A missing memorandum of understanding linked to collusion in the controversial Vitals hospitals deal has been discovered and submitted to Malta’s National Audit Office.

During his investigation into the deal, Auditor General Charles Deguara said that the document couldn’t be located raising suspicions among the public.

VGH had been granted a controversial concession for the Gozo General Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital and Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital. The company was forced to sell off their operations to Steward Healthcare just 21 months after starting amid growing financial debt, which stood at €36 million by the end of 2017. Its CEO, Ram Tumuluri, reportedly still made off with a €5 million bonus.

The MoU led to a concession deal where the local hospitals were transferred to Vitals Global Healthcare. The National Audit Office has found that this MoU, as well as other evidence, showed there was “collusion” ahead of the deal, rendering the entire process “dubious”.

Former minister Konrad Mizzi has recently said that he had nothing to do with the signing of the MoU, insisting he had no access to the document. He called on the government to publish the MoU, saying it was the Economy Ministry, then headed by Chris Cardona, and Malta Enterprise who handled it.

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