The majority of the nightclubs in Paceville are not being inspected by a health and safety board, more than two years after the Times of Malta first flagged the “worrying” situation.

In 2015, this newspaper reported how only six Paceville nightclubs were being inspected by the Health and Safety Monitoring Board because its list of clubs was “significantly outdated”.

The board’s official list of nightclubs, issued by the Malta Tourism Authority, did not, and still does not, include many of the entertainment hub’s most popular venues, as well as others across the island.

The board’s inspectors look out for fire hazards and inspect noise levels and safety conditions to ensure compliance with national regulations.

Board sources, however, told this newspaper that despite numerous requests for its list to be updated, the MTA had still not done so, meaning they could not set foot inside several popular establishments to inspect them.

“There are clubs in Paceville that we have to ignore, because the names on our list are so outdated they changed management years ago and have been renamed several times since then,” board sources said.

No answers were received to questions sent last month to the MTA about the outdated list.

It’s ridiculous. The board is pointless if it cannot inspect venues

The issue of safety in nightclubs was thrust into the national spotlight after 74 youths were injured, some critically, when the glass banister at the PlusOne club collapsed during a mass exit in 2015.

The government subsequently pledged to tackle the island’s lax relationship with health and safety regulations “head-on”.

A spokeswoman for the Home Affairs Ministry said: “Work is under way on new legislation – the Fire and Safety Act – which would give the Civil Protection Department the authority to inspect all commercial premises irrespective of licences.”

The MTA currently carries out its own inspections of entertainment venues, however questions sent on how many inspections have been conducted and what was found were also not replied to.

Meanwhile Charles Burlò, who heads the board, said he had since put the matter to Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela.

“The situation is explained in the annual report, which I gave to the minister. You can read it for yourself,” Mr Burlò said.

The Home Affairs Ministry has not yet provided this newspaper with a copy of the report following an official request.

Asked why the situation persisted after Mr Burlò first spoke to the press two years ago, Mr Abela said the list was meant to be provided by the MTA, which did not fall under his political responsibility.

How bad is the situation with board inspections?

In 2015, Mr Burlò said two of the clubs on his list no longer existed, while some had not been used as nightclubs for years.

According to the list, which is still being used by the health and safety board inspectors, there is only one club in all of Gozo and just one gentlemen’s club in Paceville.

“The situation is absolutely ridiculous. The board is pointless if it cannot inspect venues,” the frustrated board sources said.

In 2015, Mr Burlò said that he had already been chasing the list for two years and had met with several authorities to establish who could give him an updated list of nightclubs. He said that he had spent several months being sent from one government department to another, ultimately with nothing to show for it.

“It’s ridiculous, I went to the MTA and to the former and current commissioners but didn’t get anywhere.

“I even went to the Attorney General, who referred me to the Trade Department, but they just sent me back to the MTA,” Mr  Burlò said.

ivan.martin@timesofmalta.com

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