Transport strike: New mediation effort launched
Barklori service also stopped after threats
A new mediator has launched fresh efforts to resolve the public transport dispute, Transport Minister Austin Gatt told a press conference this afternoon.
He said agreement had been close in another mediation effort yesterday but everything fell through following outside pressure on the Hearses Association.
He said he had been told that transport associations could not back out of the Transport Federation unless they paid a fine running into some €23,393.
Dr Gatt revealed that the service by barklori (oarsmen) across Grand Harbour has, like that at Marsamxett, been stopped following threats made to the boat owners and crews. Dr Gatt said the ferry crews had been warned that they would be sought out "one by one" while the barklori were told their boats would be targeted.
The minister said the only licensed hearse in Gozo had resumed services, and the owner of a horse drawn hearse had also indicated he would start conducting funerals.
The minister praised the police for their actions and said the deployment of the SAG today was a sign that patience was running out. No one would be allowed to spoil other people's holidays by blocking the way to the airport, he said. Similarly, St Anne Street in Floriana had now been opened and would remain that way.
Dr Gatt said taxis were noticeable by their absence in the protests on the streets. It looked like several taxi owners had parked their vehicles and were providing services by black taxis, he said.
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In Discussion
28 Comments
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K Bonello
Jul 16th 2008, 23:33
Well done Austin, what an attempt to divide and rule!
While the idiots applaud, long live Margaret Thatcher... and her Maltese disciple.
A Abela
Jul 16th 2008, 23:10
I would use tear gas against those who block the roads..
We cannot bring the country to halt.
Taxi drivers are doing as the Maltese saying says "La ddardarx il-ghajn li tixrob minnha"..
Antoine Vella
Jul 16th 2008, 23:05
It seems that our soldiers are braver when facing a bunch of black immigrants than bus drivers.
josef karl rapinett
Jul 16th 2008, 22:54
How come we gave the power to this government and this small group of people are doing what they like. if i block a road for some reason with my private car i get fined , As an owner of a small business i dont have the right to protest about any thing.
The GOVERMENT should stop the licences from these people , after all they are subsidised from our taxes . So they should stop now and leave other people in peace .
ray ellul
Jul 16th 2008, 22:37
These are sad days for Malta.
A few hundred thugs threaten the livelihood of our nation while the police and forces look on.
The tourist industry will suffer and so will all of us.
We hear of a few arrests but also hear that persons that are willing to give a service are stopping this service because of threats while the police look on.
Who is to blame?
I, like most, pay taxes that some of it ends as payroll for the police.
Ask yourself, are the police doing their duty?
Are a few arrests enough?
I say NO.
I expect that the laws are applied equally to all and if the only way to keep the peace and hold on to what we gained is to arrest all trouble makers, then let it be.
Finally it is the responsibility of the forces of the law to do their duty.
Philip Paris
Jul 16th 2008, 22:34
Malta and the Palestinian's do have something in common.
Our Public Transport System and it drivers.
Kind of ironic that Mahmoud Abbas was here to witness this great moment.
c gatt
Jul 16th 2008, 22:12
Mr. Carbonaro asked:
"why i am not reading about the threats that these transport people are having on their living and their families.?why i am not reading that these people were promised something before the election and now it is not being kept.?why does people like tha barklori be strike breakers and infuriate the strikers?why did not the prime minister interfere when austin gatt said that the letter sent to the transport drivers was sent by another minister?was jesmond mugliett doing these on his own initiative?should legal action be taken against him for misguilding the parliament and creating all this havoc.why dosnt people realise that we were taking for a ride by joining the eu and taking the bait that before election everthing was flower and roses."
Good question Mr Cabonaro. Could ithe answer be that people have realised that they have been taken for a ride alright, by the transport service for the last fifty years or more!
Vanessa Farrugia
Jul 16th 2008, 22:00
Why not revoke their licences? We can certainly find ample people to fill in their shoes, and do their work in a more civilised manner
S.Borg
Jul 16th 2008, 20:58
I totally agree with M. Desira. It is indeed spineless action for the Government to withdraw the emergency service because of yesterday's attack on an army driven government-owned bus. I vividly remember when in 1977 as a small kid returning home from northern Malta I used to board all kinds of government transport during the bus owners strike, even army trucks, when one soldier put down a small wooden flight of steps to sit on open air benches at the back. If I am correct, the strike went on for about a month until they caved in. You can criticise Dom Mintoff for all the matter, but surely he didn't cave in so easily as the present government did yesterday by cancelling the emergency services. It only spells as a victory, albeit minimal, for the strikers by increasing public inconvenience and discomfort. Bring the service back with adequate army personnel support if need be. Thousands of working hours are being lost indiscriminately and this with the general public, that has nothing to do with the matter at hand.
