Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1140832
11.07.19 2 NEWS MASSIMO COSTA DEVELOPERS' lobby boss Sandro Chetcuti has hailed the introduction of a National Contractors Registry as an in- dustry "revolution". The Malta Developers As- sociation president said the registry, a joint initiative between the Building Regu- lation Office and his lobby, would contain the details of all excavation and demolition contractors, bricklayers and builders in the sector. Chetcuti said that registra- tion for these three groups would be "obligatory" and all those involved would have to register themselves by the end of September. However, when asked what steps would be taken when it came to those who failed to register, he said that there should be no reason why those in the sector should re- frain from doing so. "Those who don't bother to register won't bother to obtain a license once the li- cense system is in place," he remarked. Underlining the fact that the MDA had already re- ceived 100 registration appli- cations in the two days since the registry was launched, Chetcuti said that "most of those in the construction industry want to regularise themselves." "We have been insisting on such a registry for years, and, at last, the time has come to start regularising the indus- try," he said. The registration, which can be done online, by post, or in person at the MDA offices, will only cost an administra- tive fee of €50, he said. "Our aim is not to make a profit but to ensure all are regis- tered." Turning to the legal notice amending construction laws, Chetcuti said this was a step in the right direction, but that it had to be followed up by other measures. "After the recent incidents, the legal notice was imple- mented, but it won't work on its own. It is a start, but we need to follow up with more initiatives," he said. Once the registration pro- cess closes in September, the MDA and others would be launching accreditation courses to train those in- volved in construction and ensure they are all accredited to do the work they do, Chet- cuti added. He said the contractors would eventually also be clas- sified according to the work they do, relative to their size. "I promise, in the name of the MDA, that we will be work with a lot of vigour for this to happen." Asked by MaltaToday whether naming and sham- ing construction industry cowboys - which he has men- tioned several times as giv- ing a bad name to the sector - would have helped prevent the recent building collapses, Chetcuti said he the MDA didn't want to dish out blame, choosing instead to draw up positive measures such as the registry. "We will be positive, by cre- ating awareness and launch- ing this registry," he said. "There will also be made available the necessary train- ing for those in the sector," Chetcuti added, "Anyone who wants to learn, and to respect the country's law, and to be reliable, should do so." Those few who would refuse to cooperate will automatical- ly be cast aside from the in- dustry, he said. A building blocks exercise BRO head Michael Ferry underscored that it had been decided to undertake the reg- istry initiative with the MDA in the interest of industry col- laboration. "This is a building blocks exercise. We are trying to strengthen the good and eradicate the bad," he said. The registry will help con- tractors understand that the industry is being regulated, and will also service to market them, through listing them on the BRO website as registered individuals or companies, he added. Contractors' registry is first step in industry's regularisation, lobby says MDA boss Sandro Chetcuti hails 'revolution' in starting registry for all demolition and excavation contractors, bricklayers and builders "We have been insisting on such a registry for years, and, at last, the time has come to start regularising the industry" MDA president Sandro Chetcuti (left) with Michael Ferry, head of the Building Regulation Office