Over 70 lawyers and architects apply to assist those affected by construction industry free of charge

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said Wednesday that he was pleased that government has received around 50 applications for legal experts and over 20 applications for architect services to assist third parties who are being negatively affected by the construction sector free-of-charge.

Attard was asked in Parliament to give updates on the recommendations from the public inquiry which looked into Jean Paul Sofia’s death in December 2022. He was asked how often the new cabinet Subcommittee which was tasked with implementing the recommendations made meets.

“The Subcommittee always meets before a Cabinet meeting, and there are various interministerial ongoing works on several initiatives to implement the recommendations,” Attard said.

With regards to the call for professionals involved in the construction sector to be able to provide a service for third parties affected by issues in the sector, such as developments around them, Attard said that there was “strong interest” from professionals, with applications going over and above what the government needed.

These are now undergoing a selection and evaluation process for the submitted applications to select those who will be providing this service offered by government, and the policy on how the service will be provided to the public is also ongoing, he said.

“This is an encouraging number as it indicates interest from these professionals, who want to offer their services to citizens,” Attard said, adding that he is confident that the service will serve as a stronger voice for those who have found it difficult to express their concerns against those experienced in the sector.

He said that in a few weeks, government will also launch the promised accessible service of 24/7 customer care for those affected by the construction sector. Attard said that advanced work is ongoing to amalgamate the service between the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA).

A revised OHSA law is also in its final stages, with Attard saying that the public consultation for reform of the sector has been finalised, and government is concluding a draft bill before proceeding to the legislative process in Parliament.

Attard continued that the standalone building anomaly will also be addressed through legislative or subsidiary legislation to require insurance cover, and work on this with the BCA is ongoing.

Attard also said that there has been a “massive investment” in the sector towards resources, including human resources, for a more effective and active response.