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Sunday request program presented by Peter Paul Portelli, Pauline Zahra and George Sammut.
Enjoy 1 hour of your favourite songs.
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Send us the pictures of your beloved departed ones to post on In Memoriam
http://www.nadurjana.com/in-memoriam.html
Mikieli Grima
http://www.nadurjana.com/in-memoriam.html
Mikieli Grima
107 arrested in Hal Far centre riot
Monday, 21 October 2019
The Home Affairs Ministry issued a statement on Monday afternoon about the Hal Far Open Centre riots, saying that around 300 were involved.
In Parliament, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said that as a democratic country, peaceful protests can take place, but breaking the law is not allowed and it applies to everyone even migrants.
He said that a magistrate was conducting a magisterial inquiry, after which more details would be able to be given. The minister said that 107 people have been arrested. Some of the people that were arrested have had their identities confirmed and will have measures taken against them.
The minister, at this point rased the number of injured officers from one to three. "three police suffered light injuries and were sent home." In terms of the damage to vehicles, he said that the government will pay for them.
In a statement prior to the minister's Parliamentary intervention, the Home Affairs Ministry said that incidents at the Hal Far Open Centre occurred when a migrant tried to enter the Open Centre while drunk, "against the centre's regulations."
"While a small group of immigrants incited a riot that spread to around 300 people, a considerable number of other migrants did not take part in any way," the Home Affairs Ministry said.
"Through work that began at night and continued Monday morning, the police launched investigations and eventually arrested 60 people who allegedly incited the incidents." This number seemed to have risen given that the minister in Parliament said 107 were arrested.
The Home Affairs Ministry thanked the AWAS agency for their work and the police, while expressing solidarity with those who suffered damages. The ministry said that over the past two years, various meetings took place with the employees, that even ended in a collective agreement and more investment in human resources. The minister on Monday met with the employees and it was agreed that a meeting with the GWU will take place Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, riot police were called in to arrest the migrants who are believed to have been behind the uprising that took place on Sunday night.
The incident had seen three cars burnt and a police vehicle damaged. One police officer was also slightly injured.
The arrests were made hours after the riot at the Hal Far Open Centre was brought under control.
They were taken to the police headquarters on police buses, escorted by traffic policemen. Some of the migrants were led away in handcuffs.
The UNHCR also spoke about the incident, and expressed its concern.
UNHCR Malta said that Malta and it's Armed Forces has made a commendable job in rescuing the lives of many at sea and in leading solutions on disembarkations.
"This has, however, led to considerable pressure on Malta's resources and to overcrowding in the reception centres - both closed and open, and are thereby falling far short on acceptable standards."
"UNHCR urges the Maltese government to take immediate action in improving the conditions in the centres."
While they said that they understand the frustration and anxiety the current conditions can create for the people detained, they insisted that resorting to violence can never be a solution as it puts both the residents and staff at risk.
"We also call on the law enforcement agencies to reach out in dialogue and avoid action that might exasperate the situation further."
UNHCR continues to offer support to the Maltese Government and authorities.
At around 1pm, Hal Far Detention Centre employees - visibly shocked by what had taken place earlier - were also seen protesting outside Castille, holding signs reading "security for everyone" and "safety for everyone."
During the uprising, migrants threw objects at the officers, with one of the policemen being slightly injured. A spokesman for the police said that the protest started inside the Hal Far Centre but other migrants who are not detained went on site to join in.
The police had elevated evidence which will help in the prosecution of the masterminds behind the uprising, including CCTV footage.
The police had also carried out searches to look for illicit items that could have been in the migrants' possession at the time of the uprising, the minister said, saying that some of the migrants will be taken to court.
Photos Michael Camilleri
Monday, 21 October 2019
The Home Affairs Ministry issued a statement on Monday afternoon about the Hal Far Open Centre riots, saying that around 300 were involved.
In Parliament, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said that as a democratic country, peaceful protests can take place, but breaking the law is not allowed and it applies to everyone even migrants.
He said that a magistrate was conducting a magisterial inquiry, after which more details would be able to be given. The minister said that 107 people have been arrested. Some of the people that were arrested have had their identities confirmed and will have measures taken against them.
The minister, at this point rased the number of injured officers from one to three. "three police suffered light injuries and were sent home." In terms of the damage to vehicles, he said that the government will pay for them.
In a statement prior to the minister's Parliamentary intervention, the Home Affairs Ministry said that incidents at the Hal Far Open Centre occurred when a migrant tried to enter the Open Centre while drunk, "against the centre's regulations."
"While a small group of immigrants incited a riot that spread to around 300 people, a considerable number of other migrants did not take part in any way," the Home Affairs Ministry said.
"Through work that began at night and continued Monday morning, the police launched investigations and eventually arrested 60 people who allegedly incited the incidents." This number seemed to have risen given that the minister in Parliament said 107 were arrested.
The Home Affairs Ministry thanked the AWAS agency for their work and the police, while expressing solidarity with those who suffered damages. The ministry said that over the past two years, various meetings took place with the employees, that even ended in a collective agreement and more investment in human resources. The minister on Monday met with the employees and it was agreed that a meeting with the GWU will take place Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, riot police were called in to arrest the migrants who are believed to have been behind the uprising that took place on Sunday night.
The incident had seen three cars burnt and a police vehicle damaged. One police officer was also slightly injured.
The arrests were made hours after the riot at the Hal Far Open Centre was brought under control.
They were taken to the police headquarters on police buses, escorted by traffic policemen. Some of the migrants were led away in handcuffs.
The UNHCR also spoke about the incident, and expressed its concern.
UNHCR Malta said that Malta and it's Armed Forces has made a commendable job in rescuing the lives of many at sea and in leading solutions on disembarkations.
"This has, however, led to considerable pressure on Malta's resources and to overcrowding in the reception centres - both closed and open, and are thereby falling far short on acceptable standards."
"UNHCR urges the Maltese government to take immediate action in improving the conditions in the centres."
While they said that they understand the frustration and anxiety the current conditions can create for the people detained, they insisted that resorting to violence can never be a solution as it puts both the residents and staff at risk.
"We also call on the law enforcement agencies to reach out in dialogue and avoid action that might exasperate the situation further."
UNHCR continues to offer support to the Maltese Government and authorities.
At around 1pm, Hal Far Detention Centre employees - visibly shocked by what had taken place earlier - were also seen protesting outside Castille, holding signs reading "security for everyone" and "safety for everyone."
During the uprising, migrants threw objects at the officers, with one of the policemen being slightly injured. A spokesman for the police said that the protest started inside the Hal Far Centre but other migrants who are not detained went on site to join in.
The police had elevated evidence which will help in the prosecution of the masterminds behind the uprising, including CCTV footage.
The police had also carried out searches to look for illicit items that could have been in the migrants' possession at the time of the uprising, the minister said, saying that some of the migrants will be taken to court.
Photos Michael Camilleri
Feasta ta' San Dimitri f'Gharb
Ritratti minn Mario Muscat
Ritratti minn Mario Muscat
GOZO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
GFA BOV GFL Division I – Sun 20 Oct 2019 – Gozo Stadium
Nadur Youngsters FC – FT (2-1) – Victoria Hotspurs FC
Click on pictures to enlarge.
‘Nagħmlu żball jekk nippretendu li n-Nisrani jibqa’ jilbes l-għonnella’
Minn Nicole Borg
20 ta' Ottubru 2019
L-Isqof ta’ Għawdex Mario Grech sostna li minkejja li hemm baħar jaqsam bejn in-Nisrani tan-nanniet u tal-ulied, ma jfissirx li l-ġenerazzjoni l-ġdida hija agħar minn ta’ qabilha. Sostna li wieħed ikun qed jagħmel żball kbir jekk jippretendi li n-Nisrani tal-lum għandu jibqa’ jilbes l-għonnella.
Fil-messaġġ tiegħu lill-membri Għawdxin tal-Azzjoni Kattolika fl-okkażjoni tal-Assemblea Ġenerali, Mons. Grech silet numru ta’ argumenti differenti dwar il-futur tan-Nisrani.
Hu rrefera għal Freidrich Nietzsche li kien qal li “Alla miet”. Qal li llum il-ġurnata hawn min ma għadux jimpurtah wisq minn Alla u jibqa’ għaddej b’ħajtu daqslikieku Alla ma jeżistix. Mill-perspettiva opposta, għamel referenza għall-argumenti ta’ Jenkins Philip, studjuż Ingliż, li qal li fl-Ewropa l-fidi Nisranija qed tevolvi, tinbidel u tieħu għamla ġdida. Sostna li huwa minnu li l-kultura Kristjana qed tinbidel imma l-Verità tal-Vanġelu tibqa’ l-istess.
Mons. Grech sostna li l-Insara ma jridux jinsew li hawn min m’għadux jirfes l-għatba tal-Knisja u għadu ma fehemx il-ġmiel tal-Ewkaristija. Għaldaqstant hu ħeġġeġ lill-Membri tal-Azzjoni Kattolika sabiex ma jibżgħux mill-bidla u jilqgħu it-tranżizzjoni bil-ferħ.
Minn Nicole Borg
20 ta' Ottubru 2019
L-Isqof ta’ Għawdex Mario Grech sostna li minkejja li hemm baħar jaqsam bejn in-Nisrani tan-nanniet u tal-ulied, ma jfissirx li l-ġenerazzjoni l-ġdida hija agħar minn ta’ qabilha. Sostna li wieħed ikun qed jagħmel żball kbir jekk jippretendi li n-Nisrani tal-lum għandu jibqa’ jilbes l-għonnella.
Fil-messaġġ tiegħu lill-membri Għawdxin tal-Azzjoni Kattolika fl-okkażjoni tal-Assemblea Ġenerali, Mons. Grech silet numru ta’ argumenti differenti dwar il-futur tan-Nisrani.
Hu rrefera għal Freidrich Nietzsche li kien qal li “Alla miet”. Qal li llum il-ġurnata hawn min ma għadux jimpurtah wisq minn Alla u jibqa’ għaddej b’ħajtu daqslikieku Alla ma jeżistix. Mill-perspettiva opposta, għamel referenza għall-argumenti ta’ Jenkins Philip, studjuż Ingliż, li qal li fl-Ewropa l-fidi Nisranija qed tevolvi, tinbidel u tieħu għamla ġdida. Sostna li huwa minnu li l-kultura Kristjana qed tinbidel imma l-Verità tal-Vanġelu tibqa’ l-istess.
Mons. Grech sostna li l-Insara ma jridux jinsew li hawn min m’għadux jirfes l-għatba tal-Knisja u għadu ma fehemx il-ġmiel tal-Ewkaristija. Għaldaqstant hu ħeġġeġ lill-Membri tal-Azzjoni Kattolika sabiex ma jibżgħux mill-bidla u jilqgħu it-tranżizzjoni bil-ferħ.
Nadur in pictures
By Mario Muscat
By Mario Muscat
Archpriest of Gharb Mgr. Trevor Sultana with the new statue of St Dimitrius.
Photo Carmel Saliba © 19.10.19.
The statue of St. Dimitrius was made in Nadur by Chevalier Michael Camilleri Cauchi and his son Chevalier Adonai Camilleri Cauchi CKSPP.
Photo Carmel Saliba © 19.10.19.
The statue of St. Dimitrius was made in Nadur by Chevalier Michael Camilleri Cauchi and his son Chevalier Adonai Camilleri Cauchi CKSPP.
Chris Cardona denies asking Konrad Mizzi to help Paceville entrepreneur
Saturday, 19 October 2019,
Economy Minister Chris Cardona denied that he asked Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi to help a Paceville entrepreneur to take over part of St George’s bay public beach.
Footage broadcast on French TV showed Luke Chetcuti, who runs the Hugo’s chain of bars, restaurants and hotels, boast about a conversation with Cardona about taking over part of the beach.
Chetcuti also claimed that during a meal, Cardona messaged Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi on the matter, telling him “they [Hugo’s] always help us and we have to get them part of the beach”.
When confronted by Times of Malta on Friday, Cardona insisted he did not message Mizzi.
“No, not at all, no, no…,” he said.
Pressed to say whether he had intervened to help the Paceville chain attempt to take over part of the public beach, Cardona was adamant he did not.
As the Economy Minister, he said, he “meets up with businessmen all the time”.
On whether Chetcuti had requested part of St George’s bay beach during any of these meetings, Cardona would not say.
“I will not comment on individual ideas and thoughts of businessmen,” he said.
“It is done privately and confidentially and I will keep the privacy and confidentiality of entrepreneurs.”
Saturday, 19 October 2019,
Economy Minister Chris Cardona denied that he asked Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi to help a Paceville entrepreneur to take over part of St George’s bay public beach.
Footage broadcast on French TV showed Luke Chetcuti, who runs the Hugo’s chain of bars, restaurants and hotels, boast about a conversation with Cardona about taking over part of the beach.
Chetcuti also claimed that during a meal, Cardona messaged Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi on the matter, telling him “they [Hugo’s] always help us and we have to get them part of the beach”.
When confronted by Times of Malta on Friday, Cardona insisted he did not message Mizzi.
“No, not at all, no, no…,” he said.
Pressed to say whether he had intervened to help the Paceville chain attempt to take over part of the public beach, Cardona was adamant he did not.
As the Economy Minister, he said, he “meets up with businessmen all the time”.
On whether Chetcuti had requested part of St George’s bay beach during any of these meetings, Cardona would not say.
“I will not comment on individual ideas and thoughts of businessmen,” he said.
“It is done privately and confidentially and I will keep the privacy and confidentiality of entrepreneurs.”
L-aħwa Degiorgio: Maġistrat flok Imħallef għall-każ tal-ħasil tal-flus
Minn Maria Webb
18 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-każ tal-ħasil tal-flus tal-aħwa Degiorgio, tnejn mill-allegati qattiela tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia, se jiġi deċiż minn Maġistrat flok Imħallef.
Din id-deċiżjoni jista’ joħodha biss l-Avukat Ġenerali. Ġiet deċiża wara li l-prosekuzzjoni ddikjarat li m’għadx fadal evidenza x’turi.
Il-Kodiċi Kriminali tagħti l-poter lill-Avukat Ġenerali biex jiddeċiedi jekk l-akkużi jistgħux jinstemgħu minn Qorti Maġisterjali, minflok minn Imħallef. Dan meta ma jkunx hemmx biżżejjed ċirkostanzi li l-każ jinstema’ minn Qorti Kriminali.
It-tnejn, ma’ sieħba ta waħda minnhom, dehru quddiem il-Qorti akkużati b’ħasil tal-flus peress li għalkemm jgħixu ħajja lussuża fejn għandhom karozzi u dgħajjes sbieħ, huma rreġistrati biex jirċievu l-għajnuna soċjali. It-tlieta li huma ħallsu dejjem bi flus kontanti, mill-kera tal-appartament, miżati tal-iskola, dgħajjes u karozzi. Dan inkixef meta ġew investigati għall-qtil ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Minn Maria Webb
18 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-każ tal-ħasil tal-flus tal-aħwa Degiorgio, tnejn mill-allegati qattiela tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia, se jiġi deċiż minn Maġistrat flok Imħallef.
Din id-deċiżjoni jista’ joħodha biss l-Avukat Ġenerali. Ġiet deċiża wara li l-prosekuzzjoni ddikjarat li m’għadx fadal evidenza x’turi.
Il-Kodiċi Kriminali tagħti l-poter lill-Avukat Ġenerali biex jiddeċiedi jekk l-akkużi jistgħux jinstemgħu minn Qorti Maġisterjali, minflok minn Imħallef. Dan meta ma jkunx hemmx biżżejjed ċirkostanzi li l-każ jinstema’ minn Qorti Kriminali.
It-tnejn, ma’ sieħba ta waħda minnhom, dehru quddiem il-Qorti akkużati b’ħasil tal-flus peress li għalkemm jgħixu ħajja lussuża fejn għandhom karozzi u dgħajjes sbieħ, huma rreġistrati biex jirċievu l-għajnuna soċjali. It-tlieta li huma ħallsu dejjem bi flus kontanti, mill-kera tal-appartament, miżati tal-iskola, dgħajjes u karozzi. Dan inkixef meta ġew investigati għall-qtil ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Hidden camera found in Mater Dei staff toilet
Device was out of battery when discovered
NationalCrimePolice
By Matthew Xuereb
A hidden camera has been found inside a women’s toilet at Mater Dei Hospital, prompting a police investigation.
Sources said the electronic device was discovered on Thursday evening when the staff toilet inside the hospital's emergency department was being cleaned. The hospital’s management was immediately informed about the case and the police called in to investigate.
“I am aware of a report escalated to the police about the discovery of what appeared to be an electronic device in one of our restrooms. The police are investigating,” Mater Dei’s chief executive Ivan Falzon told Times of Malta when contacted.
Police sources said the device was found hidden behind a bin, with a power bank designed to extend its battery life attached to it. Both the power bank and device had run out of battery when they were found.
The camera's contents are being downloaded and analysed, with the hope of finding who had placed it there. The police had also made a request for CCTV footage to be able to shed light on who had accessed the restroom during the day.
Similar case in 2016The case is reminiscent of a similar one that ended up in court three years ago when a volleyball coach admitted to using a spy camera to watch women in their changing rooms. The 43-year-old peeping Tom, whose name was banned from publication, got a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, and also ordered that he undergo psychiatric treatment to treat his addiction.
The Malta Volleyball Association had taken action immediately, suspending the coach from all coaching duties.
It had emerged in court that the man had installed a small spy camera in his team’s changing rooms and tried to see more skin by persuading some of the team to try on a new bra-less sports top. The man’s 17 victims, who were all young women aged between 23 and 28 years old, were not aware that they were being filmed and reported the matter as soon as they discovered the camera, which had been placed on a small ledge in the changing room.
Sources said the man had also used a similar spy camera to film a colleague at the childcare centre where he worked.
Device was out of battery when discovered
NationalCrimePolice
By Matthew Xuereb
A hidden camera has been found inside a women’s toilet at Mater Dei Hospital, prompting a police investigation.
Sources said the electronic device was discovered on Thursday evening when the staff toilet inside the hospital's emergency department was being cleaned. The hospital’s management was immediately informed about the case and the police called in to investigate.
“I am aware of a report escalated to the police about the discovery of what appeared to be an electronic device in one of our restrooms. The police are investigating,” Mater Dei’s chief executive Ivan Falzon told Times of Malta when contacted.
Police sources said the device was found hidden behind a bin, with a power bank designed to extend its battery life attached to it. Both the power bank and device had run out of battery when they were found.
The camera's contents are being downloaded and analysed, with the hope of finding who had placed it there. The police had also made a request for CCTV footage to be able to shed light on who had accessed the restroom during the day.
Similar case in 2016The case is reminiscent of a similar one that ended up in court three years ago when a volleyball coach admitted to using a spy camera to watch women in their changing rooms. The 43-year-old peeping Tom, whose name was banned from publication, got a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, and also ordered that he undergo psychiatric treatment to treat his addiction.
The Malta Volleyball Association had taken action immediately, suspending the coach from all coaching duties.
It had emerged in court that the man had installed a small spy camera in his team’s changing rooms and tried to see more skin by persuading some of the team to try on a new bra-less sports top. The man’s 17 victims, who were all young women aged between 23 and 28 years old, were not aware that they were being filmed and reported the matter as soon as they discovered the camera, which had been placed on a small ledge in the changing room.
Sources said the man had also used a similar spy camera to film a colleague at the childcare centre where he worked.
Nadur in pictures
By Mario Muscat
The tabernacle in the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Nadur, Gozo.
Click on the picture to enlarge.
By Mario Muscat
The tabernacle in the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Nadur, Gozo.
Click on the picture to enlarge.
No site yet for new Gozo courthouse despite plans being published two years ago
In November 2017, Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana unveiled plans for a new Gozo courthouse between Xewkija and Victoria
17 October 2019,
by Kurt Sansone
Plans for a new Gozo courthouse (artist impression above) were unveiled in November 2017 on a site between Xewkija and Victoria
Justyne Caruana could not give an update of plans to build a new courthouse in Gozo, indicating that no site has been identified yet for the project when she was answering a parliamentary question.
The Gozo Minister told Parliament on Thursday that “it was premature to give details”, when asked for an update on the courthouse plans by Nationalist MP Chris Said.
Said asked the Gozo Minister at what stage the building of the courthouse had arrived, where it was located, and when it was expected to start functioning.
Caruana answered that her ministry was “exploring a more central site” for the new courthouse.
However, her reply jars with plans she herself unveiled two years ago for a new building on a site between Xewkija and Victoria.
In November 2017, Caruana had showed plans of the proposed new building on an area of 3,800sq.m. The proposed development would have included five storeys for the halls, and an underground car park.
The project had been costed at around €5.5 million.
Original plans for the courthouse to be built in Victoria, and for which planning permits had been obtained in 2016, were abandoned after the 2017 election as a result of geological problems encountered on the site.
Eventually, the ministry opted for the new site in the outskirts of Xewkija and Victoria.
But now, Caruana’s latest parliamentary reply seems to suggest that plans have gone back to the drawing board.
The Gozo courthouse is situated in a building inside the Cittadella, a space deemed unsuitable because of its physical limitations.
In November 2017, Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana unveiled plans for a new Gozo courthouse between Xewkija and Victoria
17 October 2019,
by Kurt Sansone
Plans for a new Gozo courthouse (artist impression above) were unveiled in November 2017 on a site between Xewkija and Victoria
Justyne Caruana could not give an update of plans to build a new courthouse in Gozo, indicating that no site has been identified yet for the project when she was answering a parliamentary question.
