Government sees no need for national conference on fireworks

According to the Maltese government, there is no need for a nationwide conference to be held on fireworks since consultation and feedback had already been received through a commission set up in February by former home affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

This declaration was made despite the Prime Minister asking the Malta Pyrotechnics Association (MPA) to prepare a report listing all the pending problems and proposals which would then be discussed at ministerial level.

But following this meeting - held as part of the Nationalist Party's structured dialogue meetings - the MPA never had the opportunity to present the report as no follow-up meeting was set up.

Speaking to MaltaToday, Labour candidate and association secretary Godfrey Farrugia expressed his frustration at how the association was being put aside over an issue that concerned them directly.

"We are a very proactive association. But as things stand today we are not being consulted. There are proposals [from the Vella report] that are good. There are others that need more discussion as they also entail commitment from other authorities," Farrugia said.

However, the association did meet up with Justice Minister Chris Said 15 days ago to discuss other issues that have been pending since 2009.

The Vella report - as has been dubbed - was prepared by the independent government-commissioned inquiry following previous accidents involving fireworks factories.

The inquiry, headed by Professor Alfred Vella, had laid out 24 recommendations for a safer framework within which fireworks factories could operate.

Prophetically, the report warned that Malta would experience at least one large-scale fatal fireworks accident in 2012 or in 2013 unless firework regulations are amended and certain chemical mixtures banned.

The fatal accident occurred last Sunday, when four men lost their lives at the fireworks factory in Gozo.

But according to a spokesman to the Office of the Prime Minister, "whether a conference is still held is not a crucial point at this stage given that the opportunity has been given for all to give due feedback on the Vella Report".

While the report was finalised in late 2011, a task force was set up in February 2012 to obtain the public's views and suggestions in relation to the report, before its recommendations would be implemented.

This process was concluded in May and the task force has now been disbanded.

The recommendations have now been referred to the Explosives Committee, whose job is to formulate the detailed legislative proposals to implement the main recommendations.

"This process is still ongoing," the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson failed to reply as to whether discussions between the Prime Minister - who is now managing the home affairs portfolio - and the pyrotechnics association will resume, or whether these will take place once a new Minister for Home Affairs is appointed.

The spokesperson simply reiterated: "The government will await the policy and legislative proposals forthcoming from the Explosives Committee before moving on to implementation stage."

So far this year, the MPA has only been involved in two official meetings: the first during early 2012 with then minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici. The topic of the discussions had been the issues pending since 2009.

"A subsequent meeting took place in June, with the Prime Minister and Simon Busuttil. The meeting included all pyrotechnics enthusiasts, and we were present," Godfrey Farrugia recalled.

Farrugia said Lawrence Gonzi had delegated them with the responsibility to draft a report with the pending problems and proposed amendments to the legislation.

"Our report was prepared and finalised but we were never asked to present it," Farrugia added.