Too late. Ever visited that ridiculous “water” multishmedia exhibition at European Parliament HQ in Brussels? He’s all over the place, Malta’s face of drawn-brow eco-concern, like some latter-day Turin shroud.

It is not the first of its kind in Malta.

At Delimara there are 3 combined cycle plants of 37,37 and 36 MW commisioned in 1999, and yes there is ample Maltese expertise.

The problem in Malta is that a statement from a professional is often paraded and made to sound as though it is Gospel without anyone bothering to challenge whether the competency of that individual actually lies within that field.

In this specific matter (CCGT if I understand correctly) it will need to be someone with extensive overseas experience in this type of plant – in which, incidentally, the bulk of the required engineering knowhow is mechanical, electrical and structural rather than civil.

As this is the first of its kind in Malta it could not, therefore, have generated any relevant Maltese expertise.

So you just cannot find the link between a handsome pay and competence! Let me shed some light.

Engineers are flexible creatures, they are trained to adapt to requirements. They have enough background such that – when required – they are able to fill gaps in their knowledge on their own.

This means that an engineer can deliver a solution to an arbitrary degree of accuracy. The accuracy depends on the pay, as the pay dictates the time and the time dictates the amount of research performed and hence the assumptions taken.

Does this mean that engineers deliver untrustworthy solutions? If the engineer does not have enough time/competence to provide a solution with the required level of accuracy then yes, but engineers are trained to quote the level of accuracy of their solution such that their arse is covered. Note the time-competence duality in this argument.

What Cremona is showing here is that he is gentleman enough to state up front that unless he is offered a handsome pay his report would be untrustworthy. He is saying that the amount of rigour required for such a job requires him to up his competence in the field which naturally would require substantial time/money.

@Jozef: As long as in the same report detailing the solution the engineer provides the constraints, assumptions taken and degree of accuracy of the solution, the chamber would have nothing to say about the engineer’s job.

Is he shy to show that he lauded their plans?

Or didn’t he conveniently realise that participating in a political debate would make him susceptible to being quoted.

I guess he thinks his name shouldn’t make headlines (at least that what he wrote on FB).

You’re onto something there, P Shaw.

The opposition to the Seabank backed road deviation by Mellieha Holiday Centre may have translated into lucrative arrangements for some lobbyists.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-11/cyprus-fire-that-killed-eight-spread-from-power-station-to-munitions-store.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jul/29/european-debt-crisis-cyprus

I’m sorry for those couples who vea life-long loan to buy property at Marsaxlokk and Birzebbugia who will see the value of their home sink into the lowest levels because of Muscat’s capricious project which would bring a great security threat to the area.

Dejjem jaghzaq fl-ilma, Marco Cremona.

Dante placed them very firmly in the Inferno. “Quelli che attendevano l’esito per schierarsi col vincitore” He was speaking of angels, not mere human mortals.