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New bureaucratic demands from the Building and Construction Authority have sparked outrage among architects, whose associations have instructed their members to boycott the measures.
A directive issued by the Chamber of Architects this week told members that the BCA had breached previous government commitments by introducing two new forms without consulting the chamber.
The forms require architects and contractors to notify the BCA which third-party properties will be affected by development or excavation work and to declare insurance coverage for ongoing work.
But in written instructions, Institute of Architects Chairman Andre Pizzuto told members that “the two formats were not discussed and agreed upon” Institute of Architects” and described the lack of consultation as “a major sticking point” in previous negotiations between the chamber and the authority.
The directive considers that implementing the new forms is outside the BCA’s legal remit.
“Because BCA failed to negotiate with BCA Institute of Architects With respect to both of the above forms, the Council hereby directs all members of the profession not to submit these forms,” the directive said.
‘Incompetent knee-jerk reaction’ to Sophia inquiry report
talking times of maltaPizzuto described the forms as “a knee-jerk reaction to the incompetence of the (Sofia) public inquiry”
“Instead of taking on the responsibility of setting industry-wide standards, they instinctively add more useless forms.”
Pizzotto argued that these forms did not actually change anything or make the practice safer.
Instead of introducing more bureaucracy, Pizzuto believes authorities should “mandate insurance for all contractors”, making it illegal for contractors to operate without an insurance policy.
Pizzuto said that in practice, contractors should not purchase insurance for individual jobs but should be required to purchase a single policy covering all their work before receiving a license to operate.
Pizzuto said that, in the meantime, condition reports for neighboring properties affected by development or excavation were already mandatory, making the introduction of a new form on the issue confusing.
“The question that should be asked is, will these modalities save lives? Or will they raise standards?” Pizzuto asked, adding that “raising standards also needs to be directed at regulators, not just industry players.”
Pizzuto’s comments were echoed on Facebook by former KtP president Christopher Mintoff.
“Increasing bureaucracy will only distract from the actual work and distract from site safety and construction quality,” Mintoff said. He argued that issuing the forms “will not simplify anything or make the industry safer.”
BCA: Measures will “simplify” processes and “strengthen protection”
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, the BCA said the measures would “enhance protection for third parties affected by construction projects and streamline the insurance process”.
In a dig at KTP, the BCA described the chamber’s directive as “unexpected” as its representatives were unable to attend on the same day “an important meeting aimed at strengthening dialogue and discussing the proposals for the Sofia inquiry”.
In response, former KtP president Simone Vella Lenicker said that since the chamber “operates on a voluntary basis” it was inevitable that its representatives would be absent. “This gives no one the right to treat them harshly,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pizzuto said the BCA had been informed that he would be traveling abroad on the day of the meeting but decided to go ahead.
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