Transport Federation president explains his conduct

Transport Federation President Victor Spiteri has written to Transport and Communications Minister Austin Gatt to explain that his presence outside his home one night during last week's strike was meant to calm matters.

A picture of Mr Spiteri and other drivers outside the minister's residence was carried yesterday by a Sunday newspaper.

Mr Spiteri explained that throughout the strike he had acted responsibly and took action whenever the drivers did anything which was not in keeping with the federation's directives. Indeed, the Commissioner of Police and the Assistant Commissioner had on several occasions sought his intervention for the maintenance of public order.

Mr Spiteri said that at the request of the Commissioner, he had intervened for the opening of a road at Luqa and for the demonstration outside Castille to be stopped. He had also reached agreement with the tourism authorities so that tourists stranded at the airport could be allowed out.

As for the drivers outside the minister's residence, Mr Spiteri said he had been at the airport when somebody phoned him to say that drivers were walking down Republic Street. He drove 'gas down' to Valletta and told the drivers that while they had a right to walk down the street, they had no right to create a disturbance.

He was also told by the police over the phone that somebody had pasted a poster (reading Flimkien Kollox Possibli) to the door of the Palace. As the request of the police, he ordered the poster removed.

Mr Spiteri said he had known of the security cameras which took the pictures and never tried to hide himself.