Geologists are insisting that their profession is duly recognised by the government and the country’s laws, and that only warranted geologists are allowed to carry out geological reports.

In a meeting the President of the Malta Chamber of Geologists Peter Gatt had with Jonathan Attard, Minister for Justice and Construction Reform, Dr Gatt presented the minister with a draft copy of a Geologists Act which can be the basis of legislation that would recognise and protect the profession of the geologist in Malta.

Gatt reminded the minister that the Italian parliament had already passed a Geologists Act back in 1963 in contrast to Malta where geologists are not mentioned anywhere in Maltese legislation.

The President of the Chamber of Geologists also presented a memorandum to minister Attard, expressing the Chamber’s views on changes in current legislation to ensure public safety.

Gatt also referred to the Jean Paul Sofia Board of Inquiry Report’s recommendation that every rock excavation should be preceded by a report written by a geologist to assess ground conditions.

This recommendation implies that the state must now recognise the profession of the geologist so that only warranted geologists will be allowed to make such geological reports and fill in the description of ground conditions of the Method Statement, which presently is done by other professionals who may not understand or misinterpret the site geology, as revealed in several cases, the chamber said in a statement.

Gatt also brought to the attention of the minister that the geological map of Malta has several errors and omissions which endanger lives when excavation is carried out.

The Chamber has already highlighted this problem, but nothing has been done. Malta remains the only European country where the profession of the geologist is not recognised in any form and the Chamber of Geologists remains excluded from the Building and Construction Consultative Council which is under minister Attard’s remit.

To aggravate matters, Malta also remains the only country without a national Geological Service. The situation undermines public safety and many economic opportunities remain untapped. The ball in now in Minister Attard’s court for him to act, the chamber said.