Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1110343
25 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 APRIL 2019 OPINION for each family that was left homeless, I suppose – instantly teamed up to defend Malta's (supposedly autonomous) regulatory bodies from criti- cism. "It seems that the building contractor of the construction site adjacent to the collapsed apartments had submitted all the necessary documents in accordance with the law," a statement read. The ministers added that the Building Regu- lations Office (BRO) told them that it had received no reports regarding the construction site despite what residents told members of the media on Thursday. In all honesty, I don't even know where to begin. Let's try the 'necessary documents' part. Who the heck cares if – on paper – the construction site adhered to the parameters of its permit? It's what happens on site that counts. Can any of those ministers guarantee that the accident was not the result of failure to abide by those conditions: regardless what was written on any documents submitted at application stage? And whose responsibility is it to enforce those param- eters, anyway? Incredibly, all three Cabinet ministers seem to think that this responsibil- ity lies… not with any of the regulators or agencies they themselves set up specifically for that purpose; but rather, with… the general public. You, me and both our dogs. Yep, folks: apparently it's all our fault, when the building next door just suddenly and in- explicably collapses, taking half our own homes down with it. We are to blame, it seems, for not having minutely studied the plans of that building when the permit was applied for; for not immediately identifying, at a glance, any structural defects that might arise at construc- tion phase, or even after the completion of the project. And even then… for not notifying the 'correct' department with our complaint. (I mean, ffs…) Never mind that any archi- tect will have spent seven years studying such matters before being granted a warrant… and may still, on occasion, get that sort of thing wrong. No: it is people like you and me – who never studied architecture at all; and, in any case, lack the 'X-Ray Vision' required to see cracks in a ceiling or wall of someone else's apart- ment – who, for some bizarre, unearthly, unfathomable reason, suddenly find ourselves saddled with the responsibility of inspecting building sites to ward against future collapses. Or in other words, to do all the regulatory authorities' work for them ourselves. Erm… you know what? This is one responsibility I refuse to accept as my own, thank you very much. Not when there are (or are supposed to be) qualified (and highly paid) experts, whose Constitutional role is precisely to drag the local construction sector kick- ing and screaming into the 21st century. And not when it is very clearly the govern- ment's responsibility to come up with policies that really do safeguard the all-important principles of health and safety (not to mention sustainability, environmental protection, quality of life, and all the rest). So, for what it's worth, my response to those ministers (and the rest of their Cabinet) is… well, why are you all still here, wasting time on silly newspaper articles? Don't you have a 'National Building and Construction Policy' to review? Or do you expect us all to do even that bit of work for you ourselves…? So, for what it's worth, my response to those ministers (and the rest of their Cabinet) is… well, why are you all still here, wasting time on silly newspaper articles? Don't you have a 'National Building and Construction Policy' to review? Rural Development Programme for Malta 2014-2020 Part financed by the European Union Co-financing Rate: 75% European Union; 25% Government of Malta The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas 28th April 2019 European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 2014-2020 PRE – ANNOUNCEMENT Measure 2.1: Support to help farmers benefit from the use of advisory services Measure 16.2 - Support for pilot projects, and for the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies Measure 16.4 - Support for horizontal and vertical co-operation among supply chain actors for the establishment and development of short supply chains and local markets Measure 16.6 - support for cooperation among supply chain actors for sustainable provision of biomass for use in food and energy production and industrial processes The Director General of the Funds and Programmes Division, within the Parliamentary Secretariat for European Funds and Social Dialogue announces the pre-launch of four (4) new schemes under the Rural Development Programme. The scope of Measure 2.1 – 'Support to help farmers benefit from the use of advisory services' is to provide assistance to farmers through recognized Farm Advisory Service providers by meeting the costs arising from their use of advisory services to improve the overall performance of the farmers' holding. Eligible beneficiaries under Measure 2.1 are Farm Advisory Service providers recognized by the Farm Advisory Service Registration Board. The recipients of the advice is restricted to farmers for their agricultural activity. The co-operation measures (Measures 16.2, 16.4 and 16.6) support new and innovative joint activities by assisting operators in working together to overcome disadvantages faced by the Agricultural Sector. The Co-operation measures offer support that can be used to make new things happen rather than used to support joint activities which are already taking place. The measure could also be used to support an existing group of co-operating entities in undertaking a new joint project. The indicative budgets for measures 2.1 and 16 are €1.9 million and €3.7 million respectively. Applications will open on 13 th May 2019; further details on the application process will be published in due course on the Managing Authority website www.eufunds.gov.mt. Any interested applicants are invited to register their interest via e-mail on rdd.meae@gov.mt or tel: 22001108, indicating the measure/s they are interested in. The MA shall invite registered interested applicants for an information session to be held at a later date. I hate to ask, but… how serious do the symptoms have to get, before we realise we are dealing with a full-blown health and safety emergency here?