Chamber of Commerce welcomes scheme for considerate developers

The Considerate Construction Scheme will seek to create a construction industry that does not inconvenience residents and businesses

21 May 2019, 5:04pm
by Staff Reporter

2 min read

The chamber of commerce welcomed a scheme looking to reward considerate developers (File Photo)

A proposed scheme that will see willing developers be able to apply for a quality seal showing that their construction site respects the neighbourhood, environment and health and safety regulations has been welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce.

Yesterday an agreement between the transport and tourism ministries, the Malta Developers’ Association and the Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) and the Malta Tourism Authority, which it is hoped will lead to the launch of the Considerate Construction Scheme.

The voluntary scheme will have five main objectives and 15 different roles, with a number of stakeholders being consulted on the way forward.

In a statement on Tuesday, the chamber said it welcomed the scheme, which it said was “promoted with the authorities by the chamber itself”.

The scheme, it said, was in line with its “economic vision document”, which calls for a “high-quality economy where mediocrity and sub-standards are replaced by a culture of excellence”.

The current “good enough” attitude needs to be replaced by a “nothing but the best” attitude, the chamber insisted.

“In this regard, the chamber looks forward to the improvement of the image of the Maltese construction industry,” the chamber said, adding that it was “neither ethical, nor professional [for the industry] to proceed” in the manner it has done over the last few years.

The construction industry, it said, has a huge impact on the people’s personal life and industry in general.

“The chamber now expects that this scheme will encourage the uplifting of the quality of the industry,” it said. “It expects that the scheme will be run by an independent body that audits the industry in an objective and coherent manner.”

Among the issues that the scheme should address are “care for appearance, respect for the community, protection of the environment, safety and working conditions”, the chamber said.

It said it “sincerely hoped” that the new scheme would significantly reduce construction site abuse.