Copyright maltatoday
The Nationalist Party has called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to publish the full International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration decision on the Steward hospitals concession and to account for the €900 million it says were paid out under the failed public-private partnership. Speaking outside St Luke’s Hospital on Tuesday, PN finance spokesperson Adrian Delia and health spokesperson Stephen Spiteri accused the government of misleading the public over the arbitration outcome, insisting that Malta won nothing and has instead been left with derelict hospital buildings and no reclaimed funds. The Opposition said the government’s own confirmation that almost €900 million were paid to Steward Healthcare, which is significantly higher than the €400 million figure previously in public debate, underscored the need for full disclosure. The PN criticised the government for celebrating the arbitration award, which did not grant damages to either party but found the State owes Steward close to €5 million based on restitution principles. The government had previously argued it would seek to recover funds spent during the concession after the courts annulled the contracts due to fraud and collusion. The PN questioned whether the government presented any allegations of fraud before the arbitration tribunal, claiming that doing so would have meant “testifying against Joseph Muscat’s administration”. It argued that Maltese court rulings declaring the concession fraudulent remain unchanged and cannot be rewritten through political spin. The party also demanded the publication of the full ICC tribunal decision, noting that all public information so far comes solely from a government statement. The Opposition said only a change in government would ensure accountability for those responsible and recovery of funds. It reiterated that patients, healthcare workers and taxpayers remain the biggest losers, with no new or modernised hospitals delivered despite hundreds of millions in public expenditure.
