Some media outlets have once again delivered a distorted and deceitful account of what transpired in court yesterday during Chris Fearne’s testimony in the ongoing Vitals/Steward hospitals concession case.
The reporting paints a misleading picture and tries to portray things which were not said in court and a false impression of constant conflict between Chris Fearne and Konrad Mizzi.
Another attempt was made by the press to try and give the false impression of unilateral actions by Konrad Mizzi, ignoring the documented collaboration and recorded decision making minutes which show joint working and also collective government responsibility and crucially the many instances of positive and constructive collaboration between Chris Fearne and Konrad Mizzi throughout the project.
This distorted narrative does not faithfully reflect the testimony or the documented reality of how the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was handled. It is time to set the record straight.
Collective Cabinet Responsibility, Not Individual Action
Every major decision in the hospitals concession from the initial 2015 Request for Proposals and selection of Vitals Global Healthcare, to the signing of the concession agreements, the 2018 transition to Steward Healthcare, performance guarantees, payments, Eurostat compliance matters, and the Memorandum of Understanding with Steward was taken with full Cabinet direction, knowledge and approval.
Inter-ministerial collaboration between Health, Tourism (which oversaw PPPs), and Finance was standard practice, backed by evaluation board reports, committee minutes, Cabinet memos, and official correspondence.
Konrad Mizzi operated within this framework, as did Chris Fearne, who served together as colleagues until Mizzi’s resignation in November 2019. The responsibilities were shared between health and PPPs ministries and documented. Both ministries implemented the mandate and government policy then were given.
After 2019 up until 2022 responsibilities were no longer shared, Fearne then continued leading the Health portfolio and managed the concession for years afterward, including through restructuring attempts, payments, and all related processes.
As in all major projects some minor differences of opinion are normal in any complex, multi-year, high-stakes infrastructure project. They were resolved through Cabinet-level deliberation and documented consensus not through the actions of any one minister acting alone. Documentation demonstrates this.
Positive Collaboration Between Fearne and Mizzi
Contrary to the media narrative of perpetual clashes, there were numerous occasions of positive and effective collaboration between Chris Fearne and Konrad Mizzi on the hospitals project. Both ministers worked jointly on advancing this ambitious PPP aimed at addressing Malta’s chronic hospital bed shortages, modernising outdated facilities, and bringing in private investment and expertise.
The two worked together under the same administration’s health strategy for years, with shared goals of improving patient care, leveraging private sector efficiency, and delivering value for the Maltese taxpayer. Official records show coordinated efforts across ministries, with both contributing to the collective push for better healthcare infrastructure.
After Mizzi’s departure, Fearne continued negotiations, and operational management. This continuity demonstrates that the project was always a government-wide initiative, not a personal project of any single individual.
Value Delivered and Fair Outcomes
Court testimony for Chris Fearne shows that independent assessments confirmed that the annual payments were a fair price for the services and investments delivered.
In the International Chamber of Commerce arbitration, the tribunal valued the healthcare services provided at approximately €604 million. The net result was that the government owed Steward only a modest amount around €4.8 million after all adjustments, withholdings, and rejected claims. This means Malta received more in overall value and services than the net amount paid, countering exaggerated claims of massive losses.
These outcomes reflect a project that, despite contractual complexities and the impact of the pandemic, delivered tangible benefits: maintained hospital operations, a new Bart’s medical school, and efforts to improve services for the benefit of patients.
Moving Beyond Fake Reporting
Yesterday’s deceitful court reporting represents the independent media’s attempt to pervert the course of justice. One hopes that the Judiciary and Magistrates will follow and examine proceedings within the Court Room and not be influenced by deceitful reporting.
Unfortunately deceitful reporting does have an effect on public opinion and shaping of perceptions. However no distortion of reporting by the so called independent press can override the comprehensive documentary evidence of Cabinet approvals, inter-ministerial work, memos, and policy continuity before and after 2019.
The hospitals concession was a national effort to tackle long-standing deficiencies in our public health infrastructure through a PPP model. Both Konrad Mizzi and Chris Fearne played roles in this collective endeavor, often in constructive partnership aligned with government policy.
Malta deserves accurate reporting that reflects the full picture institutional decision-making, shared responsibilities, positive collaborative moments, and the value delivered rather than spin and fake reporting. The authoritative record lies in the official minutes, reports, and outcomes, not in deceitful reporting.
The priority remains what it always was: delivering modern, efficient healthcare services for the Maltese people while ensuring prudent use of public funds.
