AIRPORT "TUNNEL" CONTRACTOR ABANDONS PROJECT

Within the next fortnight, the Spanish company, OHL, contracted by Govt to construct the airport 'tunnel', will have quit the construction site - taking with it a huge chunk of the £30 million which the Government was to spend on this part of the white elephant airport development - according to sources close to No 6. That's how much of taxpayers' cash is being squandered  on some of the excavation work.

It is not yet clear why the contractor will not continue as there  are different versions as to the reason. One suggests that OHL could no longer put up with an individual known to  meddle in all things great and small.

But surely this cannot be so.
The project has been on hold since work ceased last December.  The reason given at the time was that the contractor had encountered underlying obstacles that needed to be tackled in order to continue with the work. As a result the cost of the project  rose well above  the initial sum. On this issue the Govt has not been forthcoming and ambiguity has been the order of the day.

The contractor, however, returned  to the site some weeks ago, though little work appears to have been carried out; and it became evident last week that the company was about to pull out.

However, it appears that a local company, JBS, has taken over from OHL. and is to continue the work - an undertaking that is already well behind schedule.

Since there is a completion deadline in place, to meet this a round-the-clock working arrangement will have to be followed.

Be that as it may, it is, all in all, just another project in the long list of the Caruana govt shortcomings