[WATCH] Kamra tal-Periti snubbed by government over Building and Construction Authority Bill

The Chamber of Architects, or Kamra tal-Periti, has lashed out at government for failing to meet with the Chamber to discuss the Building and Construction Authority Bill, despite reaching out on three occasions to do so. 

During a press conference held today, Chamber President Andre Pizzuto said that they reached out to Planning Minister Aaron Farrugia and Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius when the Bill was first tabled in parliament. 

According to Pizzuto, the Chamber reached out for a second time in January to discuss the Bill, and again in February. 

Pizzuto laid out several concerns relating to the Bill. He pointed out that the Bill grants free reign to the Authority in delegating any tasks, without restriction, to government and non-government entities. 

This could allow the licensing of contractors, or any other tasks undertaken by the authority, to instead be delegated by lobby groups such as the Malta Developers Association. 

Pizzuto said that the Bill fails to specify what can and cannot be delegated, while no reference is made to procedures regulating how delegation is to take place.  

As reference, he played out a clip from a parliamentary committee meeting with the Chamber, where MPs confirm that the Bill allows non-governmental entities to take on regulatory functions if delegated by the authority in question. 

Pizzuto mentioned that periti and contractors work separately from each other - the contractor is chosen by the client, with no input needed by the perit. "This is why we need licensed contractors. The public deserves peace of mind on this issue," he said. 

The Chamber of Architects reiterated that it has no interest in being on the authority's board. On the other hand, the Malta Developers' Association has been pushing to have the right to appoint one of its own members to this board.