The proposals regarding safety put forward a few days ago by Momentum deserve serious attention. They are politically coherent and they respond to a risk we have allowed to become dangerously normalised. Nightlife, restaurants, and entertainment venues are meant to be places of enjoyment. Yet too often they operate on a thin margin between safety and catastrophe, governed more by habit than by enforceable standards.

The tragic fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana on 1 January 2026 is a stark warning. According to Swiss authorities, 40 people lost their lives and more than a hundred were injured when a ceiling caught fire, most likely ignited by sparklers attached to champagne bottles. What was meant to be a celebratory occasion turned into a mass-casualty disaster. Intensive care units were overwhelmed, and victims had to be transferred across Switzerland and into neighbouring countries. A national day of mourning followed. Criminal investigations were opened. None of this brings the dead back.

The uncomfortable question we must ask is this: how safe are Malta's nightlife venues today? Are inspections carried out regularly and rigorously, or only after something goes wrong? Are emergency exits clearly marked, unlocked, and wide enough to handle a sudden rush of people? Would music cut out automatically in a fire, or would panic be amplified by noise and confusion? These are not abstract concerns. They are matters of life and death.

We have already had our own near-misses. The 2015 incident in Paceville in which 74 people were injured should have permanently changed how we think about crowd safety. Instead, years later, we are still asking whether exits will be opened on time and whether capacities are being respected.

Momentum is right to argue that we rely too much on luck.

The "Safety First" policy proposed by Momentum addresses this problem in a structured way. Its call for a dedicated National Fire Safety Act is particularly important. At present, safety rules are scattered across different laws and agencies, making it unclear who is responsible when something goes wrong. A single, robust legal framework would define standards, assign liability, and give inspectors real authority.

The proposal for a national audit of mass entertainment venues is equally necessary. Checking for non-combustible materials and toxic smoke hazards is not bureaucracy for its own sake. It is what prevents a small flame from becoming an inferno. Linking audio systems to fire alarms so that music cuts immediately during an emergency is a simple technical fix that can save crucial seconds.

Momentum also understands that safety is cultural as well as legal. Teaching young people to look for exits, to notice overcrowding, and to recognise hazards makes them part of the solution. So does a clear ban on sparklers and visual fire effects in enclosed spaces that are not engineered for them. The Swiss tragedy shows just how quickly a decorative flame can become deadly.

Finally, strict capacity rules and random inspections are not anti-business. They are pro-life. When emergency doors are blocked or locked, crowds turn into traps.

Momentum's central point is sound: policy should be shaped by foresight, not by funerals. Malta still has the opportunity to act before tragedy forces its hand. The proposals on the table are not radical. They are rational, practical, and overdue. They should be studied carefully and, more importantly, implemented before the next celebration becomes the next catastrophe.