Moviment Graffitti says proposed Construction Bill does not address residents’ concerns, favours undue influence from lobbies

Moviment Graffitti has reacted to the ongoing debate on the proposed Construction Bill, stating that the setting up of a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is a “positive initiative”, but that the Bill fails to address certain key concerns faced by residents around Malta.

The proposed Bill “leaves the door wide open to undue influences from private lobbies who have a vested interest in further deregulation of the sector.” The activist group also highlighted the Bill’s vague wording, which makes it difficult to understand, let alone predict, what it aims to achieve.

In its statement, Moviment Graffitti has criticised the clause allowing the proposed BCA to enter agreements with non-governmental entities so as to facilitate its functioning. This is clearly intended to allow the delegation of the contractors’ register and licensing to private interest groups such as the Malta Developers Association (MDA). This clause, which gives such lobbies executive power to carry out regulatory duties that should be carried out by the Authority, is completely unacceptable and should be immediately struck off the Bill.

The proposed composition of the BCA is also another contentious issue, with Moviment Graffitti insisting that members of the Board and Tribunal should not be handpicked by a Minister, but should be composed of independent individuals chosen after a thorough Parliamentary process.

Moreover, there is much to be desired in terms of transparency, efficiency and independence, since the Board and Tribunal are being given too much discretionary power to allow a fair process. The Board’s proceedings are not regulated, meaning that it can operate in an arbitrary manner. Moviment Graffitti is calling for Board meetings to be made in public, in line with Environment Minister’s Aaron Farrugia’s own pledge for more transparency.

Moviment Graffitti also lamented the lack of clear and stringent criteria upon which exemptions are granted, highlighting massive loopholes that risk nullifying the Bill itself.

The group has presented its detailed feedback to Environment Minister Dr Aaron Farrugia, Parliamentary Secretary for Construction Chris Agius, Chairperson of the Consideration of Bills Committee Dr Ian Castaldi Paris and Opposition representatives Hermann Schiavone and Toni Bezzina. In its feedback, Moviment Graffitti touched upon various shortcomings and proposals related to the setting up of the BCA, with submissions related to its structure and functions including enforcement, the issuing of permits, licensing and site audits.

“It is tragic indeed that the Bill is being discussed a year after Miriam Pace’s death, yet there seems to be no clear political will by either Government or Opposition to avoid a repeat of that tragedy,” said a spokesperson for the activists.

“The unclear wording and numerous loopholes indicate that this reform falls short of introducing key checks and balances. The Authority risks ending up as a tool in the hands of a very powerful lobby which is trying to muscle its way into the BCA’s board.”

Moviment Graffitti also hit out at Opposition MP Hermann Schiavone, describing his proposal for the MDA to have a seat on the BCA as “pure hypocrisy”, noting that the PN only half-heartedly campaigned for a construction reform. “This is further proof that both political parties are playing to the whims of Sandro Chetcuti’s lobby.”

“We completely oppose the idea that the MDA should have a seat on the board, since private profit-making entities should not interfere in regulation. The fact that one of the MDA’s own board members is being investigated for the murder of Miriam Pace speaks volumes about this lobby’s track record. The MDA does not deserve to be rewarded for Miriam Pace’s death.”

Moviment Graffitti also lamented the lack of formal public consultation on a Bill of this importance, especially since these regulations should serve to protect the public itself and not the interests of a private lobby such as the MDA.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jgħid li l-Abbozz ta’ Liġi dwar il-kostruzzjoni kif propost ma jindirizzax it-tħassib tar-residenti, u jagħti loki għall-influenza ta’ min għandu interessi kummerċjali

Il-Moviment Graffitti irreaġixxa għad-dibattitu li għaddej bħalissa fuq l-Abbozz dwar il-kostruzzjoni, u qal li t-twaqqif ta’ Awtorità tal-Bini u l-Kostruzzjoni (BCA) hija “inizjattiva pożittiva”, imma li l-abbozz ma jindirizzax il-problemi prinċipali li qegħdin jaffaċċjaw ir-residenti madwar Malta.

L-Abbozz propost “iħalli l-bieb beraħ għall-influwenza żejda ta’ lobbies privati li għandhom interess li s-settur ma jiġix regolat”. L-attivisti wkoll ġibdu l-attenzjoi għall-kitba vaga ta’ dan l-Abbozz, li jagħmilha diffiċli biex wieħed jifhem, u wisq inqas, jipprevedi, l-għanijiet u l-miri tiegħu.

