The Malta Developers’ Association will be holding its seventh annual general meeting on March 1. Having been involved in its foundation, I think it is about time to look back and see whether the setting up of this association has led to the attainment of its goals.

When it was formed, way back in 2010, the construction industry was in the doldrums. Malta was then managing to keep at bay the negative trend in business caused by the recession in Europe and it was perhaps the best moment for the association to be formed. Established developers had the time to stop and think. Until then, every developer hardly discussed the property market with competitors and the slowdown proved to be the right time for developers to cooperate and start lobbying for their economic sector.

I still remember when Sandro Chetcuti and another three friends came to see me seeking help to set up the organisation that was later called Malta Developers’ Association, a name that today stuck among all, whether admirers or critics, in all shapes and sizes.

I honestly doubted whether such an organisation could be set up. Most developers had a ‘wild west’ mentality (a few still do, unfortunately) little realising that starting to do things properly together would, in the long run, make for a healthy competitive sector rather than the cutthroat competition that prevailed in the past.

I doubted whether such a venture would, in fact, be successful and I always thought that 100 would be the maximum magic number of members of the association. Today, MDA boasts of about 400 members, having also branched in the field of estate agents, electrical contractors and various other trades that service the construction industry.

I promised to stay for the first two years until the MDA is established. I stayed for three and since then the association was run by Chetcuti. This is the last time that he is standing for president and, in another two years, the association must find someone to replace him. I understand he will be seeking pastures new.

With the startling sudden increase in Malta’s population, the property industry has a bright future

Chetcuti is a forceful personality; you either like him or hate him, as the saying goes. I always thought he was an unpolished gem that needed to learn how to be patient and look at things from several angles rather than from one.

Today, I can say I was right. Contrary to what many might think, running the MDA is no easy job, especially when shortsighted members do not take the long-term view and have to be imbued with the realisation that what is right in the long run should always take precedence over short-term gains.

Unfortunately, many people have a preconceived idea of what Chetcuti is all about and this pushes them to consider whatever he says ad hominem more than objectively. To the extent of ascribing sinister hidden motives to his quoting the common English idiom of making hay while the sun shines.

From the very beginning, the MDA formulated a code of ethics that it expected its members to adhere to. Has everybody observed this code of ethics? Of course not. A small number of MDA members had to be admonished after there were legitimate complaints about them.

The MDA did more. It lobbied with both political parties and with the government of the day. Many suggestions it made ended up being taken up by the government and adopted as official policy. I can say that the positive effect of these policies - such as the reduction in stamp duty for first-time buyers of property - surprised the government itself and the civil servants who thought that this would lead to a drop in revenue from stamp duty.

In its lobbying, the MDA fought for the industry as a whole and for policies applicable to all and not for particular projects, more so when these were subject to fierce competition between its own members.

The MDA was never afraid of pushing its members to put their house in order and was never afraid to say when it expected that integrity came before individual gain. It was never afraid to insist that all developers should have a level playing field and that public land should never be given away cheaply and sold below market prices.

With the startling sudden increase in Malta’s population, the property industry has a bright future... but it must also learn to hold its horses and avoid running away as if there is no tomorrow.

Michael Falzon is honorary president of the Malta Developers’ Association.