The Nationalist Party said Saturday it firmly believes that Malta needs a government focused on preventing tragedies, not one that merely reacts after lives are lost.
The PN was speaking following the conclusion of the inquiry into the death of Mirabelle Falzon, sayin it is clear that Malta requires a fundamental change in the way the country is governed: a change from the top down.
The PN once again extends its condolences to the families of these victims who have suffered irreparable loss.
While no decision or action following this inquiry will bring back the life of Mirabelle, a vibrant 22-year-old, the PN insisted that immediate political responsibility must be shouldered by the Government. Urgent and serious changes must not only be enacted but, crucially, put into practice, particularly regarding reports of dangerous structures. Every complaint, every report, can mean the difference between a life saved or a family shattered.
In each of these cases, the warning signs were evident and reports were made – yet the Labour Government either ignored them or acted far too late. The culture instigated by the government, where each public entity is treated as a “republic” unto itself, has prevented effective collaboration and dangerously undermined the protection of citizens. The fatal consequence of this institutionalised failure is the needless loss of lives – women and young people taken from us because of avoidable institutional and bureaucratic shortcomings.
This same attitude is also visible in the field of national heritage. Our fortifications, monuments and other historic buildings must be better safeguarded, both because of the impacts of climate change and because, once lost, they are gone forever. Moreover, they must be properly maintained so that they do not pose a danger to the public.
A new Nationalist government will establish a clear, comprehensive preventive framework for public health and safety that the country so urgently needs, the PN said. This modern framework will integrate – without unnecessary bureaucracy – workplace safety, building and structural integrity, public infrastructure such as roads and pavements, protection from environmental risks, and the preservation of historical heritage. A single, unified and coherent system that protects the lives and health of citizens, and that acts preventively before disaster strikes.
The PN said it believed that safeguarding lives, health and national heritage must be a priority. Our country deserves serious leadership that focuses on prevention and protection: a government that prevents tragedies, not one that reacts when it is too late.
Labour Government continuously addresses the challenges facing our country – PL
The Maltese and Gozitan families know that the Labour Party in Government continuously and consistently provides the answers to the challenges facing our country, the Labour Party said in reply.
The Maltese and Gozitan families likewise know that the Nationalist Party hasn’t pushed forward reforms, and has also consistently been the one that voted against the most important changes in the last generation in various fields.
The PL calls on the PN to stop turning tragedy into political discourse, like that of Mirabelle Falzon. The Labour Party gives its full support to the Government to implement the key recommendation made by the Magisterial Inquiry to strengthen the reassurance of the general public.
The Labour Party gives its condolences to the Falzon family for the loss of the beloved Mirabelle.
The Labour Party acknowledged the unprecedented work being carried out by the Government in the protection of historical heritage, as evidenced by projects that have taken place in recent years and continue to take place like those of Fort St Angelo, MUŻA, MICAS, the restoration of the Cottonera fortifications, Fort St Elmo, the restoration of the various religious heritage sites throughout Malta and Gozo, the rigeneration of Valletta and so many other ongoing works.
The Labour Party said it appreciated that in the case of Munxar, as explained several times by the Court’s independent experts appointed in the inquiry itself, the site of Għajn Riħama Battery is built on cliffs that are being eroded at a fast rate due to natural factors – something that the Nationalist Party ignored and discarded entirely for reasons that it knows is only.
It encouraged the Government to continue to be a driver of further changes for the benefit of society as a whole, including in the protection of citizens from dangers linked to issues arising from natural circumstances and the protection of our historical heritage.