An Opposition motion calling for an independent public inquiry into the construction site death of Jean Paul Sofia was defeated in parliament on Wednesday and replaced by a government-amended version which removed any reference to a public inquiry and instead called for a speedy conclusion of the magisterial inquiry into the tragedy.

The vote was greeted with a commotion from the Strangers' Gallery with individuals hurling insults at MPs.  The Speaker suspended the sitting as police were seen moving in to evict people there.  

Sofia, 20, died under tons of rubble when a building under construction in Corradino collapsed during roofing works in December last year. Five other workers were injured.

Sofia’s mother, Isabelle Bonnici, has since been insisting that an independent inquiry should be held, arguing that it would go further than a magisterial inquiry and possibly help avoid similar incidents, ensuring her son would not have died in vain.

The debate on the motion was held last Thursday, with the vote postponed to Wednesday. Bonnici had followed proceedings from the Strangers’ Gallery on Thursday and was in parliament again on Wednesday for the vote. 

But her personal appeals and appeals by various NGOs for MPs to vote according to their conscience were ignored, with all MPs voting according to party lines on Wednesday.

Candles placed outside parliament while MPs voted on the motion for a public inquiry into the construction site death of Jean Paul Sofia on Wednesday.

Earlier this week the Speaker turned down a request by Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina to move new amendments to the government’s amended version of the motion, restoring the call for the appointment of a public inquiry. The Speaker said that was not procedurally possible since the government's amendments had not been voted upon yet and Aquilina’s was therefore a hypothetical scenario.

But just before the vote was to take place on Wednesday, the government and opposition said they had agreed that the opposition amendments would be allowed and voted upon. The opposition amendments were moved by Opposition leader Bernard Grech who said that at the Sofia family's request he was also tabling a petition for the holding of the public inquiry, signed by almost 20,000 people.

Isabelle Bonnici shouts from the Strangers' Gallery after the vote.

The MPs then voted first on the government's amendments to the motion, then the Opposition's amendments to the government's changes, and finally the amended motion. The government's amendments were approved with 40 government MPs in favour and 32 Opposition MPs against. The opposition's amendments were defeated by the same margin and the final motion as amended by the government (removing the call for a public inquiry) was then approved with 40 in favour and 32 against.

Opposition MPs Chris Said, Ivan J Bartolo and Graham Bencini were not present but the PN whip Robert Cutajar said they had declared their backing to the opposition's motion.  Absent from the government benches were Romilda Zarb, Clyde Caruana and Clint Camilleri. Independent MP Rosianne Cutajar left shortly before the vote. 

The sitting was suspended after the vote amid shouting in the Strangers' Gallery and police move in to evict some people.

The collapsed building which cost Jean Paul Sofia his life.

Petition gathers pace

Meanwhile, a petition started five days ago, also calling for a public inquiry, had gathered almost 20,000 signatures by Wednesday afternoon.

Sofia’s parents have also demanded compensation from all those involved in the Corradino project. In a  judicial letter, dated June 28 but only notified to the parties this week, they claimed that the collapse happened because of their actions, omissions and negligence of those responsible for the construction site, and gave them all one week to come forward for the liquidation of damages.

They also warned of further action in default.