The recent publication of the public inquiry on Jean Paul Sofia’s death underscored, black on white, the surreal situation of enforcement in Malta.
It is perhaps no wonder to read how a number of authorities seem to have abdicated this role completely, and the widespread deregulation has had deleterious effects on large part of society.
This is also very true in the environment, where the authorities have frequently shown themselves to be reluctant in enforcing the law, often using gaps in the competencies between them as an excuse to escape responsibility for crimes gone unpunished.
Times of Malta recently carried an article about the role of the environmental rangers in Malta. Many would perhaps not be surprised to read about the risks faced by these people, whose work requires somewhat of a vocation.
There are just 15 environmental police officers active in Malta, numbers that may not even be sufficient to police a large school on a day out. These numbers pale in significance with those of registered hunters, so monitoring the general public is even more of a gargantuan task. The Ranger Unit is largely made up of volunteers, and practically does the work that should be done by the government itself.
The rangers stress they believe in educating first and enforcing second, a commendable approach which ought to be taken up across the board. This would be an improvement on the complete laissez-faire attitude encouraged by the authorities, whose “educational” efforts are limited to a few advertising campaigns every few months.
Interestingly, the Malta Ranger Unit does not have the power to enforce the law even though it is a government entity; elsewhere, enforcement of the laws is subcontracted to entities such as LESA, in a telltale sign of the approach to law enforcement in Malta.
These rangers even tell of instances where their physical well-being was under threat, and of court sittings that could be “intimidating”.
And yet, their work could take on a bigger dimension if only the government were to award them the respect they deserve. The key difference between the Ranger Unit and many other authorities lies in their motivation to do their job properly.
For starters, the idea of giving them enforcement powers should be discussed. Secondly, the police and the judiciary have a role to play in their recognition, and simplifying their job would go a long way towards an effective and just administration of the laws.
To date, the enforcement of Malta’s environment is as shoddy as it is inconsistent. The Planning Authority, for example, moves in on select targets, clearing up a few areas every so often, rigorously accompanied by press releases and photos; major contravenors are largely allowed to operate. The ERA has gone from issuing the odd fine to greenlighting major developments regardless of their environmental impact; encroachments on public space are sanctioned by the secretive Lands Authority.
Yet again, it is commendable how civil society has to provide wherever the authorities fail, by willingness or negligence, to deliver on their duties. That the Ranger Unit is largely made up of volunteers is a lesson in selflessness, and this should serve as an example to many residents, Maltese or not, to take an interest in the protection of their natural heritage.
Ultimately, the signs manifest themselves in loud and tragic ways: the authorities have given up, and the keys to the protection of the common good are in the hands of those outside the political system, in the hope that they, too, don’t give up.