Erdogan: "When lives are at stake, the govt cannot be indifferent"

Meeting with bureaucrats and shipbuilding industry and labor representatives to address a rising tide of workplace accidents and deaths in Istanbul's Tuzla shipyard, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that the government cannot be indifferent to any problem where lives are at stake. Stressing that Turkey's shipbuilding industry has made remarkable strides in recent years, Erdogan said, "But recently, increasing work accidents have begun to cast a shadow over the industry's success." He added, "Various organs have done needed work on matters in their area of responsibility. Many measures have been taken, but we have yet to see any satisfying outcome. So now we have convened to discuss all aspects of the issue." Underlining that the government won't let the accidents hold back the industry, Erdogan said, "After correctly diagnosing the problem, we will look for ways to solve it. Discussions will undoubtedly facilitate the solutions." He added, "Similar problems can be seen in every country whose shipbuilding industry shows rapid development. The government will take the necessary measures and do its part."