For the fourth time in a month, a child has died from falling from a high-rise building. This tragedy did not have to happen. This three-year-old boy should be alive today. Incidents of this sort must not happen again.
As a result of this latest death, the Ministry of Interior is to hasten its efforts to revise safety codes to ensure such terrible accidents never happen again. One death is one too many. Four in one month is simply unforgivable.
We are a modern society and the majority of us live in high-rise buildings, away from traditional two-storey homes. When planning these buildings, the architects and surveyors need to ensure that the safety of residents — regardless of age — is paramount.
And every official from approval through to design and construction, needs to bear in mind that these units are our homes. They need to make them safe, and use materials and designs which are safe — and keep children safe.
This spate of accidents has raised questions at the appropriate ministries and government departments. Those agencies are no doubt taking their time to see what needs to be done, and plan changes accordingly. But now is not the time for debate and discussion. Now is the time for action — swift and effective.
Parents and guardians too have a responsibility to ensure that their children are kept safe.
Those who leave children alone, without adequate supervision, need to be held accountable before the law, and need to bear the toughest consequences for their irresponsible actions. After these four deaths, there can be no excuse from parents or guardians. And no excuse for failing to prosecute those who put their children's lives in danger.
Together, we can overcome this lapse in safety and building codes. And together, we must ensure this tragedy never happens again.
