The PS-Madeira is demanding that the Regional Government make public the technical grounds that led to the calculation of the new tender value for the third phase of the Central and University Hospital of Madeira, which, according to the Executive, will have a base price of €415 million.
The third phase goes to tender for €415 million without prior qualification. Pedro Rodrigues expects to receive proposals in October, with work commencing in January: Paula Henriques, 26th of June 2026.
At a press conference held this morning near the site of the future hospital unit, Célia Pessegueiro announced that the party will submit a request for documentation to the Regional Government tomorrow. The request seeks the justification for why the new tender will cost €150 million more than the one launched ten months ago (which was for €265 million) and which failed to attract any interested companies.
“We are facing a new competition with a base price of €415 million for the third phase, when just 10 months ago, a tender was launched for €265 million. That is an increase of €150 million in just ten months. This demonstrates what the PS has been saying all along: that the value of the tender launched in August last year was below what was necessary, especially taking into account the increase in construction costs, largely due to various conflicts and the international situation,” the socialist leader said.
According to the president of the Socialist Party in Madeira, while the international crisis may justify some cost increases, others still require explanation. “That is why the Government must provide all documentation with the relevant technical justifications, as they are obliged to do, so that the Assembly and the deputies can perform their inspection duties.”
Célia Pessegueiro noted that this is one of the most expensive projects in the region at the start of this century; therefore, political accountability and a clear technical basis for this price increase of approximately 57% are imperative. “We need this work to move forward, but we also need answers as to how it reached this point of total slippage in both time and costs,” she stressed.
She also took the opportunity to question the Republic’s financing of this infrastructure, noting that the total amount estimated to be co-financed by the national Executive is lower than the value of this third phase alone. “We have not yet heard Miguel Albuquerque confirm that there were assurances from the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro; we haven’t even heard a guarantee that there will be 50% financing for the work,” declared Célia Pessegueiro.
Finally, Célia Pessegueiro questioned which other projects might “fall by the wayside” due to the price increase of the third phase of the hospital, noting that the Regional Government has “prioritised the construction of golf courses.”
Concluding, she asked, “what funds will remain for other types of investment in the region, which are so desperately needed?”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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