Guest Post: Deaths Of JeanPaul Sofia And Others Show Malta’s Property Industry Needs Structural Reform
On 3rd December, negligence at a construction site in Kordin led to the collapse of a building which killed JeanPaul Sofia and injured five others – three of them critically. This is far from an isolated incident.
In 2020, the death of Miriam Pace shocked the nation, following other building collapses in 2019, while thousands of worker injuries at construction sites happen every year. These all point to an industry that continues to go completely unregulated and a political status quo which is reluctant to challenge powerful industries.
Following the death of Miriam Pace, the government enacted a number of reforms to address the lack of regulation in the construction industry, but many of these were superficial and left much to be desired.
Moviment Graffitti, in consultation with other NGOs and civil society organisations, had released a detailed document on reforming planning and construction in Malta in October 2020, but the recommendations were either ignored or adopted superficially.
These recommendations covered everything from reforms to existing planning laws and a new SPED policy with a long-term vision, strengthening worker’s rights, and health and safety within the industry, as well as measures to ensure compliance with the stipulations of the Aarhus Convention.
Miriam Pace died when her home collapsed due to nearby construction works in 2020
Crucially, four major points within the construction sector continue to go unaddressed: the lack of licensing of contractors, the lack of Building and Construction Codes, a dysfunctional Building and Construction Authority, and the misuse of Development Notification Orders to bypass planning processes.
Malta still lacks any framework or regulations that specify aspects of construction as basic as what machinery and materials can be used at construction sites. The superficiality of reforms is directly related to the influence of developers and contractors, who until recently had one of their own leading the Building and Construction Authority – the very same authority that was set up to regulate them.
To add insult to injury, in response to the death of JeanPaul Sofia and the five other injuries, the government has ruled out a public inquiry. This is nothing short of a betrayal of the victims and their families, who deserve to know what led to the incident, as well as to make sure that contractors and developers responsible for JeanPaul Sofia’s death and injuries are held accountable.
Fewer actions demonstrate our politicians’ servility to developers, contractors, and construction magnates as much as the inability to ensure basic justice for those aggrieved by criminal negligence and abuse of power.
There are broader questions to be asked of politicians on the continuing power of the construction industry and property speculators. Why have we allowed an alliance of property speculators and construction industry lobbyists to have so much power in our islands? It is clear to even the most casual observers that our planning processes have been completely compromised.
Fundamentally, our towns and villages should be places where people feel safe to live, work and play, not places where they are at risk of losing their lives simply by visiting or living next to a construction site.
The government would do well to consider deeply reforming and slowing down this sector, which is wreaking havoc on the countryside and our open spaces, while negatively affecting people’s sense of wellbeing.
Only a radical change of direction in the policies regulating – or not regulating – this sector can prevent deaths like JeanPaul Sofia’s from ever happening again.
Miguel Azzopardi is a Moviment Graffiti activist
Do you think Malta’s property industry requires structural reform?