The Gozo Minister told Parliament on Thursday that “it was premature to give details”, when asked for an update on the courthouse plans by Nationalist MP Chris Said.
Said asked the Gozo Minister at what stage the building of the courthouse had arrived, where it was located, and when it was expected to start functioning.
Caruana answered that her ministry was “exploring a more central site” for the new courthouse.
However, her reply jars with plans she herself unveiled two years ago for a new building on a site between Xewkija and Victoria.
In November 2017, Caruana had showed plans of the proposed new building on an area of 3,800sq.m. The proposed development would have included five storeys for the halls, and an underground car park.
The project had been costed at around €5.5 million.
Original plans for the courthouse to be built in Victoria, and for which planning permits had been obtained in 2016, were abandoned after the 2017 election as a result of geological problems encountered on the site.
Eventually, the ministry opted for the new site in the outskirts of Xewkija and Victoria.
But now, Caruana’s latest parliamentary reply seems to suggest that plans have gone back to the drawing board.
The Gozo courthouse is situated in a building inside the Cittadella, a space deemed unsuitable because of its physical limitations.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Ordered to pay €90,000 to family of victim killed in 2013 following argument about a tree
October 17, 2019
Gerald Galea of Żebbuġ, Gozo, who had been found guilty of homicide in 2013 following an argument about pruning of a tree in a Marsalforn parking lot in order to make place for a kiosk, has been ordered by the Civil Court to pay 90,000 euro in compensation to the victim’s heirs.
The sentence against Galea was handed down after Galea had served a 15-month prison sentence for the homicide of John Spiteri, which crime had been perpetrated after provocation.
In handing down sentence, Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff, after taking into consideration that Galea had acted after being punched by the victim and his son, still found that Galea’s action in driving his vehicle at the father and son, was disproportionate. Galea was accordingly found civilly responsible for the death of Spiteri, and was ordered to pay compenation of 90,000 euro to the victim’s wife and her three children.
Ordered to pay €90,000 to family of victim killed in 2013 following argument about a tree
October 17, 2019
Gerald Galea of Żebbuġ, Gozo, who had been found guilty of homicide in 2013 following an argument about pruning of a tree in a Marsalforn parking lot in order to make place for a kiosk, has been ordered by the Civil Court to pay 90,000 euro in compensation to the victim’s heirs.
The sentence against Galea was handed down after Galea had served a 15-month prison sentence for the homicide of John Spiteri, which crime had been perpetrated after provocation.
In handing down sentence, Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff, after taking into consideration that Galea had acted after being punched by the victim and his son, still found that Galea’s action in driving his vehicle at the father and son, was disproportionate. Galea was accordingly found civilly responsible for the death of Spiteri, and was ordered to pay compenation of 90,000 euro to the victim’s wife and her three children.
The beauty of Gozo as seen from Zebbug
Photo Carmel Saliba
Photo Carmel Saliba
Palermo’s anti-mafia mayor: ‘To Daphne’s killers… you made a very big mistake
Hundreds gather in Valletta to commemorate Daphne Caruana Galizia, two years after she was assassinated in Bidnija
16 October 2019,
by Kurt Sansone
Palermo mayor Leoluca Orlando (second left) accompanying Daphne Caruana Galizia's sons and widower in Valletta
Palermo’s anti-mafia mayor Leoluca Orlando has urged Maltese society to ditch omertà and “speak, see, hear, and if necessary cry”.
He was delivering a short but powerful message to the large gathering in Valletta on Wednesday to commemorate the second year since Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.
Orlando called for “truth and justice” to prevail with no “buts in between”, insisting the biggest change had to happen in people’s minds.
Leoluca Orlando delivered a short but powerful speech, grounded in his experience of fighting the Sicilian mafia“Daphne, you won. You won because we are here tonight. You are not alone… to her killers, I say you made a very big mistake… you will be caught, you will be caught,” he shouted to loud applause.
Orlando, a long-standing anti-mafia lawmaker, was one of several speakers who addressed people, responding to a call by civil society groups to remember the slain journalist.
Hundreds walked down Republic Street behind a banner with the words Truth And Justice, carried by Caruana Galizia’s sons, widower, and family. The journalist’s parents, Rose and Michael, were also present.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's parents, Rose and Michael Vella, were present for their daughter's commemorationPeople carried posters calling for justice, and carrying messages such as You Killed A Journalist To Escape Prison, and It Was Not A Femicide. The overriding message was a call for the masterminds behind Caruana Galizia to be brought to justice.
Flowers and candles were then placed at the foot of the Great Siege monument in front of the law courts, which has been turned into a makeshift memorial for the slain journalist. A wreath placed earlier in the day by Opposition leader Adrian Delia was left abandoned on the backside of the monument.
The event in Valletta was held concurrently with other commemorations held in Luxembourg, Brussels, Berlin and other European capitals.
Caruana Galizia was murdered on 16 October 2017 by a car bomb outside her house in Bidnija.
People called for truth and justice Three men are to stand trial accused of placing and detonating the bomb but the mastermind is believed to be still at large.
In another powerful message, Italian priest Don Ciotti, an anti-mafia campaigner, called on people to raise their voices when many others choose “the prudence of silence”.
“Daphne is not dead. She did not die in vain. A life spent in search of truth and justice, is not a life lived in vain… but all of us have to transform her memory into activism,” Ciotti said.
Delivering a message against corruption and organised crime, Ciotti called on people to become change.
“It is not enough to ask for change. We have to become change and confront the future,” he insisted.
Ciotti said defeating corruption and the mafia was difficult. “Corruption and the mafia are invisible enemies. They insert themselves among us. They are parasitic, cause destruction from inside, and can kill. But they are not impossible to defeat,” he said, urging people to keep hope alive and demand justice be done.
He reserved strong words for the description of Caruana Galizia’s murder as a femicide, with clear reference to the words of Maltese commissioner-designate Helena Dalli during her grilling at the European Parliament.
Flowers, candles and messages demanding justice were placed at the foot of the Great Siege monument“It was revolting to hear her murder being described as femicide… Daphne is a martyr for truth and justice,” Ciotti said to applause.
Other speakers were critical of the State’s failure to protect the journalist in the face of the threats and hate that were directed towards her, accusing it of allowing a culture of impunity to grow.
Lawyer Martina Farrugia, an activist, said it was not right to justify today’s wrongdoing by quoting the wrongdoing of the past.
“I will say this and if necessary keep repeating it – it is obscene that 40 years have passed and we do not know who killed Karin Grech,” Farrugia said, recalling the 15-year-old girl killed by a letter bomb sent to her father.
“It is obscene that other car bombs remain unresolved but this should not be used as an excuse not to search for the truth on Daphne’s killers and call for justice to be done,” Farrugia said.
“I will not leave my country. This is my home. We have a right and duty to speak up, criticise the government but also the Opposition,” she said to applause, calling for respect towards the journalist’s family.
Two years have passed since Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered and the people behind her killing remain unknownThe president of NGO Repubblika, Vicki Ann Cremona reserved harsh words for the authorities, demanding that the journalist’s murderers be found and brought to justice.
“We need politicians who are not corrupt. We need upright police officers, who do not wait for direction from their superiors. We need law courts where judges and magistrates do their job and not the bidding of those who want to corrupt them,” she said.
Cremona called out government ministers and people close to them over the 31 pending libel suits against Caruana Galizia’s heirs. “It is shameful,” she shouted to applause.
Cremona reflected the anger and frustration of many in the crowd when she said: “We will continue coming here until justice is done. We are fed up of being taken for a ride (titnejku bina). We are fed up of being treated like imbeciles.”
Hundreds gather in Valletta to commemorate Daphne Caruana Galizia, two years after she was assassinated in Bidnija
16 October 2019,
by Kurt Sansone
Palermo mayor Leoluca Orlando (second left) accompanying Daphne Caruana Galizia's sons and widower in Valletta
Palermo’s anti-mafia mayor Leoluca Orlando has urged Maltese society to ditch omertà and “speak, see, hear, and if necessary cry”.
He was delivering a short but powerful message to the large gathering in Valletta on Wednesday to commemorate the second year since Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.
Orlando called for “truth and justice” to prevail with no “buts in between”, insisting the biggest change had to happen in people’s minds.
Leoluca Orlando delivered a short but powerful speech, grounded in his experience of fighting the Sicilian mafia“Daphne, you won. You won because we are here tonight. You are not alone… to her killers, I say you made a very big mistake… you will be caught, you will be caught,” he shouted to loud applause.
Orlando, a long-standing anti-mafia lawmaker, was one of several speakers who addressed people, responding to a call by civil society groups to remember the slain journalist.
Hundreds walked down Republic Street behind a banner with the words Truth And Justice, carried by Caruana Galizia’s sons, widower, and family. The journalist’s parents, Rose and Michael, were also present.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's parents, Rose and Michael Vella, were present for their daughter's commemorationPeople carried posters calling for justice, and carrying messages such as You Killed A Journalist To Escape Prison, and It Was Not A Femicide. The overriding message was a call for the masterminds behind Caruana Galizia to be brought to justice.
Flowers and candles were then placed at the foot of the Great Siege monument in front of the law courts, which has been turned into a makeshift memorial for the slain journalist. A wreath placed earlier in the day by Opposition leader Adrian Delia was left abandoned on the backside of the monument.
The event in Valletta was held concurrently with other commemorations held in Luxembourg, Brussels, Berlin and other European capitals.
Caruana Galizia was murdered on 16 October 2017 by a car bomb outside her house in Bidnija.
People called for truth and justice Three men are to stand trial accused of placing and detonating the bomb but the mastermind is believed to be still at large.
In another powerful message, Italian priest Don Ciotti, an anti-mafia campaigner, called on people to raise their voices when many others choose “the prudence of silence”.
“Daphne is not dead. She did not die in vain. A life spent in search of truth and justice, is not a life lived in vain… but all of us have to transform her memory into activism,” Ciotti said.
Delivering a message against corruption and organised crime, Ciotti called on people to become change.
“It is not enough to ask for change. We have to become change and confront the future,” he insisted.
Ciotti said defeating corruption and the mafia was difficult. “Corruption and the mafia are invisible enemies. They insert themselves among us. They are parasitic, cause destruction from inside, and can kill. But they are not impossible to defeat,” he said, urging people to keep hope alive and demand justice be done.
He reserved strong words for the description of Caruana Galizia’s murder as a femicide, with clear reference to the words of Maltese commissioner-designate Helena Dalli during her grilling at the European Parliament.
Flowers, candles and messages demanding justice were placed at the foot of the Great Siege monument“It was revolting to hear her murder being described as femicide… Daphne is a martyr for truth and justice,” Ciotti said to applause.
Other speakers were critical of the State’s failure to protect the journalist in the face of the threats and hate that were directed towards her, accusing it of allowing a culture of impunity to grow.
Lawyer Martina Farrugia, an activist, said it was not right to justify today’s wrongdoing by quoting the wrongdoing of the past.
“I will say this and if necessary keep repeating it – it is obscene that 40 years have passed and we do not know who killed Karin Grech,” Farrugia said, recalling the 15-year-old girl killed by a letter bomb sent to her father.
“It is obscene that other car bombs remain unresolved but this should not be used as an excuse not to search for the truth on Daphne’s killers and call for justice to be done,” Farrugia said.
“I will not leave my country. This is my home. We have a right and duty to speak up, criticise the government but also the Opposition,” she said to applause, calling for respect towards the journalist’s family.
Two years have passed since Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered and the people behind her killing remain unknownThe president of NGO Repubblika, Vicki Ann Cremona reserved harsh words for the authorities, demanding that the journalist’s murderers be found and brought to justice.
“We need politicians who are not corrupt. We need upright police officers, who do not wait for direction from their superiors. We need law courts where judges and magistrates do their job and not the bidding of those who want to corrupt them,” she said.
Cremona called out government ministers and people close to them over the 31 pending libel suits against Caruana Galizia’s heirs. “It is shameful,” she shouted to applause.
Cremona reflected the anger and frustration of many in the crowd when she said: “We will continue coming here until justice is done. We are fed up of being taken for a ride (titnejku bina). We are fed up of being treated like imbeciles.”
Italian priest Don Ciotti, an anti-mafia campaigner Palermo’s anti-mafia mayor Leoluca Orlando
Nadur in pictures
By Mario Muscat
Click on the picture to enlarge.
By Mario Muscat
Click on the picture to enlarge.
Ministers spared the witness stand but ordered to file alleged Egrant quotes
Court gives ministers two days to file extractsNationalPanama PapersCourt
By Edwina Brincat
From left: Edward Scicluna, Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona.
An eleventh hour request filed by three ministers to not testify in a case concerning the Egrant inquiry has been upheld by the Constitutional court.
Tuesday’s decision revokes an order issued by the same court in August.
It was delivered in chambers one day after lawyers for ministers Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi argued that the ministers should not explain under oath how they had obtained information which had not featured in the published conclusions of the Egrant report, in an appeal filed by Opposition Leader Adrian Delia.
The three had made reference to this information when testifying during a case concerning a request for a magisterial inquiry into the Vitals Global Healthcare hospital privatisation deal.
On Tuesday, the Constitutional court found that the ministers did not have to take the witness stand and could instead present “the extract/s quoted from the Egrant inquiry” and which had sparked the court action.
This would avoid them from being “forced to answer questions” which could possibly lead to them facing criminal action, as a result of a separate court application filed by civil society group Repubblika.
Adrian Delia✔@adriandeliapn.@JosephMuscat_JM has to take immediate action against @ChrisCardonaMP, @KonradMizzi & @edward_scicluna after Constitutional Court declared that they are suspected of breaking the law. People have the right to know the whole #truth.
The court observed that Dr Delia’s interest lay in showing that the Ministers had indeed quoted from the unpublished part of the Egrant inquiry report, whereas the ministers had an interest not to answer questions or produce the requested documents.
Both were “legitimate” though “conflicting” interests which the Court had to balance.
If the ministers presented the extracts quoted, Dr Delia’s interest could be served without the ministers being asked to testify or produce the full text of their replies in the magisterial inquiry case.
The court gave the minsters two days to file in the records of the Egrant appeal “all extracts from the Egrant inquiry” referred to when testifying in the Vital Global Healthcare inquiry case.
Court gives ministers two days to file extractsNationalPanama PapersCourt
By Edwina Brincat
From left: Edward Scicluna, Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona.
An eleventh hour request filed by three ministers to not testify in a case concerning the Egrant inquiry has been upheld by the Constitutional court.
Tuesday’s decision revokes an order issued by the same court in August.
It was delivered in chambers one day after lawyers for ministers Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi argued that the ministers should not explain under oath how they had obtained information which had not featured in the published conclusions of the Egrant report, in an appeal filed by Opposition Leader Adrian Delia.
The three had made reference to this information when testifying during a case concerning a request for a magisterial inquiry into the Vitals Global Healthcare hospital privatisation deal.
On Tuesday, the Constitutional court found that the ministers did not have to take the witness stand and could instead present “the extract/s quoted from the Egrant inquiry” and which had sparked the court action.
This would avoid them from being “forced to answer questions” which could possibly lead to them facing criminal action, as a result of a separate court application filed by civil society group Repubblika.
Adrian Delia✔@adriandeliapn.@JosephMuscat_JM has to take immediate action against @ChrisCardonaMP, @KonradMizzi & @edward_scicluna after Constitutional Court declared that they are suspected of breaking the law. People have the right to know the whole #truth.
The court observed that Dr Delia’s interest lay in showing that the Ministers had indeed quoted from the unpublished part of the Egrant inquiry report, whereas the ministers had an interest not to answer questions or produce the requested documents.
Both were “legitimate” though “conflicting” interests which the Court had to balance.
If the ministers presented the extracts quoted, Dr Delia’s interest could be served without the ministers being asked to testify or produce the full text of their replies in the magisterial inquiry case.
The court gave the minsters two days to file in the records of the Egrant appeal “all extracts from the Egrant inquiry” referred to when testifying in the Vital Global Healthcare inquiry case.
Budget 2020: €10 million for roads in Gozo
Project to make Gozo self-sufficient for water production
NationalBudgetGozo
A sum of €10 million has been allocated for the betterment of roads in Gozo, Photo: ShutterstockA €10 million “unprecedented” allocation on roads and an €11 million upgrade of reverse osmosis plant in Qala are among the main Budget measures for Gozo.
In transport, the finance minister announced the reconstruction of Triq l-Imġarr from Nadur to the harbour, and the arterial road from Victoria to Marsalforn. Furthermore, ongoing works on 33 residential roads will be completed, and the reconstruction of another 11 residential roads will commence.
As for water production, the upgrade of the existing reverse osmosis plant at Ħondoq Ir-Rummien, will enable Gozo to be self-sufficient and no longer depend on a submarine water pipeline from Malta.
In 2020, the St Joseph home for the elderly which has been in the pipeline for years will be finally completed, as well as a new health centre.
Incentives will also be rolled out to attract conference tourism, companies wanting to relocate to Gozo and enterprises offering teleworking arrangements.
Once again the Budget makes reference to the introduction of a fast ferry service – a project which has been in the pipeline for six years. As for the ferry service, a call will be issued for the purchase of a brand new ship to replace the recently-leased second-hand ferry from Greece.
Preparations will also continue on the underwater tunnel whereby the government will be issued a pre-qualification questionnaire for interested investors.
Project to make Gozo self-sufficient for water production
NationalBudgetGozo
A sum of €10 million has been allocated for the betterment of roads in Gozo, Photo: ShutterstockA €10 million “unprecedented” allocation on roads and an €11 million upgrade of reverse osmosis plant in Qala are among the main Budget measures for Gozo.
In transport, the finance minister announced the reconstruction of Triq l-Imġarr from Nadur to the harbour, and the arterial road from Victoria to Marsalforn. Furthermore, ongoing works on 33 residential roads will be completed, and the reconstruction of another 11 residential roads will commence.
As for water production, the upgrade of the existing reverse osmosis plant at Ħondoq Ir-Rummien, will enable Gozo to be self-sufficient and no longer depend on a submarine water pipeline from Malta.
In 2020, the St Joseph home for the elderly which has been in the pipeline for years will be finally completed, as well as a new health centre.
Incentives will also be rolled out to attract conference tourism, companies wanting to relocate to Gozo and enterprises offering teleworking arrangements.
Once again the Budget makes reference to the introduction of a fast ferry service – a project which has been in the pipeline for six years. As for the ferry service, a call will be issued for the purchase of a brand new ship to replace the recently-leased second-hand ferry from Greece.
Preparations will also continue on the underwater tunnel whereby the government will be issued a pre-qualification questionnaire for interested investors.
X’qed jagħti l-Baġit lill-Għawdxin?
Minn Charmaine Attard
14 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-Ministru Edward Scicluna ffoka parti mid-diskors tiegħu għall-Baġit 2020 dwar il-konnettività bejn Malta u Għawdex.
Prof. Scicluna rrimarka dwar is-suċċess tar-raba’ vapur. Stqarr li l-Gozo Channel issa tgħallmet minn din l-esperjenza u tinsab f’pożizzjoni ferm aħjar biex tagħmel l-investiment meħtieġ biex ikollha r-raba’ vapur. Ħabbar li bħalissa qed isiru l-preparamenti sabiex jitfasslu r-rekwiżiti li għandu jkollu r-raba’ vapur, biex imbagħad jibda l-proċess tat-tendering.
Dwar il-proġett tal-mina, il-Ministru qal li qed jitwettqu diversi studji li se jiġu konklużi fix-xhur li ġejjin.
Barra minn hekk, fakkar li l-Gozo Channel se tkun qed tinvesti f’sistema elettronika tal-biljetti u li se jibqa’ għaddej ix-xogħol fuq il-fast ferry.
Miżuri oħra dwar Għawdex:
Partit Nazzjonalista✔@PNmaltaGovernment keeps promising the same projects every year. #gozo #gvernblapjan #budget2020
Oct 15, 2019
See Partit Nazzjonalista's other Tweets·
Skemi għal laqgħat, konferenzi u avvenimenti f’Għawdex (MICE).
· Estiża l-għajnuna finanzjarja għall-impjegati Għawdxin fis-settur pubbliku, li jużaw trasport kollettiv.
· Rifużjoni ta’ parti mill-paga biex jissaħħu l-opportunitajiet ta’ teleworking f’Għawdex
· Eliġibiltà għal benefiċċji għal kera affordabbli għall-istudenti Għawdxin.
· Estiż is-sussidju tax-xogħol għall-ħaddiema Għawdxin kollha
· Inċentivi fiskali għal kumpaniji li jirrilokaw l-operat tagħhom lejn Għawdex
· Inċentivi fiskali għall-kumpaniji li joħolqu impjiegi ġodda fil-qasam tat-teleworking u back office minn Għawdex. Estiż il-back office tad-Dipartiment tat-Taxxa
· Proġett tal-hostel f’Villa Lauri għall-istudenti Għawdxin li qed jistudjaw u jgħixu f’Malta
· €10 miljun fuq it-toroq: Is-sena d-dieħla se jinbdew xogħlijiet fuq Triq l-Imġarr, li min-Nadur tibqa’ nież;a għall-port, u t-triq li mir-Rabat twassal għal Marsalforn.
