Business as usual

Akram Almshay, 26 year old male of Libyan nationality, fell to his death at his place of work; a construction site in Sliema – a seaside metro-town on the Island of Malta; the smallest State in the southern most waters of the EU.

News of his death, another bulletin blimp on the news feed – ‘Migrant worker dies on construction site…’

Then the video of Akram’s death began making the rounds in people’s pockets. The story gained media traction.

The debate morphed around whether media outlets should or shouldn’t share the video. Nothing about the companies involved in Akram’s employment. Nothing about the conditions of Akram’s employment. Nothing about the malignant nature of our construction industry.

But that doesn’t matter because within a couple of hours most of the Island’s population already had the opportunity to watch it on a thread with friends.

It doesn’t matter because the Real Estate Agents probably already sold the properties on plan.

It doesn’t matter because the developers need to keep developing, to keep up in this high-speed economic game.

It doesn’t matter because other migrant construction workers cannot afford to stop working in these slave like conditions.

It doesn’t matter because the next day, the construction site where Akram Almshay fell to his death was back to business as usual. The dust from Akram’s fatal impact barely left to settle.