Miriam Pace's widower marks four-year anniversary of her construction-related death

Carmel Pace, whose wife Miriam was killed inside her family home when construction work next door caused it to collapse, has marked the fourth anniversary of the tragedy with a touching post addressed to her, on Facebook.

Miriam Pace,54, died under the rubble of her home on Hamrun’s Triq Joseph Abela Scolaro on March 2, 2020. 

Architects Roderick Camilleri and Anthony Mangion were later convicted of involuntary homicide in relation to the incident, each being handed  suspended sentences and ordered to complete 880 hours of community work.

Meanwhile, the proceedings against excavation contractor Ludwig Dimech and builder Nicholas Spiteri remain ongoing, the pair having chosen to be tried by the Criminal Court. 

Greed had caused the Pace family’s life to be turned upside down, Carmel Pace wrote on Facebook. “After four years, many people judge and many point fingers. What I know is that sometimes it seems that the real victim becomes the accused and the real accused becomes the victim. Everyone forgets that the real victim is the woman who was buried under the rubble of her own home, and her family who are still suffering the consequences.”

The anniversary comes just three days after the final report of the public inquiry into another fatal collapse at a construction site, which claimed the life of Jean Paul Sofia, was published.

The resulting 484-page report was scathing in its criticism of the authorities that regulate the construction sector and made a series of recommendations aimed at improving it.

Reacting to that report, Prime Minister Robert Abela gave a warning to the sector, telling it to ‘shape up or ship out.’