An asbestos ceiling adjacent to the offices of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority will be removed after years of exposing employees to a health hazard, Consumer Affairs Minister Helena Dalli said yesterday.

She gave the assurance to employees during a tour of the authority, saying the previous administration was more concerned with responding to bad press than doing something about the problem.

The ceiling is of a large building currently used as a private car park. The office’s windows overlook it.

Speaking to journalists, Dr Dalli said the landlords, Mizzi Estates, had agreed to replace the ceiling at their own expense after they were handed a copy of an expert’s report stating it was creating a health hazard for workers. She said the findings were similar to others from reports commissioned under the pre­vious administration, but while nothing was done back then, the new MCCAA board met the landlord and found a solution. Work to replace the ceiling will be carried out in August, when most workers are on leave. Another option being considered is for employees to work from home.

The ceiling removal work has been officially approved by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

Dr Dalli said she had raised the issue several times when in Opposition but the previous government always denied the asbestos was detrimental to the workers’ health.

MCCAA chairman Marcel Pizzuto said the matter was so serious that the workers – some of whom were scientists and knew the danger they were being exposed to – had sealed the windows with tape.

Dr Dalli said the authority was currently carrying out an operations review to discover what needed to be done to improve its operations.

The General Workers’ Union welcomed the move, saying it had been insisting on the ceiling’s removal for years.

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