Unsecured entrance makes high wall useless

Building a high wall around the perimeter of the army's Safi barracks to stop illegal immigrants from escaping detention is useless once the entrance to the barracks remains unsecured.

Kirkop mayor Mario Salerno has asked for the building of a 15-courses high wall, claiming that each time immigrants escaped from the detention quarters they ended up in the streets of his village.

There are three detention quarters within the Safi barracks and the responsibility for their running and security lies with the Detention Services and not the Armed Forces of Malta.

The Detention Services would not comment on the issue. "We prefer not talking about the security measures adopted in the detention quarters," a spokesman said.

However, the commanding officer of the army's 3rd Regiment, Lt Col Mario Borg, who is responsible for the Safi barracks, said it made no sense for the army to erect a high wall around the perimeter of the base.

"Even if we were to do so, we would still have a problem with the main gate because it has to be left wide open. A private company that services airplanes also operates from the grounds of the base and the entrance needs to remain wide open to allow enough space for the aircraft to cross over into the airport grounds," Lt Col. Borg explained. He insisted it would be much better if the wall were built around the detention quarters themselves, thus improving security in the three facilities.

"The barracks belong to the army but the detention quarters are the responsibility of the Detention Services, which falls under a different ministry. Building a wall, if possible, could help enhance security in the detention areas allaying the fears expressed by the Kirkop mayor," he said. The Times reported last week how the perimeter fence surrounding the base was deteriorating in some areas and absolutely absent in others.

Mr Salerno had even indicated a site where a collapsed fence delineating the barracks' perimeter bordered a country lane that led to the village's outskirts. He insisted that the poor fencing was inadequate to prevent immigrants from escaping.

The army admitted that the fence needed to be changed but insisted it was never intended to serve as a deterrent for escaping immigrants.

"The work on the perimeter fence has been going on for the past 18 months. We have already substituted a substantial part of the old fencing. The work is being done by army personnel and it also depends on the availability of human resources. We are preparing the pipe work and the stretch of fence that borders the public country lane will be changed in the coming months," Lt Col Borg said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com

(See also: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090306/local/wall-around-safi-barracks-perimeter-useless)