A promised reform of Malta’s construction sector has been completed and is set to be launched for consultation, according to Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia.

Lovin Malta reached out to the minister to ask for an update on the reform following an incident last Tuesday which saw a migrant worker injured on a construction site dumped on the side of the road by his employer.

“The base work in terms of draft regulations as being proposed is complete and is due to run through the necessary consultation process soon,” a spokesperson for Farrugia told Lovin Malta. 

They said that the main elements of the reform included “the first-ever National Building Codes, regulations establishing the skill level requirements for construction workers, the licensing of contractors, and the introduction of mandatory requirements related to buildings in terms of decarbonisation and long-term renovation processes”.

The minister condemned the “inhuman act” that led to the worker, Lamin Jaiteh, being abandoned on a pavement in Mellieħa.

“The Minister condemns the irresponsible and cruel action which left an injured construction worker on the side of a road in Selmun,” the spokesperson said, while stressing the need for “regularisation and the upscaling of standards across various aspects of the industry are a priority”.

“Such behaviour is unacceptable and stands in stark contrast to his vision for the construction sector and the people involved in it, from contractors to workers,” they said.

The spokesperson stressed the ministry’s belief that contractors should be licensed, with work on a licensing regime already being worked on.

“An integral part of the building and construction reform is the introduction of a licensing regime that includes the concurrent regeneration of vocational educational training and courses,” they said.

The construction reform was launched earlier this year, based on a transformation strategy covering from 2021 to 2031, with the consultion process commencing shortly.

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