Mellieha council denies responsibility in policeman's fatal accident
The Mellieha council and the mayor have denied any responsibility in the circumstances which led to the drowning of a young policeman at Cirkewwa on December 2.
In a reply to a judicial letter filed by the policeman's heirs last week, in which they demanded compensation, the council said the allegations made in the letter were unfounded. It said the Cirkewwa quay and Gozo Channel operations were not the council's responsibility and it was clear that the quay was not even within the council's boundaries.
PC Kurt Gauci, 21, from Victoria, wanted to catch the ferry to Gozo when he drove his dark green Hyundai Accent onto the wrong quay and plunged into the sea.
The Gauci family claimed compensation from the Prime Minister, five ministers, the Attorney General, the Police Commissioner, the chairman of Gozo Channel, the mayor and councillors of Mellieħa and even the captain of the MV Ta' Pinu, which was operating at the time of the incident.
Also brought into the judicial letter were police officers at the Mellieħa police station, the chairman and board members of Transport Malta, the Customs Comptroller as well as Polidano Group and Terracore Limited, which were carrying out works on the Ċirkewwa terminal project. The Gauci family said the named entities were responsible for the tragic death of their son and brother because of negligence and lack of observance of basic safety rules.
The Mellieha council and mayor said today they were holding the family responsible for damages, resulting from their judicial letter.
The aim of the family's letter where it concerned the council, it said, was just an attempt to sensationalise a tragic situation.
Legal action should be taken within the law and should aim to preserve the spirit of the law.
The council gave the family two days to declare that it did not have anything to do with the matter.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Second group of migrants arrives
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
33 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Neville Debattista
Feb 9th, 13:03
@ Josepgh Grech Attard. Dear Joe, each and every action on this ephimeral world will consequently prompt a similar reaction. Christian faith has nothing to do with all this.
Neville Debattista
Feb 9th, 11:52
What does the captain of Mv Ta Pinu have to do with all this may I humbly ask?
Joseph Grech Attard
Feb 8th, 18:55
It is very unfair for the family to blame the Mellieha Local Council. It is, however, just as unfair for the Mellieha Council to threaten the family with damages, etc. One can not imagine the pain of the family because of this, most probably avoidable, tragedy! Let us show sympathy with them and try not to make them feel worse. Let us use our Christian faith of pardon, rather than retribution! May he rest in peace and may the family find it's peace as well.
Joseph Calleja
Feb 7th, 18:02
First of all, to bad the Times decided not to print my earlier comment on the subject. I don't think that the family had any knowledge of who to sue and not who to sue. This is all the work of two smart lawyers and the family has no choice but to go along. The project is being funded by the government and built by a contractor or contractors. The Mellieha Local Council and the Mellieha Police Department have nothing to do with the project at the Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal. What happened is a tragedy caused only by one person and that is very unfortunate but true. Other cars entered the ferry and none of them made the same mistake. If he was following the other line of cars, why was he the only one to take the wrong turn? If lack of safety is involved it is to be taken up by the Contractor and the Gozo Ferry Channel and not by the Mellieha Local Council. People have to accept responsibility for their actions and not try to blame somebody else. This was a very tragic accident and I do feel for the families loss, but for the two lawyers, to blame everybody else is very wrong and immoral. I suggest they change their attitude and get real.
pat muscat
Feb 7th, 19:07
According to new EU safety legislation, even when you hire someone to whitewash your house, you're supposed to bring a safety officer to see that the scaffolding and working practice are according to law! So, where was the safety officer at Cirkewwa, when there were no safety bollards according to common sense and the law?
Joseph Camilleri
Feb 7th, 21:00
So far, I have never seen a safety bollard on quay's such as Cirkewwa or Mgarr... LOL I would like to see one... But so far, where ever I have been, and I evern tried to look some up on google, all the quay's look like the ones in Cirkewwa or Mgarr...
Bottom line, I am responsible for my own actions, no one else! If i skid with my car, should I blame the Prime Minister?! U ejja ma ndahhkux!
The lucky on is the lawyer, who will be paid thousands of Euros for a never ending case which will be sealed only after some 50 years... I'll be gone by then!
I guess the family has alot of Euro's to spend... oh well, good for them! I'm jellous for the lucky lawyer who is on this case, which will be never ended!
So funny! Sorry, but it is!
Joseph Calleja
Feb 7th, 21:08
That Pat Muscat is for the courts to decide and for the lawyers to find out. I am not saying that there was no negligence, but to blame the whole country for it, is absurd. Like I said the car did not drive itself.
Alfred Cassar
Feb 7th, 21:31
Shall we put bollards, fences, railings and all sort of protection all around Malta then in case someone is not driving carefully and might end up in the sea? It was an unfortunate accident for the young men and may he rest in peace.
I completely disagree with the action of the lawyer but what do you expect from him?
David Mizzi
Feb 7th, 17:51
Sur sindku,
Jekk il moll tac cirkewwa mhux responsabilita taghkom, kif il wardens imqabbdin minnkom jaghtu t tickets fuq isem il kunsill tal mellieha?
