China-Muscat relationship update: promised Eur4 million bridge study goes AWOL too
Last July, when the prime minister was in Beijing with a sobbing Sai Mizzi, he told Ariadne Massa of The Sunday Times that the Eur4 million feasibility study on a bridge between the Maltese islands was “practically ready” and that he expected it in September.
Muscat signed an agreement for that study 16 months ago, with the same Chinese state corporation which built – literally, because it sent in its own coolies and used no Maltese labour – the Red China Dock in Grand Harbour 30 years ago when Prime Minister Mintoff was a Communists and Bloody Dictators of the World lackey.
Now that Chinese bridge study, like his Chinese investment of Eur300 million plus in Enemalta, has gone Absent Without Leave. Members of my international worldwide network of spies, in Gozo (and you know what they’re like there), tell me that no activity even remotely resembling marine or land-based surveys, still less by instantly-detectable Chinese engineers, has taken place at their end. I wouldn’t expect anybody at the Malta end to notice.
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Hey JoJo, look up this bridge; it only costs £14.67. No, I id not forget to type ‘million’ after £14.67.
http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/building-toys/brio-33482-wooden-railway-system-girder-bridge.asp
http://www.sundaycircle.com/2014/10/joseph-muscats-powerhouse-of-cards-is-falling-apart/
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141014/opinion/A-beacon-of-failure.539658
‘….To put things into perspective, Malta has a base-load of around 160MW during the night and an average of 240MW during the day, with peaks during summer of around 450MW. If the government binds itself to constantly buy 350MW of electricity from these two suppliers 24×7, it will be most of the time wasting this energy, apart from leaving dormant a 200MW interconnector cable, an investment costing €200 million which enables us to buy electricity at prices which can sometimes be up to three times lower than the fixed price Labour planned that Electrogas will sell its energy at. Not mentioning another 180MW of spare generation at Phase 2 and 3 of Delimara which Enemalta will still own…..’
Please put this up as a post, that readers be reminded what this madness extends to. The Martin Sciclunas to hang their heads in shame, surely even they know their arithmetic, these figures clear before last year’s election.
It’s not just the tanker, BWSC and HFO or an unused interconnector. It’s plain plundering of public money which at these significant amounts can very well be used elsewhere.
A thorough alternative energy development programme perhaps, rendering us virtually fossil fuel independent.
We just have to endure this mental torture instead, these idiots playing leaders of a country which deserves and has the potential to so much better.
Makes my blood boil.
Let’s face it, if a team of Chinese engineers turned up anywhere in Gozo, somebody would definitely notice.
They even had a press release to cover their tracks. Surveys were done but probably not on this bridge.
During the general election campaign, Muscat promised that he would not privatise Air Malta.
Now compare these articles:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140430/local/PM-we-have-a-plan-to-expand-Air-Malta.516993
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140501/local/Muscat-no-plans-for-a-part-sale-of-Air-Malta.517120
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/44890/prime_minister_excludes_full_privatisation_of_air_malta_but_open_to_strategic_partner#.VD7nVuc6GmE
Muscat has blamed the delay of the new Electrogas power station on failure to reach agreement on their 30% shareholding in EneMalta. Am I missing a link here?
How exactly does this preclude ElectroGas from proceeding with their project? Is it not SOCAR, Gem holdings and Siemens Ventures – how do the Chinese figure in the ElectroGas delay?
[Daphne – They’re delaying for the very same reason the Chinese are: neither company will go ahead until they have a guarantee that the government will not buy electricity from the others instead of from them. It is my considered opinion that the Chinese deal was as much of a ‘surprise’ to the Electrogas investors as it was to the rest of us. The Chinese, meanwhile, already knew about Electrogas when they entered the equation, and so it looks to me like their plan of action from the get-go was to squeeze ElectroGas out. Now they are really laying on the pressure to do just that.]
You are mistaken, Daphne.
The bridge is “on track”.
Here it is: http://legodesignideas.com/lego-bridge.html
My theory is different. ElectroGas already have the guarantee in their contract. This contract was signed in May, although it remains secret till today, notwithstanding Busuttil’s constant harping on this every Sunday this summer.
[Daphne – The thing is that we have no way of knowing that they do have any such guarantee in the contract or even if there is a contract at all.]
I suspect the ElectroGas delay is based on the fact that it is simply not deliverable by the agreed time frame, if at all.
[Daphne – Then clearly, there is no contract…because I can’t see any of the Maltese individuals involved signing on the dotted line to an unrealistic timeframe or to something they can’t deliver at all. I really do think it’s a stand-off between the two prospective suppliers, bearing in mind that Muscat clearly struck a deal with the Electrogas elements before the general election, and a parallel deal of which they were not aware, with the Chinese.]
The issue with the Chinese, which is a real problem in itself is being used as an excuse for the ElectroGas non-performing problem.
What do they mean by “technically feasible”. This bridge is only a couple of kilometres long.
That financially it definitely isn’t. If that had to be achieved, the bridge would simply be two legs, with Comino as the central section.
The Comino-Gozo leg straddling the blue lagoon, closest to Gozo’s coast, anything else being an extravagant expense.
And what’s worse, Gozitans do not really like the idea of a bridge carrying cars, doesn’t really solve their commute ‘up’ to Valletta and the harbour area, traffic being what it is. What they’d prefer instead is a rail link, underground or whatever, to save time.
They’re also extremely wary of our propensity to invade everywhere using automobiles, practically changing Gozo into traffic hell any long weekend.
Bless their logical nous.
The object dominating Darren Zammit Lupi’s photo is increasingly looking like what Joseph Muscat is about to get delivered up his backside by the Chinese.
The other day George Pullicino was on Net TV discussing Labours power station cock-up. Marlene Farrugia represented the government.
She blamed Lawrence Gonzi for everything, as though he’s the prime minister.
Labour is in charge, Marlene, and the buck stops with your leader. Stop treating us like headless chickens.
You were and still are part of the Labour Conning Machine which committed itself to having this massive undertaking all wrapped up within two years of taking office.
Your leader may be crafty, but a magician he ain’t. Just admit that the Nationalists were right all the way, and not just about the frickin’ power station. There’s that other not so small issue about getting rid of Arriva and having to settle now for God knows what. Autobuses de Leon?
Saw that. I see Marlene Farrugia still can’t do anything other than interrupting and shouting down her adversary.
So she thinks this government should be transparent. So why doesn’t she stop using The Malta Independent as personal talking shop and settle matters in parliament?
Hear hear
And can you imagine compiling a feasibility study in 2014 and neglecting to consider the environment? Il-vera trid tkun Ciniz. The environment should be the biggest and the most complex part of that feasibility study. What a farce.
I wonder how Ariadne Massa feels at being lied to so glibly.
Doesn’t she feel used?
To note how a person like him surfs over the reputation, and career, of whoever he’s using at any particular moment without a thought of respect or care for the life of that person, gives this reality an unbelievable stench.
Ghal li jista’ jkun, Ariadne ma kienitx wahda mill-maghzulin li ttellghu ic-Cina a spejjez taghna biex jirrappurtaw iz-zjara ta’ Jowzef dan l-ahhar fic-Cina?
Probably. Is the point for her the free trip or the career boost?
I’m aware of her background, but would have expected more career pride and self respect.
Just out of curiosity, are any of the companies or their directors involved with this Electrogas project currently issuing bonds at the moment?
Should we be suspicious of the timing?
Remember the ice bucket challenge? Sai Laing’s husband nominated Ariadne Massa. Why, I wonder.