The Labour Party this morning called for safety in the area where works are being carried out for the regneration of the Dock 1 area inCospicua.

The spokesman for local councils, Stefan Buontempo, said the PL agreed with the regeneration project, but the way works were being handled lacked planning and there was a serious lack of safety.

He said that an elderly woman had been seriously hurt and a young man was also hospitalised after huring themselves because of poor signage.

The works, he said, were taking too long and were proceeding in fits and starts, to the detriment of the neighbours and businesses.

The works, he said, had also had a negative impact on tourism in the area.

Cospicua Mayor Joseph Scerri called for an improvement in project area safety before the scholastic year opens. He also complained that the works were affecting the regatta club, two days before the September regatta.

GOVERNMENT REACTION

In a reaction, the Infrastructure Ministry said that all contractors on government projects were contractually bound to ensure safety for workers and the public.

In this case, the contractor, Marinelli Spa, had been warned several times to ensure that health and safety norms were observed. The Health and Safety Authority ordered it to erect hoarding to close off the project area.

Managers from the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation also told the contractor to set up more iron gratings and to fill in the planters, for greater safety.

Over the past few weeks, Marinelli filed several reports and pictures to the police, complaining how the gratings and plastic barriers had been moved by third prties after the workers left the site – creating  danger.  

Referring to the comments made at the press conference, the ministry pointed out that temporary works are underway to enable the regatta club to slip its boat for the Victory Day regatta.

It said this project, once completed, would be very beneficial to the people of Cottonera and businesses there.