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PR 13/24 | KTP welcomes increased investment in construction sector to raise quality

The Kamra tal-Periti notes with pleasure the increased budget allocation to the Building and Construction Authority and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority from €6.3 million to €7.5 million and €2 million to €2.7 million, respectively. This augurs well particularly as the rate of reform in these regulators continues to gather pace, and as the various recommendations in the Sofia public inquiry report are gradually implemented.

The Kamra tal-Periti is, however, particularly thrilled that its request for a budget allocation to fulfil its statutory functions as outlined in the Periti Act has finally been accepted. These statutory functions include:

  1. Conducting inquiries into any charge of professional misconduct or malpractice or abuse or failures made by or against any warrant holder in connection with the exercise of his profession or in connection with professional matters;
  2. Issuing Certificates to Practise to warrant holders who meet the minimum obligatory CPD requirements and mandatory professional indemnity insurance requirements;
  3. Issuing an official professional stamp and digital stamp to warrant holders;
  4. Organise the elections of the Periti Warranting Board;
  5. Regulate the profession by setting standards and codes of practice;
  6. Acting as an official consultant to the State on the formulation of public policy related to the built environment;
  7. Ensuring that all members of the profession act responsibly and ethically, having due regard for sustainable development practices, the protection of the national, cultural, social and environmental heritage, the upholding of public health and safety and structural integrity before, during and after construction processes, and the adherence to the Code of Professional Conduct, as may be prescribed by regulation.

 

The Kamra, which was set up in 1920, had been advocating for the allocation of a budget to fulfil its functions for decades. This is the first time that it shall receive a budget allocation amounting to €150,000 which it will dedicate to raising the quality of the services KTP and the profession provides to the public.

The Kamra tal-Periti vouches to make the best use of these public funds to uphold standards and the public good, and to ensure that we do indeed live in a country where high quality prevails.

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PR 07/23 | Andre Pizzuto elected to the Executive Board of the Architects’ Council of Europe

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André Pizzuto, President of the Kamra tal-Periti, was elected to the Executive Board of the Architects’ Council Europe (ACE). This prestigious appointment happened during the ACE General Assembly held on the 23rd and 24th November 2023 in Brussels.

The Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) is the representative organisation for the architectural profession at European level. It consists of 51 Member Organisations, which are the regulatory and professional representative bodies in all European Union (EU) Member States, Accession Countries, the UK, Switzerland and Norway, and 5 Observers Members – Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Montenegro, RH of Macedonia). Through them, the ACE represents the interests of over half a million architects from 35 countries in Europe.

ACE is currently engaged in negotiations with its British and Canadian counterparts on the mutual recognition of architects as part of the wider free-trade agreement between the EU and UK, and EU and Canada.

It is also strongly engaged in negotiations with the European Commission on various EU directives, including the Energy Performance in Buildings, Services (Internal Market), Public Procurement, Proportionality Test, and Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directives.

ACE is also a leading partner of the Commission on the development and implementation of the New European Bauhaus programme, which seeks to elevate the quality of the built environment across the EU to achieve higher sustainability outcomes.

 

Bio Note:

André Pizzuto graduated in engineering and architecture at the University of Malta in 2002, and was granted a professional warrant to practise as an architect and civil engineer in Malta in 2004. He successfully read for a master’s degree in Planning Policy & Practice at London South Bank University in 2011. In 2016, he was conferred an MBA in Real Estate and Construction Management at the University College of Estate Management, Reading, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Pizzuto is the Managing Director of Design Principle, an architecture firm he set up in 2004 based in Valletta. He was also Executive Head of the Property Services Department at the Housing Authority of Malta between 2011 and 2013.

 

He has been elected as Council Member of the Kamra tal-Periti since December 2014, occupying the post of Vice-President and Treasurer between January 2019 and December 2020. He has occupied the post of President since December 2020. He is also a Council delegate on Building Regulation in Malta since 2017 and represented the Chamber on the Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) on matters related to building regulation and on the Architects’ Council of Europe. In 2017, he was also appointed Chairperson of the Chamber’s Building Regulation Working Group tasked with the formulation and development of a position paper on a comprehensive building regulation regime for Malta which was published in May 2019.

