Energy Minister Miriam Dalli’s “deafening silence” following WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca being charged with involuntary homicide in relation to the death of Joseph Ellul in 2022 is more proof of the Minister’s incompetence, said Nationalist Party MP Rebekah Borg in a statement on Tuesday.
Bilocca, along with five other WasteServ officials, has denied accusations of criminal responsibility for the fatal incident which occurred at a WasteServ site in Marsa two years ago.
PN said that the charges stem from that tragic incident in 2022 which resulted in Ellul's tragic death. PN continued that these charges cast an ugly shadow on Bilocca’s credibility, which means that he “cannot continue to fulfil his duty in a dignified manner”.
Borg said that the Opposition considers Bilocca’s position as WasteServ CEO to be no longer tenable, and that he should either immediately resign or be removed. She added that the responsibility for his removal ultimately lies with Minister Dalli.
Borg concluded that the responsibility had not been shouldered even after the Magisterial Inquiry found shortcomings and “recommended that criminal steps be taken”.
Ministry responds
Responding to the Nationalist Party's statement, the Ministry for the Environment and Energy referred to the PN's comments as 'shameful'. The Ministry said that the PN is trying to politicise an incident which occurred at a workplace and led to a tragic death.
It said that it calls for mature politics "in such a delicate and sensitive case", and added that there is an ongoing process in the Court which is what must establish justice, not another forum.
The Ministry said that while the course of justice continues, it is calling for prudence so that the case is not prejudiced. It added that no WasteServ worker should be subject to partisan politics. "This is an insensitive attitude towards the workers who lost a colleague, and towards the victim himself," it commented.
The Ministry concluded by saying that the justice process should be allowed to continue without interference.