Matthew Xuereb
Former army explosives expert backs fireworks moratorium idea
Alternattiva Demokratika accused the two main political parties of forming an “alliance against the common good of the Maltese and Gozitans” by dismissing the possibility of a fireworks production moratorium.
The moratorium was proposed editorially by The Times and by a swathe of commentators over the past days following Sunday’s devastating explosion in Gozo that left six people dead, nearly wiping out an entire family.
Former explosives committee head Col Albert Camilleri, an explosives expert with 45 years experience, welcomed the idea but said a date had to be set by when every factory would have depleted its stock.
Former Armed Forces commander, Brigadier Carmel Vassallo also agreed with the moratorium idea although he insisted there had to be a specific timeframe. “We cannot have an open-ended moratorium. If it comes into force, the board has to have a specific timeframe by when to conclude its investigations.”
Reacting to the Nationalist and Labour parties’ opposition to a moratorium, AD general secretary Ralph Cassar said this showed their “sheer lack of respect towards people, not only those who manufacture fireworks but also those who happen to live close to fireworks factories”.
He said certain situations called for difficult and strong measures. The accidents pointed towards something repeatedly going wrong.
“In other industries where human life is affected, such as food production and medicine manufacturing, the authorities and even manufacturers go as far as recalling their products on the slightest suspicion of defective products,” he said. “But it seems that, since the PL and the PN are only interested in getting one vote more than each other, in the case of fireworks anything goes. This attitude is disgusting. The two parties had again formed an alliance against the common good of the Maltese and Gozitans, he said, adding that “not even repeated deaths will quench their thirst and hunger for votes and power”.
Former Labour minister Lino Spiteri said the idea was “understandable” as a first reaction but if it led to fireworks being produced outside the parameters of the law, “it will increase the danger rather than decrease it”.
“We have to review the capabilities of those involved in manufacturing fireworks and their knowledge of the ingredients used as well as the quality of the latter. Fireworks are too deeply cultural to stop like this but prohibition will lead to underground production,” he said.
When asked whether he agreed with the main political parties shooting down the idea, Mr Spiteri said the issue should not be politicised and he criticised AD for doing so.
Lawyer Stefan Camilleri, who is representing residents whose homes were damaged by a fireworks factory explosion in Għargħur in 2007, believed the moratorium was not the ideal solution. He pressed for a proper authority that would carry out regular checks at fireworks factories and impose hard-hitting sanctions against people found in breach of any regulations.
Dr Camilleri said such authority would also have the duty to protect the lives of innocent people who had to live in the danger of factories close to their homes whether they liked it or not.
“Fireworks are part of our culture, so it is difficult to do away with them. The solution, however, is not a moratorium but seeing all the safety measures are in place and the raw material being used are of optimum quality. We also need to reduce or curb once and for all the competition between different factories,” he said.
Lawyer Georg Sapiano said someone should look into why the last two blasts in Mosta and Għarb happened just a few days from the feast day.
“I support the idea of very strict vigilance. People without the technical knowhow should be prohibited from approaching these factories and from producing fireworks,” he said.
“The only way to take stock of the situation is a moratorium which could also have the unfortunate and undesirable side effect of blocking those with the technical knowhow to produce fireworks. This is the only way forward. Something’s got to give.”
Col Camilleri said he disagreed with Gozo Bishop Mario Grech’s initiative announced yesterday to set up a commission to help him issue directives on fireworks used during feasts.
Mgr Grech appealed for prayers for the six victims of Sunday’s fireworks factory explosion and their families. What happened, he said, was a human tragedy that shocked everyone and gave rise to reflections on the value of life.
He said fireworks were associated with religious feasts and incidents blemished such festivities.
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pacifico galea
Sep 10th 2010, 14:10
Kemm ghandkom hdura go qalbkom kontrina il piroteknic u kontra il piroteknika. xi hadd semma space shuttle xghandu xjaqsam dan ma piroteknika. Xi hadd iehor semma ghax hawn hafna mwiet bil piroteknika. taf li f lewwel sitt xhur tas sena mietu 10 b accidenti bil karozzi barra li weggaw ma nafx kemm passiegieri rekbin u nies ohra fuq il bankina. Alura ghandna in waqfuhom wkoll. Fuq kollox din is sena kienet wahda kera ghal dawn laccidenti fil postijiet tan nar imma dan ma jfissirx ki qed jghidu xi whud li ija negligeza taghna il piroteknici ghax nahdmu bladdocc, ma tarawx tahsbu li ahna imorru hemm biex imutu, imma accidenti jigru lil kulhadd bhal ma jigru fid dinja kollha u barra min malta laccidenti tal piroteknika jigru u jmutu hafna aktar nies ghax fabriki kbar hafna. Nigi ghal li qal Mr Debono Halina nghixu u qatta il hdura li ghandek int u xi erbgha ohra bhalek gej (which every body hates) ghalek hadd ma jkun hemm jara in nar waqt il festi u waqt il festival tal port. Ara vera imissek tisthi tghid dan il kliem.