 

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PR 04/22 | Andre Pizzuto re-elected president of the Kamra tal-Periti

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Following an AGM held on 5th December 2022, Perit Andre Pizzuto was re-elected president of the Kamra tal-Periti by a unanimous vote of the Council after having received 95% of the votes at the AGM. Perit Matias Camilleri de Marco was elected Vice President and Honorary Secretary and Perit Ivynne Grixti was elected as Honorary Treasurer.

During his address, Pizzuto stated that “Dark forces of resistance have stalled the progress our industry and profession so desperately need. It is a resistance stemming from fear, incompetence, selfishness, greed, speculation and ignorance.”

“The result of this resistance, as we have witnessed too many times this year already, is death. A quality of life that ranks among the lowest in the industrialised parts of the world. A built environment that has been wrecked by individualism and profit. Younger generations who cannot wait to leave the country. Exploitation of foreign workers. Traffic congestion, flooding, noise and air pollution, and excessive waste generation. A profession that has been humiliated and hollowed out.”

 

Pizzuto went on to state that it would be unfair, however, to claim that no change has happened in the past two years. He mentioned the passing of the Periti Act and the BCA Act as long overdue but critical milestones that “will redefine our profession and the industry for years to come”.

During his speech, he also announced that the powerful motion approved by the EGM held in May of this year setting a deadline for government to license contractors by October reached its intended results. Indeed, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi presented to the Kamra the concepts behind the new licensing regime at the end of October which found the Council in full agreement. Furthermore, on Monday the Kamra received the draft regulations which are expected to come into force very shortly. Pizzuto commended Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi for showing resolve to make effective reforms at every meeting held with the Kamra, and to consult with the Council throughout.

 

Pizzuto also explained how he prioritised professional conduct on the Council’s agenda during his first two-year term. He announced that in 2021 the Council closed 29 prima-facie investigations and 3 formal conduct cases, while in 2022 it closed 15 prima-facie investigations and 17 formal conduct cases. On its current agenda, the Council has 7 ongoing prima-facie investigations, 5 ongoing formal conduct cases and nine appeals being heard before the Court of Appeals.

 

In relation to the issue of quality in architecture, Pizzuto explained the work that is about to start on the drawing up of an Architecture Framework which will establish processes and criteria to ensure quality in design underpinned by the UN Sustainability Goals, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Employment. As a second phase, the Kamra and Minister Clyde Caruana have agreed to establish Design Review Panels to further improve the critical review of architectural projects to ensure better design outcomes.

 

Pizzuto concluded by stating that “there is still a lot of work to be done to modernise the industry to meet the qualitative standards that our European counterparts are accustomed to.” He augured that the next Council will reinstate the Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia to ensure that the profession truly recognises those who, against all odds, succeed in producing a beautiful and well-built legacy for the future.

 

The full list of elected Council members is:

 

Perit Andre Pizzuto, President

Perit Matias Camilleri de Marco, Vice President and Honorary Secretary

Perit Ivynne Grixti, Honorary Treasurer

Perit Damian Vella Lenicker

Perit Duncan Muscat

Perti Nicholas Mallia

Perit Philip Farrugia

Perit Dr Rebecca Dalli Gonzi

Perit Sebastian Grima

Perit Toni Bezzina MP

 

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PR 08/21 | Periti Act to initiate modernisation of the profession

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On Friday, the Kamra tal-Periti, in collaboration with the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects and SACES, organised a conference entitled The Renewal Agenda: Modernisation of the Profession. The event follows the unanimous approval by Parliament, earlier this year, of the new Periti Act: a historic milestone that marks the culmination of a 14 year-long wait.

The Council and the Ministry have now concluded the first tranche of subsidiary legislation necessary to bring several provisions of the act into force, and the transition from the old to the new Periti Act will begin in the coming weeks. This will initiate a long-awaited process of renewal of the profession, with far-reaching effects that will change the way it is structured, as well as the role of the Kamra, the way warrants are conferred, and new obligations on Periti.

 

 

Dr Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, outlined the importance of the new Periti Act, which was the result of intense hard work and perseverance, and how it will facilitate the modernisation of the profession for the benefit of the public.

“We introduced provisions that give a broader sense of legal certainty, accountability, security and transparency in the building and construction industry,” Minister Borg said.

He also emphasised how the new Act is underpinned by the value of striving for quality. “It was time to raise the bar even higher and through the amendments made in the new Act we are promising a more qualitative profession with the highest skilled people.”

