Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/651042
8 TIM DIACONO A damning internal report penned by the Addolorata man- ager lays bare poor and unhy- gienic work conditions, abuse and neglect at the Santa Maria Addolorata cemetery in Paola, Malta's largest by far. Brian Bonnici, who was ap- pointed manager of the cem- etery last year, claims that grave cleaners are forced to handle corpses without proper cloth- ing, that amputated limbs are dumped into the ossuary, and that a particular undertaker was given a free pass. The leaked internal report was tabled in Parliament on Monday by shadow health minister Clau- dette Buttigieg, in response to the government's publication of an inquiry that it had launched in response to her accusations of "a state of anarchy" at the cem- etery. The inquiry, led by retired judge Alberto Magri, largely dis- missed her accusations. Judge Magri interviewed 40 cemetery staff, but it is not known if Brian Bonnici was one of them. The inquiry report has not yet been published. It didn't find any cases where tombs were dug up without prior au- thorisation or MEPA permits, nor any shortcomings against environmental health director Clive Tonna who was suspended pending the inquiry. In his speech, health minis- ter Konrad Mizzi had described the inquiry's results as a "bal- loon bursting in the Opposi- tion's face" and announced that the government would soon is- sue an expression of interest for the extension, restoration and maintenance of the Addolorata cemetery. "The government is pro-active in the cemetery sector, just as it is in so many other sectors," he said. However, Brian Bonnici – a for- mer Zebbug PL mayor – painted a murkier picture of the real- ity at the cemetery, particularly with regard to work conditions. "The situation at the cemetery is unacceptable and looks much uglier when you get a firsthand experience of working there," he wrote in the internal report. "It is a ticking time bomb that can explode in our hands at any mo- ment, and immediate and coura- geous decisions must be taken." He warned that gravediggers are on the verge of taking in- dustrial action, after their pleas for better work conditions have continuously fallen on deaf ears. "Grave cleaners clean out corpses with their skin exposed and lacking adequate gloves, tools and masks. They are not even provided anoraks when it is raining, and they should be pro- vided with dungarees – rather than trousers and shirts – so as not to expose themselves. "They are forced to beg for adequate clothing and their re- quests often go unanswered. Ap- paratus and tools have lain bro- ken for months." Worryingly, he said that the entire cemetery has one transit van, used to both cart off used coffins and transport work- ers, who are left exposed to the stink and harmful microbes. He added that gravediggers are not given the necessary protec- tive injections that are given to people who work with sewage. Their request for a €900 annual 'dirt allowance' for working with corpses has been ignored, de- spite a similar grant existing for morgue employees. The restrooms and showers are rundown and a first aid kit is not readily available. "Gravediggers, watchmen and gatekeepers feel as though they are the dregs of the Health De- partment, and many believe they are only employed there as pen- ance or because no other depart- ment had wanted them," Brian Bonnici wrote. "It is astounding that the Health Department is in charge of ensuring hygienic conditions are kept every where, but then abdicate their responsi- bility for sectors that fall under their direct responsibility." 'Smell of corruption in grave digging' Bonnici warned that he could "smell corruption" in the way new graves were dug up over the past decade, in- cluding in passageways, by walls or instead of trees. He revealed that Paul Micallef, from the Burials Administration Unit, is close pals with an undertaker from Ghax- aq who goes by the nickname 'Il- Genix', and who has effectively been given a free reign over the cemetery. "He is one of the few people al- lowed to drive his car into the cemetery, and he does so with the music on full blast under Mi- callef 's own eyes. He thinks the cemetery is his and that he can do whatever he wants." Bonnici was informed that 'Il-Genix' had dug graves at the cemetery and sold them to clients, and charged people to bury their loved ones' skeletal remains in a disused area of the cemetery, rather than in the os- suary. "I heard of a case whereby a woman made a scene at the reg- istry, claiming that she had paid Lm5,000 for a grave to Micallef and Il-Genix a long time ago but had not yet been served. It appears as though Il-Genix used to dig the graves, while Micallef used to transfer their ownership." 'Amputated limbs carted to ossuary' Bonnici gruesomely revealed that it is common practice for amputated limbs to be carted from the hospital to the cem- etery every month to be dumped at the ossuary, where skeletal re- mains are buried. The health consequences are a proliferation of rats, a stink, and an increase of microbes. "[Health inspector] Mario Cas- sar had actually included this procedure in a memo we were preparing for the health minis- ter to be approved by Cabinet. Thankfully, we removed it after a quick scan of the draft memo." He also warned that clothes are sometimes taken into the ossuary with the skeletons, and at other times dumped into two open skips outside the cemetery. "There is no better word than 'mediocrity' to describe the cemetery operations," Bonnici wrote, calling for an adequate annual budget to be allocated to it. "The cemetery is a place de- serving of respect, but the prob- lem is simple – the dead don't vote." tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 MARCH 2016 News IN ALL LEADING BOOK SHOPS HISTORY OF ORNITHOLOGY IN MALTA Damning report bares abuse, poor working conditions at Addolorata cemetery Addolorata manager warns that cemetery staff are working in unhygienic conditions, amputated limbs tossed into ossuary, undertaker profiting off illegal sale of graves