?Festering wound in hospital lease bid? | Daphne Caruana Galizia

The leading article (editorial), The Times, yesterday:

FESTERING WOUND IN HOSPITAL LEASE BID

Three things will probably spring immediately to mind if one were to ask Joe Citizen what bothers him most in the national health service: the long waits when attending for an outpatients? appointment; the waiting list for non-emergency surgical interventions; and the lack of beds.

Therefore, any action taken by the authorities to address and solve these problems should be more than welcome. So why the widespread negative reaction to the Government?s decision to lease the disused St Philip?s Hospital?

In a nutshell, it is because the whole matter seems like a rushed job or, at least, inadequately explained, with strong political connotations to boot.

Health Minister Joseph Cassar has insisted that Parliament was informed of initial evaluations about the possibility of leasing the private hospital in Santa Venera way back in 2010.

Admittedly, these are delicate matters that involve long and elaborate procedures, engaging notaries, lawyers and other professionals. But if the problem of a shortage of rehabilitation beds was so acute, as many insist it is, thenwhy did the government have to take two long years before deciding to do something about it? Did the government not realise that, with an election now round the corner, such a decision was bound to raise suspicion and, at best, prove to be controversial?

The private hospital owner is, after all, a former president of the Nationalist Party?s executive and of the general council who has also been highly critical of the government?s performance.

The government is now determined to sign the lease contract. Finance Minister Tonio Fenech thinks that doing so shows how serious the government is in doing what needs to be done. This notwithstanding calls from within and outside of Parliament for the deal to first be scrutinised ? not least from Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando who no longer sits on the government benches.

In the kind of arrogant manner this government has all but too often become associated with, the minister insists that the law is on the government?s side.

?Everyone should respect the country?s procedures and it would set a bad precedent if the Opposition gets its way and the contract is scrutinised before signing simply because the person involved happens to be Frank Portelli?, Mr Fenech was quoted as saying.

Indeed Mr Minister, it is precisely because Dr Portelli is involved that the Government should make one more move to put everybody?s mind at rest that the deal is fully justified on all grounds.

It cannot proceed with so many doubts and shadows hanging over it and that includes the fact that Dr Portelli is experiencing financial problems, so much so that the court has ordered the sale by auction of property he owns. To boot Dr Portelli has steadfastly refused to grant The Times access to the hospital.

The rush is also evident in an episode that happened last Saturday but has not been given much publicity.

Dr Cassar appeared on TVM programme Dissett that was recorded on Saturday morning. In it he said Cabinet would decide the following Monday whether the contract should be signed or not. Yet, that afternoon, the Finance Minister announced the deal would be signed.

Was this a case of the right hand not knowing what the left was doing or was it something else?

In the wake of what has happened and been said over the past days, one is justified in asking whether what the government is proposing is the best solution and whether the right approach and procedure have been adopted.

As it has done in certain other instances, the government ought to stop and take stock. Options do exist.

Source: http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2012/10/festering-wound-in-hospital-lease-bid/

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