Horse cab drivers protest again

Horse cab drivers drove their horses from Blata l-Bajda to the Palace in Valletta yesterday in protest against the apron they should be putting on their horses, arguing that this was unsuitable for the animals and cruel.

A legal notice making it compulsory for horses to have aprons came into effect last April 15 but the notice is still not being obeyed and horsemen are being booked regularly for disregarding the notice.

The karozzin drivers have since joined the General Workers' Union and yesterday's protest, which also included the participation of animal rights organisations, was supported by the union.

Union official Manwel Micallef said that what was being done by the authorities was an attempt to destroy the tradition of cab horses on the island.

The union had discussed the issue with the Valletta council, the Association of Local Councils, which was supporting the Valletta council, and the Local Government Minister.

The karozzin drivers and the union were advised against the use of the government-provided apron, Mr Micallef said, and they tried modifying it but it was still unsuitable. In the meantime, karozzin drivers were being booked on a daily basis by local wardens. They said yesterday they were not paying their fines as they were supposed to be still discussing the apron.

Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier and Association of Local Councils' president Ian Micallef both said the apron was certified as non-cruel.

But the union, Mr Micallef said, was advised by veterinarians and animal experts that no type of apron would be suitable for horses locally because of the way cabs were made, due to local road conditions.

Drivers were, however, proposing to partly finance a cleaning station which would be in contact with all the karozzin drivers and who would be informed by them as soon as a horse fouled the street. Personnel would then be sent immediately to clean up.

Mr Micallef said that karozzin drivers wanted to be better organised and to improve the standards of the service they offered but for the animals to wear an apron was cruel and unacceptable.

The drivers were also willing to establish a route, to wear a suitable costume to make the trips more attractive and to publish informative leaflets.

The animal rights organisations taking part included the Animal Rights' Group, the National Cat Society, Island Sanctuary, SOS Animals, World Animal Conscience, Graffiti and Ananda Marga.

Mr Micallef said the union was in contact with unions and other animal organisations overseas to request support.

Mayor Borg Olivier said the apron was certified and approved by the Department of Veterinary Services.

He said that for as long as there was this positive report on the apron, the council would continue to enforce the legal notice.

Dr Micallef said that the state's veterinarian had certified the apron as not cruel to the animals, so he could not see why councils should not enforce the legal notice.

He pointed out that councils only enforced the notice; the decision as to whether horsemen were guilty or not was taken by another body.