Thursday, 17th July 2008 - 09:28CET

Updated: Road quiet, buses parked in terminus, funerals held

(Adds Valletta ferry back in operation, policemen on tourist buses)

Malta's roads are today the quietest they have been all week, with all buses parked at the Valletta Terminus as the public transport strike continues.

Roads which have been totally or partially blocked for most of the week, such as St Anne Street, are completely clear.

Some red mini-buses were seen parked near the Pavi Supermarket in Qormi this morning but caused no traffic flow problems. The police are keeping traffic away from the area.

Three funerals were held this morning, operated by the previously striking hearses. The hearses were escorted by the police. Another two funerals will be held this afternoon and the health division is holding a meeting to schedule the burial of the remaining 33 corpses, currently at Mater Dei Hospital.

At Sliema, the ferry to Valletta was back in operation this morning. Tourist sight-seeing buses were going about their business, with two policemen on board. There is also a strong police presence on the roads approaching Valletta and the airport.

The withdrawal of new licences for hearses had been a key condition for the transport strike to stop, but the Hearses Association pulled out of the strike last night after having reached agreement with the government on liberalisation, just hours after the government announced the granting of new licences for five hearses.

Comments

B Agius (on 18/7/08)

What I. Abela raises is the whole issue of the Maltese subsidised economy. This can only be rectified over time when people start earning real wages comparable to other countries but this can only happen if productivity is increased so then people get real wages in a mixed economy and also pay real costs. Malta is managing thru subsidies and a large cash economy sector - which on the surface looks fine but in economic terms it's a joke - thus the impression that Maltese pay a lot of tax - they don't - but neither they are getting high enough wages to pay more! This applies to all sectors in the economy! Doctors, lawyers, businessmen and some tradesmen appear to really have high incomes - although some might, the majority are not but their income looks very high compared to the peanuts the rest of the workforce gets and compared to what is the minimum wage. When Malta's GDP doubles than you're on track to improve the whole lot.

Victor Vella (on 17/7/08)

@I.Abela , whilst not sympathizing with the strikers, may I ask you how many nights you spent sleeping in your car?

I Abela (on 17/7/08)

To all those who are suggesting that the strikers are in a week financial situation because they didn't work for 4 days, PLEASE, don't make people laugh. Do you, by any chance, have an idea how much a taxi driver makes a day? If you knew you would apply for a licence too. Also I really hope that all those who are calling for the liberalisation of the market know that once the market is liberalised then ADDIO subsidy. The subsidy is there to keep the bus fare low not to make the bus drivers rich. While I really don't like the idea that I am paying (out of my taxes) for the people who use public transport, you should really think about what liberalisation would eventually bring about. Please don't mention Vodafone and Go as the two were never subsidised. Imagine the bus operators having to pay the whole amount of their brand new vehicle, their diesel, their insurance, etc, etc, without subsidy. How many of you are willing to start paying between 3 to 5 EUR per trip from say Mosta to Valletta?

p.vassallo (on 17/7/08)

Dear Dr. Gatt, now is probably the perfect time to declare liberization of public transport in full, busses / taxis / red mini-busses, the lot. Why wait another six months or more to do so and put us through the same again? While you're at it and while the strike is being contained, might as well go for what they deserve - a change. May I also suggest even going further, by declaring that if public transport doesn't resume in full within 24hrs. and is improved considerably, that you would issue tenders to international bidders for the provision of such services. After all, our much treasured tourists and most commuters are fed up of the "services" these people provide, which I believe is disgraceful and which desperately needs to be fully face lifted URGENTLY.

Jean Paul Fiott (on 17/7/08)

The time is ripe for the Government to tackle the route buses, taxis and mini-buses. They are in a weak financial position after 4 days of strike. To begin with the old buses should be subjected to a vehicle emmission test. Also, the taxi and mini-bus service can be liberalized with relative ease.

Stephen Portelli (on 17/7/08)

Transport like other sectors including hotels, airlines, retail shops etc etc must be liberilised and we have seen and experienced the benefits of liberilisation. If the government retreats from his decision he will be of disservice to all of us and to those who have invested and will invest billions in this country. We can only show that we are a serious country if the government implements the most difficult but economic viable decisions like we have done in the past years.

Martin Galea De Giovanni (on 17/7/08)

How about closing off the whole area and roofing it off ? ...you'll instantly get Malta's first public transport museum. A couple of stuffed bus drivers and an audio guide to their very interesting vocabulary would make it look and feel very authentic. People could also be invited to suggest stories ...some of which made local headlines... and then create renactments with wax figures .... I'm sure it will be instant hit. A boxing / street fighting / windscreen bashing area would also enhance the experience.

..but please lets keep this mess contained in a bubble once and for all ... the nation deserves better !

