The secret of the country’s economic development was intensive and careful investment in education so that the country is prepared for the challenges of the future, Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit told architects receiving their warrant.

The 20 architects who have graduated over the last few months will join the more than 550 others on the country’s register, said the Department of Information.

Mr Zammit said that although the architects’ profession mainly followed architecture and civil engineering, many architects today go on after university to specialise in various fields, such as restoration, road building and energy. This meant that the country was having a wide spectrum of professionals in all sectors, satisfying all the needs of the building industry and the infrastructure.

He said that the government was committed to offering education of the highest level and was drawing up a legal structure so that more professions would be covered by a warrant.