Joseph Muscat✔@JosephMuscat_JMContinuation of 30% salary refund, up to €6,000, for new jobs in Gozo #maltabudget20
Oct 15, 2019
See Joseph Muscat's other Tweets
Fi ftit ġimgħat oħra se jiġu inawgurati:
1. Ir-Research and Innovation Hub fix-Xewkija
2. Barts Medical School
· Is-sena d-dieħla se jitlestew:
1. Iċ-Ċentru l-ġdid tas-Saħħa
2. Id-dar għal residenti anzjani – Dar San Ġużepp
3. Proġett f’Tal-Ħofra għall-intraprendituri żgħar.
· Jibda x-xogħol fuq:
1. Il-Proġett ta’ Park & Ride ħdejn il-korsa tat-tiġrijiet taż-żwiemel
· Jitkompla x-xogħol fuq:
1. Il-Proġett tal-Għajnsielem Hub.
X’kienu l-proposti li smajna qabel il-Baġit dwar Għawdex?
Proposti mill-Partit Nazzjonalista:
Proposti mill-Assoċjazzjoni għat-Turiżmu f’Għawdex:
F’dan l-artiklu kkollaboraw ukoll Christoph Schwaiger u Nicole Borg
Minn Charmaine Attard
14 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-Ministru Edward Scicluna ffoka parti mid-diskors tiegħu għall-Baġit 2020 dwar il-konnettività bejn Malta u Għawdex.
Prof. Scicluna rrimarka dwar is-suċċess tar-raba’ vapur. Stqarr li l-Gozo Channel issa tgħallmet minn din l-esperjenza u tinsab f’pożizzjoni ferm aħjar biex tagħmel l-investiment meħtieġ biex ikollha r-raba’ vapur. Ħabbar li bħalissa qed isiru l-preparamenti sabiex jitfasslu r-rekwiżiti li għandu jkollu r-raba’ vapur, biex imbagħad jibda l-proċess tat-tendering.
Dwar il-proġett tal-mina, il-Ministru qal li qed jitwettqu diversi studji li se jiġu konklużi fix-xhur li ġejjin.
Barra minn hekk, fakkar li l-Gozo Channel se tkun qed tinvesti f’sistema elettronika tal-biljetti u li se jibqa’ għaddej ix-xogħol fuq il-fast ferry.
Miżuri oħra dwar Għawdex:
Partit Nazzjonalista✔@PNmaltaGovernment keeps promising the same projects every year. #gozo #gvernblapjan #budget2020
Oct 15, 2019
See Partit Nazzjonalista's other Tweets·
Skemi għal laqgħat, konferenzi u avvenimenti f’Għawdex (MICE).
· Estiża l-għajnuna finanzjarja għall-impjegati Għawdxin fis-settur pubbliku, li jużaw trasport kollettiv.
· Rifużjoni ta’ parti mill-paga biex jissaħħu l-opportunitajiet ta’ teleworking f’Għawdex
· Eliġibiltà għal benefiċċji għal kera affordabbli għall-istudenti Għawdxin.
· Estiż is-sussidju tax-xogħol għall-ħaddiema Għawdxin kollha
· Inċentivi fiskali għal kumpaniji li jirrilokaw l-operat tagħhom lejn Għawdex
· Inċentivi fiskali għall-kumpaniji li joħolqu impjiegi ġodda fil-qasam tat-teleworking u back office minn Għawdex. Estiż il-back office tad-Dipartiment tat-Taxxa
· Proġett tal-hostel f’Villa Lauri għall-istudenti Għawdxin li qed jistudjaw u jgħixu f’Malta
· €10 miljun fuq it-toroq: Is-sena d-dieħla se jinbdew xogħlijiet fuq Triq l-Imġarr, li min-Nadur tibqa’ nież;a għall-port, u t-triq li mir-Rabat twassal għal Marsalforn.
Joseph Muscat✔@JosephMuscat_JMContinuation of 30% salary refund, up to €6,000, for new jobs in Gozo #maltabudget20
Oct 15, 2019
See Joseph Muscat's other Tweets
Fi ftit ġimgħat oħra se jiġu inawgurati:
1. Ir-Research and Innovation Hub fix-Xewkija
2. Barts Medical School
· Is-sena d-dieħla se jitlestew:
1. Iċ-Ċentru l-ġdid tas-Saħħa
2. Id-dar għal residenti anzjani – Dar San Ġużepp
3. Proġett f’Tal-Ħofra għall-intraprendituri żgħar.
· Jibda x-xogħol fuq:
1. Il-Proġett ta’ Park & Ride ħdejn il-korsa tat-tiġrijiet taż-żwiemel
· Jitkompla x-xogħol fuq:
1. Il-Proġett tal-Għajnsielem Hub.
X’kienu l-proposti li smajna qabel il-Baġit dwar Għawdex?
Proposti mill-Partit Nazzjonalista:
- Inċentivi fiskali lill-operaturi tan-negozji f’Għawdex sabiex jingħataw l-għajnuna biex jespandu l-ħidma tagħhom f’Għawdex.
- Jiġu provduti inċentivi li jattrattaw negozjanti jiftħu n-negozju tagħhom f’Għawdex
- Żvilupp ta’ pjan fit-tul li jwaqqaf il-brain-drain li ħakem lill-gżira Għawdxija
- Żieda fl-investiment fl-ITS ta’ Għawdex sabiex aktar Għawdxin jitħajru jsegwu karriera fl-industrija tat-turiżmu Għawdxija.
- Inċentivi għall-operaturi tat-turiżmu f’Għawdex li jgħinuhom joffru kundizzjonijiet ta’ xogħol favorevoli matul is-sena kollha.
- Xogħol ta’ tisbiħ fix-Xlendi, fid-Dwejra u f’Marsalforn
- Investiment għat-tisbiħ u r-ristrutturar tal-faċilitajiet edukattivi f’Għawdex.
- Il-proġett tal-mina bejn Għawdex u Malta għandu jkompli bl-iskart jintuża għat-tkabbir tal-faċilitajiet tal-irmiġġ fl-Imġarr.
- Faċilitajiet ta’ parkeġġ fir-Rabat.
- L-introduzzjoni tar-raba’ vapur fuq bażi permanenti, il-fast ferry service u s-servizz ta’ ħelikopter.
- Il-Kamra tal-Kummerċ t’Għawdex qed tinsisti li jkollha baġit allokat u rappreżentanza permanenti fuq l-MCESD.
Proposti mill-Assoċjazzjoni għat-Turiżmu f’Għawdex:
- Introduzzjoni mill-ġdid tas-servizz tal-ħelikopter bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer, li għandu joffri servizz ta’ check-in għal passiġġieri li jitilqu minn Għawdex biex jaqbdu t-titjira lura lejn pajjiżhom mill-Ajruport Internazzjonali ta’ Malta.
- Il-Gvern jibni airstrip ta’ minn tal-inqas 450 metru li takkomoda l-inżul u t-tlugħ ta’ ajruplani żgħar.
- Biljett tal-Gozo Channel skont l-istaġun u b’hekk tinbidel l-istruttura tal-ferry fare.
- Smart ticketing għall-vapuri tal-Gozo Channel.
- Ir-raba vapur jiżdied mal-flotta b’mod permanenti. Il-Gvern għandu jikkummissjona r-raba vapur u li għandu jkun identiku għall-vapuri l-oħrajn.
- Servizz shuttle bejn l-ajruport u ċ-Ċirkewwa preferibbilment operat mill-Malta Public Transport.
- Investiment infrastrutturali fil-bajja tax-Xlendi u żona ġdida għall-irmonk tal-vapuri fl-Imġarr bħala alternattivi.
- Fejn jidħol il-qasam tal-akkomodazzjonijiet u servizzi turistiċi f’Għawdex, l-assoċjazzjoni talbet għal tnaqqis tal-VAT. It-talba prinċipali hija li r-rata tal-VAT fuq ristoranti, servizzi tad-diving u transport għandha tinżel għal 10% minn 18%.
- Ir-rata tal-VAT fuq biljetti ta’ kunċerti, teatri, wirjiet, parks tad-divertiment, mużewijiet, ċinema u attivitajiet kulturali oħrajn għandha tkun 7%.
- Konferenzi żgħar u sponsorjati li jsiru ta’ kull sena mill-Gvern għandhom isiru f’Għawdex.
- L-Intervention Team fi ħdan il-Ministeru għal Għawdex għandu jibda jieħu ħsieb it-tisbieħ u t-tiswija, kif ukoll l-immaniġġjar ta’ bosta żoni turistiċi f’Għawdex.
- Żvilupp ta’ faċilitajiet sportivi, inkluż water park u park tad-divertiment, trakka tal-atletika u faċilitajiet għal training camps f’Ta’ Xħajma.
F’dan l-artiklu kkollaboraw ukoll Christoph Schwaiger u Nicole Borg
Lighting up Gozo’s sky
CommunityGozoSanta Luċija
Photo: Andrea Muscat
As the sun set on Sunday evening, the slopes of Għar Ilma in Santa Luċija, a hamlet in Gozo, were lit up in spectacular fashion with hundreds of flaming lanterns.
This traditional 'Fjakkolata’ – a festival of lights - has been taking place in the hamlet for over 30 years and marks the last apparition of Our Lady in Fatima.
CommunityGozoSanta Luċija
Photo: Andrea Muscat
As the sun set on Sunday evening, the slopes of Għar Ilma in Santa Luċija, a hamlet in Gozo, were lit up in spectacular fashion with hundreds of flaming lanterns.
This traditional 'Fjakkolata’ – a festival of lights - has been taking place in the hamlet for over 30 years and marks the last apparition of Our Lady in Fatima.
Cardinal Newman declared saint by Pope Francis
By Monique Agius
October 13, 2019
Pope Francis declared Cardinal John Henry Newman a saint during mass in St Peter’s Square, Vatican. The first English person to be made a saint in almost 50 years.
Four women were also canonised during the same mass; Mother Mariam Thresia from India, Marguerite Bays from Switzerland, Italian Mother Giuseppina Vannini, and Brazilian-born Sister Dulce Lopes Pontes.
The Prince of Wales joined the mass, along with several British MPs.
Born in London in 1801, Cardinal Newman attended Trinity College, Oxford. He became an Anglican priest however he converted to Catholicism in 1845.
The cardinal was beatified by Pope Benedict XV during an open-air mass in Birmingham in 2010.
By Monique Agius
October 13, 2019
Pope Francis declared Cardinal John Henry Newman a saint during mass in St Peter’s Square, Vatican. The first English person to be made a saint in almost 50 years.
Four women were also canonised during the same mass; Mother Mariam Thresia from India, Marguerite Bays from Switzerland, Italian Mother Giuseppina Vannini, and Brazilian-born Sister Dulce Lopes Pontes.
The Prince of Wales joined the mass, along with several British MPs.
Born in London in 1801, Cardinal Newman attended Trinity College, Oxford. He became an Anglican priest however he converted to Catholicism in 1845.
The cardinal was beatified by Pope Benedict XV during an open-air mass in Birmingham in 2010.
Banek oħra jaf jaqtgħu r-relazzjoni ma’ Malta – rapport
Din l-aħbar ġiet ftit wara li tħabbar li Deutsche Bank se jwaqqaf is-servizz tad-dollaru f’Malta
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
13 ta' Ottubru 2019
Wara li ġie żvelat li l-Bank of Valletta tilef lid-Deutsche Bank bħala wieħed mill-correspondent banks tiegħu, issa ġie rrapportat li banek oħra jaf jieħdu miżuri simili.
Ilbieraħ il-gazzetta The Times of Malta rrappurtat li d-Deutsche Bank se jieqaf joffri servizzi bankarji bħala correspondent bank fil-muniti kollha mal-BOV sal-aħħar ta’ Diċembru.
Illum, il-gazzetta Ġermaniża Süddeutsche Zeitung qalet li jekk in-negozju ma’ Malta għad-Deutsche Bank kien delikat wisq, banek oħrajn jafu jitilqu wkoll.
Din il-gazzetta awtorevoli kienet l-ewwel gazzetta li ppubblikat id-dokumenti b’rabta mal-iskandlu tal-Panama Papers. Dan kien l-iskandlu li ssemmew fih il-Ministru Konrad Mizzi u ċ-Chief of Staff tal-Prim Ministur Keith Schembri. It-tnejn li huma dejjem saħqu li huma innoċenti.
Il-gazzetta Ġermaniża qalet li dak li ġara lill-BOV huwa sinjal fatali għal Malta.
Żewġ ekonomisti Maltin qalu lil Newsbook.com.mt li l-aħbar li Deutsche Bank se jwaqqaf is-servizz tad-dollaru f’Malta hija marbuta ma’ riskju li l-bank mhux se jieħu aktar.
DB ifarfar mir-riskju f’Malta – ekonomisti
Xi jfisser correspondent bank?
Correspondent bank huwa bank li joffri servizzi ta’ transazzjonijiet fid-dollaru ma’ banek lokali.
Meta importatur Malti jixtri prodotti mill-Amerika jkun irid iħallas bid-dollaru. Billi Malta nużaw l-Ewro, l-importatur juża bank lokali biex jaqleb il-flus mill-Ewro għad-Dollaru Amerikan. Biex issir din it-transazzjoni, banek lokali jkollhom bżonn correspondent bank biex jagħmlu transazzjonijiet fid-dollaru.
Jekk banek bħal Deutsche Bank jieqfu joffru dan is-servizz f’Malta, transazzjonijiet bħal dawn ma jistgħux isiru.
Din l-aħbar ġiet ftit wara li tħabbar li Deutsche Bank se jwaqqaf is-servizz tad-dollaru f’Malta
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
13 ta' Ottubru 2019
Wara li ġie żvelat li l-Bank of Valletta tilef lid-Deutsche Bank bħala wieħed mill-correspondent banks tiegħu, issa ġie rrapportat li banek oħra jaf jieħdu miżuri simili.
Ilbieraħ il-gazzetta The Times of Malta rrappurtat li d-Deutsche Bank se jieqaf joffri servizzi bankarji bħala correspondent bank fil-muniti kollha mal-BOV sal-aħħar ta’ Diċembru.
Illum, il-gazzetta Ġermaniża Süddeutsche Zeitung qalet li jekk in-negozju ma’ Malta għad-Deutsche Bank kien delikat wisq, banek oħrajn jafu jitilqu wkoll.
Din il-gazzetta awtorevoli kienet l-ewwel gazzetta li ppubblikat id-dokumenti b’rabta mal-iskandlu tal-Panama Papers. Dan kien l-iskandlu li ssemmew fih il-Ministru Konrad Mizzi u ċ-Chief of Staff tal-Prim Ministur Keith Schembri. It-tnejn li huma dejjem saħqu li huma innoċenti.
Il-gazzetta Ġermaniża qalet li dak li ġara lill-BOV huwa sinjal fatali għal Malta.
Żewġ ekonomisti Maltin qalu lil Newsbook.com.mt li l-aħbar li Deutsche Bank se jwaqqaf is-servizz tad-dollaru f’Malta hija marbuta ma’ riskju li l-bank mhux se jieħu aktar.
DB ifarfar mir-riskju f’Malta – ekonomisti
Xi jfisser correspondent bank?
Correspondent bank huwa bank li joffri servizzi ta’ transazzjonijiet fid-dollaru ma’ banek lokali.
Meta importatur Malti jixtri prodotti mill-Amerika jkun irid iħallas bid-dollaru. Billi Malta nużaw l-Ewro, l-importatur juża bank lokali biex jaqleb il-flus mill-Ewro għad-Dollaru Amerikan. Biex issir din it-transazzjoni, banek lokali jkollhom bżonn correspondent bank biex jagħmlu transazzjonijiet fid-dollaru.
Jekk banek bħal Deutsche Bank jieqfu joffru dan is-servizz f’Malta, transazzjonijiet bħal dawn ma jistgħux isiru.
Dalwaqt speed cameras f’Għawdex
Minn Beppe Galea
-
12 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-Pulizija mistennija tibda tuża speed cameras dalwaqt.
Il-Ministru għall-Intern Michael Farrugia qal fil-Parlament li qed isiru l-arranġamenti biex il-Pulizija kollha f’Għawdex ikollha l-apparat teknoloġiku biex tuża l-ispeed cameras.
Id-deputat Għawdxi Kevin Cutajar staqsa lill-Gvern dwar x’miżuri qed jieħu biex tiġi indirizzata l-problema ta’ sewqan eċċessiv jew abbużiv. Dan fid-dawl tal-inċidenti li seħħew fi Triq l-Imġarr f’Għajnsielem.
Mara mil-Latvja kienet tilfet ħajjitha f’inċident traġiku f’Awwissu li għadda. Il-mara mietet sitt ijiem wara l-inċident. Dwar il-każ kien ġie akkużat raġel li kien qed isuq xurban.
Is-Sindku ta’ Għajnsielem Kevin Cauchi appella lill-awtoritajiet biex jieħdu iżjed miżuri kontra s-sewqan veloċi fit-toroq.
AQRA: “Iridu jittieħdu miżuri qabel ikun tard wisq” – Is-Sindku ta’ Għajnsielem
Intant, il-Ministru għal Għawdex Justyne Caruana kienet qalet li hemm pjan li diġà qed jiġi attwat flimkien ma’ Transport Malta.
Fil-Parlament, il-Ministru Farrugia qal li l-Pulizija tad-Distrett ta’ Għawdex regolarment tagħmel spot checks f’dawn l-inħawi. Qal ukoll li f’okkażjonijiet, il-Pulizija Għawdxin ikunu assistiti mill-Pulizija tat-Taqsima tat-Traffiku ta’ Malta.
Minn Beppe Galea
-
12 ta' Ottubru 2019
Il-Pulizija mistennija tibda tuża speed cameras dalwaqt.
Il-Ministru għall-Intern Michael Farrugia qal fil-Parlament li qed isiru l-arranġamenti biex il-Pulizija kollha f’Għawdex ikollha l-apparat teknoloġiku biex tuża l-ispeed cameras.
Id-deputat Għawdxi Kevin Cutajar staqsa lill-Gvern dwar x’miżuri qed jieħu biex tiġi indirizzata l-problema ta’ sewqan eċċessiv jew abbużiv. Dan fid-dawl tal-inċidenti li seħħew fi Triq l-Imġarr f’Għajnsielem.
Mara mil-Latvja kienet tilfet ħajjitha f’inċident traġiku f’Awwissu li għadda. Il-mara mietet sitt ijiem wara l-inċident. Dwar il-każ kien ġie akkużat raġel li kien qed isuq xurban.
Is-Sindku ta’ Għajnsielem Kevin Cauchi appella lill-awtoritajiet biex jieħdu iżjed miżuri kontra s-sewqan veloċi fit-toroq.
AQRA: “Iridu jittieħdu miżuri qabel ikun tard wisq” – Is-Sindku ta’ Għajnsielem
Intant, il-Ministru għal Għawdex Justyne Caruana kienet qalet li hemm pjan li diġà qed jiġi attwat flimkien ma’ Transport Malta.
Fil-Parlament, il-Ministru Farrugia qal li l-Pulizija tad-Distrett ta’ Għawdex regolarment tagħmel spot checks f’dawn l-inħawi. Qal ukoll li f’okkażjonijiet, il-Pulizija Għawdxin ikunu assistiti mill-Pulizija tat-Taqsima tat-Traffiku ta’ Malta.
Ħamrun, St Julian’s, among eight HSBC branches to close
Bank to offer voluntary redundancy schemesNationalBanking
HSBC's Ħamrun branch is one of eight to close across the country. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Banking giant HSBC is to close eight branches in Malta, it announced on Thursday.
The branches that will close by the end of the year are at Birżebbuġa, Cospicua, Fgura, Ħamrun, Marsascala, St Julian’s and St Paul's Bay.
Balzan branch will also close and be combined into a new 'flagship branch' in Qormi, the bank said in a statement.
The bank did not say how many staff would be affected but that it would be offering voluntary redundancy schemes.
HSBC Malta's CEO Andrew Beane said:"No employee is going to be asked to do anything they don’t want to."
In an announcement on the Malta Stock Exchange, the bank said it was part of a strategic plan to "focus on digital banking services" and "to modernise its branch network".
'Digital banking'The bank said it would maintain a self-service ATM and deposit machines in any locality where a branch would close.
This would enable it to maximise the opportunities from the rapidly changing way customers are using banks, building on the investment it has undertaken in digital capabilities this year.
These would be complemented with the creation of a new flagship branch, the development of new wealth management centres, and more flexible access to a range of self-service solutions delivered through a more cost-effective operating model.
These actions, the bank said, were aimed to help mitigate the long-term impact of negative interest rates on the bank’s profitability in Malta.
The changes to the stores would now include:
RELATED STORIES
'Voluntary redundancies'Branch banking, the bank said, would continue to be a critical part to its service offering for the long term.
However, what branches did for their customers and how and when they did it was changing.
“The bank expects, subject to union agreement, a reduction in roles within the organisation on a voluntary basis," it said.
“The restructuring costs to deliver these changes would be booked in the 2019 financial results but as the programme was voluntary, the amount would depend on the number of applications.”
It said it would make a further company announcement in due course.
Government welcomes 'proactive action'Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services Silvio Schembri welcomed HSBC’s 'proactive' action to adapting to new trends within the digital scenario which complimented the government’s policies in the sector.
He said that the government took note of the changes and hoped the communities directly affected by the closure of branches would be consulted.
Mr Schembri hoped the process to open basic bank accounts would be hastened and simplified.
Something 'very wrong' in banking sectorThe Nationalist Party said the banking sector in Malta was hitting the news for all the wrong reasons: branch closures, remote gaming account closures, suspension of licenses, closure of banks because of money laundering irregularities and loss of correspondent banking.
It said in a statement that something was clearly "very wrong" on the banking front.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat inherited a flourishing financial services sector, replete with top professionals, an all-encompassing legal regime, a strong regulatory arm and an excellent reputation, it said.
His government had destroyed the sector's very foundations, it said.
