Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544987
19 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MAY 2026 NEWS ADPD proposes central geological authority to prevent construction failures ADPD-THE Green Party pro- posed the establishment of a National Geological Service and the creation of a passport for every building. ADPD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo insisted on Saturday that further knowledge into Malta's geology is of the ut- most importance, noting that the small amount of informa- tion left by the British military has not been updated. During a press conference in Paceville, the party explained that the responsibilities of this service should extend beyond collecting and updating geolog- ical data, also conducting the necessary geological valuations according to the highest inter- national standards. ADPD pointed out that Malta is the only country in Europe without a centralised geological authority, resulting in profes- sional failings in the construc- tion industry, urban planning, and environmental protection. ADPD referred to the total col- lapse of a building in Paceville around a year ago, along with a recent incident in Naxxar which saw several families evacuated from their homes fearing the collapse of a nearby construc- tion site building. While no one was injured or killed in these cases, Cacopar- do spoke about the increasing number of work accidents on construction sites, with some people losing their lives. "The public authorities seem to wake up from their slum- ber only when an accident has happened," ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said. "It is impor- tant to prevent these incidents and to prevent this from hap- pening, frequent assessments should be carried out to ensure that buildings are in a good state." She explained that an impor- tant tool in the sector would be the creation of a building pass- port administered by the Build- ing and Construction Author- ity (BCA). The passport would include all documentation for every building, starting from the approval of plans for develop- ment, the reports that were pre- pared for permits to be issued, and eventual construction. "How many more deaths do we need to face before the con- struction sector ups its game?" she asked. EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt Momentum proposes national park at Fort Chambray MOMENTUM wants the unde- veloped sections of Fort Cham- bray to be transformed into a national park, the party said on Saturday. The party said its proposal is to safeguard the site overlook- ing ix-Xatt l-Aħmar through a mandate which would also pro- tect the endangered British Bar- racks. The barracks are the only sur- viving example of British mil- itary residential architecture in Gozo, Momentum insisted, representing an irreplaceable chapter of Malta's collective memory. Sections of the barracks will be dismantled to become part of a hotel. The development was appealed twice by 11 NGOs and several individuals who ar- gued that the dismantling of the barracks breaches the 1992 Fort Chambray Development Brief, which states the structure should be "retained, restored and conserved." Regardless, the Environ- ment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) upheld planning permits allow- ing the works on the barracks to proceed. "Inheriting heritage may be inevitable, but protecting it is always a choice," Momentum can- didate Carmel Asciak said. "While the government looks at creating national parks in Malta, Gozo cannot be left be- hind. Gozitans deserve the exact s a m e ambition a n d quality of life." The party said its proposal was inspired by a widely circulated WhatsApp video which high- lighted the urgent need for more green spaces in Gozo, adding that the party has always been in favour of giving Fort Chambray back to the people. Momentum pledged to ensure that this historic structure pro- vides meaningful opportunities for cultural engagement, edu- cation, and sustainable tourism grounded in respect rather than commercial exploitation. Reporting by Eva Brannon ELECTION 2026 Inset: Momentum Candidates Carmel Asciak