How did this very clever and opportunistic conman successfully avoid any responsibility for Malta’ current crisis in construction industry deaths? David Xuereb, the man who props up the Labour government by fraudulently being projected by the government as the representative of the business community, is a director at the Building and Industry Consultative Council and also Chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority. David Xuereb would have been the first person to resign from his post if the government shouldered responsibility for the ever-increasing construction industry deaths, but everything happens in reverse in this country. David Xuereb is actually a front for big construction interests and his interest in bringing standards to the industry conflicts with his services and friendship with his clients and the construction industry.
David Xuereb is nothing but a very clever and opportunistic conman and he has no business in chairing or being part of the same government entities. Malta lacked and still does, proper planning and building regulation, and enforcement standards and the lack of these standards has worked in favour of the construction industry. David Xuereb is just like Robert Musumeci only more cunningly deceptive. Robert Musumeci was given the task to update planning policies because as an architect and very motivated rent-seeker, he was to update policies that would very much favour the local construction industry at the expense of the rest of society. David Xuereb is in the same position: he is a Labour government supporter and in return is allowed to be given these kinds of positions that serve him and his clients very well.
This is governance by fraud, theatre and rent-seeking. David Xuereb has no business being the Chairman of the OHSA, not in the BCI and especially chair of MCESD. In fact, David Xuereb was appointed chair of MCESD only after he was replaced as President of the Chamber of Commerce just after one year by Marisa Xuereb for the exact same reason that David Xuereb was a government lackey. Throughout the pandemic, David Xuereb took a very pro-government position as head of the Chamber which served him personally well but lead to frustrated members in finding a new President. Xuereb was subsequently rewarded for his support by being promoted to chairman of the MCESD.
And it is incredibly strange how David Xuereb has become an authority on standards and health and safety all of a sudden. The story is a bit murkier. Just like Musumeci’s appointments, David Xuereb’s appointments to these committees are made because they are convenient for the construction industry. Do you remember the contractor who dumped an injured worker in Mellie?a in 2021? That particular contractor worked on a construction site which was being developed by Michael Bugeja of Bilom Group who is also a business partner of David Xuereb. David Xuereb was a shareholder of a company owned by Micahel Bugeja called M3D. David Xuereb, who is the Chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority is also providing services to contractors who have workers’ fatalities in their records. So, it would make sense that David Xuereb would call Adriana ?ammit to share his solidarity with her because he is there in the first place to protect and front the interests of the construction industry and not that of workers.
No wonder David Xuereb is Robert Abela’s friend and supporter: he is simply an unprincipled conman and rent-seeker doing anything he can to push his business and personal interests at the expense of the general public – just like Robert Abela. This is a Labour government. Supposedly the Chairman of the OHSA is someone who safeguards the interests of workers and not the interests of the construction industry.
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