However, former Labour leader Alfred Sant said it vindicated his party's opposition back in 1999 to HSBC's acquisition of Mid-Med bank for €191 million (Lm82 million).
"How right we were almost 20 years ago to contest the selling off of Mid-Med bank by the PN government for cheap to HSBC," he said.
"The latter has creamed the Malta market, small as it is, leaving the burden of financing new developments to BOV.
"Now HSBC cuts services (prepares to leave?) as part of its response to its low profitability worldwide!"
Bank to offer voluntary redundancy schemesNationalBanking
HSBC's Ħamrun branch is one of eight to close across the country. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Banking giant HSBC is to close eight branches in Malta, it announced on Thursday.
The branches that will close by the end of the year are at Birżebbuġa, Cospicua, Fgura, Ħamrun, Marsascala, St Julian’s and St Paul's Bay.
Balzan branch will also close and be combined into a new 'flagship branch' in Qormi, the bank said in a statement.
The bank did not say how many staff would be affected but that it would be offering voluntary redundancy schemes.
HSBC Malta's CEO Andrew Beane said:"No employee is going to be asked to do anything they don’t want to."
In an announcement on the Malta Stock Exchange, the bank said it was part of a strategic plan to "focus on digital banking services" and "to modernise its branch network".
'Digital banking'The bank said it would maintain a self-service ATM and deposit machines in any locality where a branch would close.
This would enable it to maximise the opportunities from the rapidly changing way customers are using banks, building on the investment it has undertaken in digital capabilities this year.
These would be complemented with the creation of a new flagship branch, the development of new wealth management centres, and more flexible access to a range of self-service solutions delivered through a more cost-effective operating model.
These actions, the bank said, were aimed to help mitigate the long-term impact of negative interest rates on the bank’s profitability in Malta.
The changes to the stores would now include:
- a new flagship branch within its principal office in Qormi.
- four new wealth management centres at Birkirkara, Mosta, Paola and Swieqi branches, providing extended access to specialist advisors, affording customers more flexibility and convenience.
- investment in its principal branches in Valletta, Mosta, Paola, Sliema and Victoria, with a wider range of services, more parking and extended opening hours subject to consultation with the Malta Union of Bank Employees.
RELATED STORIES
'Voluntary redundancies'Branch banking, the bank said, would continue to be a critical part to its service offering for the long term.
However, what branches did for their customers and how and when they did it was changing.
“The bank expects, subject to union agreement, a reduction in roles within the organisation on a voluntary basis," it said.
“The restructuring costs to deliver these changes would be booked in the 2019 financial results but as the programme was voluntary, the amount would depend on the number of applications.”
It said it would make a further company announcement in due course.
Government welcomes 'proactive action'Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services Silvio Schembri welcomed HSBC’s 'proactive' action to adapting to new trends within the digital scenario which complimented the government’s policies in the sector.
He said that the government took note of the changes and hoped the communities directly affected by the closure of branches would be consulted.
Mr Schembri hoped the process to open basic bank accounts would be hastened and simplified.
Something 'very wrong' in banking sectorThe Nationalist Party said the banking sector in Malta was hitting the news for all the wrong reasons: branch closures, remote gaming account closures, suspension of licenses, closure of banks because of money laundering irregularities and loss of correspondent banking.
It said in a statement that something was clearly "very wrong" on the banking front.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat inherited a flourishing financial services sector, replete with top professionals, an all-encompassing legal regime, a strong regulatory arm and an excellent reputation, it said.
His government had destroyed the sector's very foundations, it said.
However, former Labour leader Alfred Sant said it vindicated his party's opposition back in 1999 to HSBC's acquisition of Mid-Med bank for €191 million (Lm82 million).
"How right we were almost 20 years ago to contest the selling off of Mid-Med bank by the PN government for cheap to HSBC," he said.
"The latter has creamed the Malta market, small as it is, leaving the burden of financing new developments to BOV.
"Now HSBC cuts services (prepares to leave?) as part of its response to its low profitability worldwide!"
L-Isqof Grech “mhux mistenni jitlaq qabel Awwissu” – sorsi mill-Vatikan
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
10 ta' Ottubru 2019 12:39 PM
“Jekk kollox jibqa’ kif inhu, mhux mistenni li l-Isqof ta’ Għawdex jitlaq qabel Awwissu tal-2020”. Dan kien il-kliem li ntqal lil Newsbook.com.mt minn osservaturi tax-xena ekleżjastika dwar l-għajdut li n-Nunzjo Appostoliku beda jfittex is-suċċessur ta’ Mons. Mario Grech.
L-istess sorsi qalu li skont it-timeline preżenti, s-sottomissjoni tat-‘terna’, it-tliet ismijiet li jiġu sottomessi għall-iskrutinju mill-Kongregazzjoni tal-Isqfijiet, aktarx titħejja f’Marzu. Il-kongregazzjoni mbagħad tagħmel rakkomandazzjoni lill-Papa.
Għawdex diġà għandu 5 Isqfijiet ordnati. Għalkemm jaf ikun hemm wiċċ ġdid li jieħu post Mons. Grech, jista’ jkun li jilħaq isqof Malti b’dixxendenza Għawdxija. Sorsi qalu li huwa possibli li jilħaq l-Isqof Bugeja li bħalissa qed iservi fil-Libja. L-Isqfijiet ordnati l-oħra wkoll jaf jiġu kkunsidrati għall-kariga.
L-aħbar dwar il-ħatra ta’ Mons. Grech kienet qalet li kien se jokkupa l-kariga ġdida tiegħu f’Awwissu tal-2020 meta l-Kardinal Baldisseri jirtira.
Sorsi mill-Vatikan spjegaw li l-irtirar ta’ kardinal hija ħaġa elaborata. Jidher li t-tranżizzjoni ta’ Mons. Grech mhux se tkun waħda qasira.
Is-sorsi qalu li l-ħatra ta’ Mons. Grech ma saritx bħas-soltu. L-Isqof ma tantux huwa magħruf fost dawk midħla tal-Vatikan u qajjem ċertu interess.
“Qed jiġi deskritt bħala l-Field Marshall tal-Papa peress li l-pożizzjoni tiegħu, aktarx, se tkun qed titraduċi d-direzzjonijiet tas-Sinodu u tal-Papa fi strateġija ċara,” qal wieħed mis-sorsi.
Newsbook.com.mt staqsa lis-sorsi kif il-profil ta’ Mons. Grech ġie elevat.
“Id-diskors tiegħu fis-Sinodu kien game-changer. Sfida l-motivazzjoni tal-Papa li jsejjaħ Sinodu, direttament, u tenna x-xewqa tal-Papa Franġisku għall-bidla, Il-Papa Franġisku ma jdawwarx lilu nnifsu b’yes-men u dan kien mument li fetaħlu għajnejh,” qal sors minnhom.
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
10 ta' Ottubru 2019 12:39 PM
“Jekk kollox jibqa’ kif inhu, mhux mistenni li l-Isqof ta’ Għawdex jitlaq qabel Awwissu tal-2020”. Dan kien il-kliem li ntqal lil Newsbook.com.mt minn osservaturi tax-xena ekleżjastika dwar l-għajdut li n-Nunzjo Appostoliku beda jfittex is-suċċessur ta’ Mons. Mario Grech.
L-istess sorsi qalu li skont it-timeline preżenti, s-sottomissjoni tat-‘terna’, it-tliet ismijiet li jiġu sottomessi għall-iskrutinju mill-Kongregazzjoni tal-Isqfijiet, aktarx titħejja f’Marzu. Il-kongregazzjoni mbagħad tagħmel rakkomandazzjoni lill-Papa.
Għawdex diġà għandu 5 Isqfijiet ordnati. Għalkemm jaf ikun hemm wiċċ ġdid li jieħu post Mons. Grech, jista’ jkun li jilħaq isqof Malti b’dixxendenza Għawdxija. Sorsi qalu li huwa possibli li jilħaq l-Isqof Bugeja li bħalissa qed iservi fil-Libja. L-Isqfijiet ordnati l-oħra wkoll jaf jiġu kkunsidrati għall-kariga.
L-aħbar dwar il-ħatra ta’ Mons. Grech kienet qalet li kien se jokkupa l-kariga ġdida tiegħu f’Awwissu tal-2020 meta l-Kardinal Baldisseri jirtira.
Sorsi mill-Vatikan spjegaw li l-irtirar ta’ kardinal hija ħaġa elaborata. Jidher li t-tranżizzjoni ta’ Mons. Grech mhux se tkun waħda qasira.
Is-sorsi qalu li l-ħatra ta’ Mons. Grech ma saritx bħas-soltu. L-Isqof ma tantux huwa magħruf fost dawk midħla tal-Vatikan u qajjem ċertu interess.
“Qed jiġi deskritt bħala l-Field Marshall tal-Papa peress li l-pożizzjoni tiegħu, aktarx, se tkun qed titraduċi d-direzzjonijiet tas-Sinodu u tal-Papa fi strateġija ċara,” qal wieħed mis-sorsi.
Newsbook.com.mt staqsa lis-sorsi kif il-profil ta’ Mons. Grech ġie elevat.
“Id-diskors tiegħu fis-Sinodu kien game-changer. Sfida l-motivazzjoni tal-Papa li jsejjaħ Sinodu, direttament, u tenna x-xewqa tal-Papa Franġisku għall-bidla, Il-Papa Franġisku ma jdawwarx lilu nnifsu b’yes-men u dan kien mument li fetaħlu għajnejh,” qal sors minnhom.
Mtarfa cart ruts require protection, watchdog insists
National Environment
By Matthew Xuereb
The Mtarfa cart ruts
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has insisted on the scheduling and protection of cart ruts discovered during the evaluation of a site of a proposed development in Mtarfa.
Cart ruts are a complex network of tracks gouged in the rock, some of which have perplexed historians about their origin.
An archaeological evaluation undertaken under the direction of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage found “archaeological features of high importance”. The evaluation involved the removal of soil down to rock surface within the entire site to determine whether there were any archaeological remains.
In its report submitted to the Planning Appeals Board, the superintendence said: “The cart ruts discovered on site merit not only preservation but also scheduling as they form part of a network of cart ruts less than 40 metres away from this site which are to be safeguarded.”
Considering the discoveries made during the evaluation, the superintendence said it objected to any rock cutting works to be carried out within this site’s footprint.
It quoted from the North West Local Plan which states that: “Any development proposal within Mtarfa which includes the construction of basements or will necessitate excavation works for the construction of any structure must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the PA and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage that the proposed works will not have any adverse impacts on any archaeological remains within the site boundary or on any other remains in the proximity of the site.”
The Planning Appeals Board was hearing an appeal over the PA’s refusal to grant permission for a large development of 11 terraced houses, each having a pool at roof level and an underlying complex of 11 garages at basement level on a site that abuts Triq Joseph S. Calleja, Triq ir-Razzett l-Aħmar, Triq Mikiel Fsadni and Triq Tal-Palma.
The project, being pushed by applicant Ray Camilleri, is covered by PA9316/17 and was to be spread over two floors.
The project had been refused in October 2018 because it includes extensive rock-cutting within an archaeologically-sensitive area for which clearance from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had not been obtained.
The board has now nullified the Planning Authority’s decision to refuse permission and sent the file back to the planning watchdog to consider the application again, this time in the light of the new report indicating the presence of historic cart ruts.
The superintendence said that, should the Planning Authority still issue a permit, works were to be undertaken under certain conditions, including the presence of an archaeology monitor and a detailed works method statement.
National Environment
By Matthew Xuereb
The Mtarfa cart ruts
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has insisted on the scheduling and protection of cart ruts discovered during the evaluation of a site of a proposed development in Mtarfa.
Cart ruts are a complex network of tracks gouged in the rock, some of which have perplexed historians about their origin.
An archaeological evaluation undertaken under the direction of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage found “archaeological features of high importance”. The evaluation involved the removal of soil down to rock surface within the entire site to determine whether there were any archaeological remains.
In its report submitted to the Planning Appeals Board, the superintendence said: “The cart ruts discovered on site merit not only preservation but also scheduling as they form part of a network of cart ruts less than 40 metres away from this site which are to be safeguarded.”
Considering the discoveries made during the evaluation, the superintendence said it objected to any rock cutting works to be carried out within this site’s footprint.
It quoted from the North West Local Plan which states that: “Any development proposal within Mtarfa which includes the construction of basements or will necessitate excavation works for the construction of any structure must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the PA and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage that the proposed works will not have any adverse impacts on any archaeological remains within the site boundary or on any other remains in the proximity of the site.”
The Planning Appeals Board was hearing an appeal over the PA’s refusal to grant permission for a large development of 11 terraced houses, each having a pool at roof level and an underlying complex of 11 garages at basement level on a site that abuts Triq Joseph S. Calleja, Triq ir-Razzett l-Aħmar, Triq Mikiel Fsadni and Triq Tal-Palma.
The project, being pushed by applicant Ray Camilleri, is covered by PA9316/17 and was to be spread over two floors.
The project had been refused in October 2018 because it includes extensive rock-cutting within an archaeologically-sensitive area for which clearance from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had not been obtained.
The board has now nullified the Planning Authority’s decision to refuse permission and sent the file back to the planning watchdog to consider the application again, this time in the light of the new report indicating the presence of historic cart ruts.
The superintendence said that, should the Planning Authority still issue a permit, works were to be undertaken under certain conditions, including the presence of an archaeology monitor and a detailed works method statement.
It-Tgħanniqa
Poezija ta' Francesco Pio Attard
Rabat Ghawdex.
29 ta’ Ġunju 2018
Min jaf il-ħsus li f’żewġt iqlub imkebbsa!
Min jaf bejnietkom kemm-il ħsieb mistur!
Nistħajjel qed tbexxqulna mill-ġdid fommkom
mill-kwadru titulari tan-Nadur.
Appostli, Prinċpijiet, bikom niftaħru,
għalikom hawn jintiseġ l-aqwa ġieħ;
kburin bl-għemejjel tagħkom, għax Kolonni
tal-Knisja l’isem Kristu ġġib Rebbieħ.
Imm’hawn xħin taħt ħarsitkom jien nintasab
imsaħħar bl-għajnejn tagħkom f’ta’ xulxin,
id-demm li f’Ruma tħallat b’xhieda għad-dinja,
ġustizzja nisma’ jgħajjat mill-bnedmin.
Għax xejn ma ntfiet il-ħrara biex għal Kristu
ħajjitkom ma tqisuha xejn ħlief knis
u xxandru s-sewwa kollu mingħajr biża’:
għalhekk bi Msiebaħ kbar l-art lilkom tqis.
It-toroq li l-Imgħallem bagħatkom fihom,
lil wieħed jirgħa l-merħla f’tagħha n-nieqa,
lill-ieħor biex lill-ġnus ġo fiha jiġbor,
illum iltaqgħu f’tagħkom dit-tgħanniqa.
Għalxejn ma sewa li jdejkom rabtulkom,
għax min se jifred lil daż-żewġt iqlub,
jekk qawwa bil-wisq ogħla li żewġitkom,
il-qawwa tal-imħabba tal-Mislub?
It-triq li se twassalkom għall-martirju
diġà bid-demm ta’ ħafna hi msoqqija;
kemm frott f’dawn l-għoxrin seklu għax dil-ħarsa
ħallejtu jdawwalhielkom ‘il-Messija!
Kemm hienja l-Belt li laqgħet il-fdal tagħkom,
imm’aktar aħna wliedkom, Pietru u Pawlu,
nifirħu bl-eqdes xhieda ta’ mħabbitkom,
nitolbu dik ħarsitkom fuqna ddawru!
Newlulna ftit mill-ħeġġa għall-Vanġelu
li biha jiddi kliemkom kullimkien,
rossuna fit-tħaddina li tgħaqqadkom fil-mewt,
fil-ġieħ, fil-glorja ma’ kull żmien.
Purcissjoni bil-Madonna tar-Ruzarju gewwa n-Nadur
Ritratt minn Mario Muscat
Ritratt minn Mario Muscat
MP to be brought back to Malta by air ambulance
He fell ill while attending a conference in Morocco
NationalParliament
Frederick Azzopardi.
Nationalist MP Frederick Azzopardi is to be brought to Malta by air ambulance after falling ill while attending a parliamentary conference in Morocco.
Speaker Anġlu Farrugia told parliament when asked by MP David Agius on Wednesday that the House was in constant contact with Mr Azzopardi's family and hospital authorities and the MP would be brought to Malta to continue his treatment here.
The Gozitan MP formed part of a Maltese delegation for the autumn session of the parliamentary assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which met in Marrakech.
He fell ill on the final day of the meeting on Sunday.
Dr Farrugia thanked the medical authorities and the staff of the House for their assistance.
He fell ill while attending a conference in Morocco
NationalParliament
Frederick Azzopardi.
Nationalist MP Frederick Azzopardi is to be brought to Malta by air ambulance after falling ill while attending a parliamentary conference in Morocco.
Speaker Anġlu Farrugia told parliament when asked by MP David Agius on Wednesday that the House was in constant contact with Mr Azzopardi's family and hospital authorities and the MP would be brought to Malta to continue his treatment here.
The Gozitan MP formed part of a Maltese delegation for the autumn session of the parliamentary assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which met in Marrakech.
He fell ill on the final day of the meeting on Sunday.
Dr Farrugia thanked the medical authorities and the staff of the House for their assistance.
Work on 'mini-Buskett' to start next year, four years after project announcement
The park will be centred on three valleys between Mosta and Naxxar
NationalEnvironment
Buskett is unrivalled in size and diversity.A project announced in 2016 for a 'mini-Buskett' in the centre of Malta is still in its infancy, according to information given in Parliament on Wednesday.
Jason Azzopardi, shadow minister for the environment, asked minister Jose' Herrera what had become of the project announced on June 3, 2016. At the time, the minister had said that Malta was crying out for trees and this would be a 'self-sustainable park – large enough for wildlife to settle again'.
Dr Azzopardi also asked where the project would be sited.
In his reply, Dr Herrera said that Ambjent Malta had identified a site between Naxxar and Mosta consisting of parts of Wied il-Għasel, Wied Santa Katerina and Wied Għajn Riħana. This site hosted a range of flora and fauna but had lost much of its characteristics and needed to be rehabilitated.
The project would include the restoration of the valleys to better handle stormwater and avoid flooding of neighbouring fields, restoration of rubble walls, scientific monitoring of the valleys, removal of invasive trees, and the planting of some 3,000 indigenous trees to promote biodiversity.
Dr Herrera said a lot of administrative work had been done to date, including an application for EU funds. Tender documents were being prepared and work on the valleys was expected to start at the end of next year.
The park will be centred on three valleys between Mosta and Naxxar
NationalEnvironment
Buskett is unrivalled in size and diversity.A project announced in 2016 for a 'mini-Buskett' in the centre of Malta is still in its infancy, according to information given in Parliament on Wednesday.
Jason Azzopardi, shadow minister for the environment, asked minister Jose' Herrera what had become of the project announced on June 3, 2016. At the time, the minister had said that Malta was crying out for trees and this would be a 'self-sustainable park – large enough for wildlife to settle again'.
Dr Azzopardi also asked where the project would be sited.
In his reply, Dr Herrera said that Ambjent Malta had identified a site between Naxxar and Mosta consisting of parts of Wied il-Għasel, Wied Santa Katerina and Wied Għajn Riħana. This site hosted a range of flora and fauna but had lost much of its characteristics and needed to be rehabilitated.
The project would include the restoration of the valleys to better handle stormwater and avoid flooding of neighbouring fields, restoration of rubble walls, scientific monitoring of the valleys, removal of invasive trees, and the planting of some 3,000 indigenous trees to promote biodiversity.
Dr Herrera said a lot of administrative work had been done to date, including an application for EU funds. Tender documents were being prepared and work on the valleys was expected to start at the end of next year.
Gozo Football League
Gharb Rangers FC vs Nadur Youngsters FC 0 - 4
at Gozo Stadium
GFA BOV GFL Division I
Gharb Rangers FC– FT (0-4) – Nadur Youngsters FC
Referee: Slobodan Petrovic
3’ (0-1) Predrag Dordevic
16’ (0-2) Shaun Attard
53’ (0-3) Marcelo Barbosa
81’ (0-4) Chris Camilleri
Photos: GFA/Anthony Cassar
Gharb Rangers FC vs Nadur Youngsters FC 0 - 4
at Gozo Stadium
GFA BOV GFL Division I
Gharb Rangers FC– FT (0-4) – Nadur Youngsters FC
Referee: Slobodan Petrovic
3’ (0-1) Predrag Dordevic
16’ (0-2) Shaun Attard
53’ (0-3) Marcelo Barbosa
81’ (0-4) Chris Camilleri
Photos: GFA/Anthony Cassar
Small tremor felt in Gozo
The ground was felt shaking just before
NationalGozo
A chart posted by the University's Seismic Monitoring unit. Times are in GMT.A slight tremor was felt in Gozo late on Tuesday evening.
The University's seismic monitoring station, which has a recorder in Gozo, measured it at magnitude 3.4.
The Seismic Monitoring and Research Group in a brief statement shortly after, reported the tremor as having magnitude 3.7. It was located near Gozo at around 10.24pm and was 'felt clearly' in Gozo and northern Malta.
People who felt the tremor were asked to contact the group at seismic.research.um.edu
Slight tremors are not unusual, and several are felt each year.
But the last one of some note was a 4.4 magnitude tremor felt all over Malta and Gozo on January 13, 2016. It caused no damage, but generated quite a number of good-natured memes.
A minor earthquake in the afternoon of July 7, 2003 also caused some people to run out into the streets but caused no damage.