P Muscat
Jul 16th 2008, 20:43
Seems like the Govt is handling this brilliantly. Strike is slowly dissipating; thugs are being charged and remanded in custody; private operators slowly being let back into the scene to pick up the pieces and Dr Gonzi taking care of international diplomacy.
Keep it up. THIS is what governing is all about. What a far cry from being denied the right to strike in Mintoff's days!!!
Caroline Said
Jul 16th 2008, 20:28
With all due respect M. Desira...hasnt the penny dropped yet that this is a govt that shoves things in the public's lap when things get into a bog (by their doing)..remember BRAND MALTA? WE the people were held responsible for providing an efficient tourism infrastructure..WE the people had to promote Malta with our individual charms...well we can say tatty-by to a lot of potential tourists now...last year the road from the airport looked like a scene from Kosovo..this time the roads are sooper dooper but tourists are arriving to find they have no transportation...ok the strike has only affected arrivals/departures over the course of a few days but being stranded in mid-summer heat leaves a lasting impression on those affected...
Dr.Emmy Bezzina,LL.D.,B.A.,Dip.S.Th.
Jul 16th 2008, 20:27
Undoubtedly Democracy in our Country has been corely threatened by this anarchical deed.So as soon as it was revealed, in the light that our Security Services were apparently incompetent to notify Government in time [ Investigation should be conducted into this,as we either have a Secret Service or we do not - the Security of Malta was involved ] our Public Order Forces in their full strength should have been deployed,including the Armed Forces and all the levels of the Police Force particularly The Strike coming as it did right at the heel of the 194th Police Day Celebrations.It was sad to note that the Police are not equipped for such dramatic developments - it took three agonising days for them to get somewhat organized.We have equally discovered - something that was pointed out when DeMarco Mario was both Minister for Justice & Home Affairs [ then the Interior ] ,that these two Ministries do not go hand in hand.Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici emerged as a very weak Minister in this experience - Dr. Gatt came out really strong - he should have the Home Affairs Ministry as well. Our Army apparently was in EuroDisney! ALPHA.
Paul Xuereb
Jul 16th 2008, 19:56
Have any of the people whose threats forced the barklori to stop their service been arrested yet? Are the police waiting for Mr Abbas to leave before they come down heavily on the law-breakers?
effie carbonaro
Jul 16th 2008, 19:54
why i am not reading about the threats that these transport people are having on their living and their families.?why i am not reading that these people were promised something before the election and now it is not being kept.?why does people like tha barklori be strike breakers and infuriate the strikers?why did not the prime minister interfere when austin gatt said that the letter sent to the transport drivers was sent by another minister?was jesmond mugliett doing these on his own initiative?should legal action be taken against him for misguilding the parliament and creating all this havoc.why dosnt people realise that we were taking for a ride by joining the eu and taking the bait that before election everthing was flower and roses.i think it is time that gonzi calls another general election because all he has done was manipulate the country before the election and now look what is happening around us.these country is in a state of total caos with a bleak future.
R Busuttil
Jul 16th 2008, 19:52
Why were the traffic cops and wardens nowhere to be seen today at The Strand in Sliema around lunchtime when about 12 white taxis double parked their cars causing serious disruptions in the area. Who the hell do these guys think they are? All hotels should refrain from allowing white taxis park in their grounds in the future and use the black chaffeur driven cars for all their clients. If need be the law regarding black and white taxis should be changed as well to give the black ones more rights to pick up fares.
DVella
Jul 16th 2008, 19:45
I hope this 'mediation effort' does not include giving these people all they want and granting all their extortionate demands as happened the last time around with Minister Mugliett and I hope that a show of leniency to the individuals that have been arrested and charged with unlawful behaviour will not be included in the deal! Those gentlemen should have their licence permanently revoked! The long suffering maltese public is fed up of these people and the lousy service they provide and is sickened by their despicable behaviour over the last three days! They should all get what they deserve regardless of any mediation!
Renato J. Costigan
Jul 16th 2008, 19:34
Dr. A. Gatt, it seems that white taxis has other means of transport ie
the black taxis. So what's keeping the government to retreat their
licences?
After all these threats and all the harm done to the country, are the busses
will continue to take the subsides? Now is the right time to retreat all
the licences at their own expense.
And by the way during the night time is safer to drive as all mini-vans and taxis
are out of the road.
E60,000 x 3 days of strike = E180,000 saved from the 'kaxxa ta Malta'.
I suggest that the Gozo Transport will benefit from the money saved.
J. Martinelli
Jul 16th 2008, 19:33
Please! No mediation before these hooligans withdraw their strike!
No appeasing them this time.
Dr. Gatt, you showed them your strong resolve, please don't back down now!