r. cutajar
Sep 9th 2010, 17:41
a moratorium should be ordered by the powers that be fullstop.
anything less equals to feeble and weak administration of the land at its best !
Joseph Calleja
Sep 9th 2010, 16:20
First of all let's keep politics out of all this. This is a matter of safety, politics have to stay out of it. Six people have just lost their lives and here we are talking politics. Being like most people, I don't know much about fireworks except watching them being shot in the air. So we will let the experts try to find out what caused the explosion. Having four or five fireworks factories blow up in one year is a bit much and very unusual, and I have to agree with a moratorium on fireworks till the common cause is found, if ever. Either way the festa season is over for this year and that gives the experts time to go on with their investigation. Stop saying it's part of our tradition, traditions change. With todays technology I am sure we can come up with something less dangerous to entertain the public. A laser show comes to mind, it's very entertaining and very safe. These shows are very well done, safe and very entertaining when done across the Grand Harbour. Something to think about.
Michael A. Saliba
Sep 9th 2010, 14:51
Definately a moratorium would be in order by a society that values human life above all else!
Even the US Space Shuttle program was suspended for over two years on each of the two occasions that something unexplained went wrong, resulting in loss of life (Challenger and Columbia)! And that was a hiatus that cost billions of dollars and had massive political and PR implications.
It's not enough to inquire. You have to STOP and inquire. Otherwise the unexplained fault would still be active and can claim more lives.
john borg
Sep 9th 2010, 14:32
```Col Camilleri said he disagreed with Gozo Bishop Mario Grech’s initiative announced yesterday to set up a commission to help him issue directives on fireworks used during feasts```
if the commission together with the parishes and feast commitees decide for a drastic reduction in fireworks or a limit either in euros spent or quantity of works fired........will lead to less fireworks prouced and eventually lower the accident risk.
Joe Mangion
Sep 9th 2010, 11:23
Ma naqbel xejn ma dak li qal is sur Lino spiteri, igiefieri li "prohibition will lead to underground production". Il produzzjoni, il bejgh u li tahraq in nar jistghu xi darba imorru underground. Dan mhux prodott bhall ohrajn, bhad droga per ezempju. Jekk ikun hemm projbizzjoni totali ma jistax isir la bejgh u l-anqas xiri. Barra min hekk, Il Gvern u il Knisja iridu jkunu l-ewwel li jaghtu l-ezempju. Mghandux isir aktar xiri ta nar mill Gvern minn flus il poplu biex jinharaq f'xi avveniment partikolari. Ovvjament, ma rridux noqoghdu nghoddu kemm se nitilfu voti. Dan il-flagell ghandu jieqaf mill-aktar fis u mhemmx lok ghall skuzi aktar.
George Debono
Sep 9th 2010, 11:15
A possible solution might be to ban Murtali (which everybody hates) while allowing relatively noiseless colurful firework displays (which most people like) .
Going by the aerial photographs the sheer scale of the devastation is very obvious. Such devastation must need a lot of explosive material.
I would imagine that Murtali need far more explosive and the amount of explosive used is obviously increasing as different festas or manufactureres try to out-do each other for loudness of the bangs.
If murtali are banned or restricted then there would be less explosive material around and the danger and extent of damage would be correspondingly less.
But, then, I am no expert.
Ido hope, however, that the experts come to a conclusion wich takes the public attitude itno account and not that of a small group of enthusiasts.
G
Raymond Camilleri
Sep 10th 2010, 15:45
coloured fireworks are just as or actually even more dangerous than 'bombi'... the coloured fireworks you mention are also called 'murtali'... all fireworks need a propellant (which causes explosions) to be alunched into the air...chlorate/perchlorate/nitrates etc... coloured fireworks are more dangerous because of the amount of metallic salts needed to create the different colours..in contact with the other chemicals they can trigger a very dangerous and explosive reaction.........