Malta must not behave like a 'Libyan colony', AD says on BP drilling

In a statement issued this afternoon, AD spokesperson for EU and International Affairs Arnold Cassola explained how it was “of extreme concern” for Malta that BP, which had “a disastrous track record with regards to safety measures in this field, is about to start drilling an oil well in the Gulf of Sirte in Libyan waters”.

A clear example of this, he insisted, was “the recent horrific Gulf of Mexico disaster”.

The Libyan government was “already giving Malta a really bad name through the way it deals with irregular migrants,” Cassola insisted.

He called on the Maltese government – “and the likewise subservient PL opposition led by Joseph Muscat – to speak up and show some dignity and self respect and not continue acting as if Malta were a colony of Libya”.

On his part, AD spokesperson on Sustainable Development Carmel Cacopardo explained how approximately 60% of Malta’s drinking water was obtained “as a result of treating sea water from the Mediterranean sea through reverse osmosis plants.

“In the case of a major accident in the new BP oil, just 500 kilometres away from Malta, within a matter of hours a major source of drinking water would not be usable any more,” Cacopardo warned.

"After the serious accident on the BP platform in the Gulf of Mexico which has been traced to incompetence and decisions doing away with safety procedures, a similar accident in a BP run oil-rig is not an impossible happening,” he insisted.

Cacopardo explained how such an accident would also have “long term effects on the livelihood of Maltese fishermen as well as on the tourism industry, not to mention the ecological havoc.”

AD called upon the Maltese government “to insist with the Libyan government as well as with BP” that they were to ensure that all safety procedures were in place before drilling started.

The party also called upon the UK government, which had defended BP with the US administration, "to use its good offices to ensure that the lessons learnt from the Gulf of Mexico are acted upon immediately".