MPs heading to Parliament on a rainy day had better keep their waterproofs on once inside Malta’s highest institution because the building is known to leak during bad weather.
Water trickled down from the ceiling in one room within the iconic Valletta building during a press conference held last week by the Democratic Party in a room used by the Opposition.
Plastic containers were placed in strategic locations around the room to avoid damaging the parquet flooring. A stone veneer covering part of the ceiling has taken on a mouldy green hue as a result of the water seepage. Wirings could be seen in a panel adjacent to the veneer.
The Speaker’s office said rainwater seepage had been re-occurring intermittently since day one.
The Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation and Malita Plc had both been contacted about the matter.
Speaker Anġlu Farrugia said the issue was limited to a few rooms in the building. The Chamber where MPs gathered for debates was not affected, he noted.
MPs shifted to the Renzo Piano-designed Parliament building near City Gate in May 2015.
The new building was mired by delays and cost overruns. Originally touted for a November 2012 opening, the project was soon…
