Effective enforcement in the construction industry should serve as a strong deterrent for those willing to abuse. Introducing new regulations is worthless if they are not implemented properly. Continuous oversight by the authorities is essential, because without it the reforms that have been made and that have yet to be made, are not worth the paper they are printed on. We cannot continue to sacrifice lives on the altar of money and profit. This was the main message by the ADPD-The Green Party spokespersons at a news conference on the construction industry this morning in front of Castille, the Office of the Prime Minister in Valletta.

ADPD spokesperson, Mark Zerafa said that between 2010 and 2022, 49 incidents occurred in which workers lost their lives and only five cases were concluded in court. In ten cases, the court decided that no one could be held responsible and 24 cases are still pending. In 23 years, no architect suffered any repercussions for deficiencies on construction sites, even when they were found guilty by the Court.

Introducing new regulations is worthless if they are not implemented properly. Continuous oversight by the authorities is essential, because without it the reforms that have been made and that have yet to be made, are not worth the paper they are printed on.

Zerafa insisted that there is also a need for the construction industry to stop exploiting the vulnerable. Last year (2022) we had eight fatal accidents on construction sites. “Is it a coincidence that four of the eight victims were third-country nationals?”

ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci referred to the statement by the President of the Chamber of Architects, Mr Andre’ Pizzuto when he expressed his disappointment that the construction industry is not regulated as necessary, despite their efforts to establish suitable measures. He had warned that the legal and administrative tools to properly control this industry did not exist. But introducing new regulations is worthless if they are not implemented properly.

“We need to be proactive. No permit for construction work should be issued before it is ascertained that the safety regulations are complied with. Site managers must receive adequate training and unannounced inspections must be carried out and on which action is taken promptly. Fines must be made tougher for contractors who carelessly do not protect the safety of their workers. We cannot stand idly by while the list of tragedies continues to grow. We can no longer shed crocodile tears after a tragedy occurs that is soon forgotten, as if nothing had happened!” Gauci maintained.

The last victim in 2022 was the late Jean Paul Sofia. What is preventing Prime Minister Robert Abela from launching, as is appropriate, a public inquiry in order to avoid similar tragedies in the future and so that justice is done? While we urge the Prime Minister to put justice before the interests of industry and profits, we salute the memory of Jean Paul and express our hope that his family and friends find the peace of mind they really deserve.

Courts should proceed without delay against contractors and developers who put profit before the safety of their workers. It is not acceptable that such cases drag on for years. Effective enforcement in the construction industry should serve as a strong deterrent for those willing to abuse. We cannot continue to sacrifice lives on the altar of money and profits, concluded Gauci.

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ADPD jisħaq fuq infurzar effettiv dwar is-sigurtà fl-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni

Hemm bżonn infurzar effettiv fil-qasam tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni biex iservi ta’ deterrent qawwi għal min lest li jabbuża. Li jiddaħħlu regolamenti ġodda ma jiswa xejn jekk dawn ma jiġux implimentati kif imiss. Is-sorveljanza kontinwa da parti tal-awtoritajiet hi essenzjali, għax mingħajrha ir-riformi li saru u li għad iridu jsiru, ma jiswewx il-karta li huma stampati fuqha. Ma nistgħux inkommplu nissagrifikaw ħajjiet fuq l-artal tal-flus u l-profitt. Dan sostnewh il-kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet dwar l-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni dalgħodu quddiem Kastilja.

Il-kelliem ta’ ADPD, Mark Zerafa qal li bejn l-2010 u 2022, seħħew 49 inċident li fihom ħaddiema tilfu ħajjithom u ħames każijiet biss ġew konklużi mill-qorti. F’għaxar każijiet, il-qorti iddeċidiet li ħadd ma seta’ jinżamm responsabbli u 24 każ għadhom pendenti. Fi 23 sena, ebda perit ma sofra konsegwenza tan-nuqqasijiet fis-siti ta’ kostruzzjoni, anke meta dawn instabu ħatja mill-Qorti.

Li jiddaħħlu regolamenti ġodda ma jiswa xejn jekk dawn ma jiġux implimentati kif imiss. Is-sorveljanza kontinwa da parti tal-awtoritajiet hi essenzjali, għax mingħajrha r-riformi li saru u li għad iridu jsiru, ma jiswewx il-karta li huma stampati fuqha.

Zerafa sostna li hemm bżonn ukoll li l-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni ma tkomplix tisfrutta lill-vulnerabbli. Is-sena l-oħra (2022) kellna tmien inċidenti fatali fuq siti ta’ kostruzzjoni. “Hija kumbinazzjoni li erba’ vittmi mit-tmienja kienu cittadini ta’ pajjiżi mhux membri fl-Unjoni Ewropea?” 

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci irreferiet għal dak li kien qal il-President tal-Kamra tal-Periti, is-Sur Andre’ Pizzuto meta esprima d-diżappunt tiegħu li l-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni mhix regolata kif meħtieġ, minkejja l-isforzi tagħhom sabiex jitwettqu miżuri addattati. Huwa kien wissa’ li l-għodda legali u amministrattiva sabiex din l-industrija tiġi kontrollata b’mod xieraq ma teżistix. Imma li jiddaħħlu regolamenti ġodda ma jiswa xejn jekk dawn ma jiġux implimentati kif imiss.

“Hemm bżonn li nkunu proattivi. Ebda permess għal xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni ma għandu jinħareġ qabel ma jkun hemm ċertezza li r-regolamenti ta’ sigurtà huma mħarsa. Site managers għandhom jirċievu taħriġ addattat u għandhom jitwettu spezzjonijiet għall-għarrieda u li dwarhom titteħed azzjoni fil-pront. Hemm bżonn li l-multi jiħraxu għal kuntratturi li bi traskuraġni jew għaliex ma jimpurtahomx ma jħarsux is-sigurtà tal-ħaddiema tagħhom. Ma’ nistgħux nibqgħu b’idejna fuq żaqqna waqt li l-lista ta’ traġedji tkompli titwal. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu inxerrdu dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli wara li sseħħ traġedja li wara ftit tintesa, qisu xejn m’hu xejn!” sostniet Gauci.

L-aħħar vittma fis-sena 2022 kien il-mibki Jean Paul Sofia. X’inhu jżomm lill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela milli jniedi, kif inhu xieraq, inkjesta pubblika sabiex nevitaw traġedji simili fil-futur u sabiex il-ġustizzja titwettaq?  Filwaqt li nħeġġu lill-Prim Ministru biex ipoġġi l-ġustizzja qabel l-interessi ta’ kull industrija u l-profitti, insellmu l-memorja ta’ Jean Paul u nesprimu t-tama tagħna li l-familjari u ħbieb tiegħu isibu s-serħan tal-qalb kif tassew jistħoqqilhom.

Il-qorti għandha tipproċedi bla dewmien kontra kuntratturi u żviluppaturi li jpoġġu l-profitt qabel is-sigurtà tal-ħaddiema tagħhom. Mhux aċċettabbli li każijiet bħal dawn idumu jkaxkru snin. Hemm bżonn infurzar effettiv fil-qasam tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni biex iservi ta’ deterrent qawwi għal min lest li jabbuża. Ma nistgħux inkomplu nissagrifikaw ħajjiet fuq l-artal tal-flus u l-profitti, temmet tgħid Gauci.