Older people also remember a panic in the streets when a tremor was felt across Malta just after 11pm on March 21, 1972.
Malta has, however, had its share of damaging seismic activity over the ages.
The most significant was that of 1693, which caused severe damage to buildings in Valletta and especially in Mdina. The cathedral was among the structures that were badly damaged. It was eventually demolished and replaced by the present building.
The ground was felt shaking just before
NationalGozo
A chart posted by the University's Seismic Monitoring unit. Times are in GMT.A slight tremor was felt in Gozo late on Tuesday evening.
The University's seismic monitoring station, which has a recorder in Gozo, measured it at magnitude 3.4.
The Seismic Monitoring and Research Group in a brief statement shortly after, reported the tremor as having magnitude 3.7. It was located near Gozo at around 10.24pm and was 'felt clearly' in Gozo and northern Malta.
People who felt the tremor were asked to contact the group at seismic.research.um.edu
Slight tremors are not unusual, and several are felt each year.
But the last one of some note was a 4.4 magnitude tremor felt all over Malta and Gozo on January 13, 2016. It caused no damage, but generated quite a number of good-natured memes.
A minor earthquake in the afternoon of July 7, 2003 also caused some people to run out into the streets but caused no damage.
Older people also remember a panic in the streets when a tremor was felt across Malta just after 11pm on March 21, 1972.
Malta has, however, had its share of damaging seismic activity over the ages.
The most significant was that of 1693, which caused severe damage to buildings in Valletta and especially in Mdina. The cathedral was among the structures that were badly damaged. It was eventually demolished and replaced by the present building.
ERA orders Gozo illegal quarry to stop operating
The quarry has been engaged in illegal operations for the past 20 years
NationalGozo
By Ivan Camilleri
The quarry, in the outskirts of San Lawrenz, has been engaged in illegal operations.An illegal quarry in Gozo, which has been accepting construction waste without a licence, has been ordered to stop operations until further notice.
The ‘stop order’ was issued by the Environment and Resources Authority, which has imposed a daily fine on the operators if they fail to comply.
The quarry, known as Tal-Misraħ in the outskirts of San Lawrenz, has been engaged in illegal operations for the past 20 years. But despite having been served with planning authority enforcement orders, direct action has never been taken and it continues to extract soft limestone without the required permit.
Last week, Times of Malta reported that apart from illegal quarrying, the operators, Joseph and Randu Zammit, were also using the quarry for the dumping of inert waste from the construction industry without the necessary permits from the PA and ERA.
Last week, ERA said it was monitoring the situation and that action against the operation was “imminent”.
ERA issued a verbal stop order two weeks ago
On Monday, a spokeswoman confirmed that a formal ‘Stop and Compliance’ order has now been served, meaning all works at the quarry, including the extraction of limestone and the dumping of waste, has to stop.
“ERA issued a verbal stop order two weeks ago,” the spokes-woman said. “Last Wednesday, a Stop and Compliance order was issued on site and also sent to the owner, who is now facing daily fines,” she said, underlining that this order applied to the entire quarry.
Industry sources said building contractors were now being directed to three other quarries in Gozo licensed to carry out dumping operations. The quarries, owned by private companies, are situated in San Lawrenz, Kerċem and Qala.
According to the sources, the ERA’s decision should not affect the construction industry as there is plenty of space in the other quarries where the waste could be disposed of.
The Tal-Misraħ quarry is situated on public land which was leased to third parties many years ago. During the late 1990s the operators allegedly started expanding quarrying into areas not covered by permits.
An enforcement order issued by the planning authority was ignored and the work carried on. Recently, the operators resuscitated their application to sanction the illegalities.
However, the ERA has objected to the commencement of this process, arguing that the operators had first to reverse all the illegalities they carried out over the years.
When asked why no direct action was ever taken to stop the illegalities, a spokesman for the Planning Authority said “the direct action was put on hold until the outcome of the planning application” to sanction the illegalities.
The quarry has been engaged in illegal operations for the past 20 years
NationalGozo
By Ivan Camilleri
The quarry, in the outskirts of San Lawrenz, has been engaged in illegal operations.An illegal quarry in Gozo, which has been accepting construction waste without a licence, has been ordered to stop operations until further notice.
The ‘stop order’ was issued by the Environment and Resources Authority, which has imposed a daily fine on the operators if they fail to comply.
The quarry, known as Tal-Misraħ in the outskirts of San Lawrenz, has been engaged in illegal operations for the past 20 years. But despite having been served with planning authority enforcement orders, direct action has never been taken and it continues to extract soft limestone without the required permit.
Last week, Times of Malta reported that apart from illegal quarrying, the operators, Joseph and Randu Zammit, were also using the quarry for the dumping of inert waste from the construction industry without the necessary permits from the PA and ERA.
Last week, ERA said it was monitoring the situation and that action against the operation was “imminent”.
ERA issued a verbal stop order two weeks ago
On Monday, a spokeswoman confirmed that a formal ‘Stop and Compliance’ order has now been served, meaning all works at the quarry, including the extraction of limestone and the dumping of waste, has to stop.
“ERA issued a verbal stop order two weeks ago,” the spokes-woman said. “Last Wednesday, a Stop and Compliance order was issued on site and also sent to the owner, who is now facing daily fines,” she said, underlining that this order applied to the entire quarry.
Industry sources said building contractors were now being directed to three other quarries in Gozo licensed to carry out dumping operations. The quarries, owned by private companies, are situated in San Lawrenz, Kerċem and Qala.
According to the sources, the ERA’s decision should not affect the construction industry as there is plenty of space in the other quarries where the waste could be disposed of.
The Tal-Misraħ quarry is situated on public land which was leased to third parties many years ago. During the late 1990s the operators allegedly started expanding quarrying into areas not covered by permits.
An enforcement order issued by the planning authority was ignored and the work carried on. Recently, the operators resuscitated their application to sanction the illegalities.
However, the ERA has objected to the commencement of this process, arguing that the operators had first to reverse all the illegalities they carried out over the years.
When asked why no direct action was ever taken to stop the illegalities, a spokesman for the Planning Authority said “the direct action was put on hold until the outcome of the planning application” to sanction the illegalities.
Elderly man injured after being hit by firearm in Gozo
An elderly man was severely injured after being hit by a firearm during an argument he had with another man in Gozo
7 October 2019, 3:52pm
by Laura Calleja
The incident took place at 10:20am in Triq Tas-Salib, Xewkija
An elderly man was severely injured after being hit by a firearm during an argument he had with another man, on Monday in Gozo.
The incident took place at 10:20am in Triq Tas-Salib, Xewkija.
The police said that a heated argument had taken place between an 87-year-old man and a 35-year-old man, both from Xewkija.
The victim was taken to Gozo General Hospital for further treatment, where it was later certified he was suffering from severe injuries.
Magistrate Paul Coppini has been appointed to the case.
A police investigation is ongoing.
An elderly man was severely injured after being hit by a firearm during an argument he had with another man in Gozo
7 October 2019, 3:52pm
by Laura Calleja
The incident took place at 10:20am in Triq Tas-Salib, Xewkija
An elderly man was severely injured after being hit by a firearm during an argument he had with another man, on Monday in Gozo.
The incident took place at 10:20am in Triq Tas-Salib, Xewkija.
The police said that a heated argument had taken place between an 87-year-old man and a 35-year-old man, both from Xewkija.
The victim was taken to Gozo General Hospital for further treatment, where it was later certified he was suffering from severe injuries.
Magistrate Paul Coppini has been appointed to the case.
A police investigation is ongoing.
Prime Minister met with Caruana Galizia family over public inquiry
Joseph Muscat tells Parliament other meetings could be held
7 October 2019, 5:13pm
by Kurt Sansone
The Prime Minister has met the legal representatives of the Caruana Galizia family over their concerns on the public inquiry into the assassination
The Prime Minister met the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia and their legal representatives to discuss the public inquiry into the journalist’s assassination.
Joseph Muscat told Parliament on Monday that he had one meeting and did not exclude holding other meetings with the family’s legal representatives. It was later clarified that family members were also present for the meeting at Castille.
The Caruana Galizia family cast doubt on members appointed by the Prime Minister to conduct a public inquiry into the assassination.
Last month, Muscat tasked retired judge Michael Mallia, constitutional law professor Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici, to conduct a public inquiry that would also probe whether anything could have been done to prevent the murder.
The original request for an inquiry had been made by the Caruana Galizia family but government kept insisting that it had legal advice against such an inquiry while criminal investigations were ongoing.
However, last May, the Council of Europe adopted a damning report on the rule of law in Malta, which gave the government three months to appoint a public inquiry into the assassination. The government eventually complied at the end of the deadline.
The Caruana Galizia family said Mallia and Refalo had a conflict of interest and were unsuitable to sit on the inquiry. Abela Medici’s expertise was secondary to the task at hand, the family added.
Muscat had immediately accepted a request by the family to meet. It is unclear when the meeting took place and in Parliament this evening, the Prime Minister did not divulge what was discussed.
The Opposition welcomed the choice of Mallia but cast doubt on the appointment of Refalo and Abela Medici. Opposition leader Adrian Delia had also called on the Prime Minister to consult with the family on the composition of the inquiry.
Joseph Muscat tells Parliament other meetings could be held
7 October 2019, 5:13pm
by Kurt Sansone
The Prime Minister has met the legal representatives of the Caruana Galizia family over their concerns on the public inquiry into the assassination
The Prime Minister met the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia and their legal representatives to discuss the public inquiry into the journalist’s assassination.
Joseph Muscat told Parliament on Monday that he had one meeting and did not exclude holding other meetings with the family’s legal representatives. It was later clarified that family members were also present for the meeting at Castille.
The Caruana Galizia family cast doubt on members appointed by the Prime Minister to conduct a public inquiry into the assassination.
Last month, Muscat tasked retired judge Michael Mallia, constitutional law professor Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici, to conduct a public inquiry that would also probe whether anything could have been done to prevent the murder.
The original request for an inquiry had been made by the Caruana Galizia family but government kept insisting that it had legal advice against such an inquiry while criminal investigations were ongoing.
However, last May, the Council of Europe adopted a damning report on the rule of law in Malta, which gave the government three months to appoint a public inquiry into the assassination. The government eventually complied at the end of the deadline.
The Caruana Galizia family said Mallia and Refalo had a conflict of interest and were unsuitable to sit on the inquiry. Abela Medici’s expertise was secondary to the task at hand, the family added.
Muscat had immediately accepted a request by the family to meet. It is unclear when the meeting took place and in Parliament this evening, the Prime Minister did not divulge what was discussed.
The Opposition welcomed the choice of Mallia but cast doubt on the appointment of Refalo and Abela Medici. Opposition leader Adrian Delia had also called on the Prime Minister to consult with the family on the composition of the inquiry.
Xagħra archpriest amongst favourites to replace Mario Grech as bishop of Gozo - reports
Mons. Carmelo Refalo is being mentioned as the preferred person to replace Grech
6 October 2019, 3:02pm
by Massimo Costa
Mons Carmelo Refalo
The archpriest of Xagħra, Mons. Carmelo Refalo, is one of the top possible choices to replace Mario Grech as bishop of Gozo, according to reports.
The Vatican announced earlier this week that Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has been appointed by Pope Francis to serve as secretary general of the synod of bishops, one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church.
Amongst the favourites to take his place is Mons. Refalo, Xagħra’s archpriest, It-Torca reported on Sunday.
Various members of the clergy have said that Refalo’s is the name being most frequently mentioned as the new Gozo bishop, the newspaper said.
Read also: Gozo to get new bishop after Pope Francis appoints Mgr Mario Grech to top church role
It said, however, that other possible candidates are also being considered, including a monsignor from Malta, who is apparently less preferred by the Gozitan clergy.
“We believe [Refalo] is the best person who can leads the Gozitan diocese at the moment,” the clergy sources told the newspaper, “We believe our diocese should be led by a Gozitan.”
Another source described Refalo as “a valid person and an ideal one to assume this role”.
Grech will continue to serve as apostolic administrator of the Gozo diocese until a new bishop is appointed.
Once he leaves Gozo, he will head the synod of bishops, which is one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church.
Grech will formally take over from current secretary general Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri when his term ends in August 2020.
CoE rapporteur hits out at government after Daphne murder reports
PM yet to react to revelations
NationalPolitics Daphne Caruana Galizia
Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated outside her Bidnija home in October 2017
Sunday’s media revelations raise serious questions about whether Malta’s authorities really left no stone unturned in response to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Council of Europe rapporteur has said.
Pieter Omtzigt also queried whether information about the police investigation could have been passed up the chain, reaching top government officials and eventually “passed on” to potential suspects.
Pieter Omtzigt✔@PieterOmtzigtToday's Malta media revelations raise serious questions about whether the authorities really left no stone unturned in their response to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia: here are some of them @BorgJake @Earthling70 @Manwel_Delia
Through a series of hard-hitting tweets, Dutch MP Omtzigt was reacting to a story in The Sunday Times of Malta, which reported how a major businessman is one of the key potential suspects behind the October 2017 car bombing.
Mr Omtzigt raised serious questions about whether there will ever be justice for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, given the Prime Minister’s firm grip on key institutions.
“If Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi are connected to a potential suspect and their boss, Joseph Muscat, appoints the police chief, the Attorney General and the judges, can there ever be justice for Daphne?”, the MP questioned.
The Prime Minister’s office did not respond to an immediate request for comment on the key points raised by Mr Omtzigt.
A Council of Europe report compiled by Mr Omtzigt about the journalist's death concluded that Mr Schembri and Dr Mizzi enjoy "total impunity" under the Prime Minister's protection.
Mr Omtzigt questioned why no arrests had been made beyond the three suspects charged with carrying out the bomb plot.
He asked if Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and the head of the economic crimes unit Ian Abdilla had done everything they should in relation to secret company 17 Black.
He also queried why the government refused to strike a deal with one of the suspects, Vince Muscat.
The MP asked if everything necessary was being done to protect him, along with other potential witnesses, as well as the lawyers and journalists involved.
Following through on this point, Mr Omtzigt also questioned if everything necessary was being done to preserve evidence and prevent the flight of potential witnesses and suspects.
“Why has the Attorney General not used his powers to secure evidence?”
All of these questions must be examined by the independent public inquiry, which is all the more reason why it must be truly independent and public, unlike the current proposal, the Council of Europe rapporteur said.
Mr Omtzigt also picked up on reports about judge Aaron Bugeja recusing himself from the upcoming trial of the three suspects.
He questioned how much disruption this recusal will cause to the upcoming case.
PM yet to react to revelations
NationalPolitics Daphne Caruana Galizia
Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated outside her Bidnija home in October 2017
Sunday’s media revelations raise serious questions about whether Malta’s authorities really left no stone unturned in response to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Council of Europe rapporteur has said.
Pieter Omtzigt also queried whether information about the police investigation could have been passed up the chain, reaching top government officials and eventually “passed on” to potential suspects.
Pieter Omtzigt✔@PieterOmtzigtToday's Malta media revelations raise serious questions about whether the authorities really left no stone unturned in their response to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia: here are some of them @BorgJake @Earthling70 @Manwel_Delia
Through a series of hard-hitting tweets, Dutch MP Omtzigt was reacting to a story in The Sunday Times of Malta, which reported how a major businessman is one of the key potential suspects behind the October 2017 car bombing.
Mr Omtzigt raised serious questions about whether there will ever be justice for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, given the Prime Minister’s firm grip on key institutions.
“If Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi are connected to a potential suspect and their boss, Joseph Muscat, appoints the police chief, the Attorney General and the judges, can there ever be justice for Daphne?”, the MP questioned.
The Prime Minister’s office did not respond to an immediate request for comment on the key points raised by Mr Omtzigt.
A Council of Europe report compiled by Mr Omtzigt about the journalist's death concluded that Mr Schembri and Dr Mizzi enjoy "total impunity" under the Prime Minister's protection.
Mr Omtzigt questioned why no arrests had been made beyond the three suspects charged with carrying out the bomb plot.
He asked if Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and the head of the economic crimes unit Ian Abdilla had done everything they should in relation to secret company 17 Black.
He also queried why the government refused to strike a deal with one of the suspects, Vince Muscat.
The MP asked if everything necessary was being done to protect him, along with other potential witnesses, as well as the lawyers and journalists involved.
Following through on this point, Mr Omtzigt also questioned if everything necessary was being done to preserve evidence and prevent the flight of potential witnesses and suspects.
“Why has the Attorney General not used his powers to secure evidence?”
All of these questions must be examined by the independent public inquiry, which is all the more reason why it must be truly independent and public, unlike the current proposal, the Council of Europe rapporteur said.
Mr Omtzigt also picked up on reports about judge Aaron Bugeja recusing himself from the upcoming trial of the three suspects.
He questioned how much disruption this recusal will cause to the upcoming case.
Mons. Antoine Camilleri ordnat Arcisqof mill-Papa
Minn Beppe Galea
5 ta' Ottubru 2019
Fir-ritratt jidhru (mix-xellug): Dun Jesmond Manicaro, l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna, l-Arċisqof Antoine Camilleri, l-Isqof Galea-Curmi u Dun Gordon Refalo. Huma lkoll, ħlief Mons. Scicluna, ġew ordnati saċerdoti fl-istess sena, jiġifieri fl-1991.
Ilbieraħ saret l-Ordinazzjoni Episkopali mill-Papa Frangisku ta’ Mons. Antoine Camilleri, Arcisqof Titulari, fil-Bażilika ta’ San Pietru fil-Vatikan.
Flimkien mal-Arċisqof Camilleri ġew ordnati tliet isqfijiet oħra: patri Ġiżwita Kanadiż imwieled ir-Repubblika Ċeka u żewġ saċerdoti djoċesani Taljani. Preżenti għall-Quddiesa tal-ordinazzjoni kien hemm il-Kardinal Prospero Grech, l-Arcisqof Charles J. Scicluna, l-Isqof Awziljarju Joseph Galea-Curmi, l-Isqof Mario Grech, għadd ta’ saċerdoti Maltin, qraba ta’ Mons. Camilleri u għadd ta’ persuni mill-parrocca tiegħu, dik ta’ Stella Maris, Tas-Sliema.
FL-Omelija tiegħu il-Papa Franġisku qalilhom li huma ġew magħżula minn Alla u fisser kif l-Episkopat tagħhom mhux unur iżda servizz. Appellalhom ukoll biex ixandru l-Kelma f’kull opportunità li jkollhom. Il-Papa kompla bil-pariri tiegħu lill-Isqfijiet il-ġodda billi qalilhom ikunu fidili lejn it-tagħlim tal-Knisja u l-misteri ta’ Kristu billi dejjem isegwu l-eżempju tar-Ragħaj it-Tajjeb li “jaf lin-nagħaġ tiegħu, huma jafuh u ma jiddejjaqx jagħti ħajtu għalihom”.
L-Arcisqof Antoine Camilleri, li fl-2013 inhatar sottosegretarju tas-Santa Sede ghar-Relazzjonijiet bejn l-Istati, issa ser ikun qed iservi bhala Nunzju Appostoliku.
Minn Beppe Galea
5 ta' Ottubru 2019
Fir-ritratt jidhru (mix-xellug): Dun Jesmond Manicaro, l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna, l-Arċisqof Antoine Camilleri, l-Isqof Galea-Curmi u Dun Gordon Refalo. Huma lkoll, ħlief Mons. Scicluna, ġew ordnati saċerdoti fl-istess sena, jiġifieri fl-1991.
Ilbieraħ saret l-Ordinazzjoni Episkopali mill-Papa Frangisku ta’ Mons. Antoine Camilleri, Arcisqof Titulari, fil-Bażilika ta’ San Pietru fil-Vatikan.
Flimkien mal-Arċisqof Camilleri ġew ordnati tliet isqfijiet oħra: patri Ġiżwita Kanadiż imwieled ir-Repubblika Ċeka u żewġ saċerdoti djoċesani Taljani. Preżenti għall-Quddiesa tal-ordinazzjoni kien hemm il-Kardinal Prospero Grech, l-Arcisqof Charles J. Scicluna, l-Isqof Awziljarju Joseph Galea-Curmi, l-Isqof Mario Grech, għadd ta’ saċerdoti Maltin, qraba ta’ Mons. Camilleri u għadd ta’ persuni mill-parrocca tiegħu, dik ta’ Stella Maris, Tas-Sliema.
FL-Omelija tiegħu il-Papa Franġisku qalilhom li huma ġew magħżula minn Alla u fisser kif l-Episkopat tagħhom mhux unur iżda servizz. Appellalhom ukoll biex ixandru l-Kelma f’kull opportunità li jkollhom. Il-Papa kompla bil-pariri tiegħu lill-Isqfijiet il-ġodda billi qalilhom ikunu fidili lejn it-tagħlim tal-Knisja u l-misteri ta’ Kristu billi dejjem isegwu l-eżempju tar-Ragħaj it-Tajjeb li “jaf lin-nagħaġ tiegħu, huma jafuh u ma jiddejjaqx jagħti ħajtu għalihom”.
L-Arcisqof Antoine Camilleri, li fl-2013 inhatar sottosegretarju tas-Santa Sede ghar-Relazzjonijiet bejn l-Istati, issa ser ikun qed iservi bhala Nunzju Appostoliku.
Repubblika issues new inquiry request over VGH Scandal
By Gordon Watson
October 4, 2019
Rule of law NGO Repubblika, issues a new request for an inquiry into the scandal surrounding Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi, despite yesterday’s court decision to drop the inquiry.
The rule of law NGO Repubblika has asked its lawyer Jason Azzopardi to issue a new request for an in-genere inquiry into the VGH scandal.
