Ferry captain fires back

Marco Scotto

Oct 1st 2009, 17:08

This is all due to the monopoly enjoyed by Gozo Channel. It is always the same when there is a monopoly and it normally includes high prices and poor service.

Peter Murray

Oct 1st 2009, 15:28

Kurragg Captain Grech.It is a good sign when the accusers attempt to denigrate your character and not concentrate on the real safety issues.Anyone with a scintilla of experience in safety matters,or anyone possessing a modicum of common sense for that matter,will readily identify the serious safety shortcomings on any Gozo Channel ferry and sadly it will take a disaster before these are addressed.What possible ulterior motive can Capt.Grech possess to raise the alarm and promulgate such violations and contraventions? In my experience here in Malta the crucial key element of Safety is merely paid lip-service, regardless of the industry,and the only reliable place one may find it is in the dictionary between A and Z(Apathy and Zero).Remember...Safety is no accident!

Christopher Grainger

Oct 1st 2009, 09:59

Captaincy is a mindset .. not a job.

Well done skipper.

m borg

Oct 1st 2009, 00:04

SAfety has been mentioned in some of the comments and someone went as far as to call it a "joke".
If one wants to see what safety isn't he should visit Sliema Seafront from where boat loads of revellers leave every night for a cruise, the number of passengers surely exceeding the amount allowed by law.
A tragedy is waiting to happen . HSE in Malta is not a "joke" but a pityful situation.

i cassar

Sep 30th 2009, 23:54

and the whistle blower act is around the corner.....incredibile only in Malta
Good luck captain

robert micallef

Sep 30th 2009, 21:15

i bought a ticket for a ferry in germany from a machine, i gave my ticket to a machine, the gate opened automatically, i folowed the signs, parked on the correct ship, until now i had not met a member of staff, now why is it that in malta to get on this little ship i pay for the ticket, 2 meters down the road i show it to someone again,(like its not obvious that i paid) then there are usually about 5 or 6 people to park the cars. just imagine if instead of 6 people there was only 1 or 2 on the boat, how much the ticket would be cheaper, However on the side of someone from the Gozo channel co i have to admit that i once saw a car being told to reverse out of the ship as it was carrying imflamable material. give the captain a medal. and remove the silly padlocks from the life jackets, everyone knows what happens in an emergycy.. most staff vanish and lots of panic

Mark Cushcieri

Sep 30th 2009, 20:20

@ times of malta
this should be at the poll for voting ..i bet captain grech would get over 90% of the votes

farrugia Mario

Sep 30th 2009, 19:22

ey ey Captain - take care the ship is surrounded by 'sharks'

joe scerri

Sep 30th 2009, 17:48

Does anyone have any doubts as to the outcome of this inquiry?

Mark Cushcieri

Sep 30th 2009, 14:02

Good luck captain...all the people are with you. safety in malta is a joke...kollox ta kafkaf u ejja ha mmexxu.

Charles Muscat

Sep 30th 2009, 13:15

Can anyone from the Gozo Channel clarify why most of the sailors who are entrusted to "help" drivers park their vehicle when boarding the ship, often insist that we park our car right in front of the entrance / exit leading to the stairs and passenger area? Whenever I end up argueing with the staff that we are thus creating a hazard to safety, they keep insisting, and sometimes yelling, that we do it their way; blocking the access area because according to them it's enough to maintain a distance of a single file!!

Joe Aquilina

Sep 30th 2009, 11:14

I think we should take our hat off to Captain Grech for his courage and determination to do the right thing. Sadly standards in several aspects of Maltes life fall short of what is expected internationally and so often authrorities turn a blind eye. We must support people like captain Grech . .

Neville Cassar

Sep 30th 2009, 10:54

Why is Captain Mario Grech being penalised for doing his job? Is it a crime to carry out your job responsabilities to their outmost?

In the case of any passengers getting injured, Gozo Channel and the general public would have held him responsible. He is the CAPTAIN of the ship. He is in control and has his job on the line if something goes wrong at sea. So when he asked the company to regularise these short comings, he gets the axe?

Isnt it better that Gozo Channel did what had to be done and kept the Captain happy... together with the public being safe? Now its wasted expences on legal fees, compensation and a tarnish on the Gozo Channels reputation.

Well done Gozo Channel, you managed to handle this case in the worst manner possible.

Oh... and have all health and safety issues been fixed now? Wasnt it some one`s job to make sure these werent there in the first place?

Nicole Keepers

Sep 30th 2009, 09:17

@ Adrian Wirth: I noticed the same every time I travelled with the ferry: locked-up life vests. I understand the reason (possible theft), but find the solution of the keys supposedly being on the bridge rightout dangerous, if not lethal! Bravo Capt. Grech! I support your action!

