The resignations of some of the individuals who occupy positions within construction-related entities, in the wake of the publication of the public inquiry report about what led to the death of Jean Paul Sofia, is merely a start and certainly nowhere near enough. Above all, political responsibility must be shouldered, starting with the Prime Minister and his cabinet, who collectively failed in their duty to regulate the industry as required. In essence the public inquiry report concludes that it was  a failure by the Maltese state that led to Sofia’s death. This was stated by spokespersons of ADPD – the Green Party, when addressing a press conference in front of Castille square.

ADPD – The Green Party’s Deputy Chairperson, architect Carmel Cacopardo, highlighted the public inquiry report’s  mentions of a number of institutions and entities which are responsible for the disaster in which the construction industry finds itself, and consequently the death of Jean Paul Sofia.

These entities include the OHSA, INDIS, MCCAA, Malta Enterprise, BCA and the Planning Authority amongst others. The report indicates a number of persons or individuals who were obliged to shoulder responsibility – these being more than the few indicated by the Prime Minister for the fact that they did not carry out their duties as required.

Cacopardo insisted that the mere resignation of these individuals from their positions in the entities concerned is not enough, but they should never occupy public positions again due to their role in the case that led to the death of Jean Paul Sofia, how can their sense of judgement and responsibility ever be trusted again?

They were state-appointed to ensure the proper regulation of the industry. Therefore, undoubtedly, political responsibility must also be shouldered.

ADPD – The Green Party’s Chairperson, Sandra Gauci stated that the public inquiry’s report on Jean Paul Sofia’s death confirmed yet again the incompetence and bad governance of public administration under successive governments which led to such tragedies.

The Prime Minister and his cabinet are responsible for this state of affairs which despite empty promises is still leading to accidents on construction sites, it is often only by chance that they do not claim the lives of even more victims.

It is for this reason, Gauci reminded, that it is no wonder that the Prime Minister never wanted this public inquiry to take place – we have been aware of this for a long time. The public inquiry was conducted only after pressure by Jean Paul Sofia’s mother and thanks to the immense support she received from the public.

It is concerning that the Prime Minister himself has expressed lack of confidence in being able to curb these incidents. This begs the question, how seriously is the government engaged in adopting the report’s recommendations? Due to proximity between the developers and parties in Parliament, the construction industry has always been treated with kid gloves.

As in the case of  Daphne Caruana Galizia, the state facilitated and encouraged a state of permissiveness, oversight and impunity with respect to an entire industry and for this, the state must bear responsibility. The resignations of a few are insufficient, political accountability must be upheld, concluded Gauci.

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Wara ir-rapport ta’ inkjesta dwar il-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia hemm bżonn li l-prietki dwar il-kontabiltà jingħataw tifsira reali billi tinġarr ir-responsabbiltà politika

Ir-riżenji ta’ xi wħud li okkupaw karigi fi ħdan entitatijiet relatati mal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni huma biss il-bidu u ċertament mhumiex biżżejjed. Fuq kollox għandha tinġarr ir-responsabbiltà politika għal dak li ġara, responsabbiltà li tibda mill-Prim Ministru u l-kabinett tiegħu li naqsu mid-dmir li jirregolaw din l-industrija kif suppost. Huwa dan, fi kliem sempliċi, li tfisser il-konkluzjoni tal-inkjesta li l-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia hu falliment tal-istat Malti. Dan sostnewh kelliema tal-ADPD-The Green Party meta indirizzaw konferenza stampa quddiem Kastilja wara ir-rapport ta’ inkjesta dwar dak li wassal għall-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia.

Id-Deputat Chairperson tal-ADPD il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo semma’ kif ir-rapport tal-inkjesta jsemmi numru ta’ istituzzjonijiet li huma l-kaġun tad-diżastru li tinsab fih l-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni u konsegwenzjalment tal-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia.

Dawn jinkludu l-OHSA, l-INDIS, il-JobsPlus, l-MCCAA, il-Malta Enterprise, il-BCA u l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fost l-oħrajn. Ir-rapport jindika numru ta’ persuni li kellhom iġorru r-responsabbiltà tagħhom – u dawn huma aktar minn dawk indikati mill-Prim Ministru – għall-fatt li l-mod kif aġixxew wassal biex kienu iċċensurati mill-Kummissjoni ta’ Inkjesta.

Cacopardo insista li dawk li ġew iċċensurati mill-Kummissjoni ta’ Inkjesta m’għandhomx jirriżenjew biss mill-pożizzjonijiet tagħhom fl-entitatjiet imsemmija fir-rapport tal-inkjesta imma lanqas għandhom jibqgħu jokkupaw pożizzjonijiet oħra fil-qasam pubbliku. Wara li ġew iċċensurati minħabba kif gabu ruħhom għaliex għandu wieħed jibqa’ jafda fil-ġudizzju tagħhom?

Imma li dawn l-individwi biss ikunu dawk li jirriżenjaw mhux biżżejjed meta wieħed jara li dawn kienu appuntati mill-istat biex jaraw li l-industrija tiġi regolata kif imiss. Għalhekk bla dubju ta’ xejn hemm ir-responsabbiltà politika li għandha tinġarr ukoll.

Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li r-rapport tal-inkjesta wara l-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia ikkonferma għal darboħra li l-inkompetenza u amministrazzjoni pubblika ħazina taħt gvernijiet suċċessivi waslet għal traġedji bħal dawn.

Il-Prim Ministru u il-kabinett huma responsabbli għal din is-sitwazzjoni li minkejja l-wegħdiet fiergħha għad qed twassal għal inċidenti fuq siti ta’ kostruzzjoni li huwa xi kultant biss b’xorti tajba li ma kellniex aktar vittmi.

Għalhekk Gauci fakkret kif ma kienx b’kumbinazzjoni li l-Prim Ministru qatt ma ried li issir din l-inkjesta – il-problemi konna ilna nafuhom. L-inkjesta saret biss sforz pressjoni li saret minn omm Jean Paul bis-sapport kbir li rċeviet mill-pubbliku.

Huwa ta’ tħassib li l-Prim Ministru stess mhuwiex fiduċjuż li jistgħu jiġu evitati traġedji bħal ta’ Sofia li jġgħalna nistaqsu kemm il-gvern huwa verament impenjat biex jimxi mal-proposti li ħarġu minn dan ir-rapport, minħabba l-qrubija tal-iżviluppaturi mal-partiti fil-Parlament. Dan hu settur li ġie dejjem trattat b’mod privileġġjat.

Bħal fil-każ ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia l-istat aġevola sitwazzjoni ta’ permissiviżmu, laxkezza u impunità lejn industrija sħiħa u ta’ dan għandu jerfa’ r-responsabiltà. Ir-riżenji ta’ ftit mhumiex biżżejjed imma hemm bżonn li kontabiltà fuq livell politiku ukoll, temmet tgħid Gauci.