Gozitan MP calls for end of fireworks

Gozitan lawyer and Labour MP Anton Refalo this evening made an impassioned five-minute speech in favour of banning fireworks factories from the island.

"We cannot keep losing lives, young and old lives, to fireworks. As government and opposition we should be men enough to stop them. If not, we should at least strengthen controls, rules and obligation," Refalo said.

In comments to MaltaToday, he added that members of parliament were reluctant to call for an end to this work, "because of fear of losing votes".

Refalo added that the country couldn't go on like this: "We keep on losing lives after the other. Two years ago we lost six. Today we lost four, one of them just a 23-year-old."

As he paid his condolences to the families of Gorg Gatt, owner of the factory, Mario Gauci, Peppi Cini and Brian Portelli, Refalo insisted that families were left behind crying their loved ones.

"I'm sorry for this tragedy and this shows that we should bring an end to fireworks factories. We have youths who on Sunday afternoon go to these factories as if they were going to a football game," he added.

"I appeal to government and opposition to see that these tragedies do not repeat themselves."