Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503864
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 JULY 2023 NEWS LETTER OF INTENTION The Director, Ms. Josianne Micallef of Gretch Partners Malta Ltd, declares her intention for the company to register for an Employment Agency licence in accordance with article 23 of the Employment and Training Services Act, 1990 (Act XXVIII of 1990). The activities proposed to be carried out are the following: • Recruitment Consultancy • Interviewing, selection and placements of candidates in employment. • Recruitment of persons from abroad for employment in Malta or in an EU member state. • Recruitment of persons from Malta for employment in Malta or in an EU member state. • Advertising for the filling of vacancies. • Keeping a register of applicants for employment. Official Registered Office: One 3 Office Centre, Office 2 Ponsonby Street, Mosta - Malta Company Registration Number: C105869 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "There is backlash and it is also coming from our own grassroots because they perceive our posi- tion as lacking empathy towards Jean Paul Sofia's parents," a Cabi- net member told MaltaToday. Sofia was killed when a building under construction at the Corrad- ino Industrial Estate collapsed last December. Since then, his moth- er, Isabelle Bonnici, has cam- paigned relentlessly to have a pub- lic inquiry into the tragic death but Prime Minister Robert Abela has refused, insisting the ongoing magisterial inquiry was the best route to achieve justice. But the Cabinet member who spoke to this newspaper said the government did not explain its stand well in the run up to Wednesday's vote. "Unfortunate- ly, we mishandled this and for weeks the Prime Minister was too focussed on legalisms, coming across as cold and disinterested in what a grieving mother had to say." He complained that the situa- tion was allowed to reach a tip- ping point with Wednesday's vote being the final straw that broke the camel's back. "To make matters worse, the Sofia debacle came on top of a sit- uation where people are frustrat- ed by environmental problems and the pressure on infrastruc- ture from the sudden population growth of the past 10 years." Another MP pointed towards a social media message from a for- mer member of a ministerial sec- retariat telling Labour MPs not to come knocking on her door. "When you have core Labour voters like this woman making such statements in public, you realise that the situation is very bad," the MP said. "I have received several emails with very stiff com- ments on the way we voted and likewise my colleagues in the par- liamentary group." Another member of Cabinet said the Prime Minister and the parliamentary group underesti- mated the impact of the Sofia case on the collective psyche. "This case has got people across all the voting age spectrum talking about it," the minister said, admit- ting the decision to vote against the public inquiry made it seem like Labour MPs spuriously took on a grieving mother. "Our stand has angered people, who sym- pathise with Isabelle's call, even though it is only a magisterial inquiry that will lead to criminal charges being filed against those responsible." Last Thursday, in an interview with MaltaToday, the Prime Min- ister did not commit to a public inquiry but vowed to publish the magisterial inquiry once it is con- cluded. He also insisted that if the magisterial inquiry did not address issues of an administrative matter such as how the land in Corradino was granted to the developers of the ill-fated building, he would see to it that other investigations are carried out. But one MP described the Prime Minister's attempt to try and ex- plain the rationale behind his po- sition as coming too late in the day. "Some constituents were gen- uinely unable to understand the difference between a magisterial inquiry and a public inquiry, leav- ing them confused as to why Rob- ert Abela was so against a public inquiry. Unfortunately, we did not communicate our position well enough and it seemed as if we shut off all avenues by insisting only on a rapid conclusion of the magiste- rial inquiry." Labour MPs were dumbstruck on Wednesday after they were confronted inside parliament by Isabelle Bonnici and Jean Paul So- fia's father, John Sofia. The parents, who followed proceedings from the Strangers' Gallery had been hoping for a last-minute change of heart by government MPs. But when the vote was called, the 40 Labour MPs present inside parliament voted together against the Opposition's motion calling for a public inquiry into Sofia's death. Soon after the vote, Opposition leader Bernard Grech called gov- ernment MPs "heartless", a reac- tion that reverberated among or- dinary people. This reaction was aptly captured by former One News reporter and TV presenter Simone Cini who in a Facebook post said she did not want to be in the shoes of Labour MPs who "did not follow what their heart told them to do". She then addressed Isabelle: "Every parent is carrying part of your pain… but this is not enough. Have courage." Labour MPs now fear the back- lash on the Sofia case marks a turning point of sorts and will contribute to higher voter absten- tion in next year's European Par- liament election. One MP said Labour voters, including hard core supporters, could punish the government over what they consider is its in- transigence. "It is still a long way to the European election but I fear that the widespread anger over the Sofia case could translate into Labour voters not voting." Yet another MP is pinning his hopes on the conclusions of the magisterial inquiry. "The situation today is very bad but I am hoping that the magis- terial inquiry will conclude soon and apart from establishing crim- inal responsibility suggest any fur- ther action that could be taken to address several issues of concern that are being raised," he said. This, he believes, could provide an opening for the government to change course and accept a public inquiry. ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt 'Our stand has angered people' Isabelle Bonnici