Bouncers in Paceville are using 'batons'

It is Tuesday, August 5, at around 11 p.m. near St Rita's steps in the heart of Paceville and revellers look on in shock as two bouncers beat a man around the body with what look like extendable batons.

The foreign man manages to stand his ground and takes the wincing blows before the bouncers disperse. Within a couple of minutes, the police turn up and take the man away.

The beating resembles an incident which occurred six days earlier when 20-year-old Maltese-Australian Doujon Zammit was beaten to death with an extendable baton by a bouncer in the Greek resort of Mykonos.

Despite the years of protests by society at large, the security aspect in Maltese bars and clubs remains unregulated. Bars and nightclubs are free to employ anyone they wish as security, regardless of their suitability or background. Furthermore, they do not legally have to conform to any standards of training or monitoring.

System 8 Security director Jovan Grech acknowledges that there are still a number of problems with security in Paceville, including bouncers carrying weapons like the extendable batons which killed Mr Zammit.

He said: "Personally, I am dead against the carrying of batons and my staff will not be able to work for us again if they are found with one. However, although the general situation is much better than it used to be, there is still a small minority in Paceville that carry them."

Mr Grech's company provides nightclub security for a number of premises in Paceville, including Sky Club, Bar Native and Havana. System 8 is affiliated to the International Bodyguard Association, and employees have to undergo a three-day accredited DART (defence and restraint techniques) training programme.

Though a number of clubs in Paceville send their security staff to System 8 for DART training - he refused to disclose which ones - Mr Grech believes that there are still some clubs that are not taking the issue of security standards seriously enough.

He says he has been lobbying the authorities for years to introduce UK-style regulations for the Maltese security industry, and that he has the support of many other security companies.

"We are asking the Tourism Ministry to create a security authority like they have in the UK to regulate this industry, which is vital to the tourism industry. It is not in anyone's interest to damage the reputation of the island with unnecessary violence," he said.

Mr Grech also believes that more cooperation is needed between the police and door supervisors to prevent flashpoints.

"The police will often lead someone away who has persistently been refused entry, and 10 minutes later that person will be back causing trouble. We should have meetings between the police and a chosen committee of door supervisors."

Philip Fenech, hospitality and leisure division president of the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises (GRTU) agrees. He says that a British-style licensing of the security industry is needed to prevent unnecessary violent incidents involving bouncers in Paceville. Mr Fenech says: "I have spoken to the authorities many times over the years, hoping to see UK-style regulations being introduced by the Malta Tourism Authority's Product Development Division. Despite receiving encouragement for the idea, nothing has been done."

He insists that "isolated" incidents will continue to occur while the industry remains unregulated, although he argues that standards in security have improved a lot despite a lack of action from the authorities.

Nevertheless, reports involving bouncers frequently make the headlines. Last June, a man appeared in court with his arm in a sling and stitches on his face to testify against a bouncer at a Paceville bar who grabbed him by the arm and hit him in the face with his knee after he offered to buy a drink for a woman there.

Frank Farrugia, the MTA director of quality assurance, says that his department has no plans to introduce UK-style regulations and he is unaware of any plans by the police or other departments.

"I believe this is essentially a law and order matter that is the responsibility of the police and other departments, not just mine. Philip Fenech has made this suggestion a few times along with many other things, but I don't think he has made a specific request to the police or the Home Affairs Ministry," he said.

Mark Grima manages Fuego in Paceville, which employs its own security. He says he would welcome greater regulation of the industry if it was done in consultation with bar owners.

He says he is unaware of any bouncers carrying batons in Paceville, but would actually welcome them resorting to such means if they were legal and licensed.

"At the moment, customers often use all kinds of weapons against security staff. If the industry was properly regulated then I think security staff should be armed so that they can defend themselves properly," he said.

Questions sent to the police last Wednesday about the number of complaints made by the public regarding violent incidents with bouncers, as well as questions about the police searching bouncers for weapons, remain unanswered.

If you have witnessed an incident involving bouncers in Paceville, e-mail sunday@timesofmalta.com.