After taking over the construction site of P.Stradins Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS) still unfinished A2 ward and surveying the territory with representatives from Velve LLC, experts of the hospital found that some of the documents related to construction work have gone missing, as confirmed by the hospital council’s consultant Gundega Vārpa.
According to her, the previously signed executive documentation, including a copy for PSKUS, construction journals, supervision journals and part of the folders of the construction project, which, in accordance with the regulatory framework, must be located on the construction site, have all disappeared. Velve LLC representatives refused to comment on this situation or point to the location of those documents.
This fact was confirmed by sworn court bailiffs. They also registered the comment from Velve LLC representative, who said the documents will not be handed over. PSKUS has already informed the State Construction Control Bureau of Latvia and Riga City Construction Board of this situation and violations by Velve.
Now PSKUS will focus on surveying the construction site and its state. In parallel to that, PSKUS will also perform estimates of the losses caused to the hospital in order to determine the exact among Velve will be asked to compensate in court.
PSKUS will also commence surveying what needs to be done to fix the defects found so far.
Velve representatives told LETA that this is nothing more than new speculative claims from PSKUS, and Velve no longer considers it necessary to continue participating in this destructive defamatory campaign from PSKUS. The construction company claims the relevant documents are accessible to all institutions involved in this process. At the same time, because the takeover of the construction site was done illegally, Velve ensures the preservation of related documents.
The contract between PSKUS and Velve LLC was terminated on the 13th of February.
LETA previously reported that due to risks of losing EU funding, the council of PSKUS was dissolved and a new interim council was elected. The new members will be responsible for performing an external construction audit and ensure mediation services to ensure the project is successfully completed.
In November 2023 Velve completed facade work on the new building. The facade was then closed down to protect it from adverse weather conditions. However, at the end of the month inspectors found mould spores in the basement. The presence of mould is a very serious risk for the hospital and patients’ safety, as it is planned to establish a small surgery bloc and an emergency medical assistance centre in the basement quarters of the new building. This means the presence of mould is completely unacceptable.
After cleaning work was completed in the basement, PSKUS contracted independent experts both from the hospital and BIOR laboratory to perform additional tests to make sure the premises are safe from mould.
Velve later announced that the sections affected by mould were dismantled and that the delays with the project completion were caused by problems with the project itself. The company said it is prepared to continue working on the project to complete it, and that it would take between 15 and 17 months, bu the hospital decided to terminate the contract.
Velve promised to challenge this decision in court.
On the 21st of February, after three hours of negotiations, the hospital took over the construction site from Velve.
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