Joseph Muscat has sought to downplay the dramatic collapse of a three-storey building in Gwardamanġa, saying this sort of thing was commonplace in developing countries.
“When something like this happens, many people are quick to say ‘Only in Malta'”, the Prime Minister told reporters.
“But it’s actually the mark of an advanced country when buildings collapse without warning. During my last visit to London, for example, I saw three office blocks and one museum crumble in just one afternoon.
“And when I was in Brussels for an EU meeting a couple of months ago, a luxury department store came crashing down, luckily just after Michelle had exited it. When I asked the Belgian Prime Minister about it he just shrugged his shoulders and said, “C’est la vie.”
Muscat insisted that instead of getting angry, people should realise that, like humans, buildings could also become sick and old.
“When this happens they become unstable and even a sneeze can cause them to disintegrate. Yes it’s sad, but life goes on. Instead of getting angry, we should consider ourselves lucky that we live in such an advanced country where buildings fall down naturally.
“And we should see it as an opportunity to put up a shiny new building that no one can afford except wealthy foreigners who buy passports.”
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