The move comes after yesterday’s decision by Judge Giovanni Grixti within the Court of Appeal, dropped Repubblika’s earlier request for an inquiry which had been upheld by Magistrate Claire Straface Zammit.
The inquiry was intended for investigating allegations of criminal involvement by the Minister for Finance, Economy and Tourism, Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi respectively.
The initial inquiry was thrown out because Judge Grixti found that the, ‘investigations by journalists publishing in newspapers or online are not a suitable basis for starting an inquiry.’
Repubblika say it disagrees with this, adding that this raises questions surrounding the value of the media and its role in holding public figures accountable.
‘In democracies the work of journalists is an indispensable component of the functioning of the rule of law. Investigative journalism publishes what institutions fail to do and provoke therefore those same institutions to make up for their failure and act.’
Repubblika goes on to say that the decision made by the court suggests that media reports about public figure’s misdeeds can be immediately discounted and viewed as ‘untrue’.
Read more:
VGH hospitals’ deal: Magisterial Inquiry quashed
AG refuses to issue European Investigative Order on VGH-linked bank accounts
Mizzi, Cardona and Scicluna must be made to exhibit copies of Egrant report – Repubblika
Along with disagreeing with the court’s rejection of the inquiry, they also disagree with how the court had accused them of, ‘providing too much information and detail in our submission and that the information we supplied was too sparse to justify the opening of an inquiry.’
They add that there had been a threat to the presumption of innocence presented by the evidence provided. Repubblika again quashes this saying that there had been no threat.
‘There is no such thing as a right to not being investigated but that is exactly what yesterday’s decree and a similar decision earlier this year quashing an order for an inquiry into the Panama Papers has established.’
‘To link the presumption of innocence to the alleged absence of “facts” other than “opinions of bloggers and newspapers” amounts to a prevarication of the facts as stated in Repubblika’s application. The Police can commence an investigation even on an anonymous tip-off. But this judgement requires that a judicial investigation must have boiler proof evidence cast in steel before the magistrate starts looking into it. That is, no doubt, a convenience for corrupt ministers but an injustice for citizens of this country,’ Repubblika adds.
By Gordon Watson
October 4, 2019
Rule of law NGO Repubblika, issues a new request for an inquiry into the scandal surrounding Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi, despite yesterday’s court decision to drop the inquiry.
The rule of law NGO Repubblika has asked its lawyer Jason Azzopardi to issue a new request for an in-genere inquiry into the VGH scandal.
The move comes after yesterday’s decision by Judge Giovanni Grixti within the Court of Appeal, dropped Repubblika’s earlier request for an inquiry which had been upheld by Magistrate Claire Straface Zammit.
The inquiry was intended for investigating allegations of criminal involvement by the Minister for Finance, Economy and Tourism, Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi respectively.
The initial inquiry was thrown out because Judge Grixti found that the, ‘investigations by journalists publishing in newspapers or online are not a suitable basis for starting an inquiry.’
Repubblika say it disagrees with this, adding that this raises questions surrounding the value of the media and its role in holding public figures accountable.
‘In democracies the work of journalists is an indispensable component of the functioning of the rule of law. Investigative journalism publishes what institutions fail to do and provoke therefore those same institutions to make up for their failure and act.’
Repubblika goes on to say that the decision made by the court suggests that media reports about public figure’s misdeeds can be immediately discounted and viewed as ‘untrue’.
Read more:
VGH hospitals’ deal: Magisterial Inquiry quashed
AG refuses to issue European Investigative Order on VGH-linked bank accounts
Mizzi, Cardona and Scicluna must be made to exhibit copies of Egrant report – Repubblika
Along with disagreeing with the court’s rejection of the inquiry, they also disagree with how the court had accused them of, ‘providing too much information and detail in our submission and that the information we supplied was too sparse to justify the opening of an inquiry.’
They add that there had been a threat to the presumption of innocence presented by the evidence provided. Repubblika again quashes this saying that there had been no threat.
‘There is no such thing as a right to not being investigated but that is exactly what yesterday’s decree and a similar decision earlier this year quashing an order for an inquiry into the Panama Papers has established.’
‘To link the presumption of innocence to the alleged absence of “facts” other than “opinions of bloggers and newspapers” amounts to a prevarication of the facts as stated in Repubblika’s application. The Police can commence an investigation even on an anonymous tip-off. But this judgement requires that a judicial investigation must have boiler proof evidence cast in steel before the magistrate starts looking into it. That is, no doubt, a convenience for corrupt ministers but an injustice for citizens of this country,’ Repubblika adds.
British man arrested in Gozo over cannabis possession
The man had been on the run after breaching bail conditions
4 October 2019,
by David Hudson
A British 18-year-old was arrested on Friday in Victoria, Gozo, after he was found in possession of suspected cannabis ready to be trafficked.
The police had been searching for the youth after he had breached bail conditions. He was eventually intercepted at Victoria.
The man is expected to be arraigned in a Gozitan court with charges related to aggravated drug possession and recidivism as well as committing such a crime in the vicinity of a school.
Police investigations are ongoing.
The man had been on the run after breaching bail conditions
4 October 2019,
by David Hudson
A British 18-year-old was arrested on Friday in Victoria, Gozo, after he was found in possession of suspected cannabis ready to be trafficked.
The police had been searching for the youth after he had breached bail conditions. He was eventually intercepted at Victoria.
The man is expected to be arraigned in a Gozitan court with charges related to aggravated drug possession and recidivism as well as committing such a crime in the vicinity of a school.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Halloween in Nadur – Get your costume ready for some spooky fun!
BY GOZO NEWS
OCTOBER 3, 2019
A night of Halloween activities will be back in Nadur this month, when the centre of the village will become the spooky location for lots of fun and entertainment.
Visitors of all ages are encouraged to go along in costume if possible, to enjoy an evening of music, dance performances, a fire show, pumpkin carving, kids events and a Rock Charity Concert in aid of Puttinu Cares.
There will also be Biggest Carved Pumpkin competition and Malta Records – Most Halloween Decorated House in Malta.
So pack your costume and don’t be scared, this 6th edition of Halloween in Nadur is on Thursday, the 31st of October, from 6pm onwards – don’t miss it.
The event is being held by the Nadur Local Council in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo.
BY GOZO NEWS
OCTOBER 3, 2019
A night of Halloween activities will be back in Nadur this month, when the centre of the village will become the spooky location for lots of fun and entertainment.
Visitors of all ages are encouraged to go along in costume if possible, to enjoy an evening of music, dance performances, a fire show, pumpkin carving, kids events and a Rock Charity Concert in aid of Puttinu Cares.
There will also be Biggest Carved Pumpkin competition and Malta Records – Most Halloween Decorated House in Malta.
So pack your costume and don’t be scared, this 6th edition of Halloween in Nadur is on Thursday, the 31st of October, from 6pm onwards – don’t miss it.
The event is being held by the Nadur Local Council in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo.
Criminal Court revokes inquiry into VGH hospital transfer
Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti deemed that the 'facts' brought by Repubblika stating that the VGH transfer merited an investigation were a collection of journalistic opinions, blogs and other opinions which the NGO chose to amalgamate
3 October 2019, 7:20pm
by Matthew Agius
Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti overturned a ruling to hold an inquiry into the transfer of hospital concessions to Vitals
The Criminal Court has revoked an order to hold a magisterial inquiry into the transfer of three public hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare that would have placed Ministers Konrad Mizzi, Edward Scicluna and Chris Cardona under magisterial scrutiny.
The inquiry had been requested by rule of law NGO Repubblika in order to establish whether Scicluna, Cardona and Mizzi as well as Technoline managing director Ivan Vassallo had given the group of investors behind VGH an unfair advantage in the contract’s selection process.
The allegation had been made in the press.
Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit had upheld the request last July, defending investigative journalists, saying their work was crucial to ensure democracy in the country.
But in a decree handed down in the past hours, Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti overturned Magistrate Stafrace Zammit’s ruling.
The ministers had replied to the allegations by saying that they were simply “a series of empty conclusions and speculation that is not supported by evidence of wrongdoing.”
It was not true that the alleged wrongdoing had not been investigated, said the ministers, rather it had been investigated by the National Audit Office and the Auditor General. Many “gratuitous allegations and falsehoods” had been said with regards to the deal, they argued, listing the alleged involvement of Crossrange Holdings, Gozo Global Healthcare, Gozo International Medicare among them.
After a detailed decription of the various milestones in this case, the court criticised the attitude taken by Repubblika it its repeated re-introduction of documents the court had ordered to be expunged from the case file.
The applicants had also made their request for an inquiry under the wrong subarticle of the law, said Mr. Justice Grixti.
The ministers were also right to complain about the irregular release of documents, part of the inquiry’s secret proceedings, to Repubblika and the press. The magistrate was right in ordering the police to investigate the leaks.
On the merits of the decision, Magistrate Stafrace Zammit had ruled that “The person filing the report need not describe the subject matter in all its detail – this should result from the inquiry and is precisely the reason for which the inquiry is held. It is the role of the inquiring magistrate to hold site visits and investigate the case on allegations made to him and must principally collect and preserve all direct and indirect proof.”
The magistrate erred, however, when she based her decision on the facts as laid out in the application and the amount of documents presented in this context, said the judge.
“This court does not agree at all with this proposal because the law obliged precisely the opposite…Therefore the decision of the Magistrate rooted in her opinion that the complainants did not have this obligation is a mistaken decision. The Magistrate cannot authorise a dispensation from the obligations of the complainant.”
Despite this, said the judge, he had minutely examined the application and the documents attached to it, “including the volume of footnotes that in the most part, refer to writings on internet blogs and internet news reports and the like.” Likewise the replies of the suspects and the documents they referred to, as well as all the observations made during the course of these proceedings.
“Few, if any, are those facts which the complainants know personally,” noted the court, saying they had only declared this on one occasion. Rather, the facts stated were a collection of journalistic opinions, bloggers and other opinions which they chose to amalgamate so as to take as a fait accompli that the suspected persons had a plan made well in advance to award the hospital concessions to VGH, a company without experience in hospital management, that was given millions of euros which went to nobody knows where and that all this was done with the intention of benefiting all those involved…”
This included the ministers who would “in an unexplained manner be guilty of laundering money that after all was the public’s money.”
“This is why it was of maximal importance that the law be followed in all its details and not practically exempt the complainants from a crucial aspect of the elements of the complaint and arrive at a conclusion with that indispensable element excluded.”
The fact that the majority of the allegations rested mostly on reporting or opinions by journalists or bloggers who themselves rely on sources who are not identified, did not help, said the judge.
A journalist or blogger can say that according to anonymous sources, he or she knows that something happened and this source provided a document without indication of the author, such as a report on due diligence, without saying who the author is and who for and which audit company, therefore concluding that the suspected person did so for that reason, the court noted.
“There is no form of control over opinions or conclusions that can be expressed by a journalist who bases his opinion on a secret source. This was why the magistrate had to ensure that all the requisites resulted as explained above,” chided the judge.
The decision by the magistrate to approve the holding of an inquiry was one made through the non-observance of legal provisions regulating the reporting of a crime to a person who is not the AG or a police officer, Grixti said. This shortcoming could not be said to be one of little import, rather it was one of maximum importance, said the court, as a consequence of which the same Magistrate could have never reached the conclusion that she reached.
The judge therefore revoked the magistrate’s decree.
The decision comes over six weeks after the Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit’s original order to start an inquiry. Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti had in January 2019 blocked another inquiry ordered by another magistrate in that case into the Panama Papers scandal.
Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti deemed that the 'facts' brought by Repubblika stating that the VGH transfer merited an investigation were a collection of journalistic opinions, blogs and other opinions which the NGO chose to amalgamate
3 October 2019, 7:20pm
by Matthew Agius
Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti overturned a ruling to hold an inquiry into the transfer of hospital concessions to Vitals
The Criminal Court has revoked an order to hold a magisterial inquiry into the transfer of three public hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare that would have placed Ministers Konrad Mizzi, Edward Scicluna and Chris Cardona under magisterial scrutiny.
The inquiry had been requested by rule of law NGO Repubblika in order to establish whether Scicluna, Cardona and Mizzi as well as Technoline managing director Ivan Vassallo had given the group of investors behind VGH an unfair advantage in the contract’s selection process.
The allegation had been made in the press.
Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit had upheld the request last July, defending investigative journalists, saying their work was crucial to ensure democracy in the country.
But in a decree handed down in the past hours, Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti overturned Magistrate Stafrace Zammit’s ruling.
The ministers had replied to the allegations by saying that they were simply “a series of empty conclusions and speculation that is not supported by evidence of wrongdoing.”
It was not true that the alleged wrongdoing had not been investigated, said the ministers, rather it had been investigated by the National Audit Office and the Auditor General. Many “gratuitous allegations and falsehoods” had been said with regards to the deal, they argued, listing the alleged involvement of Crossrange Holdings, Gozo Global Healthcare, Gozo International Medicare among them.
After a detailed decription of the various milestones in this case, the court criticised the attitude taken by Repubblika it its repeated re-introduction of documents the court had ordered to be expunged from the case file.
The applicants had also made their request for an inquiry under the wrong subarticle of the law, said Mr. Justice Grixti.
The ministers were also right to complain about the irregular release of documents, part of the inquiry’s secret proceedings, to Repubblika and the press. The magistrate was right in ordering the police to investigate the leaks.
On the merits of the decision, Magistrate Stafrace Zammit had ruled that “The person filing the report need not describe the subject matter in all its detail – this should result from the inquiry and is precisely the reason for which the inquiry is held. It is the role of the inquiring magistrate to hold site visits and investigate the case on allegations made to him and must principally collect and preserve all direct and indirect proof.”
The magistrate erred, however, when she based her decision on the facts as laid out in the application and the amount of documents presented in this context, said the judge.
“This court does not agree at all with this proposal because the law obliged precisely the opposite…Therefore the decision of the Magistrate rooted in her opinion that the complainants did not have this obligation is a mistaken decision. The Magistrate cannot authorise a dispensation from the obligations of the complainant.”
Despite this, said the judge, he had minutely examined the application and the documents attached to it, “including the volume of footnotes that in the most part, refer to writings on internet blogs and internet news reports and the like.” Likewise the replies of the suspects and the documents they referred to, as well as all the observations made during the course of these proceedings.
“Few, if any, are those facts which the complainants know personally,” noted the court, saying they had only declared this on one occasion. Rather, the facts stated were a collection of journalistic opinions, bloggers and other opinions which they chose to amalgamate so as to take as a fait accompli that the suspected persons had a plan made well in advance to award the hospital concessions to VGH, a company without experience in hospital management, that was given millions of euros which went to nobody knows where and that all this was done with the intention of benefiting all those involved…”
This included the ministers who would “in an unexplained manner be guilty of laundering money that after all was the public’s money.”
“This is why it was of maximal importance that the law be followed in all its details and not practically exempt the complainants from a crucial aspect of the elements of the complaint and arrive at a conclusion with that indispensable element excluded.”
The fact that the majority of the allegations rested mostly on reporting or opinions by journalists or bloggers who themselves rely on sources who are not identified, did not help, said the judge.
A journalist or blogger can say that according to anonymous sources, he or she knows that something happened and this source provided a document without indication of the author, such as a report on due diligence, without saying who the author is and who for and which audit company, therefore concluding that the suspected person did so for that reason, the court noted.
“There is no form of control over opinions or conclusions that can be expressed by a journalist who bases his opinion on a secret source. This was why the magistrate had to ensure that all the requisites resulted as explained above,” chided the judge.
The decision by the magistrate to approve the holding of an inquiry was one made through the non-observance of legal provisions regulating the reporting of a crime to a person who is not the AG or a police officer, Grixti said. This shortcoming could not be said to be one of little import, rather it was one of maximum importance, said the court, as a consequence of which the same Magistrate could have never reached the conclusion that she reached.
The judge therefore revoked the magistrate’s decree.
The decision comes over six weeks after the Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit’s original order to start an inquiry. Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti had in January 2019 blocked another inquiry ordered by another magistrate in that case into the Panama Papers scandal.
Gozo to get new bishop after Pope Francis appoints Mgr Mario Grech to top church role
Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has been appointed by Pope Francis to serve as secretary general of the synod of bishops, one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church
2 October 2019, 12:00pm
by Kurt Sansone
Pope Francis has appointed Gozo Bishop Mario Grech to the role of Secretary General of the synod of bishops
Gozo will be getting a new bishop shortly after incumbent Mario Grech was appointed secretary general of the synod of bishops by Pope Francis.
Grech’s appointment to the prestigious role was announced today by the Vatican.
He will continue to serve as apostolic administrator of the Gozo diocese until a new bishop is appointed.
Grech will head the synod of bishops, which is one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church. He will formally take over from current secretary general Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri when his term ends in August 2020.
The role Mgr Mario Grech has been given represents the immense trust the Pope has in him... [it] is one of the highest roles ever occupied by a Maltese in the VaticanFrank zammit, Malta's ambassador to the Holy SeeMalta’s ambassador to the Vatican, Frank Zammit, said Grech’s appointment signals the trust Pope Francis has in the Gozo Bishop.
“The role Mgr Mario Grech has been given represents the immense trust the Pope has in him. This role puts Grech at the heart of the collegial decisions bishops take and is one of the highest roles ever occupied by a Maltese in the Vatican,” Zammit said.
Vatican observers believe this appointment would put Grech on the road to become cardinal.
Grech and Archbishop Charles Scicluna had wholeheartedly embraced the Pope’s exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which was a source of controversy within the Catholic church over its opening to divorced Catholics.
Grech and Scicluna faced internal flak from the more conservative elements of the Maltese Catholic church after they issued guidelines to priests in line with Amoris Laetitia.
But their guidelines were seen as a trailblazing initiative at a time when conservative forces were openly challenging the Pope.
Grech, 62, was appointed bishop of Gozo in November 2005. He took possession of the diocese in January 2006.
The Synod of Bishops was established by St Paul VI on 15 September 1965 on request of the bishops who participated in the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council.
Two synods on the family that preceded the Papal exhortation Amoris Laetitia had brought out significant divisions in the Catholic churchPope Francis renewed the structure and made it central to the decision-making process of the Catholic church.
The Synod is composed of a general secretary, an under-secretary and a number of special councils of bishops.
Grech’s first job will be attending the special synod for bishops from the Amazonian region in South America, which open on Sunday in the Vatican. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Grech as a member of this synod.
Grech’s appointment follows that of Archbishop Scicluna, who earlier this year was mandated by Pope Francis to serve as the Holy See’s prosecutor on clerical sex abuse cases.
Maltese bishops congratulate Grech
Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi have congratulated Grech over his new appointment, and thanked him for the work he has done over the past 14 years as head of the Gozo diocese.
The bishops promised their prayers for Grech and the diocese of Gozo.
Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has been appointed by Pope Francis to serve as secretary general of the synod of bishops, one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church
2 October 2019, 12:00pm
by Kurt Sansone
Pope Francis has appointed Gozo Bishop Mario Grech to the role of Secretary General of the synod of bishops
Gozo will be getting a new bishop shortly after incumbent Mario Grech was appointed secretary general of the synod of bishops by Pope Francis.
Grech’s appointment to the prestigious role was announced today by the Vatican.
He will continue to serve as apostolic administrator of the Gozo diocese until a new bishop is appointed.
Grech will head the synod of bishops, which is one of the highest pastoral organs of the Catholic church. He will formally take over from current secretary general Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri when his term ends in August 2020.
The role Mgr Mario Grech has been given represents the immense trust the Pope has in him... [it] is one of the highest roles ever occupied by a Maltese in the VaticanFrank zammit, Malta's ambassador to the Holy SeeMalta’s ambassador to the Vatican, Frank Zammit, said Grech’s appointment signals the trust Pope Francis has in the Gozo Bishop.
“The role Mgr Mario Grech has been given represents the immense trust the Pope has in him. This role puts Grech at the heart of the collegial decisions bishops take and is one of the highest roles ever occupied by a Maltese in the Vatican,” Zammit said.
Vatican observers believe this appointment would put Grech on the road to become cardinal.
Grech and Archbishop Charles Scicluna had wholeheartedly embraced the Pope’s exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which was a source of controversy within the Catholic church over its opening to divorced Catholics.
Grech and Scicluna faced internal flak from the more conservative elements of the Maltese Catholic church after they issued guidelines to priests in line with Amoris Laetitia.
But their guidelines were seen as a trailblazing initiative at a time when conservative forces were openly challenging the Pope.
Grech, 62, was appointed bishop of Gozo in November 2005. He took possession of the diocese in January 2006.
The Synod of Bishops was established by St Paul VI on 15 September 1965 on request of the bishops who participated in the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council.
Two synods on the family that preceded the Papal exhortation Amoris Laetitia had brought out significant divisions in the Catholic churchPope Francis renewed the structure and made it central to the decision-making process of the Catholic church.
The Synod is composed of a general secretary, an under-secretary and a number of special councils of bishops.
Grech’s first job will be attending the special synod for bishops from the Amazonian region in South America, which open on Sunday in the Vatican. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Grech as a member of this synod.
Grech’s appointment follows that of Archbishop Scicluna, who earlier this year was mandated by Pope Francis to serve as the Holy See’s prosecutor on clerical sex abuse cases.
Maltese bishops congratulate Grech
Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi have congratulated Grech over his new appointment, and thanked him for the work he has done over the past 14 years as head of the Gozo diocese.
The bishops promised their prayers for Grech and the diocese of Gozo.
“400 contractors are at a standstill; there is no legal dumping solution” – MDA
By Maria Webb
-
October 1, 2019 9:24 PM
Currently, 400 excavation and demolition contractors are at a standstill as they cannot find a legal dumping solution “at any price.”
