Alternattiva Demokratika has hit out at the main political parties after they dismissed calls for a moratorium on fireworks until the causes of the recent explosions are established.
The Times reported today that halting fireworks production until a board of inquiry can identify ways to improve the situation was unacceptable to both main political parties, while the Church said it was open to discussion.
AD Secretary General Ralph Cassar said that certain situations called for difficult and strong measures.
"The fact the both the PL and the PN are ruling out a moratorium on firework production until the reason for the huge number of accidents is identified shows the sheer lack of respect that these parties have towards people, not only those who manufacture fireworks but also those who happen to live close to fireworks factories.
"The accidents point towards something which is repeatedly going wrong. In other industries where human life is affected, such as food production and medicine manufacturing authorities and even manufacturers go as far as recalling their products on the slightest suspicion of defective products, but it seems that since the PL and PN are only interested in getting one vote more than each other in the case of fireworks anything goes. This attitude is disgusting."
He said that AD was backing the calls for a moratorium on the manufacture of fireworks.
"The safety and wellbeing of people is much more important than PN's and Labour's votes. Their alliance of death shows that we have really scraped the bottom in this country", Mr Cassar said.
In the past 12 months, there have been eight fireworks explosions and since the beginning of this year at least nine people have died, prompting passionate calls from the public for drastic action to be taken.
The latest explosion on Sunday, which wiped out almost an entire extended family from Gozo, happened three weeks after a young man died in Mosta.
A board of inquiry was set up after the latest explosion.
Asked by The Times for its stand including the possibility of a moratorium on fireworks manufacture – which The Times mentioned in an editorial yesterday, the Nationalist Party said it did not agree with such a move.
“What we need is for all concerned to engage in a thorough and constructive analysis on how we can continuously improve the standards and safety of the highly technical skill that is part of our national heritage.”
The Labour Party said it welcomed the government’s move to appoint a board of inquiry and investigate the materials used in the production of fireworks. However, it did not back the idea of a moratorium in the winter months, saying this could drive production underground.
“There are other decisions which can be taken,” a Labour spokesman said.
The Church authorities were less forceful, saying that, while the proposal could be “discussed”, it was not prudent to take a stand without proper consultation and discussion.
The Church spokesman said that everyone was aware of the serious consequences and misery caused by the “now so frequent” incidents caused by fireworks.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs avoided answering the question, saying, instead, that, over the past few years, several measures to heighten the levels of security in the industry were introduced and this process was ongoing.
“This inquiry aims to establish if these latest accidents were the result of an unfortunate coincidence, negligence or if there was some other root cause... We need to know the truth because people’s lives are important.”
A ministry spokesman said such findings would help to continue the efforts to control the industry and make it safer for those working in it and the public, while preserving its traditional element.