The death of a construction worker in a collapse in Cospicua is another senseless death caused by lawlessness in the building sector, said Moviment Graffitti in a statement. Expressing shock at the umpteenth death on a building site, the activist group condemns the authorities’ complacency in introducing tighter regulations on the sector, going on to say that this very avoidable death is the result of sacrificing decency at the altar of private profits.
This tragic accident comes in the wake of the death of Miriam Pace just a few months ago, the home collapses of summer 2019, and dozens of accidents, some fatal, in construction sites throughout the years. Faced with all this, both Government and the MDA have repeatedly stated they want to see better regulation of the sector, however the status quo is clear for everyone to see.
Moreover, government incentives for the construction industry to buy new machinery add insult to injury. Not only has the concept of tighter regulations gone out of the window, but government is now using public funds in a shocking display of servilism to a private lobby. Machinery should be upgraded across the board as a rule, and this should be financed by the developers themselves not by the taxpayer.
“This is another senseless death of a worker who woke up this morning with nothing else to do but earn his keep, probably a miserable salary that allows him to just pull through. We wonder if we’ll ever know his name, whether he leaves any family behind, and whether justice will be served for this death,” the group said in its statement.
“While we have grown accustomed to the MDA and the construction lobby shedding crocodile tears after accidents like these, we’re not holding our breath about them even paying lip service to a worker. Those who are exploited by construction magnates score very low on the lobby’s scale of importance.”
Moviment Graffitti calls on the Prime Minister to take the necessary steps to rein in this sector, which arrogantly believes it is above the law, and to introduce much-needed legislation to protect the rights of workers and residents alike.
The group notes with disappointment that a lot has been promised in the aftermath of Miriam Pace’s death, but no action, and far less justice to her family and other residents, has been forthcoming.
__________________________________________________
Ma jistgħux jiġu sagrifikati iktar ħajjiet fuq l-altar tar-regħba – Moviment Graffitti
Il-mewt ta’ ħaddiem f’sit ta’ kostruzzjoni f’Bormla dalgħodu huwa mewta oħra bla sens ikkawżata min-nuqqas ta’ regolamentazzjoni fis-settur tal-kostruzzjoni, qal il-Moviment Graffitti fi stqarrija. Filwaqt li l-grupp esprima x-xokk tiegħu għal mewt oħra f’sit tal-kostruzzjoni, ikkundanna wkoll il-kumpjaċenza tal-awtoritajiet fl-introduzzjoni ta’ regolamenti aktar stretti fuq is-settur, u kompla billi qal li din il-mewt setgħet ġiet evitata u li hija r-riżultat tas-sagrifiċċju tad-deċenza fuq l-altar tal-profitt tal-privat.
Din il-mewta ssegwi dik ta’ Miriam Pace ftit tax-xhur ilu, it-tiġrif ta’ bosta djar fis-sajf tal-2019, u numru kbir ta’ inċidenti f’siti ta’ kostruzzjoni, uħud minnhom fatali, tul is-snin li għaddew. Quddiem dan kollu, kemm il-Gvern kif ukoll l-MDA ripetutament iddikjaraw li xtaqu jaraw regolamentazzjoni aħjar fis-settur, iżda kulħadd jista’ jara kif ma nbidel xejn.
Barra minn hekk, l-inċentivi tal-Gvern lill-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni sabiex jinxtara makkinarju ġdid huma manuvra insolenti. Mhux biss intesa l-kunċett ta’ regolamenti aktar stretti, iżda l-gvern qiegħed effettivament juża l-fondi pubbliċi f’wirja xokkanti ta’ serviliżmu lejn lobby privata. Il-makkinarju għandu jiġi aġġornat fis-settur kollu bħala regola, u dan l-aġġornament għandu jiġi ffinanzjat mill-iżviluppaturi nnifishom u mhux mill-kontribwenti.
“Din hija mewt oħra bla sens ta’ ħaddiem li dalgħodu ħareġ biex imur għax-xogħol, fejn probabbilment jitħallas salarju miżeru li kemm kemm jippermettilu jasal sal-aħħar tax-xahar. Nistaqsu ruħna jekk qatt se nkunu nafu x’jismu, jekk ħalliex familja warajh, u jekk hux se ssir ġustizzja għal din il-mewt,” il-grupp qal fi stqarrija.
“Drajna naraw lill-MDA u l-lobby tal-kostruzzjoni jxerrdu dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli wara inċidenti bħal dawn, iżda m’aħniex nistennewhom jirrikonoxxu ’l dan il-ħaddiem li miet. Dawk li huma sfruttati mill-kbarat tal-kostruzzjoni jiswew tassew ftit fl-iskala tal-importanza ta’ din il-lobby.”
Il-Moviment Graffitti talab lill-Prim Ministru jieħu l-passi meħtieġa sabiex jiġi regolarizzat dan is-settur, li jemmen bl-arroganza kollha li huwa ’l fuq mil-liġi, u sabiex tiġi introdotta leġiżlazzjoni sabiex jiġu protetti b’mod indaqs id-drittijiet tal-ħaddiema u r-residenti.
Il-grupp innota b’diżappunt li wara l-mewt ta’ Miriam Pace saru ħafna wegħdiet iżda minn dak iż-żmien ’l hawn ma ttieħdet ebda azzjoni, u wisq anqas saret ġustizzja.