Fl-istqarrija tiegħu, il-Moviment Graffitti, ikkritika l-klawsola li tippermetti lill-BCA tidħol fi ftehim ma’ entitajiet mhux governattivi biex tiffaċilita l-operat tagħha. Dan huwa bla dubju intenzjonat biex jiġi delegat ir-reġistru u l-liċenzjar tal-kuntratturi lil gruppi b’interessi privati bħal ma huma l-Malta Developers Association (MDA). Din il-klawsola, li se tkun qed tagħti lil gruppi bħal dawn, poteri eżekuttivi u regolamentari, li għandom isiru mill-Awtorità, hija kompletament inaċċettabbli u għandha tkun minnufih imneħħija mill-abbozz.

Il-kompożizzjoni tal-BCA hekk kif proposta hija kwistjoni problematika oħra, bil-Moviment Graffitti jinsisti li l-memberi tal-Bord u tat-Tribunal m’għandhomx ikunu magħżula minn Ministru, imma li dawn għandhom ikunu komposti minn individwi indipendenti, magħżula wara proċess Parlamentari rett.

Barra minn hekk, l-Abbozz jagħti lok għal nuqqas ta’ trasparanza, effiċjenza u indipendenza minħabba li l-Bord u t-Tribunal qed jingħataw wisq poter diskrezzjonali biex il-proċess jitħalla jsir b’mod ġust. Il-proċeduri tal-Bord mhumiex regolati, li jfisser li dan jista’ jopera b’mod arbitrarju. Il-Moviment Graffitti qiegħed jipproponi li l-laqgħat tal-Bord ikunu pubbliċi, skont il-wegħda ta’ iktar trasparenza li kien għamel il-Ministru tal-Ambjent Aaron Farrugia stess.

Il-Moviment Graffitti kkritika wkoll in-nuqqas ta’ kriterji ċari u stretti biex jingħataw l-eżenzjonijiet, filwaqt li indika li din hija lakuna enormi li tista’ twassal biex l-Abbozz stess jiġi null u mingħajr ebda saħħa.

L-organizzazzjoni ppreżentat ir-reazzjonijiet dettaljati tagħha lill-Ministru tal-Ambjent, Dr Aaron Farrugia, lis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Kostruzzjoni, Chris Agius u liċ-Chairperson tal-Kumitat li jara l-abbozzi tal-liġijiet, Dr Ian Castaldi Paris, kif ukoll lir-rappreżentanti tal-Oppożizzjoni, Hermann Schiavone u Toni Bezzina. Fir-reazzjoni tiegħu, il-Moviment Graffitti irrefera għal diversi proposti u nuqqasijiet marbutin mat-twaqqif tal-BCA, b’sottomissjonijiet marbutin mal-istruttura u l-funzjonijiet tagħha, mal-infurzar, il-ħruġ ta’ permessi u l-awditjar tas-siti.

“Huwa fatt traġiku li dan l-abbozz qed jiġi diskuss sena wara l-mewt ta’ Miriam Pace, filwaqt li jider li m’hemm l-ebda rieda politika ċara la mill-Gvern u lanqas mill-Oppożizzjoni biex tkun evitata traġedja simili”, qal kelliem għall-attivisti.

“Il-mod vag ta’ kif ġie miktub l-abbozz u l-ħafna lakuni li fih, jindikaw li din ir-riforma mhix se tkun qed tintroduċi l-kontrolli u l-bilanċi tant meħtieġa. L-Awtorità qed tirriskja li tispiċċa bħala biċċa għodda f’idejn lobby b’saħħtu ħafna li qed jipprova jagħmel minn kollox biex ikollu post fuq il-Bord tal-BCA.

Il-Moviment Graffitti kkritika wkoll lill-MP tal-Oppożizzjoni, Hermann Schiavone, u ddeskriva l-proposta tiegħu biex l-MDA ikollha postha fil-BCA bħala “ipokrezija pura”, waqt li nnota li l-kampanja tal-PN biex issir riforma fil-kostruzzjoni saret biss b’nofs qalb. “Din hija prova oħra li ż-żewġ partiti politiċi t-tnejn li huma jiżfnu għad-daqqa tal-lobby ta’ Sandro Chetcuti.

“Aħna nopponu bis-saħħa l-idea li l-MDA ikollha siġġu fuq il-Bord, għaliex entitajiet privati b’interessi li jagħmlu l-profitt, m’għandhomx jindaħlu fir-regolamentazzjoni tas-settur. Il-fatt li wieħed mill-membri tal-bord tal-MDA qed jiġi nvestigat għall-qtil ta’ Miriam Pace huwa xhieda biżżejjed tar-rekord passat ta’ dan il-lobby. L-MDA ma ħaqqhiex tiġi ppremjata għall-mewt ta’ Miriam Pace”.

Il-Moviment Graffitti lmenta wkoll dwar in-nuqqas ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika formali fuq dan l-abozz daqstant importanti, speċjalment għaliex dawn ir-regolamenti għandhom iservu biex jipproteġu lill-pubbliku nnifsu u mhux l-interessi ta’ lobby privat bħal ma hija l-MDA.