A total of 3,793 applications have been submitted for the newly required building contractors licence, Public Works Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi told Parliament on Wednesday.
During an adjournment speech in Parliament, Zrinzo Azzopardi explained that 1,754 contractors had applied for a construction licence, 1,233 applied for a demolition licence, and 806 contractors applied for an excavation licence.
As per the new regulations, contractors who failed to apply for any contractor’s licence by 31 October will now be operating illegally.
Contractors had to apply for a licence depending on which sector they work on, meaning that a contractor who works in demolition, excavation, and construction would have had to apply for three licences – one for each category.
Zrinzo Azzopardi said that this is a new regulatory regime for the building and construction sector and that with the finalisation of the first phase of this reform. The industry is on its way to be one of higher quality and seriousness.
The move to introduce a licensing system for the building sector is certainly one which is much needed and is to be applauded. Having a licensing system together with work on a skills card for individual workers will only help increase the standards of the industry – something which has been sorely needed for many years now – in the long term.
It is only fair that contractors were given a period of time in order to apply for the licence and there should be no complaints that this was done in a rushed manner, leaving some behind. At this point those who did not apply for the licence did this because they simply do not wish to regulate themselves.
These contractors are now operating illegally, as the Minister himself said in Parliament last week.
The natural question which many have asked however is on how this will be enforced. It is amply clear from life in Malta that enforcement – and not just when it comes to the construction sector – is the country’s Achilles heel.
The Building & Construction Authority (BCA) which is responsible for the enforcement of the building sector is no stranger to criticism on its enforcement capacity.
It has come under the microscope of the public inquiry looking into the death of Jean Paul Sofia in a construction collapse last year, first and foremost because it doesn’t seem like various top officials within the BCA knew whether the building – a semi-constructed factory in the Corradino Industrial Estate – which collapsed was under its remit or not, but also due to a lack of enforcement on the construction sector across the board.
In fact, it has been revealed that the BCA’s enforcement capacity is limited: the authority has 17 inspectors responsible for dealing with thousands of reports relating to the construction industry across both Malta and Gozo.
As this newspaper has said time and time again, good legislative reform must be coupled with effective enforcement – otherwise that reform is for nought.
The construction industry is no different, and work must be undertaken in order to reinforce the BCA’s ability to effectively enforce the sector and ensure that everyone working in it is qualified, licenced and – most importantly – is following the rules.
Lives depend on it.