Editorial

For too long, the firework industry has been allowed to operate without any serious and effective regulation. Every year, with the onset of the festa season, accidents happen. Despite the fact that people get seriously injured and killed, the authorities seemed unable - or, perhaps, unwilling - to enforce strict controls.

The tragic explosion in a residential area in Naxxar, where two people died and three houses were demolished, must have acted as a spur to make the government try to get its act together.

Amendments to the Explosives Ordinance are being debated in Parliament. Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said this will send a clear message that the government will not tolerate the illegal manufacture, storage or transportation of fireworks.

The minister explained that the proposed changes aimed to achieve four main goals: Raise penalties, introduce new crimes; give powers to the Commissioner of Police to close down fireworks factories and empower the courts to suspend licences indefinitely and order the forfeiture of property of guilty parties. In criminal cases, the courts would also be able to order payment for civil damages.

Such action is, of course, long overdue, and this not only because of the long list of victims but also given the developments that have taken place along the years. These include the method employed, the kind of material used and building development which, in a number of instances, brought private residence too dangerously close to fireworks factories. Indeed, in relation to the last point, a 2005 report had already listed three factories that breached safety regulations enacted in 1937. Sadly, no action was taken.

In a report last January, the Archdiocese's Environment Commission deplored in very strong terms the lack of discipline and enforcement of regulations. It referred to a report by the Pyrotechnics Commission, released late last December, noting that the recommendations made remained on paper. The Pyrotechnics Commission had, in its turn, referred to a 2005 study, made by a different group of experts, that had also listed recommendations that, tragically, were never implemented.

The Pyrotechnics Commission and the Church commission, it must be pointed out, both spoke before the Naxxar tragedy occurred.

The government bears a great onus of responsibility and must find a solution to rectify the situation. Matters can and must improve and the government should seek out and implement the advice of recognised experts in the field. The new minister is, finally, doing something about it. Though, all must bear in mind, this is only the beginning.

Unfortunately, higher fines and longer prison sentences are not likely to deter the fanatical enthusiasts, especially in the absence of law enforcement. Although, in comparison to what they used to be in the past, the proposed punishments are tougher, they may still be rather tame when one considers the hazards to which innocent people are exposed, especially by those who manufacture fireworks illegally in residential areas.

The proposed amendments will be useless unless the government adopts a zero tolerance approach and lays stress on enforcement. Otherwise, much like fireworks themselves, the action being proposed will look good and make a lot of noise, only to end up in smoke.