Hemm diversi affarijiet mhux ċari f’dak li seta’ wassal għall-inċident tal-ġimgħa l-oħra meta waqgħet binja Tania Flats f’Paceville. Huwa importanti li niddiskutu pubblikament dak li ġara għax huwa biss b’dan il-mod li nistgħu inwasslu messaġġ ċar li l-qagħda preżenti tal-industrija tal-bini hi inaċċettabbli. Dan qaluh Sandra Gauci Chairperson u l-Perit Carmel Cacopardo Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party is-Sibt meta indirizzaw konferenza stampa f’Paceville.

Carmel Cacopardo qal li minkejja l-pożi u l-ftaħir kollu dwar ir-riforma li għaddejja biex tkun irregolata l-industrija tal-bini, reġa’ kellna kollass ta’ binja oħra, din id-darba f’Paceville. Minkejja li l-binja waqgħet il-ġimgħa l-oħra, għal diversi ġranet bqajna nkunu infurmati b’bini addizzjonali li qed ikun evakwat. Li ma weġġa’ ħadd hu tajjeb, imma dan seħħ bil-ħniena! Bosta qed jikkummentaw u jgħidu tagħhom u jikkonkludu billi jippuntaw subgħajhom dwar min fil-fehma tagħhom hu responsabbli għal dak li ġara.

Cacopardo kompla jgħid li filwaqt li hu prematur li naslu għal konklużjonijiet qabel ma jkunu magħrufa l-fatti kollha, hu xorta importanti li niddiskutu dak li ġara. Għax probabbilment li ġara mhux ħtija ta’ fattur wieħed iżda ta’ diversi fatturi li possibilment ma ngħatawx importanza biżżejjed. Huwa importanti li l-investigazzjoni tistabilixxi eżattament x’ġara u dan għaliex kulħadd huwa inkwetat li minkejja l-kontrolli u regoli introdotti, xorta reġa’ kellna inċident ta’ serjetà kbira.

Cacopardo żied jgħid li huwa inevitabbli li l-investigazzjoni teżamina dak kollu li ġara biex tipprova tistabilixxi jekk il-kollass tal-binja Tania Flats ġratx minħabba x-xogħol li kien għaddej inkella minħabba xi difetti fl-istess binja. Irrispettivament x’jirriżulta mill-investigazzjoni, konklużjoni importanti li irridu niffukaw fuqha hi l-ħtieġa illi r-regolamentazzjoni tal-industrija tal-bini m’għandux jiffoka biss fuq il-fażi tal-kostruzzjoni imma għandu jkun assigurat li l-bini jkun f’kundizzjoni tajba kontinwament.

Kien għal din ir-raġuni li l-Awtorità tal-Bini u Kostruzzjoni, madwar 4 snin ilu bdiet taħdem fuq inizjattiva biex jinħoloq passaport għal kull binja b’mod li jinġabar f’post wieħed informazzjoni dwar il-kundizzjoni ta’ kull binja. Din kienet inizjattiva li meta żviluppata setgħet isservi biex ikun assigurat li kull binja tkun f’kundizzjoni tajba, bla periklu u b’inqas possibilità ta’ kollass. Sfortunatament, żied jgħid Cacopardo minkejja x-xogħol utli li sar mill-Awtorità dwar din l-inizjattiva aħna infurmati li waqaf kollox minħabba li saru sforzi biex dawn il-kontrolli utli ma jiġux żviluppati. Dan hu żbaljat u din l-inizjattiva għandha terġa’ tingħata l-ħajja biex ikun possibli li b’mod kontinwu jkun assigurat li l-bini ta’ madwarna jkun f’kundizzjoni tajba, ikkonkluda Cacopardo.

Sandra Gauci qalet li t-traġedja tal-waqgħa tal-binja magħrufa bħala Tania Flats ħasdet lil ħafna nies. Li jkollok titlaq ħabta u sabta minn darek jew il-post tax-xogħol għax se taqa’ hija traġedja speċjalment f’pajjiż li jiftaħar li jrid ikun l-aqwa.

