The people deserved answers about what happened in the crush in Paceville which left 74 people injured on Saturday night, the Nationalist Party said today.
Speaking at a press conference, the shadow minister for home affairs, Beppe Fenech Adami, asked what had caused the stampede.
He also asked whether there were functioning emergency exits, when the last health and safety audit of the club was made, whether there was overcrowding, how there were children in the establishment, and how many policemen were in Paceville at the time.
Dr Fenech Adami observed that the PN had for the past few months been complaining about a lack of security in Paceville, putting young people at risk. It appeared, however, that the 'anything goes' mentality prevailed here as well. Had the government heeded the opposition's calls, including its calls for a stronger police presence, this incident could have been avoided as the police could have intervened earlier.
The government, therefore, had to shoulder its responsibilities, Dr Fenech Adami said.
He said the Minister of Home Affairs should not shirk responsibility and should answer the people's questions.
David Agius, PN spokesman on young people, expressed solidarity with the injured and thanked paramedical staff for their assistance.
He insisted that the government needed to ensure that Paceville was a safe entertainment destination for all.
Times of Malta reported earlier today that Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela would not go into the details of the Paceville accident, saying he preferred to await the outcome of the magisterial inquiry and police investigations.
Mr Abela was asked to comment on what had happened and also on the fact that underage children, one as young as 13, were present. The legal age to enter a nightclub in Malta is 17 and venues are liable to a €233 fine for every underage person found inside.
“Before expressing any further remarks on this particular incident, I will await the outcome of the magisterial inquiry and the police investigation whereby a number of experts have been appointed to establish the cause of the accident,” he said.
Pressed on the matter, Mr Abela said Paceville had been in the limelight for a number of years and this was not the first accident in which people had been hurt. He said the police were working towards stepping up security and surveillance in the area. The accident, he said, had come on the back of increased police presence in Paceville in recent weeks.
Asked whether the establishment in question had been audited and how many patrons it was permitted to host at any given time, Mr Abela said the answers would be given in the coming days.
He pointed out that he had recently set up a committee to work on the implementation of several measures aimed at improving the security aspect in the area.
In a reaction to this afternoon's press conference the Labour Party said PN leader Simon Busuttil never lost an occasion to be negative, even in this case. It said that instead of seeking solutions, he was trying to bring in politics.