When individuals close to Repubblica or the judiciary are involved in construction accidents, the mainstream media stops talking about them
From a political observer
The entire population is shouting that there is an urgent need for construction sector reform. In the last few days, we have had two accidents on construction sites. We also had the death of a worker while masonry work was being carried out in Sliema. We also had two workers who suffered grievous injuries on their work site in Floriana. And the media did not follow them up. It’s as though nothing ever happened!
Therefore, it is fitting that the population demands the introduction of strong reforms so that we can rest assured and no longer fear an increase in accidents.
These last two accidents were not isolated ones but followed a series of many other tragedies that have occurred. Without wanting to, one has to mention the fatal accident that killed Jean-Paul Sofia. But while in Sofia’s case, everybody carried on talking about it, in the other cases, everybody fell silent.
Following the Sofia accident, we have had a public inquiry that has submitted its recommendations. However, when a foreign worker died, nobody asked for an inquiry. It now becomes urgent that these proposals be adopted before a further increase in serious or fatal accidents occurs.
Fatal accidents like that of Jean-Paul Sofia, Miriam Pace and the Albanian Bari Balla highlight the ugly state in which this industry finds itself. The government has failed miserably here. The government’s laxity in not enforcing a regulatory system is mystifying. Even newspapers have failed when journalists pick and choose which accidents to follow and which accidents to stop reporting about.
For a long time now, this sector has failed to pay proper attention to regulations. It is a field which has been ruled by uncontrolled malpractice. These are methods that are endangering the lives of all those working in this field.
Moreover, they are endangering the lives of those who live close to sites where construction works are ongoing. These residents are being exposed to danger because of the serious lack of regulations, enforcement, and rules that exist in this sector.
It is not acceptable that we leave innocent people, who are in their homes and are not disturbing anyone, to suffer anxiety because, in their vicinity, their neighbour intends to drop his property or modernize it without giving a thought to the consequences this would entail.
In fact, in the last accident in Floriana, this is precisely what happened, and neighbours were hit by collapsed masonry on their property. Indeed, these residents were asked to go and live elsewhere because of the work being carried out. Nevertheless, while the architect was under the radar in the Sofia case, in the Floriana case, the newspapers reported that the architect had done her job correctly. The journalists failed to report that this is the architect preferred by judges and magistrates when they have to assign Court survey work. She is also the architect who is very close to the Repubblichini.
However, the mainstream media narrative is different when an architect whose name crops up in connection with a collapsed building belongs to the Labour camp.
These accidents must cease. The authorities concerned must make the appropriate decisions. It is not enough for a managing board to resign or step aside. It does not suffice that with every accident, an administrator is lost. The authorities must waste no more time taking the bull by the horns and urgently implement the necessary reforms.
