UPDATED - Adds reaction by Michael Falzon -

Labour MP Anton Refalo has said in Parliament that politicians should consider banning fireworks in order to avoid another repeat of last Sunday fireworks tragedy in Gharb.

However Michael Falzon, Labour's spokesman for Home Affairs and legal adviser of the Pyrotechnics Association disagreed, telling timesofmalta.com that it was his personal view that prohibition would be wrong.

Speaking in Parliament, Dr Rafalo recalled the sorrow suffered by Gozo two years ago when a fireworks factory explosion had claimed six lives.

Gozo was now going through the same sorrow, having lost another four people on Sunday.

He said that politicians should share the blame for having, for electoral or other reasons, never having adequately controlled the situation. 

"I think the time has come for Parliament... for us politicians, if necessary, to stop fireworks because of the serious consequences and tragedies they cause, because of the  turmoil they cause to the families of the victims," he said.

Parliament had a duty to act in order to avoid a repetition of such tragedies, Dr Refalo said.

Expressing his sorrow for Sunday's tragedy, Dr Refalo said that politicians should act to stop fireworks or stop practices which saw young people go to fireworks factories like they were going to a football match.

MICHAEL FALZON'S REACTION

Dr Michael Falzon

Labour’s Home Affairs spokesman, Michael Falzon, who is the legal adviser of the Pyrotechnics Association said that Dr Refalo had a right to express his opinion, but that was a personal opinion.

Similarly, he said, his own personal opinion was that prohibition would be wrong.

“One can appreciate that in the aftermath of such a tragedy there would be reactions which could be spontaneous. But I do not think that there should be prohibition, and prohibition would be wrong.”

However, Dr Falzon said if there were areas of improvement he would back them.

BISHOP: THIS IS TIME FOR MOURNING

Earlier, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech expressed his condolences to the victims of the fireworks tragedy and said that while an evaluation of what had happened would have to be made, this was not the time for it.

Mgr Mario Grech

Speaking on TVHemm on PBS, Mgr Grech said this was a time for mourning and every word said at this time could add to the suffering of the family and friends of the victims.

This was a time for silent reflection and for appreciation, he said. Many people spoke about voluntary work, and these people too were volunteers whose work should be appreciated.

At this time, one should show love to the dear departed and their families.

Analysis and evaluation of what had happened would have to be carried out, but not at this time of mourning.

Mgr Grech said the Church had already worked and would continue to work on the process of persuasion aimed at ensuring that all possible precautions were taken to avoid this sort of tragedy, but also other tragedies. One only needed to see how a priest died in a traffic accident yesterday.

These were all human activities which carried risks and his appeal was to appreciate one another and to work on any possible way to avoid such incidents.

Four fireworks enthusiasts died in the blast which flattened most of the Sacred Heart fireworks factory in Gharb yesterday afternoon. The site of the explosion was a short distance away from the site of another fireworks factory explosion two years ago in which six enthusiasts died.

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