Mela Fejn ma jaqbillekx tghid li ma intix responsabbli, imma fejn jidhlu l flus ma titkellemx alavolja l wardens qed jaghtu tickets bl addocc ghad dannu ta mijiet ta ghawdxin li jhallu l karozza c cirkewwa biex forsi jiffrankaw ftit euros.
Robert Cutajar
Feb 7th, 18:18
Sur Mizzi
Nahseb mintix infurmat sew dwar l-issue tal-wardens. Tajjeb tkun taf li mhux kompitu tal-Kunsill Lokali li jassenja l-postijiet fejn ikunu l-wardens.Naprezza li tkun korrett qabel ma` tiddeciedi li timplika l-Kunsill Lokali fuq kwistjoni ta` infurzar. Mil-lat ta` statistika tajjeb ninfurmak ukoll li l-Mellieha hija fost l-inqas lokalitajiet fit-Tramuntana ta` Malta li fiha jinghataw citazzjonijiet. Grazzi
Joseph Calleja
Feb 7th, 18:23
Il- mijiet ta ghawdxin li jhallu l karozza ic-cirkewwa biex forsi jiffrankaw ftit euros, qeghdin jiksru il-ligi. Jew il-ligi fejn jaqbillek int biss?
F Galea
Feb 7th, 19:41
@Robert Cutajar. Min jibghat lil wardens manafx... Li naf hu li jien darba qlajt citazzjoni fuq l-moll tac-Cirkewwa fuq isem il-kunsill tal-Mellieha kif qal siehbi David Mizzi... Cempilt l-kunsill ghax assulutament ma kienx jaghmel sens u la tawni ragun u wisq inqas qaluli ma jaqax tahtna ovjament...
Insomma fl-ahhar hadt r-ragun meta rbahtha wara li kkontestajtu.
David Mizzi
Feb 7th, 21:25
Prosit sur galea.
Ghax ic cirkewwa lanqas tabella wahda jew sinjali ma hemm. U imbaghad jigi l warden u jaghtik ticket ( u l flus imorru l kunsill tal mellieha). Jiena laghqqat ticket is sibt u iehor l ghada l Hadd meta l karozza kienet ghada fl istess post. Sfortunatament Jiena ma stajtx niehu leave fil gurnata tat tribunal u wehilthom. U bhali hemm hafna aktar.
David Mizzi
Feb 7th, 21:38
@joseph Calleja.
Il ligi tinkiser meta jkun hemm sinjali u tabella biex ma tipparkjax. Jekk qeghdin iddahlu l flus tac citazzjonijiet, huwa dmir tal kunsill li jassigura li fl area ikun hemm sinjali basici tat traffiku.
Robert Cutajar
Feb 8th, 07:52
@ F.Galea ....ghamilt sewwa li kkontestajtha jekk hassejt li kienet ingusta c-citazzjoni li inghatajt. Din is-sitwazzjoni hija identika ghal kullimkien u mhux ghac-Cirkewwa biss.Jekk persuna ihoss li inghata citazzjoni ingusta kull m`ghandu jaghmel hu li jikkontesta jew anke jibghat il-kontestazzjoni tieghu lill-bord tal-petizzjonijiet. Il-kunsill m`ghandux poteri fuq citazzjonijiet mghotija izda jista biss jindika fejn u bliema mod tista` issir l-oggezzjoni formali. Jekk mill-Kunsill Lokali ma` sarx hekk allura kien nuqqas u min hawn nitolbok skuza f`isem l-istaff tal-Kunsill. Grazzi
F Galea
Feb 8th, 12:47
Evidentament hawn hafna wardens li qeghdin japprofittaw u jabbuzaw gewwa c-Cirkewwa biex ilahqu mal-kwota tac-citazzjonijiet li jkollhom. Jekk c-citazzjonijiet li jinhargu fuq isem l-kunsill tal-Mellieha jintlaqghu allura huwa car li c-Cirkewwa jaqa tahtkom. Ma nahsibx li jigu rrifjutati l-hlas ta' citazzjonijiet li nghataw fic-Cirkewwa.
U allura huwa responsabilta li jkun hemm tabelli u linji sura ta' nies ghax qed jinsterqu hafna flus minn Ghawdxin genwini li jkollhom jaqsmu kuljum bejn Ghawdex u Malta ghax jafu li ma jkollhomx cans jikkontestaw dawn c-citazzjonijiet.
Jien hlejt gurnata u llum nghid ehfef qbadt u hallastu...
Robert Mifsud
Feb 7th, 17:16
X'ghandha x'taqsam l-awtorita ma dan l-accident? Kien accident illi sar minhabba l-ebda nuqqas min ghand hadd. Mela issa naqa fil-bahar bil-karozza u intella lil xi hadd il qorti.
Joseph Calleja
Feb 7th, 18:08
Fejn irridu sirna bhall l-America. Sue Happy. Kif dejjem it-tort ta haddiehor? Il-karozza ma saqetx lila infisha? Nixtieq naf kemm karozzi kien hemm li telghu fuq il-ferry u ma gralhom xejn, u mhux dak in-nhar biss, imma kemm iku sejjer il-progett..
