30 ongoing inquiries into construction site deaths and accidents

There are currently 30 pending inquiries into construction site deaths and accidents, information tabled in parliament shows.

The information was tabled in the House by Justice Minister Jonathan Attard in reply to a question by Nationalist MP Graziella Galea.

The MP also asked on which specific construction sites inquiries were still ongoing, but Attard said he could not answer the question as he was prevented from doing so by the law.

A total of eight deaths took place on construction sites in 2022, according to figures obtained from the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

One of the most shocking cases of construction site deaths which happened last year was that of 20-year-old Jean Paul Sofia, who died last December after a three-storey building he was working in collapsed during works.

The victim’s family and NGOs have repeatedly called for a public inquiry into the case, with friends of Sofia hanging a banner with ‘Justice for Jean Paul Sofia’ infront of the parliament building.

The banner was hung on top of the arcades at Valletta’s city gate opposite parliament (Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

But Prime Minister Robert Abela has dismissed calls for the public inquiry, insisting an ongoing magisterial inquiry is already investigating the case, while other relevant authorities are also conducting their own inquiries.

The incident has also spurred government to reform the licensing of building contractors in the country after years of calls for change to the law.