Amendments which are needed regarding the construction reform will be addressed in due time, but the country cannot wait any longer until this reform is implemented, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia told The Malta Independent.

This comes after, last Monday, the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers voiced their concern over the proposed legal draft 178, which deals with a reform of laws relating the building and construction. They said that they tried to propose consultation meetings with the minister but, after they attempted 3 times, their requests were not entertained.

“We have been discussing with the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers for a long while, in fact, today (last Monday) we had a discussion where they said that the reform has been discussed for a lot of years,” the Minister noted.

“Maltese and Gozitan families now want the reform to be implemented, not discussed.”

However, the minister did point out that if there are any amendments that need to take place, he is open to discuss them with the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers so that they can be implemented.

“We have met with them, and I am ready to continue meeting with them. They also participate in the meetings that we have in parliament, where they proposed amendments and they are being debated, but now the time to debate should halt and going back to the drawing board,” he remarked.

“In future months, we will implement any tweaks that would be needed, but the country cannot wait any longer for a reform that should have been made a long time ago.”