Denis Catania (on 17/7/08)

It's time for swift action, and replace this bus and taxi systems. We don't this this type of service and bunch of junk that they service us with. 50yr old buses. 30 yr old taxi.Keep two old buses for nostalgia and that's it. We need more arrests. Can't believe only 18 so far.

carmelo Briffa (on 17/7/08)

Can any one answer my question please??.
I heard on the news that someone patience is running out!.
Is it our hhead of the police?
Our Minister Mr. A. Qatt?
Is it our prime Minister L. Gonzi
Or is it the few hooligans who are trying to destroy out economy they must be very rich to waste thei diesel driving for nothing, and staying put doing nothing but upsetting our economy. I will deffinately never in my life will use their Transport and when my car stop I will rather walk. Ca\n anyone answer my question please?

B Agius (on 17/7/08)

I hope all this hoohaa is not over five new hearse licences! I hope the Government takes up the cudgels to the whole issue of transport and grabs the moment and achieve what most Maltese want to see, that is real change in this sector.

dorianne bugeja (on 17/7/08)

buses left stranded in terminus. ? it think its time the government got rid of the ridiculous old maltese buses which have the windows rattling and shattering through the journey. once on a foreign tv channel featuring Malta a young man complained about the treatment some maltese drivers give to their riders and the funny looking buses in Malta. Such service they give. We are living in 2008 and are members of the EU.

Sonja Lotti (on 17/7/08)

Look at this! Youtube - Bus driver in Malta
The Busdriver deserved more money too! This stunts...wow!
Steering only with will power, half hearing and sight.

DVella (on 17/7/08)

M. Debono - Actually it would be a much better idea to block the buses in the terminus and impound every single one of them until the public transport association agree unconditionally to accept a total reform and liberalisation of all public transport . . . on government's terms of course!!

M. Debono (on 17/7/08)

Excellent. Suggest that the Bus Terminus is blocked with heavy machinery all around and not let the buses get out from there unless they stop the protest and get back to work!! Othwerwise, if they move again, will create more chaos on the road ... weekend is here already!!!

Joseph Spiteri (on 17/7/08)

Maybe their diesel tank has gone empty ,and since they are not getting any income, they simply had to give up! Bunch of jokers!

J Zammit (on 17/7/08)

THE FUNERAL OF MONOPOLIES HAS BEGUN!

Corinne Vella (on 17/7/08)

Very encouraging. The only other place I've been where tourist transport is under guard is Egypt. Ironically, the threat here is the drivers themselves.

Ray Bartolo (on 17/7/08)

A good mind overruled a violent attitude!

Jeremy Lanfranco (on 17/7/08)

Quote from your article: "The withdrawal of new licences had been a key condition for the transport strike to stop."
I hope that the government did not give in to the hearse owners request. In this case this U-turn is exactly opposite of what the government had in mind. Government please note that the court has just turned down a request for prohibitory injunction against the granting of new hearse licences.

Christian Abdilla (on 17/7/08)

The hearses have very comfortably resigned from the Transport Federation who had originally decided to organise a sympathy strike with them, now that they have done a separate agreement with the government 'on the side'.

Now what's your next move, dear sirs of the Transport Federation ? Looks like you are all stuck in a rut at the moment.

Joseph Agius (on 17/7/08)

What a wise man Dr Gatt is! well done. You have a strategy of a genius. Keep it up...you know what we want...a liberalised public transport system which is efficient, civillsed, modern and reliable. You can do it and we deserve it....thanks!

E Camilleri (on 17/7/08)

...the new licenses were withdrawn???....hopefully NOT

Nicole Lia (on 17/7/08)

They are finally realising that their stupid antics are really for nothing. Everyone has a right to strike but endangering others is criminal. I mean yesterdays show of not even letting an ambulance pass was totally uncalled for and public transport workers who caused the block should be suspended IMMEDIATLY. Causing chaos in the country is one thing but physical harm to your fellow country man is shameful. I personally will never make use of any public transport again!!!!

J Micallef (on 17/7/08)

Now's th etime to act!!!
Cordone the whole are off and lock up the terminus!!!
Hurry up. all you need are a couple of trucks, clamping tools, etc and they're fried!

Isolate them and make them impotent form any further action!!

M Gauci (on 17/7/08)

Can someone explain why the buses and mini vans are not back to work given that the issue leading to the strike has been resolved?

Well done Austin....well done GonziPN.

Had to chuckle this morning thinking about the Bank Workers, Doctors, Cable & Wireless employees - all suspended without pay for months on end because they dared to take industrial action when the Workers' Party was governing - so ironic!

Note - we did not need consultation with the MLP to do what we were elected to do! Welld one!!

A. Spiteri (on 17/7/08)

"....as the public transport strike continues."
What are they sympathising for now?

Kevin Barun (on 17/7/08)

What is the reason of the strike now?

Previous article • Bishops call for talks to end transport strike
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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Thursday, August 21, 2008. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Updated: Road quiet, buses parked in terminus, funerals held

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