The Motor Hearses Owners’ Association yesterday filed a judicial protest claiming that issuing an operators’ licence for vehicles to be used as hearses would be of prejudice to its members.

The association, which represents nine hearse owners, filed the protest against the chairman of the Transport Authority (ADT), the director general of the Health Department, the director of licensing at the Licensing and Testing Department and the Transport Minister.

The association also claimed that registration plates for four new hearses had been issued illegally. It explained that Carmelo Mifsud had applied for a licence for four hearses but said that the law did not provide for the issuing of a new operators’ licence.

It said it has recently been decided to start the process for the approval of this application as registration plates had been issued by the ADT. It said that if the application was upheld, it would be in breach of the law.

The law states that these could only by issued by the Transport Minister and, so far, the minister had not authorised any such licence. The association added that it resulted that the ADT chairman, the health director and the director of licensing had acted independently.

The association said that issuing such an operators’ licence would be of prejudice to its members and it called on the authorities to stop the licensing process and held their responsible for damages they might suffer if it is granted.

Dr Alex Perici Calascione signed the protest.