I hope that by the time this is published, young Luke Micallef will be fully recovered and back home with his family.

I fully concur with Luke’s father when he said that the accident could have been avoided, had there been some form of fence.

Civil Protection Department director Patrick Murgo said: “This was an unfortunate incident in terms of safety. Having a higher wall or railing around the edge of the water course could have helped.” I would like to correct him when he said “this was an unfortunate incident in terms of safety”; he should have stated “in terms of a lack of safety”. Having a higher wall or railing would have definitely helped and not “could have helped” as Mr Murgo said. The height of the unfenced area where the poor boy fell is five metres!

Contrary to what the director of the Civil Protection Department said, the reality is that it is the authorities’ responsibility to ensure the safety of the public in public places! We are in the 21st century and not “fiz-zmien in-nanna” where anything used to be accepted and there were no rules or regulations. Now that our island is a member of the European Union, there are safety rules we have to adhere to.

Perhaps the Civil Protection Department can apply to the EU for a grant in order to import Health and Safety experts to conduct an inspection of our public parks and gardens and draw up recommendations to make them safe for the public.

Just as a vehicle owner is entitled to seek compensation from the government if he happens to drive into a pothole and his car sustains damage, I would imagine any person who suffers an injury due to lack of safety in a public place has a right to redress from the same government and the department responsible for Health and Safety of the public in public places.

…and the beat goes on…and the beat goes on!

Charles Sammut

NAXXAR