Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/926403
maltatoday SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 2018 24 The Malta Archdiocese's Environment Commission (KA) yesterday lashed out at the authorities for failing to take ap- propriate action in the face of the unac- ceptably high death toll associated with the local fireworks industry, after a spate of accidents which left seven people dead last year. In its most strongly worded state- ment to date – issued in response to last month's Pyrotechnics Commission's report, commissioned shortly after the St Helen's Fireworks Factory explosion which cost five lives in Gharghur last July – the KA deplored the fact that none of its own proposals was ever taken on board, and took umbrage at what it described as a "fatalistic attitude" whereby safety in fireworks production is considered an ideal too unrealistic to strive for. "Nobody doubts that fireworks have an important part to play in these feasts," the Commission pointed out. "At the same time, the price society has to pay for these fireworks is too high, and for this reason the same society has the right and the duty to make its voice heard in a public discussion on the subject." While acknowledging the inherent danger of pyrotechnics as a hobby, the KA stressed that this in itself was no excuse to postpone necessary safety reforms. "We agree (with the Pyrotechnics Commission) that because of the na- ture of the work involved in fireworks production, we can never manage all the risks so that they are completely eliminated. But we feel that this reality is often used by some to justify and render acceptable certain shortcomings in the fireworks manufacturing process, so that it appears impossible to do anything to reduce the danger." Significantly, the KA supports recom- mendations to immediately close all fireworks factories operating within the outside safety distance of 183 metres: a proposal which forcefully calls to mind a controversial Cabinet decision in 2001 to legitimise the continued operation of the St Helen's factory in Gharghur, by reclassifying a nearby road in order to circumvent the safety distance regula- tion. The same factory exploded on July 27, killing five pyrotechnics enthusiasts who were working on the fireworks for the festa of St Helen in Birkirkara. It later transpired that the decision to allow the factory to continue operating had been taken without consultation with the Explosives Committee, the government's own appointed watchdog on fireworks safety. Residents of the vicinity have since initiated legal proceedings against the government for exposing them to un- necessary risk. Just over three months after the Gharghur tragedy, another two lives were lost after a Zebbug fireworks fac- tory went up in smoke in November, prompting numerous calls for a long- overdue revision of safety regulations. It transpired from the Zebbug explosion that the risk of fatality could have been greatly reduced had the building been better designed to withstand an explo- sion. But apart from awaiting the Pyro- technic Commission's report on the sub- ject – eventually issued on 5 December, but kept under wraps for several weeks afterwards – no concrete provisions have since been taken to prevent similar tragedies from recurring in future. Meanwhile, an email sent in error to this newspaper last August revealed how the Home Affairs Minister had previous- ly ignored the same Pyrotechnics Com- mission's recommendations to relocate two other fireworks factories, in Luqa and Lija respectively, because of safety threats to nearby residents. Minister Tonio Borg also refused to disclose how many safety inspections were carried out in fireworks factories despite a parlia- mentary question to this effect tabled in October by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo. The bulk of the Commission's criti- cism yesterday was directed precisely at this apparent reluctance to curtail an immensely popular local hobby at a politically sensitive juncture in time. "It is unacceptable that the debate on these unresolved issues only arises when tragedies occur, as unfortunately happened recently… only to be forgotten after a short while, with things remain- ing as they were before! How many more possibly avoidable deaths must take place, for the country to take this issue seriously?" Apart from calling for a national debate on the issue, the KA also recommends a general tightening of licence criteria and requirements; the establishment of a safety officer for all factories; and mandatory health and safety educational courses for all pyrotechnics enthusiasts. Send your letters to: The Editor, MaltaToday, MediaToday Ltd. Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 | Fax: (356) 21 385075 E-mail: newsroom@mediatoday.com.mt. Letters to the Editor should be concise. No pen names are accepted. News – 9 January, 2008 Human cost of fireworks too high – Church commission Opinion Incompetence in Malta's public transport system Malta's public transport is pres- ently in dire straits, with a lack of punctuality and missed jour- neys being a daily occurrence. I have logged sample occur- rences since 2012 but have stopped doing so as it was evi- dent that it was a futile exercise. I have complained by phone and in writing to Malta Public Transport and Transport Malta. Lately I copied the respective chairpersons as well Minister Ian Borg and Prime Minister Muscat. All emails were unac- knowledged let alone replied to. Finally I wrote to the Ombuds- man. The situation to date remains the same. Both MPT and TM cite lack of drivers as the prob- lem. However, Arriva, which had much less money allocated, used to hire private buses and drivers when they did not have enough. In contrast. MPT simply do not operate certain journeys, and this on a regular, if not daily basis. I have accused MPT of mismanagement and incom- petence. A look at my attached complaints is ample proof; and if this was not enough, the 5 December screen shot of the timetable is by itself sufficient to substantiate this claim. Mario Desira Via email The road to hell… They say that, at best, the road to hell is paved with good inten- tions but what happens when the intentions are not so convinc- ingly good? I am afraid that this is the case with the latest points system which has just hit the roads. Many drivers are now experi- encing the brunt of this new law which, even if regarded objec- tively, appears f lawed. As usually happens with such laws, these are presented by the benevolent patriarchal authori- ties as a definitive cure to all ailments, in this case Maltese driving ailments. But from what I am observing, I am very dubious about the real reasons for these extreme measures. Suffice to say that the context of the law is dubious itself: the government is in an awkward situation when it comes to traffic on the roads. In fact traffic jams abound most of the time all over the island and the number of cars on the roads has never been so high. So how can the authorities hit three birds with one stone? Easy… devise a point system which helps to collect money from fines, keep the insurers happy and give points to 'bad' drivers to keep them off the road and decrease the traffic f low. You don't have to be a Sherlock Hol- mes to see through the scheme! I don't want to be misinter- preted or be regarded as an in- transigent individual who is for anarchy on the roads for I too have seen the ubiquitous deliv- eryman who parks his lorry any which way he decides, blocking the way to one and all. Indeed I have also noticed the young lady stuck in gridlock outside my front door, holding the steering- wheel with two hands… but reading a book on her lap at the same time! But on the other hand do you think it is fair to get fined or hit by the points system when you are stopped because one of the two children on the back seats has unbuckled the safety belt? Am I, as a driver, meant to have my eyes on the road or on the back seat? Indeed, I pride myself, like many others, on being a careful driver but, sorry, things as they stand just do not convince and I am afraid that beyond all the rules and regulations that are al- ready in place, the points system may be here to stay but at the end it will only lead to further frus- tration on the wheel and possibly more road rage. Alfred I. Micallef Lija