KTP President calls on Government to engage competent professionals to head public entities

During the national architecture awards ceremony held on 26th October, Architect Andre Pizzuto, President of the Chamber of Architects (Kamra tal-Periti), delivered a powerful speech addressing the current state of public architecture and governance in Malta.

He began by questioning, “What good does having a building designed by Renzo Piano do if we are unable to control the base instincts of the uncouth and uncultured in suppressing the enjoyment of this building by those who understand and respect the magic of architecture?”

Mr Pizzuto underscored that the Government has a responsibility to acknowledge the impact such neglect has on public well-being and must take real action to address it.

He was critical of “public relations schemes” like the one recently announced by Infrastructure Malta, which he predicted would lead to no substantial outcomes, wasting public funds on short-term projects with no long-term community benefits.

“We have only to look at the predictable debacle of Project Green’s green walls for evidence of the incompetence of certain CEOs of public entities,” he stated, emphasising that the Government must ensure public entities are headed by competent professionals.

Mr Pizzuto also spoke passionately about the “magic and power of good architecture” while also highlighting how Malta’s high population density exacerbates the challenges faced by architects.

Over-development, a primary concern of the general public, was a recurring theme among many of the Premju Galizia finalists, who demonstrated that the profession is not only aware of but also actively pursuing solutions to address this issue.

Calling on the Government to take ownership of the degradation of public spaces, Mr Pizzuto stressed the need to recognise the negative impact this has on well-being.

However, despite these challenges, Mr Pizzuto expressed optimism for the future of the profession and industry. He pointed to fruitful meetings with various Ministers and senior public officials over the past months, which he believes will lead to higher standards in the construction industry and the elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy.

He also expressed hope that the upcoming budget would reflect the various proposals made by the chamber, helping to place the profession on a sounder footing and begin to restore the reputation of the construction industry.