointed out that the ministry insisted that the contractor use the same rates quoted two years earlier in the previous tender when quoting for the additional work, and in case of new works, these were capped within the current framework rates awarded by Infrastructure Malta, with all such processes evaluated by independent boards and approved by the Contracts Department. "What this all means is that despite all the complications that arose, the necessary techni- cal consultations, and the add- ed work, the initial estimate of around €22 million of the second tender of 2019, was never sur- passed," Camilleri said. He insisted that, at every step, every decision taken fell strictly within all applicable regulations and policies. "Payments along the project were only made after a job was completed, verified, and certi- fied," Camilleri said. "And I defi- nitely was never involved with the tenders or the procurement process." He said that two of the above referred tenders were, after all, issued before he was appointed Gozo minister, and in any case, the ministry's interests were safe- guarded throughout the process. Nadur Road project funds not used for work on Qala Saints ground, Camilleri says The state of the road (top) when Clint Camilleri became Gozo minister in January 2020 and (above) the NAO report confirms the project came in below the projected budget