The Finance Minister should be investigated to see what he knew about the burning of the chemical Mercaptan at a fireworks factory between Mgarr and Rabat, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning.

Mercaptan is an extremely corrosive chemical that was used by Enemalta in very small measures in the past to give gas an odour.

When Enemalta no longer needed the chemical as gas started coming already mixed, it had to see how to dispose of the remaining 450 gallons of Mercaptan it had.

Someone decided to load the chemical on a truck and burn it slowly at a particular fireworks factory without telling anyone, Dr Muscat claimed.

He said that when the process had been going on for two days, the north was engulfed with gas odour.

Enemalta and the government did not say anything about the situation, putting people in danger. A statement was also issued saying there had been no gas leaks at Qajjenza.

This was true, because the material was being burnt in the north.

In a reply to a parliamentary question last week, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said that Enemalta did not have any remaining Mercaptan because it had used it all.

But once the real story was published in the media, the minister started saying he would be appointing a board to hold an inquiry. The minister, Dr Muscat said, could not do this because he should be investigated himself on what he knew and what he did not know.

The Prime Minister should also intervene and ensure that all necessary steps were taken.

"Such third world practices are no longer acceptable," Dr Muscat said.

The ministry said in a statement that while Dr Muscat was repeating allegations without providing proof, it was investigating the matter.

Earlier, he appealed to the government not to waste more time and put structures in place through which the divorce law could be implemented.

He said that the liberal slant which had been given to Malta should not, however, be limited just to introduction of divorce.

"We want a real European country which respects the country's traditions and culture. We have to push forward ideas."

The Labour leader said that society had to take an active part in the drafting of changes which should lead Malta to give birth to a second republic.

At the right time, he said, he would be proposing the setting up of a constitutional convention to see how Malta's constitution could be amended to reflect the aspirations of the people.

"We have to ensure that the state gives everyone the right and the opportunity to progress," Dr Muscat said.

Dr Muscat also referred to a Caritas study which showed that 44 per cent of Maltese were spending more than they were earning.

This, he said, was worrying because it showed that the Maltese could not keep up with the cost of living.