‘Someone Must Take Responsibility. Someone Must Act’: Construction Industry Dubbed The ‘Wild West’ By Sofia Inquiry Chairman
Ombudsman Joseph Zammit McKeon wasn’t beating around the bush during this morning’s reconvening of the JeanPaul Sofia hearing, interrupting minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi to blast the “wild west” that is Malta’s construction industry.
Today was the fifth session of the public inquiry into the tragic construction site incident which claimed the life of the 20-year-old man, with the panel being made up of chairman Zammit McKeon, Auditor-General Charles Deguara and Mario Cassar.
The panel’s primary mandate is to assess whether the state had established and enforced adequate safety regulations prior to, during, and after the tragic death of Sofia, who was buried beneath the rubble of Corradino in December 2022.
Testimonies have been heard from figures within the construction industry, health and safety experts, and the minister responsible for the said sector, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.
The minister spoke about stand-alone buildings which are often allowed to be constructed with minimal oversight – much like the Corradino factory.
In previous court hearings, we learned that Corradino project escaped regulatory scrutiny due to the fact that it did not affect any third party buildings.
In fact, during today’s proceedings when the minister said that the Building and Construction Agency (BCA) is there to regulate construction, he was interrupted by Joseph Zammit McKeon who clarified that this is only the case “where third parties are involved”, adding that “the rest is wild west”.
Azzopardi said that “There’s an ongoing revision process especially the obligation to have an insurance cover, notwithstanding there’s no third party”, and that there have been drafts and discussions on building codes. However, its focus will be on those building codes regarding demolition and excavation.
Additionally, when the minister was posed with a question on whether he was happy with the chair of the BCA, he responded that “The BCA’s work is ongoing and improving. There’s a process of streamlining”as reported by the Times of Malta.
“The authority is making its presence felt. Yes, there’s more to be done. Let’s not forget that the BCA is relatively young. There are advances under the direction of the CEO and board,” he added.
When asked about the training of inspectors the minister clarified that the Occupational Health and Safety Authority inspectors are trained on safety issues.
Despite this, they do not have the responsibility to monitor whether works are being carried out in line with construction drawings. The BCA’s inspectors must carry out the above and it is then up to the architect to check that the work is being done according to directions.
The inquiry chair was certainly not impressed with this explanation regarding where the various responsibilities lie, replying, “We have a flaw in the system, minister,” since “We’re relying on self-regulation.”
“Someone must take responsibility. Someone must act. Because someone falls through the system and that’s where an accident might happen,” he says.
Zammit McKeon proposed that if an OHSA officer notices any irregularities, even if it falls under the architect’s jurisdiction, the architect should be notified to promptly visit the site; otherwise, operations should be halted.
What do you make of today’s court hearing?
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