Smoke from bonfires was once used to convey a warning or raise an alarm. The thick column of smoke that billowed from the fierce fire at a Marsa scrapyard too sent out a clear message: lack of enforcement can have dire consequences and it often does. All the indications are that this was an accident waiting to happen.
Scandalously, it also appears that the relevant regulators and entities were aware that certain things were not as they should have been. Yet, a situation that was literally explosive was allowed to continue simmering until it erupted recently.
Luckily, there were no direct injuries, though, based on what a respiratory expert has said, it remains to be seen whether the fallout could have serious health consequences.
The Marsa fire is symptomatic of the perennial culture of lack of enforcement in the country. Daily, examples can be seen in sectors like the environment, hygiene, transport and occupational health and safety.
The police, the public health regulation department, the Environment and Resources Authority, the Planning Authority, Transport Malta and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority are among those entities that come to mind when thinking about the possible shortcomings that could have contributed to the Marsa fire. In the eyes of the public, these bodies are often answerable to so many other instances where lack of enforcement and resolute remedial action is evidently lacking.
Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement Minister Byron Camilleri insisted last June that the government firmly believes in ensuring the country’s holistic security. He also trumpeted the fact that the budget for the civil protection department this year totalled nearly €8 million.
It is reassuring to know that the rescue services are equipping themselves with the resources they need to rise to the occasion when natural calamities strike or accidents happen, as they are prone to do.
However, prevention remains better than cure. Enforcement, discipline and the punishment of defaulters, especially repeat offenders, can also go a long way in avoiding or at least minimising the occurrences of incidents like last week’s blaze.
It has emerged that the scrapyard where the fire broke out had received warnings about a long list of environmental infringements and that ‘stop and compliance’ orders had also been issued.
An ERA official had reportedly flagged the site as a public hazard, being in violation of safety and fire prevention rules.
Liquid and electronic waste as well as vehicles beyond their useful lifespan were not being handled in the way they should, a large shredder was in use even if it was not covered by a permit, part of the yard supposedly reserved for dangerous substances had an alternative use and the maximum hazardous waste storage limit was regularly ignored.
In view of the police and judicial investigations in progress, it would not be prudent to comment about how the above situation could have been allowed to prevail and which entities are to blame. But it all points to a serious lack of enforcement or failure to take decisive action. Camilleri should now don his law enforcement minister’s hat and take resolute action that would put people’s minds at rest.
He should also allocate a hefty sum to fund a year-round awareness campaign that would also promote civic pride and a public safety culture by rewarding those coming forward to report breaches of health and safety laws and regulations.
As we have just seen, yet again, there is never smoke without fire.