Watch: Robert Abela Pledges Free Legal Advice For Citizens Facing Construction Problems
Citizens who feel that ongoing construction works are prejudicing or endangering them will soon be able to benefit from free professional advice, Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced.
“We want to give citizens a bigger voice,” Abela told a press conference moments after a public inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia flagged serious regulatory shortcomings.
“When citizens are confronted by this sector the reality is that they feel too small and that they aren’t competing on a level playing field. We will give citizens better access to voice their positions and arguments when they feel that rule-breaking is prejudicing them or placing them in a state of uncertainty or danger.”
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The free ‘professional and legal aid’ team will fall under the remit of the Ministry of Justice and Construction Reform.
Although no timelines were given, Abela pledged that he is viewing this initiative – along with four others – as an “immediate priority”.
These are the other four initiatives the Prime Minister promised today.
1. The formation of a centralised unit to monitor construction sites, along with a centralised helpline to guide citizens to the correct authority. This is intended to clamp down on the bureaucratic nightmare of authorities and government departments continuously passing the buck to each other.
2. A new law regulating workplace health and safety will be in place by the summer.
3. All legal distinctions between standalone buildings and non-standalone buildings will be removed.
4. An audit on the way the government allocates its land will take place.
Do you agree with these initatives?
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