Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg does not want the incoming Malta Construction and Building Authority to just look good on paper, and not have the necessary people to operate well, he told The Malta Independent, explaining that he does not want a toothless authority.

The Malta Construction and Building Authority (MCBA), will be aimed at better regulating Malta’s construction and building industry. It will review and update fragmented legislation. The Authority shall also take over the statutory responsibilities currently entrusted with the various scattered entities responsible for regulation at post permit stage.

The Minister was asked whether the amount of construction site inspectors will increase when the new authority is created, given that this newsroom has received complaints now and in the past, of there not being enough Building Regulation Office inspectors to cope with the number of complaints filed regarding construction sites.

Indeed the Sliema Mayor himself had said that the BRO is not equipped well enough and that they have a very small number of inspectors. “I told them that their inspectors would be needed to patrol Sliema alone all day, without having to cover all Malta and Gozo. I hope we can see some improvement in that area,” Mayor Anthony Chircop had said.

Minister Borg, yesterday, said that there are a number of offices currently including the BICC the BRO who are all involved in construction, while stressing the need for one authority with the teeth to act and regulate the construction industry.

“If we will increase the responsibilities, then we need to ensure that there are enough workers to make good on those responsibilities, “ he said, responding to this newsroom. ”We do not want an authority  that would just look good on paper but does not have the necessary people needed to work.”

He stressed that he has not yet looked at the numbers, however will look at them when the whole thing is presented to him.

The minister was told that people have complained about the lack of staff at the BRO, and that they would be on the other side of the island when they are called thus taking to long to come. The Minister said that he has not received these complaints, “but this does not mean that these complaints aren’t being made.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said, during an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday that he believes that the BRO is inundated with work and “that we should give this authority more tools to work with.”