The subsidiary legislation, which will be brought into effect in the coming weeks, will bring Malta in line with European Directives concerning the performance of the service of architects and civil engineers in Member States. One of the main benefits of this is that the local professional will become recognised on the same level as European counterparts.

Minister Borg concluded his address by announcing that his Ministry is in advanced talks with the Kamra to allocate funds to build a new digital platform whereby new procedures that will be in place in the coming months can be carried out efficiently and securely. He also pledged his commitment to continue supporting the Kamra and the profession to improve the quality of the built environment and meet the ambitious goals that Government has set regarding the environment and climate change, in achieving which periti will play a crucial role.

 

 

Perit Toni Bezzina, Opposition Spokesperson for Transport and Infrastructure, emphasised the bipartisan nature of the Parliamentary process leading to the approval of the new Periti Act. “We should be truly proud of the political maturity we have displayed in reaching this important milestone,” Bezzina remarked.

Bezzina pointed at the strengthening of the role of the Kamra tal-Periti which, for the past century, has given the highest level of service to the Maltese population. Bezzina went on to state that with the increased responsibility of the Kamra tal-Periti, it can no longer function on a voluntary basis.

“The Opposition recognises the new roles the Kamra was conferred in the law and will thus be ensuring that the Kamra has all the necessary resources to fulfil its new regulatory functions for the benefit of the profession itself, but also for the benefit of all Maltese citizens.”

 

 

In his welcome address, KTP President Perit Andre Pizzuto stated that the need for the renewal of the profession, the construction industry and Malta’s built environment has long been the focus of the Kamra, albeit largely ignored.

He welcomed the fact that political leaders are recognising the need to address the concerns that are adversely affecting quality of life, such as the erosion of the quality of our built environment, the loss of our cultural heritage, the need to introduce proper building and construction regulations, and the need to protect our environment.

Pizzuto explained that renewal is a process that requires a plan with a sequence of coordinated initiatives whose overarching objective keeps in focus the betterment of the profession, the industry and our built environment.

“The Kamra’s renewal agenda begins with the modernisation of the profession,” he remarked.

Pizzuto stated that the Kamra too needed to modernise, not just because of the legislative changes that are being brought about, but also to reflect the values that embody the profession today, while remaining mindful of its legacy.

To mark the beginning of the renewal process, Pizzuto unveiled the Kamra’s new brand identity.

“The Kamra’s new identity, featuring the three pillars of sustainability, reflects the social and cultural aspirations of today, and will serve as a constant reminder for the profession of its responsibility to promote sustainable development that strikes a balance between the economic, social and environmental needs of the country by harnessing and employing its creative and technical competences,” Pizzuto concluded.

 

 

Later in the conference, Pizzuto provided an in-depth review of the changes that will be brought into force with the first tranche of subsidiary legislation.

Presentations on the context that gave rise to the need for the new Act were given by Perit Simone Vella Lenicker, Past President KTP, Prof Alex Torpiano, Dean of the Faculty for the Built Environment, and Ms Lucienne Meilak, Director of the Policy Development and Programme Implementation Directorate at MTIP, who played a key role in the drafting and approval of the Act.

 

Perit Dr Amber Wismayer, Vice President and Hon. Secretary, KTP, and Perit Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela, Council Member, KTP, also gave interventions on specific innovations of the Act.

 

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PR 07/21 | Perit Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela elected to European Council of Civil Engineers Executive Board

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Perit Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela was elected to the Executive Board of the European Council of Civil Engineers at the 73rd ECCE General Meeting held on 23rd October 2021.

Dr Muñoz Abela serves as council member of the Kamra tal-Periti (KTP) since 2016 where she acts as its representative on the European Council of Civil Engineers (ECCE), Fédération Européenne d’Associations Nationales d’Ingénieurs (FEANI) and Inġiniera Malta in their General Assemblies as well as a member of the Union Internationale des Architects (UIA) Committee “International Women in Architecture”.

She was also appointed as the Chair of the Permanent Committee on Engineering of the Kamra tal-Periti and is the national representative of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).

Dr Muñoz Abela is also a lecturer at the University of Malta within the Faculty for the Built Environment and sits on the University Senate (2019-2021), the Faculty Board (2019 – to date) and the Doctoral Committee (2019 – to date).