Filwaqt li nestendu s-solidarjetà tagħna lin-nies li kellhom joħorġu u lin-negozji fl-akwati li ġew effettwati, hemm bżonn li r-responsabbiltajiet jintrefgħu. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu għaddejjin qisuma ġara xejn. Ġraw wisq traġedji. L-inkjesta pubblika dwar il-kollass tal-binja f’Kordin li wasslet għall-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia kixfet il-ħafna nuqqasijiet li hemm fis-settur tal-kostruzzjoni u issa hemm bżonn li min għandu jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà, jerfagħha. Qegħdin f’punt fejn kulħadd hu mxebba’ bid-dilettantiżmu madwarna: hemm bżonn risposti ċari u kontabilità.

Il-Gvern ilu jkaxkar saqajh biex iżomm ir-riedni lis-settur. Filwaqt li nibtu ħafna entitajiet, l-infurzar huwa minimu u r-riżorsi umani biex dan l-infurzar isir sew mhumiex biżżejjed. Filwaqt li qegħdin nipprovaw nagħtu l-impressjoni li qegħdin nagħmlu xi ħaġa, dak li qed isir huwa ftit li xejn. Prova ta’ dan hu li l-inċidenti ma waqfux. Hemm bżonn li jkun aċċellerat il-proċess li bih l-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni tkun irregolata temmet tgħid Sandra Gauci.

The current state of the construction sector is unacceptable

There are a number of questions in relation to the collapse of Tania Flats in Paceville that remain unanswered. It is important to discuss this issue in public as it is the only way that we can communicate that the current situation vis-a-vis the construction sector in Malta is unacceptable. This was stated by Sandra Gauci and Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of ADPD – The Green Party when they addressed a press conference in Paceville on Saturday. Carmel Cacopardo said that despite the posing and performative actions about the reforms currently being enacted to regulate the construction industry, we have had another building collapse, and this time in Paceville. This building collapsed last week, and we are still being informed that there are more buildings which are being considered for evacuations. It is good to see that no one has been hurt, but this is nothing short of a miracle! Many are commenting on the situation and giving their opinion, pointing fingers are those whom they think
are responsible for what has happened.

Cacopardo continued to say that whilst it is premature to come to a conclusion as yet given we do not have all the facts, it is still important to discuss what has happened. It is most probably a plurality of factors rather than a single factor, and these may have not been given the necessary attention. It is important to commence an investigation to establish exactly what has happened, as many are concerned about the fact that these serious incidents are occurring in spite of the regulations that have been introduced recently.

Cacopardo also said that the investigation will examine all factors that have led to the collapse of Tania Flats, ascertaining whether it was caused by the current building practices or structural defects in the building itself. Irrespective of the outcome of the investigation, we need to focus on the need that the regulation of buildings should not be limited to their construction phase: it should be ensured that they are continuously safe to use.

It was for this very reason that around four years ago the Building and Construction Authority started work on the introduction of the building passport, a document which would contain all relevant information about the condition of a building. This was an initiative with the aim of assuring that every single building was in a good state, safe and with no possibility of collapsing.

Unfortunately, said Cacopardo, although the authority had made progress on building passports, we were informed that this initiative was discontinued as a result of pressures to ease regulatory initiatives. This is a grave mistake and this initiative should be re-instated so that we can be assured that the buildings that surround us are considered safe continuously, concluded Cacopardo.

Sandra Gauci said that the recent tragedy has frightened many people. To be forced to suddenly leave your home or workplace because there is danger of imminent collapse is a tragedy, especially in a country that frequently boasts of aiming to be the best. Whilst we are in solidarity with all those who had to be evacuated from their homes and the businesses in the immediate area impacted, there is the need for
accountability and responsibility. We cannot carry on as if nothing has happened. Too many tragedies have happened. The public inquiry on the collapsed building in Kordin which caused the death of Jean Paul Sofia has revealed the numerous failings in the construction industry and now there is the need for those responsible to act. We are at a point where everybody is fed up with the lack of professionalism around us: we need clear answers and accountability.

The government has been dragging its feet in connection with regulation and enforcement in the construction industry. Whilst many government entities have been set up, enforcement is weak and human resources allocated to these entities are the bare minimum. It is a half-hearted attempt to give the semblance of doing something, when in fact very little is being done. Proof of this is that these incidents have not come to a halt. There is the need for the regulation of the construction sector to be taken seriously and without delay, concluded Sandra Gauci.