Charles Portelli

Sep 30th 2009, 09:03

I do not want to point fingers to anyone. Like my good self, BOTH Captain Grech and Gozo Channel have got their darker sides. Nobody is perfect, after all.

However, allow me to point out a rather odd accident which took place at Mgarr Terminal this morning prior to the departure of the 6.45am ferry. About two dozen passengers were initially refused access to board the ship on the excuse that the ferry was already on full capacity... only to be allowed access after their vehement protests.

Day tourists depart from cirkewa at about 9-10am, and return back to the mainland at 3-4pm, and are much larger in number than these students and workers. Now, my question is: how on earth do they cope with day tourists and yet there is no room to cater for with Gozitan workers and students??

Brushing aside my suspect of price discrimination -it is a well known fact that Gozitans pay less then tourists-, are we really sure this case of over-zealousness didn't take place in the wake of Captain Grech's protests in court?

a tanti

Sep 30th 2009, 08:21

Well done Captain. I am sure that they will do ANYTHING to discredit you, but I will remain entirely convinced that you are on the good side.
We are fed up of being bullied by 'big' companies and certain authorities in this country!
Sometimes I get a feeling that my country has an extremely organised disorganisation, as in this case for example!

B. Pisani

Sep 30th 2009, 05:23

Just a reflection: Have you thought of representing Gozo when it comes to politics? In your shoes, with your comparative slate, I would.

kevin j sciberras

Sep 29th 2009, 22:05

kellu bzonn kulhadd ikun kapaci iwassal il protest tieghu, bla ebda tlaqlid jew biza', biex dak li hu abjad ma jissejjahx iswed, aktar u aktar fejn hemm sahha u sigurta fin nofs. Prosit kaptan

Mark A. Sammut

Sep 29th 2009, 21:46

This gentleman should seriously consider running for public office. A sort of Maltese Antonio Di Pietro, for a Maltese Mani Pulite.

We really need more people like Capt. Grech.

Alex Brincat

Sep 29th 2009, 20:42

We need to see how all these allegations unfold. One must have great courage to whistleblow serious shortcomings such as these, if proven to be so. Yet a captain of a boat or aircraft has the ultimate responsibility to put the safety of the passengers first. Which side of the story is correct, let's ask, and why?

D Delia

Sep 29th 2009, 20:30

I hope the captain was wise enough to gather the evidence he needs otherwise he will loose the battle with company. By the time a hearing starts I am sure the company will do anything to make things appear ship shape.

h galea

Sep 29th 2009, 17:11

Capt. Grech, keep to the main points. So far No. 2 and No3 had thrie say what next.

smifsud

Sep 29th 2009, 17:11

we all need to surround Capt Grech and support him in every way we all can to protect his integrity and to show the Gozo Channel directors that they are the incompetent ones in taking Safety to a dangerous level for the public that use there ferries and putting there Health &Safety at risk .

Martin N

Sep 29th 2009, 16:33

About time for the bridge i think

D. Zammit

Sep 29th 2009, 16:07

Capt. Grech seems to know every thing about shipping. He also seems to be the only one around. Pity P&O and other large cruise liners and/or ferry ships did not taken him aboard but left him with the Gozo Channel.

Had he been so unique, I would presume that major lines would have grabbed him without delay. Since he is still with Gozo Channel means something.

Paul Barrett

Sep 29th 2009, 15:58

I seem to remember that the matter of the life saving equipment being under padlock was mentioned a couple of years or so back.
There is no reason what so ever for them to be under lock and key. It would be a simple matter to fit an alarm system on the lockers so that if they are opened, an immediate response can be taken by the crew.
There is just no time at all to fiddle around with padlocks and keys when something goes wrong and people are in a panic.
The equipment must be available for immediate, unhindered use in an emergency.

Joseph Calleja

Sep 29th 2009, 15:22

What happened to the rest of the Ferry Captains and Crew? Where is their support for their fellow captain. This brave captain needs your input, management can't fire all of you, besides I am sure the Minister will make sure there will be NO reprimand, right Minister? If you truly believe in what Captain Mario Grech is claiming, I hope you have the decency to back him up. Always question authorities, they are not always right.

Tony Gatt

Sep 29th 2009, 15:07

Character assasination is always the first line of defence taken by a company against a whistleblower, so Captain Grech need not be too worried.