James Sultana
Jul 16th 2008, 19:27
This issue has nothing to do with liberalisation and us consumers. One day we will all realise that apart from doubling the number of hearses, things will change very little. The same route bus owners will take the tender of the "new system" when this is issued. The "surplus" bus-permit holders will be offered a sum like what happened with the monti-hawkers to renounce for their permit. The minibus and taxi service will remain the same after "studies" will show that the market needs time to absorb more permits. Just the few people with the many new hearses will gain.
The TRUE REASON behind all this is a SHOW OF FORCE between Dr. Gatt and Dr. Gonzi, with the former trying to show that HE has enough guts to "take" decisions unlike the PM who talks a lot but then stops with half-baked reforms. He came out with this decision and the idea of confrontation when both the PM and vice-PM were away from the island. Now he leaves them to face the free-for-all situation: Gonzi has to either keep going and risk using army to the full... or else back up and look tame once again!
vincent pace
Jul 16th 2008, 19:24
actually what is even more disgraceful is the fac t that we as a nation are not even protected from a few wild thugs. frankly I would like to see the resignation of the \police Commissioner and the Head of the armed forces. They have been totally incompetent in their job, and have failed to protect the decent citizens from a few monkeys.
Resign sirs, and have some dignity.
jesmond
Jul 16th 2008, 19:21
well done for the protest but please no violence
Joe Borg
Jul 16th 2008, 19:18
I hope mediation does not mean giving the association a sum of money to accept liberalisation, as was reported yeterday. This is not bargaining. They already enjoyed a benefit for the last years having a monopoly. What did they do? Scared tourists off, from Malta.. However it is naive to argue that they are the only sector that puts off tourists from here.
To improve the quality that tourists expect we need to improve our roads, tourists info centres, enforce against those that charge tourists, for just being so! and re-organize our historic sites. (Currently it is a easier for a Maltese accompanying a tourist to visit les louvres than to visit hypogeum! ) This list has been in never-ending discussions mode since the 80s. Unfortunately in Malta the more arrogant and bullies associations are the more they gain power. This has always revolved around the voting force.
Maybe this is the start to improve our country. The authorities need to wake up in all sectors and not feel vote threatened as surely it is not just transport that needs to be improved but nearly all sectors.
Maltese are tired to feel shy infront of tourists.
A.Callus
Jul 16th 2008, 19:16
Let this be a lesson to all, especially the government. Monopolies are not desired, as this is what monopolies create. Expectations that we all owe them the license and that they entitled to work without competition.
Monopolies should go from
Taxi service
Bus service
Pharmacies (no body mentions these, go try get a license and you'll see!)
Hearses
And any other monopolies that we presently unfortunately have.
The sooner the government (and hopefully the oppostion does not do spokes in the wheels as it is renowed in doing) removes all monopolies the better.
ALBERT FENECH
Jul 16th 2008, 19:13
More law-breaking, intimidation, threats and anarchy and therefore, I would seek a legal opinion. Malta has a plethora of lawyers. You can't take ten steps without stumbling over one of them so at least there should be somebody out there ready to offer advice. Let us say that I get a ticket from a warden for parking on a yellow line. When I appear for the case hearing I refuse to pay the fine on the grounds that I have evidence that there have been hundreds of similar cases of illegal parking, yet no action has been taken. What is likely to happen? Or is this a case of Primus Inter Pares - being that there are some who are above all equals? Advice urgently sought please.
Denis Catania
Jul 16th 2008, 19:12
Altough they had to right to demostrate and are very affective. Once violence started that's when all mdiations stop.
Fabien Sant Fournier
Jul 16th 2008, 19:00
terrorism is the act of instilling fear to pursue a political goal, and is essentially what these thugs are doing with their threats....I don't see why it has been tolerated so far....?
M Desira
Jul 16th 2008, 18:37
p till yesterday I believed there was a small number of drivers who gave the others a bad name. However I was there yesterday when a group of about fifty attacked the emergency service bus by attacking the soldier-driver, pulling him out and taking the van keys and forcing us passengers out , to walk from near Marsa Power Station road to Vallettta, admist shouting banging on the van and verbal threats.
They have attacked US their regular clients!! This not only is biting the hand that feeds you, it defies every civilised behaviour towards clients. It is evident that while many decent drivers exist, there is also a substantial group of illiterate thugs who are incapable of any other work except driving and have somehow ended up in public transport
What confidence are we to have in the army?,I don.t blame the young soldier-driver from running off, what else could he do - but what action has THE ARMY taken on someone who attacked it?!
And what spinless government is it that when an emergency service is threatned pulls out to leave people who depend entirely on public transport to get to work to fend for themselves?
Alfred Farrugia
Jul 16th 2008, 18:27
Are there any laws in Malta against unlawful threats and intimidation? Are people who make such threats above the law, if there is one? Is there absolutely no protection for common people who are threatened or intimidated in Malta? I am aware that it may be easier to have things said than done. I am also aware that the government needs to keep a delicate balance to avoid escalation or more serous incidents. What makes the difference between a State and non-state actors?