Last February, following the public inquiry into the death of Jean-Paul Sofia, Prime Minister Robert Abela promised that the government would take responsibility for five measures to prevent such tragedies. One of those was that a centralised helpline would be set up for citizens to file reports and complaints of construction site abuses.

That helpline, called Work Safe, has now been launched, with two other measures to follow soon: free assistance from lawyers and architects to people affected by construction works; and the licensing of builders.

Stone masons – around 1,700 of them – will only be able to renew their licences if they receive regular training on safety and new building practices

A new Health and Safety at Work Bill was also unanimously agreed in parliament last month aimed at significantly reducing workplace accidents by introducing higher penalties, mandating Health and Safety Regulation Officers and enhancing governance within the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

Lest we forget, Sofia’s death, in December 2022, was not an isolated tragedy. Far too often, the rush to cash in on the construction boom has resulted in disastrous outcomes, from trivial to tragic. His death was the final straw for many people who felt that cowboy operators were beyond reach, that the powers-that-be were unwilling or unable to take action.

The 484-page report of the ensuing public inquiry had a staggering 40 pages of detailed recommendations, indicating how flawed the sector was, not just in its operations but also in enforcement and the bewildering lacuna over which entity shouldered responsibility for what.

The five measures planned by the government are just the tip of the iceberg. Authorities need resources, legislation needs to be updated, clear lines of reporting are required: the recommendations in the inquiry touched on many different aspects.

When presented with the Sofia inquiry report, the prime minister said that “the state needs to do better where the entities lacked”. This conveniently overlooks the state’s responsibility to make sure that these entities worked correctly in the first place.

The problem is overcoming scepticism: the government has been plagued by revelations about driving licences, disability benefits, ID cards and more, exacerbated by whether those in power did anything to try to stop abuse even when it was flagged.

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard himself, at the launch of the helpline, admitted that “it would take some time to achieve the people’s trust” but that the government “was committed to strong enforcement of laws and regulations in the construction sector”.

Public frustration must have been brewing for some time, unappeased by the ability to post photos on social media about dubious practices. Dozens of reports were made to the helpline within days, as people hoped that this would result in action, whether they were about dangerous buildings, worrying excavations or occupational risks.

The big question is: will it? Will the authorities stand up to the cowboys and stop inappropriate works? What can we present as proof that the government is actually tackling shortcomings?

Sofia’s mother, Isabelle Bonnici was fearless in her crusade to get justice for her son’s untimely death, one that mobilised thousands of people. She was at the recent launch of the ‘138’ helpline – her son’s birthday. The government will, no doubt, benefit from her endorsement as it lends credibility to this initiative.

Let us hope that it results in real change and accountability and does not turn out to be just an exploitative gimmick that will make a mockery of her faith.