Construction Managers Call For Urgent Licensing Of Contractors But Say Self-Regulation Can Work
Malta needs to urgently ensure that contractors are regulated and operating under a strict licensing regime, the Malta Chamber for Construction Management has said.
The statement follows an incident earlier this week where a 32-year-old Ghanian migrant who fell two storeys while working on a construction site was dumped on the side of the road by his employer instead of being taken to the hospital.
In a reaction, the chamber said it was shocked and disgusted by the incident.
“It is unacceptable that a human being is treated in this way in 2021,” chamber president Jesmond Chetcuti said. “This shows the urgent need to ensure that contractors are regulated, and the need for a strict licensing regime to enter into force. There is no place for incidents of his nature.”
Referring to the incident, Chetcuti said that while details were still scant, it appeared that employment laws and health and safety regulations may have been broken.
“Moreover, irrespective of the law, it goes against human nature to fail to support and assist a fellow human,” Chetcuti said.
He added that the chamber insisted that its members be adequately trained in health and safety.
“Risk assessments shouldn’t just be a piece of paper to put in a folder just to tick a box. They need to be read and reviewed properly to ensure that mitigation measures are followed.”
Rather than a sign that self-regulation did not work, Chetcuti said that Tuesday’s incident reflected more on the irresponsibility of the contractor in question.
“There are good contractors that follow the rules and know their responsibilities, so it’s not fair to put everyone in the same basket,” he said, adding that “irresponsible contractors need to be stopped from operating”.
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