The Kamra tal-Periti warmly congratulates Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela on her achievement.

The Kamra tal-Periti would also like to congratulate Dipl. Ing Andreas Brandner on becoming the new president of the European Council of Civil Engineers while expressing thanks and appreciation to Ing. Aris Chatzidakis for his work during the last three years.

The new ECCE Executive Board is composed as follows:

Andreas Brandner President Austria
Aris Chatzidakis Immediate Past President Greece
Platonas Stylianou Vice President / President Elect Cyprus
Helena Endriksone Vice President / Treasurer Latvia
Paul Coughlan Executive Board Member U.K.
Jeanette Muñoz Abela Executive Board Member Malta
Olga Radulovic Executive Board Member Montenegro
Dimitar Natchev Executive Board Member Bulgaria
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PR 06/21 | Human decency before profit

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The construction industry has hit yet another low today should reports carried in the local press be confirmed regarding an as-yet unnamed contractor having unceremoniously dumped a seriously injured worker on the side of a deserted road.

As we discuss ambitious climate change targets, low carbon strategy, and the New Bauhaus Initiative, this incident is a stark reminder that some industry operators are yet to reach basic levels of responsible behaviour grounded in humanity and compassion.

Until contractors are required to possess a licence to operate, which among other things would ensure that they adhere to construction regulations and provide lawful employment, we will never make the quality leap we require. With a licensing regime finally in place, it would be expected that such a contractor would lose said licence and would be unable to operate again should such allegations be confirmed.

The Kamra tal-Periti is aware that the discussion on draft regulations on the licensing of contractors are scheduled to resume at BICC shortly, after having been on hold since May 2019. The Kamra shall be insisting that the new licensing regulations include provisions sanctioning or barring any contractors who were found to be responsible for serious injury or the loss of life of their workmen or neighbours through negligence prior to their coming into force.

 

The industry must send a strong signal to “cowboy” operators that all its main stakeholders shall adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour which is inhumane, exploitative, and negligent to its labour force.

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PR 05/21 | The revocation of warrants on criminal conviction and the role of the Kamra tal-Periti

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Following the reading of Magistrate Mifsud’s sentence regarding the role of Perit Roderick Camilleri and Perit Anthony Mangion in the tragic death of Miriam Pace, it is pertinent to inform the public about relevant aspects of the law and the role of the Kamra tal-Periti in this regard.

 

Suspension or Revocation of Warrants and Memberships

The most frequent question that the Kamra is receiving from media houses is whether the convicted periti are members of the Kamra and, if so, whether it intends suspending their membership. There are a number of points that need to be clarified for the benefit of the public on this point:

 

1. The Kamra is not an association, a club or a union for architects and civil engineers. It is set up by Law as a regulating body of the profession and to act as an official consultant to the State on matters related to the industry.

2. All members of the profession form part of the Kamra tal-Periti automatically, are subject to its disciplinary procedures, and are obliged to follow its directives and code of conduct.

3. Expulsion from the Kamra would entail expulsion from the profession. Such an expulsion can only happen following the suspension or revocation of a perit’s warrant in accordance with the law. It is indeed the Council’s role to investigate any misconduct of periti and to establish adequate disciplinary measures that may be necessary to protect the public and the reputation of the profession. With the passing of the new Periti Act, the Council will also have the power, after carrying out an investigation, to delegate the conduct of the disciplinary hearings to a Periti Professional Conduct Board.

4. Any disciplinary decision of the Council of the Kamra can be appealed before the Court of Appeal, and thus the Council acts as a quasi-judicial body. In this respect, the Council is obliged to adhere to the principles of natural justice enshrined in the Constitution. These include the right to a fair hearing. Failure to abide by these principles would invalidate any disciplinary decision of the Kamra tal-Periti on appeal.

5. To ensure a fair hearing, the Kamra cannot pronounce itself publicly on the merits of a case until its disciplinary proceedings are finalised. If it does, it would prejudice the relative conduct proceedings.

6. It is also pertinent to point out that a perit can lose his or her warrant in one of two ways:

  • Through a decision of the Council, and eventually of the Professional Conduct Board; or
  • Through a criminal conviction with a prison term of at least one year, even if suspended.

In the latter case, the revocation would be automatic and would not require a specific pronouncement on this point in the judgement.

