“The Kamra tal-Periti has not been provided with a copy of said regulations, and the only information we have so far is the following: (a) The Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects which one can find here; and (b) The Ministerial Statement read in Parliament by the Minister, together with the subsequent questions and answers, which one can follow here (minute 32.20 onwards),” the press statement says.

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti says that “there is a lack of clarity between the principles made in the statement and certain statements made in Parliament,” while also notes that in the absence of having a copy of the Legal Notice in hand, “it is premature for the council to comment further at this stage,” according to the press statement sent to BM.

The Kamra sent a letter to the minister, asking to clarify a number of points. At the same time, the Kamra also asked for a meeting prior to the publication of the legal notice.

“Periti [Maltese word for architects] have been requested to inform their clients that the Legal Notice is expected to come into force today and that any obligations arising therefrom will be applicable to any ongoing demolition, excavation and construction works as per Ministerial Statement,” the press release adds.

After the walls of three buildings collapsed in the past two months in Malta near construction sites, forcing the government to temporarily halt demolition and excavation works, the Kamra called for an extraordinary general meeting. Prior to the EGM the Kamra published its preliminary position, and after the EGM the Kamra pledged commitment to improving the public safety of citizens and urged the government to enter discussions with the association. The Kamra also welcomed the recent listing of licensed masons published on the website of the Building Regulation Office (BRO).

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The meeting took place on the sidelines of the European Development Days (EDD). The EDD is Europe’s leading forum on development and has been held every year since 2006. This event is organised by the European Commission and brings the development community together to share ideas. Moreover, it experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, as the DOI press statement says.

This year’s theme was “Addressing inequalities: Building a world which leaves no one behind”. It was chosen especially in view of the United Nations’ High-Level Political Forum, during which the UN will take stock of the deliverance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Malta’s presence at the EDD highlighted the country’s longstanding commitment to development and the implementation of the SDGs, the government press release insists. Taking the floor at a discussion under the theme “In search of equality: Migration, forced displacement, and the SDGs”, Minister Carmelo Abela stressed the need for a comprehensive regional and global approach to migration, a balanced narrative on the phenomenon, and the direct involvement of the youth to achieve lasting solutions.

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The SUM foundation is a public organisation and is to be run by a board of administrators, where the Maltese government will be represented by Malta Investment Management Company Limited (MIMCOL) as a creator of the foundation.

In order to position Malta as an ideal location for the creation of startups, entrepreneurship and innovative ideas, the SUM foundation will be a major policy driver in the implementation of the national start-up strategy, the government expects.

“Malta’s economy has changed and will continue to change thanks to our hard-working entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs create jobs, contribute significantly to economic growth and boost innovation. Fostering entrepreneurship must become a visible part of the government’s economic policy,” said Mr Cardona.

The main objectives of the foundation will be to promote, research and analyse startups, and invest in the creation of an entrepreneurial culture. The foundation will advise the government through feedback and information gathered from the general public and from stakeholders, in order to improve and promote Malta’s entrepreneurial journey through various stages. Starting from awareness, all the way to ideation, enterprise initiation and development, international networking and growth.

“We are confident that this will allow for sounder policy-making and improve Malta’s standing as an attractive place to set-up and grow a business,” Mr Cardona said.

Although the startup ecosystem in Malta is in its infancy, the foundation will propel its development putting strategic efforts in areas which can effectively yield to the creation of more start-ups, and tackle known challenges such as the lack of venture-capital culture and access to finance, as the DOI press statement says.

“Fundamentally, the SUM Foundation will be a learning organisation that supports innovative entrepreneurship and the community behind it. We believe that enormous potential still lies locked and undeveloped in our economy,” added Mr Cardona. “We know that entrepreneurs must lead the start-up community.”

The post Minister Cardona launches the ‘Start-Up Malta Foundation’ first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Minister Herrera also confirmed that Malta steps up its efforts and is committed to issuing a strategy that will tackle more single-use plastic items, when speaking before the assembly, bearing the theme, “Innovative solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable consumption and production”, according to a press statement by the government’s Department of Information (DOI).

Outlining the strategy, the minister said that the ten most single-use plastics that were identified as a significant threat to our marine environment need to be tackled. He also said that in the framework of this strategy, the government would apply a phasing-out approach in eliminating some plastic products while incentivising more environmentally-friendly alternatives.

Malta also signed the Ministerial Declaration of the 2019 United Nations Environment Assembly whereby in principle signatory countries reaffirmed, “that poverty eradication, changing unsustainable and promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are the overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development,” according to the DOI release.

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