This was stated by the Malta Developers Association, which lamented that now “it is no longer a situation of escalating dumping costs pushing up property prices. Members are not finding any dumping sites that will accept their construction waste at any cost.”
The association urged the Government to take action. This is particularly since, according to the association, this problem is not being caused only through private construction projects. It is also being caused through public projects including national
infrastructure and Housing Authority projects that are ongoing.
By Maria Webb
-
October 1, 2019 9:24 PM
Currently, 400 excavation and demolition contractors are at a standstill as they cannot find a legal dumping solution “at any price.”
This was stated by the Malta Developers Association, which lamented that now “it is no longer a situation of escalating dumping costs pushing up property prices. Members are not finding any dumping sites that will accept their construction waste at any cost.”
The association urged the Government to take action. This is particularly since, according to the association, this problem is not being caused only through private construction projects. It is also being caused through public projects including national
infrastructure and Housing Authority projects that are ongoing.
Qormi argument between five, one seriously injured
Three men were hospitalised after a fight that broke out in Qormi with one twenty-year-old grievously injured
1 October 2019, 5:43pm
by David Hudson
The incident was captured on film by someone who had been driving by
An argument between five individuals in Qormi has resulted in three being hospitalised with one 20-year-old seriously injured.
The argument took place on Triq il-Belt Valletta in an area known as Tal-Erba' Qaddisin in Qormi at around 12:05pm on Tuesday.
Footage that was shared on social media shows a burly man beating someone with a rolling pin.
Police said that the argument was between two 20-year-olds resident in Fgura, a 46-year-old Luqa resident, a 33-year-old woman from Fgura and a 65-year-old male resident in Fgura. Police did not clarify what gave rise to the argument.
An ambulance that was called on site transported the two twenty-year-olds and the 46-year-old to hospital.
One of the two twenty-year-olds from Fgura incurred serious injuries. The condition of the other is unknown. The 46-year-old has suffered slight injuries.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Three men were hospitalised after a fight that broke out in Qormi with one twenty-year-old grievously injured
1 October 2019, 5:43pm
by David Hudson
The incident was captured on film by someone who had been driving by
An argument between five individuals in Qormi has resulted in three being hospitalised with one 20-year-old seriously injured.
The argument took place on Triq il-Belt Valletta in an area known as Tal-Erba' Qaddisin in Qormi at around 12:05pm on Tuesday.
Footage that was shared on social media shows a burly man beating someone with a rolling pin.
Police said that the argument was between two 20-year-olds resident in Fgura, a 46-year-old Luqa resident, a 33-year-old woman from Fgura and a 65-year-old male resident in Fgura. Police did not clarify what gave rise to the argument.
An ambulance that was called on site transported the two twenty-year-olds and the 46-year-old to hospital.
One of the two twenty-year-olds from Fgura incurred serious injuries. The condition of the other is unknown. The 46-year-old has suffered slight injuries.
Police investigations are ongoing.
[WATCH] US state of Michigan recognises Maltese-American heritage day
Michigan Democrat MP Darrin Camilleri said that Philadelphia's iconic Liberty Bell had been recast by a Maltese man named John Pace
29 September 2019, 3:25pm
by David Hudson
Watch film here: https://www.facebook.com/darrincamilleri/videos/2441469642748959/
Darrin Camilleri
The US state of Michigan will now be celebrating Maltese-American heritage day on 19 September of every year.
The resolution for the celebration of Maltese-American heritage day was proposed by Maltese-American Democrat representative Darrin Camilleri. The resolution was approved unanimously in Michigan's House of Representatives on September 19 of this year.
Prior to this momentous occasion, Camilleri gave a speech, advancing some of Malta's history.
"Although Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world it has a large impact on this state and our country," he began.
Camilleri talked about Malta participating in the American Revolutionary War when many Maltese joined the French navy to fight in the war of independence and how unbeknownst to many Americans, the Liberty Bell at Philadelphia was recast by a John Stow, originally known as John Pace who had apprenticed in Cospicua, Malta, before emigrating to the US.
Liberty BellAfter the resolution passed, Camilleri asked the Speaker of the House to welcome around 30 Maltese-Americans who had come to watch the proceedings from the gallery.
"Generations of Maltese-Americans have chosen to make Michigan their home and I am so proud of be one of them," he said.
In a Facebook post, Camilleri said that the Maltese community in America was blessed with public servant representatives like Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Justice Brian Zahra and "even potential President Pete Buttigieg."
Buttigieg had been making the rounds on Maltese social media when he announced his 2020 Presidential candidacy on April 14 2019.
Michigan Democrat MP Darrin Camilleri said that Philadelphia's iconic Liberty Bell had been recast by a Maltese man named John Pace
29 September 2019, 3:25pm
by David Hudson
Watch film here: https://www.facebook.com/darrincamilleri/videos/2441469642748959/
Darrin Camilleri
The US state of Michigan will now be celebrating Maltese-American heritage day on 19 September of every year.
The resolution for the celebration of Maltese-American heritage day was proposed by Maltese-American Democrat representative Darrin Camilleri. The resolution was approved unanimously in Michigan's House of Representatives on September 19 of this year.
Prior to this momentous occasion, Camilleri gave a speech, advancing some of Malta's history.
"Although Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world it has a large impact on this state and our country," he began.
Camilleri talked about Malta participating in the American Revolutionary War when many Maltese joined the French navy to fight in the war of independence and how unbeknownst to many Americans, the Liberty Bell at Philadelphia was recast by a John Stow, originally known as John Pace who had apprenticed in Cospicua, Malta, before emigrating to the US.
Liberty BellAfter the resolution passed, Camilleri asked the Speaker of the House to welcome around 30 Maltese-Americans who had come to watch the proceedings from the gallery.
"Generations of Maltese-Americans have chosen to make Michigan their home and I am so proud of be one of them," he said.
In a Facebook post, Camilleri said that the Maltese community in America was blessed with public servant representatives like Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Justice Brian Zahra and "even potential President Pete Buttigieg."
Buttigieg had been making the rounds on Maltese social media when he announced his 2020 Presidential candidacy on April 14 2019.
Council of Europe says Caruana Galizia public inquiry does not meet its expectations
The government of Malta responded to Peter Omtzigt's claims by saying that the PACE rapporteur lacked credibility when he aided a false witness several years ago
30 September 2019, 5:29pm
by David Hudson
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe rapporteur Peter Omtzigt
Peter Omtzigt, rapporteur on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has written that the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder instituted by the Maltese government "does not meet the European Parliamentary Assembly’s expectations."
The Council of Europe has endorsed Omtzigt’s views and has urged the Maltese authorities to “address the issues raised as a matter of urgency.”
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, in a statement, invited the Maltese authorities to address a series of issues with the inquiry’s terms of reference and membership.
Omtzigt said that serious concerns had already been expressed about the independence and impartiality of the three members appointed to carry out the inquiry, the three members being Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia, former Faculty of Laws Dean Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici.
“The composition of the Board of Inquiry must be such as to dispel any reasonable criticism of its actual or apparent independence and impartiality,” Omtzigt wrote.
He added that Caruana Galizia’s family should enjoy “a privileged position” in the inquiry, with the power to present procedural motions, question witnesses and make submissions.
“The inquiry’s report to the Prime Minister must of course be published immediately and in full. The credibility and status of the inquiry would be further enhanced were the Maltese government to commit itself to responding promptly to any recommendations contained in the final report,” Omtzigt wrote.
The Maltese government responded to Omtzigt’s comments and argued that Omtzigt had not even consulted it before he passed on his declaration to the Parliamentary Assembly.
“His declaration is riddled with elementary errors, like the fact that according to the declaration, the role of Commissioner for NGOs is dependent on the government of the day when in actual fact it is protected by ‘security of tenure’ as per the law,” the government said in a statement.
The government also criticised Omtzigt for his lack of credibility.
“He is known for his involvement several years ago in aiding a false witness in the way he answers questions and to infiltrate a meeting that was attended by the relatives of victims of the MH17 airplane crash. The government can never have faith in the integrity of someone with such a track record,” the statement read.
Instead, the government referred to a statement that had been released by Mija Pejcinovic Buric, the Council of Europe’s general secretary on 21 September, who had described the launch of a public inquiry as a positive development.
The government of Malta responded to Peter Omtzigt's claims by saying that the PACE rapporteur lacked credibility when he aided a false witness several years ago
30 September 2019, 5:29pm
by David Hudson
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe rapporteur Peter Omtzigt
Peter Omtzigt, rapporteur on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has written that the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder instituted by the Maltese government "does not meet the European Parliamentary Assembly’s expectations."
The Council of Europe has endorsed Omtzigt’s views and has urged the Maltese authorities to “address the issues raised as a matter of urgency.”
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, in a statement, invited the Maltese authorities to address a series of issues with the inquiry’s terms of reference and membership.
Omtzigt said that serious concerns had already been expressed about the independence and impartiality of the three members appointed to carry out the inquiry, the three members being Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia, former Faculty of Laws Dean Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici.
“The composition of the Board of Inquiry must be such as to dispel any reasonable criticism of its actual or apparent independence and impartiality,” Omtzigt wrote.
He added that Caruana Galizia’s family should enjoy “a privileged position” in the inquiry, with the power to present procedural motions, question witnesses and make submissions.
“The inquiry’s report to the Prime Minister must of course be published immediately and in full. The credibility and status of the inquiry would be further enhanced were the Maltese government to commit itself to responding promptly to any recommendations contained in the final report,” Omtzigt wrote.
The Maltese government responded to Omtzigt’s comments and argued that Omtzigt had not even consulted it before he passed on his declaration to the Parliamentary Assembly.
“His declaration is riddled with elementary errors, like the fact that according to the declaration, the role of Commissioner for NGOs is dependent on the government of the day when in actual fact it is protected by ‘security of tenure’ as per the law,” the government said in a statement.
The government also criticised Omtzigt for his lack of credibility.
“He is known for his involvement several years ago in aiding a false witness in the way he answers questions and to infiltrate a meeting that was attended by the relatives of victims of the MH17 airplane crash. The government can never have faith in the integrity of someone with such a track record,” the statement read.
Instead, the government referred to a statement that had been released by Mija Pejcinovic Buric, the Council of Europe’s general secretary on 21 September, who had described the launch of a public inquiry as a positive development.
Bħal-lum 57 sena ilu beda x-xandir televiżiv f’Malta
Minn Frederick Zammit
29 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-data tal-lum, id-29 ta’ Settembru, huwa jum importanti fix-xena televiżiva lokali għax kien proprju bħal-lum 57 sena ilu, fit-8pm, li bdiet l-ewwel xandira televiżiva tal-Malta TV, illum magħruf bħala TVM, immexxi mill-Public Broadcasting Services.
Mill-għada, l-ewwel stazzjon televiżiv Malti kien jopera madwar 4 sigħat kuljum bejn is-6pm u l-10pm.
Joan Borg Cardona kienet l-ewwel announcer li dehret fuq l-iskrins tat-televiżjoni Maltija.
Il-ftuħ tal-Malta TV beda fit-8pm biċ-ċerimonja tal-ftuħ bid-diskors minn F.J. Bellchambers, bħala ċ-chairman tal-Malta Television Service Limited. Wara kien tkellem il-Gvernatur ta’ Malta Sir Maurice Dorman, segwit minn messaġġ mill-Arċisqof Michael Gonzi. Fl-aħħar tkellem il-Prim Ministru ta’ Malta Ġorġ Borg Olivier.
L-ewwel jum ta’ trasmissjoni kien jinkludi bosta varjetajiet fosthom wieħed bi produzzjoni u preżentazzjoni ta’ Victor Aquilina u li kien jinkludi s-sehem ta’ Charles Clews, Victor Briffa, Sergio Endrigo, Raymond Debono u Gianni Meccia.
Kien hemm ukoll bosta programmi bil-Malti bis-sehem ta’ Lewis Portelli, Victor Vassallo u Carmen Carbonaro.
Minn Frederick Zammit
29 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-data tal-lum, id-29 ta’ Settembru, huwa jum importanti fix-xena televiżiva lokali għax kien proprju bħal-lum 57 sena ilu, fit-8pm, li bdiet l-ewwel xandira televiżiva tal-Malta TV, illum magħruf bħala TVM, immexxi mill-Public Broadcasting Services.
Mill-għada, l-ewwel stazzjon televiżiv Malti kien jopera madwar 4 sigħat kuljum bejn is-6pm u l-10pm.
Joan Borg Cardona kienet l-ewwel announcer li dehret fuq l-iskrins tat-televiżjoni Maltija.
Il-ftuħ tal-Malta TV beda fit-8pm biċ-ċerimonja tal-ftuħ bid-diskors minn F.J. Bellchambers, bħala ċ-chairman tal-Malta Television Service Limited. Wara kien tkellem il-Gvernatur ta’ Malta Sir Maurice Dorman, segwit minn messaġġ mill-Arċisqof Michael Gonzi. Fl-aħħar tkellem il-Prim Ministru ta’ Malta Ġorġ Borg Olivier.
L-ewwel jum ta’ trasmissjoni kien jinkludi bosta varjetajiet fosthom wieħed bi produzzjoni u preżentazzjoni ta’ Victor Aquilina u li kien jinkludi s-sehem ta’ Charles Clews, Victor Briffa, Sergio Endrigo, Raymond Debono u Gianni Meccia.
L-iskeda tal-ewwel jum ta’ xandir tal-Malta TV fid-29 ta’ Settembru 1962
Kien hemm ukoll bosta programmi bil-Malti bis-sehem ta’ Lewis Portelli, Victor Vassallo u Carmen Carbonaro.
Nadur Song Festival – Showcasing local artists at the M.B.C. Theatre
BY GOZO NEWS · SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Next month, the popular, annual, competitive – Nadur Song Festival – is being held in the M.B.C. Theatre, Nadur, Gozo.
A singing competition for local aspiring artists, this festival serves as a platform to showcase their talent, as well as gain experience for their musical journey ahead.
The Nadur Song Festival is taking place on Saturday, the 19th of October, starting at 7.30pm, and is being organised by Ghaqda Teatrali Mnarja in collaboration with the Mnarja Philharmonic Society, the Ministry for Gozo and the Nadur Local Council.
BY GOZO NEWS · SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Next month, the popular, annual, competitive – Nadur Song Festival – is being held in the M.B.C. Theatre, Nadur, Gozo.
A singing competition for local aspiring artists, this festival serves as a platform to showcase their talent, as well as gain experience for their musical journey ahead.
The Nadur Song Festival is taking place on Saturday, the 19th of October, starting at 7.30pm, and is being organised by Ghaqda Teatrali Mnarja in collaboration with the Mnarja Philharmonic Society, the Ministry for Gozo and the Nadur Local Council.
Filmat: Il-Prim Ministru f’Toronto
Minn Beppe Galea
29 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat kompla jiltaqa’ mal-Maltin li jgħixu ‘l barra minn xtutna, din id-darba f’Toronto fil-Kanada.
Ara il film hawn: https://newsbook.com.mt/filmat-il-prim-ministru-ftoronto/#t=0:02
Waqt li ndirizza lill-ġemgħa Maltija li nġabbret f’Toronto, il-Prim Ministru qal li meta jżur il-komunitajiet Maltin barra mill-pajjiż dejjem jismahom jitkellmu fuq kif kienu telqu lil art twelidhom għax kien l-unika mod kif isibu xogħol. Muscat spjega kif illum il-ġurnata, Malta mhux talli toffri xogħol lil uliedha kollha, iżda għandha bżonn il-barranin biex jimlew il-postijiet tax-xogħol li qed jinħolqu.
Wara l-impenji fi New York b’rabta mal-Assemblea Ġenerali tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda, il-Prim Ministru żar kumpaniji li qed jikkunsidraw jinvesti f’Malta. Huwa kien akkumpanjat mill-Ministru għall-Ekonomija, l-Investiment u n-Negozji Żgħar Chris Cardona, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Malta Enterprise Kurt Farrugia u rappreżentanti oħra.
Il-Gvern qal kif minn dawn il-laqgħat ħareġ ċar li hemm “interess sinifikanti f’pajjiżna minn negozji Kanadiżi”. Ġie spjegat li f’ċerti każijiet diġà hemm ftehimiet preliminari lesti biex dawn il-kumpaniji jibdew joperaw minn Malta.
Fi stqarrija l-Gvern qal li fost l-oqsma li l-iktar qed jiġġeneraw interess hemm l-industrija tal-kannabis għall-użu mediċinali. Il-Gvern saħaq li l-imprendituri Kanadiżi qed jaraw f’Malta pajjiż b’leġiżlazzjoni serja li tagħti aċċess għal suq ta’ 500 miljun persuna madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea.
Minn Beppe Galea
29 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat kompla jiltaqa’ mal-Maltin li jgħixu ‘l barra minn xtutna, din id-darba f’Toronto fil-Kanada.
Ara il film hawn: https://newsbook.com.mt/filmat-il-prim-ministru-ftoronto/#t=0:02
Waqt li ndirizza lill-ġemgħa Maltija li nġabbret f’Toronto, il-Prim Ministru qal li meta jżur il-komunitajiet Maltin barra mill-pajjiż dejjem jismahom jitkellmu fuq kif kienu telqu lil art twelidhom għax kien l-unika mod kif isibu xogħol. Muscat spjega kif illum il-ġurnata, Malta mhux talli toffri xogħol lil uliedha kollha, iżda għandha bżonn il-barranin biex jimlew il-postijiet tax-xogħol li qed jinħolqu.
Wara l-impenji fi New York b’rabta mal-Assemblea Ġenerali tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda, il-Prim Ministru żar kumpaniji li qed jikkunsidraw jinvesti f’Malta. Huwa kien akkumpanjat mill-Ministru għall-Ekonomija, l-Investiment u n-Negozji Żgħar Chris Cardona, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Malta Enterprise Kurt Farrugia u rappreżentanti oħra.
Il-Gvern qal kif minn dawn il-laqgħat ħareġ ċar li hemm “interess sinifikanti f’pajjiżna minn negozji Kanadiżi”. Ġie spjegat li f’ċerti każijiet diġà hemm ftehimiet preliminari lesti biex dawn il-kumpaniji jibdew joperaw minn Malta.
Fi stqarrija l-Gvern qal li fost l-oqsma li l-iktar qed jiġġeneraw interess hemm l-industrija tal-kannabis għall-użu mediċinali. Il-Gvern saħaq li l-imprendituri Kanadiżi qed jaraw f’Malta pajjiż b’leġiżlazzjoni serja li tagħti aċċess għal suq ta’ 500 miljun persuna madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea.
Daħal f’karozza u nqaleb b’tiegħu f’Għawdex
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
28 ta' Settembru 2019
Żagħżugħ ta’ 23 sena ħabat ma’ karozza pparkjata f’Għajnsielem u nqaleb bil-karozza tiegħu.
Kelliem għall-Pulizija qal lil Newsbook.com.mt li l-inċident seħħ ilbieraħ ftit qabel nofsilejl fi Triq l-Imġarr. Iż-żagħżugħ li huwa mill-Għarb ma tteħidx l-isptar.
Għadd ta’ pulizija u membri mid-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Ċivili kienu fuq il-post.
F’10 snin, Triq l-Imġarr f’Għajnsielem rat aktar minn 86 inċident tat-traffiku.
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
28 ta' Settembru 2019
Żagħżugħ ta’ 23 sena ħabat ma’ karozza pparkjata f’Għajnsielem u nqaleb bil-karozza tiegħu.
Kelliem għall-Pulizija qal lil Newsbook.com.mt li l-inċident seħħ ilbieraħ ftit qabel nofsilejl fi Triq l-Imġarr. Iż-żagħżugħ li huwa mill-Għarb ma tteħidx l-isptar.
Għadd ta’ pulizija u membri mid-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Ċivili kienu fuq il-post.
F’10 snin, Triq l-Imġarr f’Għajnsielem rat aktar minn 86 inċident tat-traffiku.
Muscat jiltaqa’ ma’ Trump
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
28 ta' Settembru 2019
The White House
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat iltaqa’ mal-President tal-Istati Uniti Donald Trump.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tad-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni qal li huma ltaqgħu fl-Assemblea Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Magħquda fi New York. Muscat u Trump kienu akkumpanjati min-nisa tagħhom.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tal-PM qal li Muscat attenda wkoll attività tal-Union League Club ma’ diversi investituri minn New York. Muscat spjega l-viżjoni ekonomika ta’ Malta u l-opportunitajiet li toffri.
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat qal li l-ambizzjoni tal-Gvern hija ċara li jiġġieled in-normi soċjali li jgħinu biex tiżdied l-istigma u diskriminazzjoni. Huwa qal dan waqt li indirizza lin-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda fir-74 sessjoni fi New York. Spjega li it-tibdil fil-liġijiet mhumiex biżżejjed u wasal iż-żmien li jinbidlu n-normi soċjali.
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
28 ta' Settembru 2019
The White House
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat iltaqa’ mal-President tal-Istati Uniti Donald Trump.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tad-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni qal li huma ltaqgħu fl-Assemblea Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Magħquda fi New York. Muscat u Trump kienu akkumpanjati min-nisa tagħhom.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tal-PM qal li Muscat attenda wkoll attività tal-Union League Club ma’ diversi investituri minn New York. Muscat spjega l-viżjoni ekonomika ta’ Malta u l-opportunitajiet li toffri.