J E GaTT

Sep 29th 2009, 14:54

Hawn Malta hekk sirna. Polution fl-aria -Dak ftit trab.
U dak mhu xejn - U dak mhux periklu - U hekk naghddu.
Bhas-Swar qed jaqghu. L-ahhar darba waqa tal-Furjana ezatt kif kont ghadni kemm ghaddejt minn tahtu. Kieku bhal issa qieghed taht it-trab.
Nemmen lil-kaptan.

Michael Neville Cassar

Sep 29th 2009, 14:42

It is Alleged that political interference in the running of the company, and that is why Capt M Grech has been substituted since last February .

J.Cassar

Sep 29th 2009, 14:25

Prosit Mario. They will try every trick in the book to discredit you, but truth is on your side. People of good will rely on persons like you to uphold professional standards.

J. Cassar

godfrey pisani

Sep 29th 2009, 14:20

a show of support to capt grech . malta needs people like you well done.

J farrugia

Sep 29th 2009, 14:05

There is no need to tell us whom to believe. Capt Grech is more affidable and serious than the whole board of Directors of Gozo Channel.

fbonello

Sep 29th 2009, 14:01

Well done captain. Malta needs people like you!! No matter what Gozo Channel says, I will believe you !!!! F'Malta kollox jghaddi. Ingergru biss kapaci.

P.Cassar

Sep 29th 2009, 13:58

Capt. Grech take heart because practiclly all Maltese are behind you and your valid stand.
AS YOU SAID INSIST THAT THE BOARD APPOINTED IS TRULY INDEPENDANT BECAUSE THERE LIES GOVT'S UNDERHAND.

s.caruana

Sep 29th 2009, 13:41

In my opinion the Captain M Grech, is try to say the truth. He knows that he is
reponsible to make sure that he his
passengers are being sailed safe under strict international Standard safety
conditions.

The Gozo Channel Company should
always safeguard the interest of the passengers. If such malpractice things were
carried out on the Gozo Ferries, an
inquiry should be done with the help of the Captain to make sure that the company
offers the best Service to its
Customers.

The Customers using such services/transport should make sure that they are treated
good and that the company should
always respect their rights.

In this situation sure that Captain Mario Grech is is aiming for the
company to improve its system,
especially were such health issues are being concerned for both its Staff and passengers.

I hope that Customer Care Department is being properly maintained and effectively mananged.

Adrian Wirth

Sep 29th 2009, 13:33

It's some time since I last travelled on any one of the ferrys however up till a year ago or thereabouts padlocks were fitted to all the 'outside' lockers in which life jackets were stored.
I questioned a crew member why so to be quite reasonably told 'otherwise they would be stolen.'
Asked how many crew members carry keys to the padlocked lockers - being general 'ironmonger' type padlocks it seems there may not have been a common key system let alone the prospect of them being unopenable in an emergency being non-marinised - I was told 'it's on the Bridge'. The crew member did not know where the key/keys were actually stored nor which officer was responsible for their issue.
The 'what-if' question is obvious - how are passengers to be issued with lfe jackets if either;
a. the officer with access to keys is injured.
b. access to the Bridge is impossible owing to flames.
c. the padlocks are unopenable.
The prospect is too horrific to contemplate.
Perhaps should MMA or OHSA be reading this they might like to add the matter to their list of questions to both Captain and Company.

Rodney Sammut

Sep 29th 2009, 13:29

Captain Grech should be given a medal for his courage and his integrity.

We all know how stories such as this usually end up in the dumb island state of Malta. People, however, are getting fed up of this arrogant and negligent attitude by government owned or government controlled bodies.

We are therefore behind Cap. Grech and the professionalism that he has now come to stand for. Forza Cap. Grech!

Raymond Sammut

Sep 29th 2009, 13:26

Holding "fake certificates" in a position that directly impacts the safety of life at sea of potentially many passengers is a case that calls for a criminal investigation and not a ministerial inquiry.

PM Camilleri

Sep 29th 2009, 13:17

Capt Mario Grech 1
Gozo Channel 0

I believe Capt Mario Grech. Last month whilst crossing from Gozo to Malta I noted with surprise that one of the crew members was overweight in my opinion, especially the type of work he was performing. As far as I know all crew members should be physically fit.

R. Gauci

Sep 29th 2009, 13:04

Il-qasba ma ccaqcaqx ghalxejn, imbaghad kullhadd jaf li f'Malta kollox jghaddi allura l-esperjenza tieghi tghidli li l-Kaptan ghandu ragun biex ibiegh u j'Alla jkun hawn hafna bhalu forsi nimxu l-quddiem.

maria falzon

Sep 29th 2009, 12:57

So much for the whistle blower act....... always the same story.