Engineers, periti appointed to Building and Construction Authority board

Government has formally set up the board that will oversee the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), as part of a wider reform of the construction sector.

Karl Azzopardi will be CEO of the board, while Maria Schembri Grima will hold the position of chairperson within the baord. Roberta Cutajar has been appointed Board Secretary.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius (left) and BCA CEO Karl Azzopardi (right)

A further 10 members will hold a seat on the board:

• Ian Borg
• Abigail Cutajar
• Robert Ellul Sciberras
• David Xuereb
• Denise Micallef Xuereb
• Eve Degiorgio
• Charles Ellul
• Desiree Attard
• Charmaine Mangion
• David Bonello

"This is a board made up of the best talents and representing numerous stakeholders and members of society. In what is typically considered to be a male-dominated industry, this Board also consists of mainly women,” Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia said. 

Karl Azzopardi said that the appointment of this board will see big improvements in the construction cycle, and citizens will be able to observe developments in their everyday life.

Maria Schembri Grima added that the board's vision will be rooted in bringing change to the construction centre. 

"We need to have seriousness by developers and contractors and all professionals in the sector. We need to strengthen enforcement and bring changes.

Government set the ball rolling to set up a Building and Construction Authority after Miriam Pace died under the rubble of her home in a building collapse in 2020.

However, it has long been in the pipline. In 2018, government launched a White Paper proposing the creation of the Building and Construction Authority to serve as a focal point for the construction industry.