[WATCH] Building collapse: Warranted professionals must shoulder responsibilities, Joseph Muscat says

Prime Minister points at professional responsibilities after Mellieha building collapse

Warranted professionals must shoulder their responsibilities and refuse to sign off on work they deem is defective, Joseph Muscat said.

The Prime Minister was speaking on Monday morning, 48 hours after an apartment block collapsed in Mellieħa, leaving an elderly woman homeless and thanking her lucky stars she was not killed.

The building is situated next to a construction site and the incident is the second such occurrence in two months. A similar incident happened in Guardamangia.

The incident has sparked anger at what many believe is the widespread disregard to neighbours by those involved in the construction sector.

Muscat said this morning the government understood the anger and was working to set up a new authority that would serve as a focal point for enforcement on the building sector.

“It is obvious that people are angry. I am angry as well... But it is also obvious that there are responsibilities to be shouldered by people who have a warrant. As far as I know, an architect is responsible when he signs off on work. If an architect does not agree with the way work has been done it is his duty to withdraw from the project,” Muscat said, insisting he was not commenting on the individual cases.

The government will be meeting stakeholders in the industry this week to discuss interim measures until the authority is set up. “I want to hear from them but I also want them to hear what we are proposing,” he said.

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