A prime-time television slot on PBS has been given to the Malta Developers Association (MDA) for the upcoming autumn schedule.
MDA president Sandro Chetcuti confirmed that the construction lobby has been given what he called an “educational” programme on TVM2.
The programme is set to be aired on Mondays after the evening news bulletin.
Replying to questions about the purpose of the programme, Mr Chetcuti said the show would help raise awareness about how to solve issues people faced when dealing with the construction industry.
He said the programme would explore how the industry could be more sensitive to people’s misgivings, as well as help quash certain misconceptions.
Malta’s construction industry has long been under fire from environmentalists, who fear that irreparable damage is being done to the country’s few remaining green areas.
The Democratic Party has warned that Malta’s “schizophrenic” construction frenzy could prove to be unsustainable and lead to an economic collapse.
Asked if environmentalists and other dissenting voices would be invited to air their views on the programme, Mr Chetcuti said the association would have no problem in doing that.
Mr Chetcuti said that the MDA did not agree with certain developers’ careless approach to the environment.
The MDA president said the new programme would take a constructive approach to seeing how certain problems associated with the industry could be addressed.
He said the MDA wanted to improve the image of the construction industry and help buck the idea that development would lead to the country’s ruin.
Mr Chetcuti said that the most important thing was that development took place in a manner which was respectful to the environment.
This is not the MDA’s first venture on the small screen, as the construction lobbyists produced a discussion programme on Smash TV earlier this year.
Its guests included Planning Authority chief Johann Buttigieg and former police chief Ray Zammit, as well as ministers Konrad Mizzi and Manuel Mallia.
Mr Chetcuti explained that the MDA would be funding the programme itself.