The Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector Jonathan Attard launched a new service offered by the Building and Construction Authority, intended to assist those affected by the construction free of charge.
This service will begin to be provided after a public call process that led to the establishment of a Panel of 20 professionals, composed of 10 Lawyers and 10 Architects.
Minister Attard stated that the Government is committed to continuing to support the citizens and is therefore launching this new service which also complements the recently launched helpline 138, which provides 24/7 support for those who have immediate concerns related to with construction and health and safety at work. Thus these two services will be forming a comprehensive assistance system designed to give citizens the tools to address their concerns effectively.
” We believe that every individual has the right to understand the implications of the development in his neighborhood and to protect his interests . We have a clear vision to empower with the necessary knowledge and resources so that those affected can understand the complexities of construction projects even with technical assistance”, stressed Minister Attard.
Minister Attard went on to explain that this initiative is another link in a chain of initiatives and reforms that the sector is going through.
“Affected third parties who previously would perhaps sit a step back and perhaps even worse turn a blind eye to the danger facing them, now we will be providing them with this assistance to help them defend their interests and above all guarantee their safety and – their dear ones”, said Minister Attard.
He explained that affected third parties will be able to get professional and independent advice and assistance on legal rights they have, including on aspects of servitudes and legal distance. As well as technical advice from an Architect on the method statement, how the work will be carried out and how this may affect their property.
The team of experienced Lawyers and Architects is available to listen, advise and assist in the best possible way to each individual.
“This service goes beyond the goals of the electoral manifesto and the recommendations of the public inquiry linked to the death of Jean Paul Sofia. This is a service based on the experiences of victims and also the experiences the Authority had in certain issues that developed”, repeated Minister Attard while thanking the dedicated professionals who came together to do this service reality.
While noting the positive response of the helpline in the first weeks since the launch, Minister Attard said that since the launch of the service there have been an average of 80 calls per day, with 75% being related to questions or reports on construction works.
Acting Chief Executive of the Building and Construction Authority, Architect Roderick Bonnici, also spoke about the ongoing restructuring in the authority, as it continues to strengthen its regulatory role and update with ‘initiatives and services intended to offer easier access to affected citizens.
Also present for this conference was the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector Mr. Johan Galea and the CEO of Servizz.gov Mr. Massimo Vella
Photos: DOI / MJR
