Building contractors will be required to be insured, minister says

Building contractors, new and old, will be required to have insurance, as per new licensing criteria, Minister of Public Works and Planning Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said Wednesday.

The minister was addressing a press conference to give an update on the building contractors licensing legislation, which was passed by Parliament earlier this year.

The regulation of the sector was first introduced by the minister back in March of this year.

Azzopardi said that this proposal is still in its early stages and that currently the government is in talks with insurance providers, since a new formula needs to be created.

With the modifications to the government’s original proposals that were made today, anyone who holds such a licence will now be required to make sure that every job is covered by a current insurance policy that will compensate for any loss or damage that anyone may suffer as a result of any act or omission on the part of the contractor or employees while the works are being performed.

Building and Construction Authority CEO Jesmond Muscat gave more details.

Proposed major changes, which are going to be implemented, include that contractors must now be 21 years of age, and no longer 18, to qualify for a licence. Additionally the applicant’s financial stability together with a police conduct certificate will also be taken into consideration with the application for licensing.

If an applicant has been found guilty of a serious crime, such as misappropriation or fraud in the five years before applying, he will not be eligible for such a licence, Muscat said.

Muscat said that this new legislation will ascertain that everyone knows their responsibility on construction sites.

Finally, if a person is found guilty of a crime against the Act or against the rules, the Court will be given more authority to impose the suspension or revocation of a licence. Despite this, the right to appeal will be available to anybody who feels wronged.