The role of the Periti Warranting Board is to execute the Council’s or the Court’s decision, as applicable, and has no discretionary powers on these matters.

7. One of the principles of natural justice is non bis in idem; i.e., no legal action can be instituted twice for the same cause of action. In view of this, the Council was unable to proceed with its investigation given that the specific charges were not made known to the Kamra until today.

8. In March 2021, the Court had denied the Kamra’s request to be granted special access to the magisterial inquiry to extract any relevant information for its disciplinary investigation.

9. The Kamra cannot take any ulterior disciplinary measures on points already decided upon by the Criminal Court, as confirmed by its legal consultants and the Office of the Attorney General.

 

 

 

What happens next?

The two investigations which had been hitherto suspended due to the criminal proceedings, will be reopened by the Council to determine the following points:

  1. Establish whether the prosecution or the convicted parties will file an appeal against the judgement. If so, the Council will need to await its outcome and proceed accordingly;
  2. Analyse the charges and judgement to establish whether there are any disciplinary merits not covered by the criminal case, including breach of the code of conduct, breach of a directive of the Kamra, professional misconduct or negligence, and bringing the profession into disrepute.

 

Beyond the merits of the criminal and disciplinary proceedings, the testimony brought before the Criminal Court, particularly that of the Court-appointed experts, has exposed serious flaws within the regulation of the industry that need to be addressed in earnest and with competence. The Kamra shall also continue monitoring the criminal proceedings instituted against the contractor and the worker involved to determine whether they bring to the fore any further systemic failures within the existing chaotic regulatory framework governing the industry.

The Kamra has been campaigning on the need for reforms for several years, and has indeed published its own detailed proposals for reform in May 2019 in line with its legal and moral obligations to advise the State on how best to safeguard the public interest.

More recently, it launched a public consultation on its redraft of the infamous Legal Notice 136 of 2019, which was heavily criticised during the criminal proceedings, and shall shortly be publishing the final amended version having taken on board the feedback it received.

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PR 03/21 | KTP welcomes the passing of the Periti Act and BCA Act by Parliament

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The Kamra tal-Periti is deeply satisfied that after an interminable struggle lasting fourteen years and spanning five administrations, the law regulating the profession of periti has been unanimously approved in Parliament yesterday evening.

The new Periti Act will allow for a long-overdue modernisation of the profession and the strengthening of the Kamra’s role in regulating the profession.

One of the main the changes the new Act will bring about is the introduction of Certificates to Practise issued annually by the Kamra to warrant holders providing services to the public and therefore carrying liability for their services. The issuance of Certificates to Practise will be conditional to warrant holders possessing professional indemnity insurance or another form of adequate protective cover and minimum continuous professional development training. The possessors of the Certificate to Practise, whether in the private or public sector, will also be issued with an official professional stamp as a mark of recognition for their clients, and public and private institutions receiving official documentation from periti. This reform will serve to raise the bar and professionalism of warrant holders to the benefit of the wider public and the profession itself.

Another key change is the introduction of two lists within the warrant of Periti – the Perit Arkitett and Periti Inġiniera Ċivili. Apart from addressing infringement procedures opened by the European Commission against Malta about the previous Periti Act, this innovation creates a distinction between the professional qualification routes for architects and civil engineers and marks the beginning of a transition from generalists to specialists in various fields of practice. This distinction is expected to greatly benefit the quality of our built environment and the quality of construction.

Of great importance to the Kamra, of course, is the consolidation of the Kamra’s role as the regulator and sole representative body of periti in Malta. It also introduces the Periti Professional Conduct Board, a new body to which professional conduct cases can be delegated by the Council of the Kamra to improve its efficiency and guarantee a speedier due process for all parties concerned.

This Act was passed during the Kamra’s centenary year. It was indeed just over a hundred years ago, as the country was exiting another pandemic, that the Kamra was set up following a spate of building collapses. The Kamra has evolved over the past one hundred years but remains a widely trusted and respected institution that not only looks after the interests of the profession but also seeks to protect the common good in all its efforts.

With the passing of this Act, the Kamra is now in a position to gradually begin rolling out long-overdue reforms within the profession that depended on the new Periti Act. These reforms will bring the profession firmly into the 21st Century. It will also help begin to address the serious problems within the construction industry and our built environment.

