IĠM Disappointed at PM’s flouting of laws
The IĠM is very disappointed at the complete disrespect with which government is treating the laws of Malta, journalists, the general public and the recommendations of the Superintendent of Public Health.
The attached picture speaks for itself. At an event which could have very easily been organised to include social distancing, this was heedlessly flouted by none other than the Prime Minister Robert Abela himself. This, in the face of relentless 3-figure statistics of people getting COVID-19, of an incredible backlog of cases at contact tracing and an economy which is suffering as much as the health of the people who operate it. Not to mention the sharp rise in mortality in recent weeks.
The legal notice LN 402/2020 says: “The temporary removal of face masks shall be permissible in the following situations: …(d) during official public speaking provided that a physical distance of at least two (2) meters between individuals is maintained”. It is safe to say that, without any form of measuring stick, this distance was not kept by the Prime Minister whose duty it is to set an example.
While there is little more that the IGM can do other than note events and encourage adherence to the law, it also expresses its solidarity with any journalist who walks away from such situations. It sympathises with those who feel that where appropriate measures for safe distancing are not taken, the event should not be covered. The IĠM calls on trade unions to take the matter up and direct their members to safety.