Christian Sant
Feb 7th, 17:02
jidispjacini ghaz zghazugh imma ma nahsibx li andom dritt ghal kumpens min hadd... nhallu il politika barra ghax alla jbierek dejjem xi hadd irid idahhala kullimkien. Meta xufier itella lil xi hadd mieghu u jispicca jweggaw f'incident tat traffiku, il persuna responsabli dejjem jkun ix xufier u mhux il Prim Ministru, xi Ministru, Kummissarju etc... f'dan il kaz ix xufier sfortunatament qatel involontarjament lilu innifsu. Forsi vera imweggajn il familjari tal vittma ghax kerha titlef iben f'idcident li seta jigi evitat imma huwa vera ukoll li kwalunkwe xufier huwa responsabli mil mod kif tinstaq il vettura tieghu... RIP to him
Ms.D. Galea
Feb 7th, 16:59
Lawyers will be having a field day with this case.
Carmel Cilia
Feb 7th, 16:25
Mela sewwa ikollok tower crane daqshiex idur fuq il-propjeta tieghek u il-Kummissarju tal pulizija ma jizgurax li il-kuntrattur ghandu ix-xoghol seww imbaghad jekk jigri kif gara il-gimgha li ghaddiet miskien min jikola. Dan il-pajjiz li niftahru li qeghdin ma ta l-aqwa fid dinja anqas jibda fejn tidhol is-sigurta u ir-responsabbilta ta l-establishment. Int u niezel Ghajn Zejtuna il-mellieha kuntrattur ghalaq il-bankina bil bricks ghal tul ta xi 100 pied. Jghaddu min hemm pulizija kemm trid anke wardens li kif tmiss il-line l-isfar ifarfrulek citazzjoni izda dan l-inkonvenjent li bdiedem irid jinzel minn fuq il-bankina u jekk ikun hemm karozza ipparkjata irid jispicca jghaddi f'nofs ta triq fi tlett xhur ma rah hadd. Possibbli is-sindku qatt ma ghadda minn hemm. Hawnhekk zgur taqgha fil-limiti tieghu. Action please Robert.
Robert Cutajar
Feb 7th, 17:22
Sur Cilia. Grazzi tal-punt imqajjem minnek. F`sitwazzjonijiet bhal dawn il-kuntrattur li jkun qed jahdem suppost ikun gab il-permessi mehtiega mill-awtoritajiet koncernati u mhux mill-kunsill biss.Barra minn hekk ghandu wkoll l-obbligu li jara li ma jhallix periklu waqt li jkun ghaddej ix-xoghol. Fuq il-kaz referut minnek inwieghdek li ghada stess immur personalment u nara li ghandu kollox in order. Insellimlek.
pat muscat
Feb 7th, 19:01
Kollox suppost! Tista tghidli min hu responsabli sur Sindku jekk it-triq li tiehu mill-Ghadira ghal Popey Village , jigifiri it-telgha li qed nghaddu bhalissa tizbroffa? Din kienet saret fiz-zmien il-gwerra ghal xi jeep u baghal bil-kerrettun mhux ghal ingenji moderni specjalment Arriva buses u trakkikjiet. Jekk tizbroffa min hu responsabli?
Xi hadd hu responsabli!
James Grech
Feb 7th, 16:19
It was a tragic accident, and i am sorry for your loss however you can not go around suing everyone. That is ridiculous and offensive.
Mr Ernest Vella
Feb 7th, 16:00
ejja nwahhlu fil-PL ghax ma rebahx l-ahhar elezzjoni ghal naqra....Alla jaghtih il-glorja tal-genna lil dan iz-zaghzugh...imma l-flus mhux ser igibuh lura
D. A . Agius
Feb 7th, 15:54
The reason why they put everyone into the case is so that court decides who is really responsible when a case is brought forward.
Vince Cachia
Feb 7th, 17:51
Only the deceased is responsible. You cannot install handrails where cars are supposed to pass. Besides that nobody asked the deceased to go THAT WAY!!! The ship was just in front of him!!!
Joseph Calleja
Feb 7th, 18:30
The reason they included all those people is so they can gauge all the money they can, and even though I don't blame the families I do blame the two lawyers who came up with this scheme. And then people wonder why some lawyers have such a bad reputation. I tend to agree with Vince Cachia.
Peter Murray
Feb 7th, 19:27
Not so sir ,and that is not only a ridiculous unfounded comment to make but moreover ,a highly insensitive one .
Jay Oatmon
Feb 7th, 15:42
This is Malta and no one is ever accountable or responsible - that's why we are stuck in the past. The only action we get is when the EU pushes.
Marco Meli
Feb 7th, 15:39
mhux ovja!!!! mela ghawn xi hadd responsabli f dal pajjiz!!!!
joe galea
Feb 7th, 16:04
Naqbel mijak habieb........ well said !!! pajjiz tal bannana LOL
Ms Maria Vella
Feb 7th, 17:27
including the driver?