Contractors’ register ‘revolutionary reform’ in construction industry - Sandro Chetcuti

The contractors register to be introduced by the government is a revolutionary step in the construction industry and we are giving all contractors by September to register, Malta Developers Association President Sandro Chetcuti said yesterday.

“We finally have started the momentum to organise the construction sector,” Chetcuti said. He explained that any builder contractor, with or without a licence, is obliged to register by the end of September.

The register will be compiled after a string of construction accidents took place in the past few months, with the government issuing a legal notice aimed to implement changes in the industry to make it safer.

He highlighted that there are a number of contractors without a licence and that MDA is working towards ensuring that sooner than later these individuals will have a licence.

“We will work to make sure that these licences are classified for different types of contractors. We do not want to leave anyone out.”

The cost of registration will be just €50, Chetcuti said. People will be able to register online or meet with a dedicated team at the MDA’s offices ready to help anyone with questions.

“We will be organising a media campaign to bring more awareness for both the public and contractors, regarding this register, so that contractors have no excuse to not register.”

This registration is a ‘building blocks exercise’: Head of the BRO

The head of the Building Regulation Office Michael Ferry said the register is the beginning of the work which needs to be done on this sector, a “building block exercise”.

Ferry explained the importance of the registration by giving an example of the building of the Maltese temples.

“There is only record of where the actual stone came from, but no register of who actually built it, and that is what we are trying to do, to develop a register for all contractors and builders.”

He said that this registration process will not slow down the industry but instead increase work.

“The construction industry is not a game, but is the backbone of how the Maltese economy is working, and it must remain sustainable.”

Ferry explained that the second phase of the registration will be verifying and the classification of people working in the industry and their specialised skills.

“This is an important collaboration and we already have timelines and a plan of where we want to see the construction industry in the future.”