A Government That Fails to Show Up

While Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector Jonathan Attard issued a brief, procedural statement praising the BCA’s swift action and pledging an investigation, the lack of any comment, appearance, or gesture from the Prime Minister himself has sparked anger and disbelief.

This isn’t just a policy issue. It’s a leadership one.

A multi-storey residential block collapsed in one of Malta’s busiest entertainment districts – hours after residents were evacuated following a structural warning. This evacuation followed two police reports – one on Monday and another the morning of the incident, as well as a report to the BCA.

That no lives were lost is down to two professionals doing their job. But where is the country’s top leadership?

The pattern is becoming familiar.

Echoes of Jean Paul Sofia

Naturally, people have begun drawing comparisons to the Jean Paul Sofia case where a young man died due to negligence within the construction sector. This tragedy was too met with evasion and silence from Abela.

He resisted nationwide calls for a public inquiry until six months later – after his whole government voted against one – that he U-turned apologising to the Sofia family and announcing a public inquiry alongside the existing magisterial investigation.

Only after significant public pressure – including from the victim’s mother, the Opposition, and civil society – did Abela shift, openly expressing empathy and support, eventually acknowledging that the death had been a “wake‑up call for Malta”.

That same mother, Isabelle Bonnici, took to social media following Wednesday’s close call to warn that lessons had clearly not been learned. Her words echo the frustrations of many Maltese citizens who see the government as consistently hesitant to confront the construction industry’s failures – unless pushed to the edge.

The Architects Who Did What the State Should Have

Architects Christopher Mintoff and Nadia Curmi were instrumental in identifying the structural instability and ensuring residents were evacuated before the collapse. Their vigilance prevented another tragedy. Their actions were decisive, swift, and in the public interest – everything this government seems reluctant to be when it comes to the construction sector.

This is not about an isolated incident. It’s about a broader unwillingness to stand up to an industry long seen as closely intertwined with political power. It’s about the state’s repeated failure to step in before things fall down – literally and figuratively.

Despite the near-miss, no top official visited the site, no press conference was held, and no serious national reckoning has been proposed. The response was delegated down, deflected through statements, and left to be carried by the very professionals trying to hold the system together.

Not a Government in Crisis – But One That Doesn’t Act

To be clear, this government is not in meltdown. But its track record on construction shows a consistent weakness: reluctance to act, an allergy to accountability, and a deep hesitation to confront the industry’s power.

The question is no longer just about buildings. It’s about trust.

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