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Civil Protection director ordered to pay €73,000 in damages
ST Microelectronics technician who fell a height of two floors while on a fire-fighting training course with the Civil Protection was awarded €73,000.
10 October 2012, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
The injured technician was awarded 73,000 after falling two storeys in a CPD training course.
Judge Silvio Meli, presiding over the First Hall of the Civil Court, today ordered the Director of Civil Protection Department to pay out €73,000 to an ST. Microelectronics technician who had seriously injured himself when falling two floors during a fire-fighting training course at the department's compound in Hal Far.
The accident happened in March 2002, when Pierre Farrugia, who was employed as a technician at ST. Microelectronics, was delegated by his company to act as 'trainee fire-fighter' and was sent on a course at the Civil Protection Department.
During the excercise, Farrugia had fallen a height of two floors, seriously injuring himself and sustaining permanent disability.
He had sued both the Civil Protection Department and ST. Microelectronics over their responsibility for the accident.
The court, upheld Farrugia's claim that the Civil Protection Department was to be held responsible for his safety during the training excercise, but absolved his employer, ST. Microelectronics from responsibility.
It ordered the Civil Protection Director to liquidate the amount of €73,000 in favour of Farrugia.
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Will the Civil Protection director pay these damages. 'Course not, you and me and all the other tax payers will foot the bill for this incompetence. Again!
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Reform tassew! Ten whole years to obtain a semi decent judgement. Was inflation factored into the workings of the damages equation? Otherwise, the award would be worth less than half what was due. Are any Departmental managers personally responsible with their own funds or covered by some insurance policy; or does Government indemnify all and sundry and the poor taxpayer suffers all. If this is the case, no wonder there is little shouldering of responsibilities and accountability in the Public sector. BUT they compensate for their summer half days, ta! Imsieken!