 

The Kamra tal-Periti also strongly welcomes the concurrent passing of the Building and Construction Authority Act. While the Periti Act and the Kamra tal-Periti will serve to underpin the reform of the building and construction industry, this new authority will serve as its foundation.

Most of the concerns raised by the Kamra in recent weeks about the Bill have been addressed in Parliament through amendments brought forward by Government and Opposition.

There is still a significant amount of work to be done to align Malta’s building and construction industry with that of our European partners. However, the Kamra remains resolved to support Government in the drafting of regulations and their implementation to ensure that the public’s health and safety and quality of life are not only protected but enhanced.

 

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PR 09/20 | Kamra tal-Periti celebrates its centenary

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Today the Kamra tal-Periti celebrates a century of service to the profession and to society.

The foundations of the Kamra were laid amid the Sette Giugno uprisings of 1919 when, despite the turmoil brought about by the riots and the end of the Spanish flu pandemic, the new Governor, Field Marshall Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer brought into force the Architects’ Ordinance on the 25th July 1919. Less than a year later, on the 12th June 1920, he enacted Government Notice 202, which established the Chamber of Architects, now known as the Kamra tal-Periti.

As the sole recognised professional body representing architects and civil engineers in Malta, the Kamra’s  mission is to support members of the profession in achieving excellence in their practice of architecture and engineering in the interest of the community. It is also delegated with the duty of enquiring into any charge of professional misconduct or abuse made against any periti in connection with the exercise of their profession or with professional matters.

Over the years, the Kamra tal-Periti has established itself as the voice of the profession, and has taken on the role of promoting values of economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability amongst its members, as well as promoting beauty in architecture and the built environment.

General Meeting of the Camera degli Architetti

As it traces its roots over the past century, the Kamra tal-Periti is now looking towards a future which is founded on a key set of principles: Quality, design, community, progress, identity, innovation, culture, sustainability. These are the elements that must shape our built environment, forging the very essence of the spaces we inhabit in the present, and for generations to come.

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PR 01/20 | High expectations of new Administration

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On the occasion of his recent election as Leader of the Partit Laburista, and his subsequent appointment as Prime Minister, the Council of the Kamra tal-Periti has written to the Honourable Robert Abela to congratulate him and commend him for his readiness to serve the nation at this most delicate moment in its history. The Council encouraged Dr Abela to tackle the major challenges of rebuilding the State’s institutions and the country’s good reputation, and of reuniting a sorely divided nation.

All sectors of society expect much of the incoming Prime Minister and the new Administration, including that they will not shirk from introducing the necessary modernising reforms in the State’s institutions, with procedures and regulations that are appropriate for a civilised, developed and respected nation.

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti shares the high expectations from all professional bodies, constituted bodies and others that Dr Abela’s tenure will ensure a tangibly honest way of doing politics in Malta, at all levels, with people of integrity being entrusted with responsibility for our institutions. It is only in this way that all sectors of society can benefit equally.

The Kamra tal-Periti notes with satisfaction some potentially significant administrative changes announced last week, that appear to herald a very welcome departure from the indifference towards our environment, and a more sensitive approach to the several environmental and social issues which require urgent attention today and over the coming years.

Foremost amongst the new measures is the decision to place planning, environment and climate change within one portfolio under the responsibility of Minister Aaron Farrugia, in a bid to strengthen synergies and realign the balance between the oftentimes opposing priorities of the construction industry and the quality of our environment. The appointment of Minister Carmelo Abela within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for sustainable development is also noteworthy, and hopefully announces a genuine commitment by the Prime Minister himself to place social and environmental sustainability high on the national agenda, at par with economic growth.

The clear separation between construction and planning is also an important step in the right direction. The Kamra tal-Periti has lobbied hard for several years for the two processes to be distinct and separate. Detailed discussions on this topic have been held over the past two years with Minister Ian Borg and Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius. The convergence of views on this matter is therefore noted with satisfaction, and the Kamra augurs further and speedy progress on this matter.

For the last 100 years, the Kamra tal-Periti has been entrusted by the State with ensuring the progress and good standing of the profession. The Council is committed to ensure that high ethical standards are upheld by its members, and that its principles are promoted throughout the whole of the construction sector. It looks forward to a close collaboration with the new Administration to ensure the sustainability of the sector in tandem with the natural and cultural environment and to promote higher standards of quality and design in all matters related to the construction industry.

 

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