Several Ministers Testify In Front Of Emotional Isabelle Bonnici During First Public Inquiry Sitting
The public inquiry into the tragic death of Jean Paul Sofia began with heart-wrenching testimony from his mother, Isabelle Bonnici, who recounted the dark day her son went to work and never returned.
The inquiry is looking into whether state and private entities took adequate measures to ensure the health and safety of workers like Sofia.
In the first sitting, a number of ministers were called to the stand to testify on their specific sectors.
Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Minister for Public Works and Planning, was questioned about the roles and responsibilities of the Planning Authority and the Building and Construction Authority.
He emphasised that the Planning Authority focuses strictly on planning issues, with the Building and Construction Authority having gained more enforcement officials last year. The increasing number of workplace accidents was also addressed, with the Minister pointing to laws that assign responsibility at construction sites.
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana also took the stand where he was asked about budget allocations work, including to the BCA. He noted that there had been a substantial increase in budget due to the increased workload, and that the Planning Authority itself was self-sufficient.
For her part, Isabelle Bonnici’s testimony highlighted the harrowing experience of finding out her son was trapped under a collapsed building.
“We rushed to the hospital asking for Jean Paul. Then a nurse told me he wasn’t there,” she recalled. Hope was lost after 16 hours when rescuers informed her of her son’s death.
Bonnici remembered her son’s last words to her: “Ma, I love you,”. The inconsolable mother later stressed the need for a public inquiry, linking the tragedy to the wider issue of construction safety and the environment, noting: “Destruction of the environment around us, too many victims and we do nothing.”
Before Bonnici’s testimony, the inquiry experienced an unexpected interruption. A man named Publius Said demanded to testify and view the police report. Chairman of the inquiry board, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon, handled the situation calmly, ensuring that Said will have an opportunity to testify later.
Here are the seven terms of reference guiding the Jean Paul Sofia Public Inquiry:
- Whether the government giving AllPlus Ltd – the company run by developers Matthew Schembri and Kurt Buhagiar – the Kordin site that collapsed onto Jean Paul Sofia was done legally;
- Whether there is any connection between how this allocation was given, and the subsequent collapse;
- Whether the state had proper regulations in place that were being enforced regularly, alongside all administrative obligations, policies and processes that could prevent a fatality;
- Whether adequate prevention measures for the construction sector are seriously integrated in all processes;
- Whether development, planning and construction processes have the appropriate powers to prevent deaths from happening on sites;
- Whether any state entity failed to take appropriate action within their judicial powers that was expected of them in the name of good governance;
- To move forward with both regulatory and administrative recommendations by the Board in the aim of strengthening security on construction site
What is your opinion on the public inquiry so far?