Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1219206
2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella MANAGING EDITOR Saviour Balzan Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 MARCH 2020 7 March 2010 PM to appoint backbenchers to the role of Parliamentary Private Secretaries PRIME Minister Lawrence Gonzi will this week appoint a number of his backbench MPs to the post of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs) who will act as ministerial contacts to parlia- ment. The move is set to consolidate the PN par- liamentary group after months of unrest that recently led to the suggestion that the Prime Minister could be "challenged." Among those to be appointed PPSs are Jes- mond Mugliett, Philip Mifsud, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Beppe Fenech Adami, Edwin Vassallo, Charlò Bonnici, Franco Debono and Jean-Pierre Farrugia. Sources close to the prime minister told Malt- aToday that in order to appoint MPs to the post of PPS, amendments are currently being made to the Code of Ethics to Ministers and Parlia- mentary Secretaries. The system to be put in place is based on the model used by the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. Addressing the media last Friday at Castille, Gonzi hinted that he intended to use the UK system because he believes the backbenchers can bring ministers "closer to the people by assisting them in their work for the country's progress." The move has received positive reactions from PN backbenchers who are claiming to have "finally been listened to". They stressed that the Prime Minister intends to rid himself of the general perception that he operates by exclusionism, when it comes to his 'inner circle'. MaltaToday is informed that the Prime Minister has asked his ministers to submit the names of MPs they wish to have assigned to them as PPSs. The list is reportedly almost final- ised and will also include MPs assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister. Although not paid other than their salary as MPs, PPSs will be allowed to sit on parliamenta- ry select committees. But they will be warned to avoid "associating themselves with recommen- dations critical of, or embarrassing to the gov- ernment," and must not make statements or ask questions on matters affecting their minister's department... Quote of the Week Construction industry must up its game Editorial AS Malta picks up the pieces after Monday's trag- edy – in which a woman lost her life when yet an- other house collapsed, this time in Hamrun – it is inevitable that we turn our attention to the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle: accountability. In cases such as this, the culpability is twofold: on one hand, there is the direct criminal liability of those responsible (once proven) for the accident itself. A magisterial inquiry in underway, and so far six people have been arrested in connection with the incident, including the neighbouring project's site technical officer, the project architect, and two of the project's contractors. But there are other responsibilities to be shoul- dered. For, apart from so abruptly cutting short a human life, this latest construction-related ca- tastrophe has also once again reminded us of how vulnerable we really are, when endangered by the excesses of an industry that is clearly out of con- trol. Clearly, all past attempts to rein in the sector have failed… and there is fur- ther evidence that the sys- tem itself is not working. Something, somewhere, is very wrong. Significantly, the Chamber of Architects has since admitted, in its reaction, that 'all players in the industry were to blame'. "Things were left to slide, and there wasn't enough self-awareness," the Chamber said: sug- gesting that the recent concatenation of similar disasters is itself the result of an overall decline in industry and regulation standards. Given that the results of this decline have been so dramatically visible, and seem to be increasing in severity with each new occurrence, it is logical to ask why the much-vaunted 2016 industry reform – with all its new rules and regulations – has already proved so toothless. Even without questioning the intentions behind this reform, several of its key features can be seen to be counter-productive. The current system of construction depends on the trust afforded to architects and other profes- sionals in the sector, to propose 'method state- ments' that are thorough, adequate and effective… with a particular emphasis on safety. Whether this has always been the case is another matter altogether; one can only hope that warrant- ed professionals live up to the trust placed in them. But this is how the system works: we rely on the expertise of architects and engineers, for our peace of mind regarding the safety (or otherwise) of the excavations next door. So it came somewhat of a shock to many that the CEO of the Building and Construction Agency ad- mitted, on TVM's Dissett last week, that the agency has no remit to analyse the method statement pro- vided by the architect, and verify that it conforms to standard. Inspections by the agency only focus on whether ongoing construction works are in line with what the approved method statement states: even if (for argument's sake) the method may be flawed. Another issue is that neighbours are left entire- ly to their own devices. If they want to contest the developer's method statement, they have to engage their own archi- tect at their own expense. Even then, it is not clear what would happen if the neighbour's architect's professional opinion con- tradicts that of the devel- oper. And so it goes on, leav- ing neighbours to pick up the pieces as best they can, because the authorities are in reality powerless. With the death of Miriam Pace this week, how- ever, the nation has clearly reached the limits of how much negligence and greed it can continue to tolerate. Clearly, the rules of engagement need to be re- defined; but there also has to be a wholesale pro- fessionalisation drive across the entire industry. As things stand, there is too much cutting of corners; and while any business might be expected to cut down its expenses… in an industry like construc- tion, the consequences can be fatal, as we all found out last week. Above all, the laissez-faire mentality has to stop. And if this means higher costs for developers, then so be it. If a developer cannot shoulder the higher costs associated with safety and good workmanship, he should not even venture into the field. People have suffered for too long because of the excesses of an under-regulated, over-powerful sec- tor. This has to stop. The building industry is im- portant for the livelihood of many individuals; but unless its stakeholders want to shoot themselves in the foot, they must up their game. "We are not asking for much; all we want is to feel safe in our own home." Archbishop Charles Scicluna MaltaToday 10 years ago With the death of Miriam Pace this week, however, the nation has clearly reached the limits of how much negligence and greed it can continue to tolerate