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| NEWS | Sunday, 20 July 2008 BUSTED! Transport Federation chief Victor Spiteri caught on film leading the mob of striking drivers outside Austin Gatt’s house at night. By Karl Shembri The president of the Federation of Public Transport Associations, Victor Spiteri, was leading the mob of around 60 drivers who gathered outside Transport Minister Austin Gatt’s house on the first night of the strike last week, MaltaToday can reveal.
In a sequence of video stills published exclusively today by this newspaper, the man who ordered the four-day transport strike paralysing the islands is seen walking towards the minister’s house at the height of the conflict in what is a clear attempt of intimidation. Taken from a bank’s CCTV opposite Gatt’s house on the night between last Monday and Tuesday, the video shows Spiteri ahead of a mob of drivers looking at the minister’s door in Republic Street, Valletta. Ironically, the incident prompted the minister to send a letter of protest to none other than Spiteri himself on Tuesday morning, unaware of the latter’s presence. Gatt only got to see the CCTV footage on Thursday – the day he reached an agreement with Spiteri. “I was asleep and remained asleep as I have met this kind of people many a time in politics,” Gatt wrote to Spiteri. “But my family is something else, so I am requesting you to tell all the Federation officials that I am holding them personally responsible for the behaviour of their members.” Although the demonstrators stopped short of stirring trouble in front of the minister’s house, Spiteri’s surprise appearance sheds serious doubt around his condemnation of the violence that ensued last week in the streets. “I strongly condemn any acts of violence,” he reiterated in an interview with MaltaToday, held on Thursday, the last day of the strike. “I am not violent… I regret that there are members who are violent. I wish that things improve.” Calls made on Spiteri’s phone yesterday proved futile. Scenes of smashed windscreens, harassed coach drivers and terrorised foreign students made headlines last week, as the country grappled with blockaded main roads and hot-headed protestors. Gatt expressed his surprise upon learning Spiteri was leading the mob. “I absolutely had no idea (that Spiteri was leading them) when I sent the letter (to Spiteri),” the minister told MaltaToday when interviewed Friday. “I saw the footage for the first time yesterday (Thursday). It was a great surprise to see Victor there. He was the last person I was expecting to be there.” In the footage, Spiteri is seen at 2:27am followed by five men walking opposite Gatt’s private residence, staring defiantly at the minister’s door until he gets out of the frame. He is seemingly unaware that he is being filmed on his own side of the street by the Lombard Bank CCTV, as at one point he covers his face when he notices another security camera opposite the road operated by HSBC, on the side of Gatt’s residence. Two minutes later, he is seen walking up again, followed by more men. Within 20 minutes, more than 60 men could be seen gathering outside Gatt’s house, heard from inside shouting and making noises. “I was asleep and remained asleep,” Gatt reiterated. “The police came soon after, in fact they are visible in the footage too. Seeing him leading some 60 drivers in front of my door, and passing again two minutes later … I don’t think he turned up for a stroll. He had his reasons. I can’t understand why he was there and why all the others were there, but his presence really perplexes me.” Any comments? |
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Managing editor Saviour Balzan | Tel. ++356 21382741 | Fax: ++356 21385075 | Email
Managing editor Saviour Balzan | Tel. ++356 21382741 | Fax: ++356 21385075 | Email