The mother of a Maltese youth who died in a building collapse appeared in Parliament today to watch over MPs as they begin a debate on whether to open a public inquiry into the death.

Isabelle Sofia told Lovin Malta that it was time for MPs to show they didn’t have anything to hide and weren’t trying to protect any particular individuals.

“We hope that a fruitful discussion will take place in favour of a public inquiry to bring out the whole truth and implement real reforms in the sector so that no one ever goes through what our family is going through.”

The motion, tabled by the Nationalist party, comes after repeated calls for a public inquiry into the tragedy that rocked Malta. However, the government has so far not budged on their position.

During the debate, a photo of Sofia was placed prominently on a central table by Opposition Whip Robert Cutajar, with government MPs also welcoming this motion.