The board of P.Stradins Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS) promises to take over the construction project of the hospital’s new wing with help from the police if the contracted company refuses to let it go voluntarily, said chairman of the hospital’s board Lauris Vidzis in an interview to LTV programme Panorāma on Thursday, the 8th of February.
Velve LLC, meanwhile, plans to defend its rights in a court of law if such a need appears.
LTV reports that next week two teams of foreign experts will take samples from the basement of the hospital’s newly-built section to check if there are signs of mould spores. One team was invited by the hospital, the other – by Velve.
State Scientific Institute “BIOR” Director Olga Valciņa noted that the institute found mould spores in minimal amounts during its own inspection of the basement. “What we found was multiple species of mold, up to 20 colonies on the surface. In any non-sterile environment, it would be the same,” stressed Valciņa.
Velve stresses that their teams will do all they can to prevent any concerns about mould presence. Experts allow they are unlikely to find mould spores in new test samples, LTV reports.
Previously PSKUS council consultant Gundega Vārpa informed LETA that after the hospital’s announcement regarding the termination of their contract with Velve due to the company’s failure to meet deadlines and other contract violations, the construction company refused to let hospital representatives and court bailiffs on the premises of the construction site.
Velve told LETA that only hospital representatives that have permits and a legal reason to be present there are allowed to enter the territory of the new A2 ward of the hospital.
The construction company notes that unauthorised people are not allowed on the premises of PSKUS construction site. There is a specific procedure to be provided with a permit, and the client knows this. Additionally, the company claims there is currently no legal justification to let the aforementioned people on the premises. Velve believes they did not receive the client’s binding notification regarding a one-sided termination of the contract.
The invitation received by the construction company in the morning on Thursday for a possible mutual meeting to discuss the transfer of the construction site does not indicate rational action from the client, Velve representatives say.
PSKUS management had previously voiced concerns about the construction company’s refusal to cooperate, and these concerns were confirmed on Wednesday. The hospital invites Velve to a conversation regarding the procedure for the transfer of the construction object, hoping that “Velve’s understanding of the need for constructive talks will take precedence over emotions”.
PSKUS board chairman Lauris Vidzis stresses that the board will not change its decision regardless of the opposition. “Our staff and patients have earned the right to work and receive treatment in dignified and appropriate conditions for the treatment process. This is why, the sooner we reach and agreement, the better it will be for Latvia’s society,” he notes.
Commenting on this situation, Ministry of Health Communication Office lead Oskars Šneiders told LETA that there have been problems with the construction project for a long time. It is because of this reason the ministry had dissolved PSKUS’ previous council and appointed an interim council. After assessing the situation and all available information about the construction process, the interim council presented the board of PSKUS with no-confidence, saying that the board had failed to ensure effective supervision and implementation of the construction process and financial flow without timely identification of risks and threats to the implementation of the project.
According to Šneiders, the Ministry of Health fully trusts the decisions of the existing PSKUS’ board and believes it is the choice of the board to continue or discontinue the contract with Velve LLC for the construction of the hospital’s new A2 building.
“It is in the interest of both the hospital and patients for the new A2 building to be finished as soon as possible and be of the highest possible quality,” stressed Šneiders.
In autumn of last year, amid concerns about the risk of losing European Union funding, the hospital council was removed from their posts and a new temporary council was elected, the main tasks of which are to conduct an external construction audit and ensure the involvement of a mediation service provider for the successful implementation of the project.
In November 2023 Velve completed facade work on A2 building. However, at the end of the month mould was found in the basement of the new building.
After cleaning the basement of the building, PSKUS invited experts from Riga Stradins University and BIOR laboratory. They will perform tests to determine if it is possible to continue work on premises and to make sure the mould is gone.
The hospital announced plans to terminate the contract with Velvi on the 13th of February.
The hospital’s council notes that Velve is unable to fulfil the obligations specified in the contract – construction deadlines are not observed, significant defects have been found at the construction site that still have not been eliminated, employment of uncoordinated subcontractors has taken place at the object. Other violations have also been recorded as well.
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