Sandro Chetcuti appointed Developers' Association president

Sandro Chetcuti has been appointed president of the Malta Developers' Association, succeeding Michael Falzon, who has stepped down after more than three years at the helm.

The appointment was announced during the MDA's annual meeting this evening. Mr Chetcuti, who was formerly vice president, was the sole candidate for the top post.

In an address Mr Falzon underlined the work the MDA had done to promote  dialogue with various sectors, including the environmentalists.

He also noted that according to the latest Central Bank report, the construction sector over the past year had not continued to decline and had practically stabilised at all levels, albeit at a lower level than before. 

“The contribution of the construction sector to GDP and bank lending to the construction and Real Estate sectors have not declined in a significant manner. A positive indicator is that bank lending to home buyers has increased. We can state with confidence that the sector today is not continuing to regress and we hope it will begin to recover.”

Mr Chetcuti said he wished the MDA to continue to work to earn the respect of the politicians, professionals and society in general. He wishes to find a balance with environmentalists so that the investment made in property would continue to appreciate so that everyone could benefit.

“My primary ambition is to eliminate a lot of unnecessary bureaucracy that is stifling. I believe that the MDA can be a key player so that it will assist the government in achieving this. If we are practical and eliminate a lot of time wasting, we can make miracles with this country,” he concluded.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat congratulated Mr Chetcuti and thanked Mr Falzon. He said the government wanted to see a sustainable future for the construction industry.

He referred to the high percentage of vacant dwellings and how many had not been sold for years, and said the problems which had led to this situation needed to be assessed.

One issue, he said, was the need to improve quality since buyers were more discerning.

Dr Muscat underlined his view that the market should regulate itself as far as possible, without excessive regulation.