Ċensu Galea is new BICC chairman

Nationalist MP Ċensu Galea, who was recently voted in as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been appointed chairman of the Building Industry Consultative Council.

Mr Galea, an architect by profession, whose appointment is being made public today through the Government Gazette, replaces architect John Ebejer, who has been at the helm since October 2008.

Asked whether he saw a conflict between his parliamentary role and this position, Mr Galea said he would use his experience both as an architect and an MP to improving the built-up environment and the general situation of the building industry.

He said one of his main priorities would be collaborating with the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Malta to introduce a more hands-on element in the architecture course being offered at university.

Mr Galea said there were some subjects, such as construction methods, which could not be taught in a lecture room. Students, from the third year of the course onwards, should be given the opportunity to go out and see with their own eyes what they were being taught.

Another important issue which he was adamant on tackling was that involving the classification of contractors. He said this database, which has been on the cards for quite some time, aimed to classify contractors according to their capabilities.

With such a system, contractors considered to be “small” would not be granted big tenders. The contractors, he said, would be classified according to the number of employees, the equipment the company has and experience.

Mr Galea said he would also like to make public the sterling work carried out by the council which brings together the various stakeholders of the building industry.

The construction industry in Malta and Gozo generates €145 million annually or 3.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, employing 12,370 people on full-time basis, or eight per cent of those gainfully occupied.

According to NSO statistics, the construction sector is expanding and its activity has increased by six per cent over the last five years.