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat qal li l-ambizzjoni tal-Gvern hija ċara li jiġġieled in-normi soċjali li jgħinu biex tiżdied l-istigma u diskriminazzjoni. Huwa qal dan waqt li indirizza lin-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda fir-74 sessjoni fi New York. Spjega li it-tibdil fil-liġijiet mhumiex biżżejjed u wasal iż-żmien li jinbidlu n-normi soċjali.
Skopri t-teżori tal-Palazz tal-Arċisqof waqt Notte Bianca
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
27 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof fil-Belt Valletta se jiftaħ il-bibien tiegħu waqt Notte Bianca ta’ din is-sena li se ssir nhar is-Sibt 5 ta’ Ottubru. Dakinhar, il-viżitaturi jistgħu jżuru bosta kmamar fil-palazz fosthom il-piano nobile li jinkludi s-sala tat-tron, il-biblijoteka storika tas-seklu 18 u l-ġnien bis-siġar taċ-ċitru.
Il-Palazz jinsab fin-naħa t’isfel ta’ Triq l-Arċisqof qrib Misraħ l-Indipendenza.
Għall-okkażjoni se tittella’ wirja ta’ dokumenti dwar l-istorja tal-bini nnifsu. Dawn jinkludu d-disinji arkitettoniċi li saru mill-perit Vincenzo Bonello għar-restawr tal-bini tal-palazz fi żmien l-episkopat tal-Arċisqof Mikiel Gonzi.
Se jsiru wkoll taħdidiet informattivi dwar il-proġett ta’ restawr li qed isir f’dan il-bini. Fost il-pitturi għall-wiri se jkun hemm dik tal-Isqof Pawlu Alpheran de Bussan u tal-artist Francesco Zahra li reġgħet tqiegħdet fis-Sala tat-Tron wara li ġiet rrestawrata fl-2017.
Mis-7:3pm ‘il quddiem Classique meets Pop Duo, dwett magħmul minn Lydia Buttigieg u Fiona Cauchi, li se jagħtu kunċerti bl-arpa u l-kitarra.
Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof se jkun miftuħ mis-6:00pm sal-11:00pm u d-dħul huwa b’xejn.
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
27 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof fil-Belt Valletta se jiftaħ il-bibien tiegħu waqt Notte Bianca ta’ din is-sena li se ssir nhar is-Sibt 5 ta’ Ottubru. Dakinhar, il-viżitaturi jistgħu jżuru bosta kmamar fil-palazz fosthom il-piano nobile li jinkludi s-sala tat-tron, il-biblijoteka storika tas-seklu 18 u l-ġnien bis-siġar taċ-ċitru.
Il-Palazz jinsab fin-naħa t’isfel ta’ Triq l-Arċisqof qrib Misraħ l-Indipendenza.
Għall-okkażjoni se tittella’ wirja ta’ dokumenti dwar l-istorja tal-bini nnifsu. Dawn jinkludu d-disinji arkitettoniċi li saru mill-perit Vincenzo Bonello għar-restawr tal-bini tal-palazz fi żmien l-episkopat tal-Arċisqof Mikiel Gonzi.
Se jsiru wkoll taħdidiet informattivi dwar il-proġett ta’ restawr li qed isir f’dan il-bini. Fost il-pitturi għall-wiri se jkun hemm dik tal-Isqof Pawlu Alpheran de Bussan u tal-artist Francesco Zahra li reġgħet tqiegħdet fis-Sala tat-Tron wara li ġiet rrestawrata fl-2017.
Mis-7:3pm ‘il quddiem Classique meets Pop Duo, dwett magħmul minn Lydia Buttigieg u Fiona Cauchi, li se jagħtu kunċerti bl-arpa u l-kitarra.
Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof se jkun miftuħ mis-6:00pm sal-11:00pm u d-dħul huwa b’xejn.
Ritratti: Muscat jiltaqa’ mal-Maltin f’New York
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
26 ta' Settembru 2019
DOI - Jason Borg
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat iltaqa’ mal-komunità Maltija f’New York fl-Istati Uniti.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tal-PM qal li Muscat tkellem ma’ ġenerazzjonijiet differenti ta’ Maltin. Muscat kien fl-Istati Uniti għall-Assemblea Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Maqgħuda.
Muscat esprima l-apprezzament tiegħu għall-mod pożittiv kif il-komunità Maltija dejjem tilqa’ lill-mexxejja Maltin għaliex, filwaqt li llum huma wkoll ċittadini Amerikani, baqgħu jgħożżu lil art twelidhom u jħossuhom Maltin.
Il-Prim Ministru spjega kif għaddej xogħol qawwi biex il-linja nazzjonali tal-ajru, l-Air Malta, tibda topera titjiriet diretti lejn New York għall-ewwel darba fl-istorja. Qal li huwa fiduċjuż li fi żmien sena wieħed ikun wasal qrib li jkun hemm tħabbiriet.
Muscat kien akkumpanjat minn martu Michelle Muscat.
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
26 ta' Settembru 2019
DOI - Jason Borg
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat iltaqa’ mal-komunità Maltija f’New York fl-Istati Uniti.
Fi stqarrija, l-Uffiċċju tal-PM qal li Muscat tkellem ma’ ġenerazzjonijiet differenti ta’ Maltin. Muscat kien fl-Istati Uniti għall-Assemblea Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Maqgħuda.
Muscat esprima l-apprezzament tiegħu għall-mod pożittiv kif il-komunità Maltija dejjem tilqa’ lill-mexxejja Maltin għaliex, filwaqt li llum huma wkoll ċittadini Amerikani, baqgħu jgħożżu lil art twelidhom u jħossuhom Maltin.
Il-Prim Ministru spjega kif għaddej xogħol qawwi biex il-linja nazzjonali tal-ajru, l-Air Malta, tibda topera titjiriet diretti lejn New York għall-ewwel darba fl-istorja. Qal li huwa fiduċjuż li fi żmien sena wieħed ikun wasal qrib li jkun hemm tħabbiriet.
Muscat kien akkumpanjat minn martu Michelle Muscat.
Aġġornata: Allegazzjonijiet Ċittadinanza: Il-PN jitlob għal investigazzjoni mill-PAC
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
26 ta' Settembru 2019
Ara il film hawn: https://newsbook.com.mt/allegazzjonijiet-cittadinanza-il-pn-jitlob-ghal-investigazzjoni-mill-pac/
Il-Kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Adrian Delia qal li l-partit se jkun qed jitlob lill-Kumitat għall-Kontijiet Pubbliċi (PAC) biex jinvestiga l-iskema tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza.
Delia ħabbar dan quddiem il-bini tal-parlament. Fakkar fl-investigazzjoni li għamlu ġurnalisti barranin fejn żvelaw li avukati mid-ditta legali Chetcuti Cauchi Advisors Ltd kienu qed jiftaħru bl-aċċess u l-kuntatti li għandhom ma’ ministri tal-Gvern.
Fi kliem Delia hija korruzzjoni pura meta wieħed jixtri favuri jew il-poter.
Fakkar li l-PN diġà talab biex l-iskema tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza tiġi sospiża u biex jiġi investigat l-bejgħ tad-ditta legali involuta. Il-PN talab ukoll biex jiġu investigati dawk il-persuni li ssemmew fir-rappurtaġġ tal-ġurnalisti.
Issospendu u investigaw il-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza – PN
“Spiċċa jivvinta waħda ġdida kuljum” – PL
F’reazzjoni l-Partit Laburista qal li Delia spiċċa jivvinta waħda ġdida kuljum għax m’għandux x’jgħid.
“L-aħħar mossa ta’ Delia hi dik li jitlob il-Kumitat għall-Kontijiet Pubbliċi jiddiskuti s-suġġett. Il-Partit Laburista m’għandu ebda diffikulta jsir dan fil-mument opportun.”
Il-Gvern Malti qed jiċħad l-allegazzjonijiet “li saru minn terzi persuni” waqt il-programm investigattiv Franċiż Enquête exclusive, fejn żewġ aġenti Maltin tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza ftaħru dwar ir-relazzjoni tagħhom ma’ ministri tal-Gvern, saħansitra mal-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat.
Allegazzjonijiet Ċittadinanza: Il-Gvern jirribatti
Fi stqarrija l-PN qal li fl-aħħar sigħat, il-midja żvelat filmat promozzjonali li ntużaw minn din id-ditta, li partijiet ġie ffilmjat ukoll fil-kamra fejn issoltu jiltaqa’ l-Kabinett u li fih jidhru s-Segretarju Parlamentari Julia Farrugia Portelli, l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-IIP Jonathan Cardona u l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Malta Residency Visa Agency Roderick Cutajar fost l-oħrajn.
Filmat: Facebook – Adrian Delia
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
26 ta' Settembru 2019
Ara il film hawn: https://newsbook.com.mt/allegazzjonijiet-cittadinanza-il-pn-jitlob-ghal-investigazzjoni-mill-pac/
Il-Kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Adrian Delia qal li l-partit se jkun qed jitlob lill-Kumitat għall-Kontijiet Pubbliċi (PAC) biex jinvestiga l-iskema tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza.
Delia ħabbar dan quddiem il-bini tal-parlament. Fakkar fl-investigazzjoni li għamlu ġurnalisti barranin fejn żvelaw li avukati mid-ditta legali Chetcuti Cauchi Advisors Ltd kienu qed jiftaħru bl-aċċess u l-kuntatti li għandhom ma’ ministri tal-Gvern.
Fi kliem Delia hija korruzzjoni pura meta wieħed jixtri favuri jew il-poter.
Fakkar li l-PN diġà talab biex l-iskema tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza tiġi sospiża u biex jiġi investigat l-bejgħ tad-ditta legali involuta. Il-PN talab ukoll biex jiġu investigati dawk il-persuni li ssemmew fir-rappurtaġġ tal-ġurnalisti.
Issospendu u investigaw il-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza – PN
“Spiċċa jivvinta waħda ġdida kuljum” – PL
F’reazzjoni l-Partit Laburista qal li Delia spiċċa jivvinta waħda ġdida kuljum għax m’għandux x’jgħid.
“L-aħħar mossa ta’ Delia hi dik li jitlob il-Kumitat għall-Kontijiet Pubbliċi jiddiskuti s-suġġett. Il-Partit Laburista m’għandu ebda diffikulta jsir dan fil-mument opportun.”
Il-Gvern Malti qed jiċħad l-allegazzjonijiet “li saru minn terzi persuni” waqt il-programm investigattiv Franċiż Enquête exclusive, fejn żewġ aġenti Maltin tal-bejgħ taċ-ċittadinanza ftaħru dwar ir-relazzjoni tagħhom ma’ ministri tal-Gvern, saħansitra mal-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat.
Allegazzjonijiet Ċittadinanza: Il-Gvern jirribatti
Fi stqarrija l-PN qal li fl-aħħar sigħat, il-midja żvelat filmat promozzjonali li ntużaw minn din id-ditta, li partijiet ġie ffilmjat ukoll fil-kamra fejn issoltu jiltaqa’ l-Kabinett u li fih jidhru s-Segretarju Parlamentari Julia Farrugia Portelli, l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-IIP Jonathan Cardona u l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Malta Residency Visa Agency Roderick Cutajar fost l-oħrajn.
Filmat: Facebook – Adrian Delia
Investa €60,000 għal deheb minn Sierra Leone iżda baqa’ b’riħitha
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
-
25 ta' Settembru 2019
Raġel li tilef €60,000 li kien investa fi pjan li falla, tilef il-każ li ppreżenta biex jirkupra l-investiment tiegħu. Hu kien prova jimporta d-deheb minn Sierra Leone.
John Cortis u Mark Anthony Portelli, id-diretturi ta’ Malta Sierra Leone Investments Trading Company Ltd iddeċidew li jiftħu kumpanija flimkien ma’ diplomatiku mill-ambaxxata ta’ Sierra Leone fil-Libja u negozjant tad-deheb esperjenzat b’liċenzja biex jesporta d-deheb. Il-kumpanija ġiet irreġistrata f’isem Portelli.
Cortis kien investa €60,000 wara li kkonvinċih Portelli. Cortis kompla żied mas-somma u ħareġ €4,800 biex ikopri l-ispejjeż tal-esportazzjoni. Skont il-ftehim, Cortis kellu jieħu l-flus kollha li investa kif ukoll 33% tal-profitti. Dak iż-żmien id-deheb kien stmat li jiswa madwar € 30,148 għal kull kilogramma.
Wara xi żmien Cortis saqsa x’ġara mid-deheb u l-profitt, iżda Portelli qallu li l-ordni ġiet ikkanċellata u l-flus ġew investiti x’imkien ieħor. Portelli spjega lill-qorti li l-prezz tad-deheb żdied meta bdiet ix-xitwa minħabba li faqqgħet l-epidemija tal-Ebola fi Sierra Leone. Dan għamel it-tħaffir għad-deheb aktar perikoluż. Għal din it-tweġiba Cortis kien insista li l-flus kien investihom b’self, iżda Portelli qallu li l-flus kienu investiment kummerċjali.
Il-Prim Awla tal-Qorti Ċivili qalet li l-argument ta’ Cortis ma kinux realistiċi. Il-qorti innutat li Cortis kien ibbaża l-azzjoni tiegħu madwar self u mhux frodi. Il-qorti qalet li l-argument dwar il-fatt li ma qarax id-dokument li kien iffirma u li lanqas talab parir ma jagħmilx sens meta hu lanqas biss jaf jaqra jew jikteb. Minbarra dan, Cortis kien għażel li ma jiġix imsemmi bħala azzjonist fil-kumpanija. Dan għamlu wara li ħa parir.
Cortis għażel li jirriskja flusu mingħajr ma jkun kopert b’mod xieraq. Il-qorti qalet li Portelli ma kienx responsabbli għall-investiment li falla. Il-qorti ċaħdet it-talba minħabba li l-investiment, li żgur ma kienx self, falla, u għalhekk dan ma jfissirx li l-imputat għandu jwieġeb b’mod personali jew għandu jinżamm responsabbli personalment.
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
-
25 ta' Settembru 2019
Raġel li tilef €60,000 li kien investa fi pjan li falla, tilef il-każ li ppreżenta biex jirkupra l-investiment tiegħu. Hu kien prova jimporta d-deheb minn Sierra Leone.
John Cortis u Mark Anthony Portelli, id-diretturi ta’ Malta Sierra Leone Investments Trading Company Ltd iddeċidew li jiftħu kumpanija flimkien ma’ diplomatiku mill-ambaxxata ta’ Sierra Leone fil-Libja u negozjant tad-deheb esperjenzat b’liċenzja biex jesporta d-deheb. Il-kumpanija ġiet irreġistrata f’isem Portelli.
Cortis kien investa €60,000 wara li kkonvinċih Portelli. Cortis kompla żied mas-somma u ħareġ €4,800 biex ikopri l-ispejjeż tal-esportazzjoni. Skont il-ftehim, Cortis kellu jieħu l-flus kollha li investa kif ukoll 33% tal-profitti. Dak iż-żmien id-deheb kien stmat li jiswa madwar € 30,148 għal kull kilogramma.
Wara xi żmien Cortis saqsa x’ġara mid-deheb u l-profitt, iżda Portelli qallu li l-ordni ġiet ikkanċellata u l-flus ġew investiti x’imkien ieħor. Portelli spjega lill-qorti li l-prezz tad-deheb żdied meta bdiet ix-xitwa minħabba li faqqgħet l-epidemija tal-Ebola fi Sierra Leone. Dan għamel it-tħaffir għad-deheb aktar perikoluż. Għal din it-tweġiba Cortis kien insista li l-flus kien investihom b’self, iżda Portelli qallu li l-flus kienu investiment kummerċjali.
Il-Prim Awla tal-Qorti Ċivili qalet li l-argument ta’ Cortis ma kinux realistiċi. Il-qorti innutat li Cortis kien ibbaża l-azzjoni tiegħu madwar self u mhux frodi. Il-qorti qalet li l-argument dwar il-fatt li ma qarax id-dokument li kien iffirma u li lanqas talab parir ma jagħmilx sens meta hu lanqas biss jaf jaqra jew jikteb. Minbarra dan, Cortis kien għażel li ma jiġix imsemmi bħala azzjonist fil-kumpanija. Dan għamlu wara li ħa parir.
Cortis għażel li jirriskja flusu mingħajr ma jkun kopert b’mod xieraq. Il-qorti qalet li Portelli ma kienx responsabbli għall-investiment li falla. Il-qorti ċaħdet it-talba minħabba li l-investiment, li żgur ma kienx self, falla, u għalhekk dan ma jfissirx li l-imputat għandu jwieġeb b’mod personali jew għandu jinżamm responsabbli personalment.
Gozo Football Association
Victoria Wanderers vs Nadur Youngsters FC 0-1.
GFA BOV GFL Division I - Sun 22 Sept 2019 – Gozo Stadium
SK Victoria Wanderers – FT (0-1) – Nadur Youngsters FC
Referee: Fyodor Zammit
5’ (0-1) Predrag Dordevic
90’ (penalty missed – saved) – Marcelo Barbosa (NY)
Photo by Anaca Photography - Nadur.
Victoria Wanderers vs Nadur Youngsters FC 0-1.
GFA BOV GFL Division I - Sun 22 Sept 2019 – Gozo Stadium
SK Victoria Wanderers – FT (0-1) – Nadur Youngsters FC
Referee: Fyodor Zammit
5’ (0-1) Predrag Dordevic
90’ (penalty missed – saved) – Marcelo Barbosa (NY)
Photo by Anaca Photography - Nadur.
52,000 pazjent tal-prostata se jingħataw mediċina b’xejn
Minn Paul Cachia
24 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-deputat Prim Ministru u Ministru għas-Saħħa Chris Fearne qal li fi żmien sitt xhur 52,000 pazjent tal-prostata se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw minn mediċini b’xejn, bi spiża ta’ €5.3 miljun .
Minn dawn, 15,000 se jingħataw dan il-benefiċċju mill-bidu ta’ Ottubru. Sal-lum il-mard tal-
prostata ma kienx inkluż mal-lista ta’ kundizzjonijiet kroniċi li għalihom tingħata l-mediċina b’xejn iżda issa, wara li saru emendi legali, pazjenti bi problema fil-prostata se jibdew jibbenefikaw minn mediċini b’xejn.
Fearne ħabbar dan waqt żjara fid- Dipartiment tal-Uroloġija fl-Isptar Mater Dei.
“Matul is-sitt xhur li ġejjin żewġ mediċini ġodda oħra għall-prostata se jiddaħħlu fuq il-Formularju tal-Gvern. B’hekk, b’kollox, se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw madwar 52,000 ruħ. Nikkalkulaw li meta dan il-proġett jiġi fi tmiemu bid-dħul tal-mediċini ġodda kollha, pazjent b’kundizzjoni fil-prostata se jkun qed jiffranka madwar €400 fis-sena,” qal Fearne.
Il-benign prostate enlargement (prostata kbira) hi kundizzjoni li tolqot numru kbir ta’ rġiel. F’Malta u f’Għawdex hu kkalkulat li hawn madwar 52,000 ruħ affettwati minn din il-kundizzjoni u kollha jkollhom bżonn xi forma ta’ trattament. Hu stmat li madwar 50% tal-irġiel ikunu diġà sofrew bi problemi fil-prostata sakemm jilħqu l-età ta’ 50 sena, bil-persentaġġ jitla’ għal 75% tal-irġiel sakemm jilħqu l-età ta’ 80 sena. Bejn 40 u 50% ta’ dawn il-każijiet il-problema fil-prostata tkun klinikament sinifikanti. Meta tqis l-etajiet imsemmijin ifisser ukoll li ħafna mill-irġiel b’kundizzjoni fil-prostata huma wkoll pensjonanti.
Minn Paul Cachia
24 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-deputat Prim Ministru u Ministru għas-Saħħa Chris Fearne qal li fi żmien sitt xhur 52,000 pazjent tal-prostata se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw minn mediċini b’xejn, bi spiża ta’ €5.3 miljun .
Minn dawn, 15,000 se jingħataw dan il-benefiċċju mill-bidu ta’ Ottubru. Sal-lum il-mard tal-
prostata ma kienx inkluż mal-lista ta’ kundizzjonijiet kroniċi li għalihom tingħata l-mediċina b’xejn iżda issa, wara li saru emendi legali, pazjenti bi problema fil-prostata se jibdew jibbenefikaw minn mediċini b’xejn.
Fearne ħabbar dan waqt żjara fid- Dipartiment tal-Uroloġija fl-Isptar Mater Dei.
“Matul is-sitt xhur li ġejjin żewġ mediċini ġodda oħra għall-prostata se jiddaħħlu fuq il-Formularju tal-Gvern. B’hekk, b’kollox, se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw madwar 52,000 ruħ. Nikkalkulaw li meta dan il-proġett jiġi fi tmiemu bid-dħul tal-mediċini ġodda kollha, pazjent b’kundizzjoni fil-prostata se jkun qed jiffranka madwar €400 fis-sena,” qal Fearne.
Il-benign prostate enlargement (prostata kbira) hi kundizzjoni li tolqot numru kbir ta’ rġiel. F’Malta u f’Għawdex hu kkalkulat li hawn madwar 52,000 ruħ affettwati minn din il-kundizzjoni u kollha jkollhom bżonn xi forma ta’ trattament. Hu stmat li madwar 50% tal-irġiel ikunu diġà sofrew bi problemi fil-prostata sakemm jilħqu l-età ta’ 50 sena, bil-persentaġġ jitla’ għal 75% tal-irġiel sakemm jilħqu l-età ta’ 80 sena. Bejn 40 u 50% ta’ dawn il-każijiet il-problema fil-prostata tkun klinikament sinifikanti. Meta tqis l-etajiet imsemmijin ifisser ukoll li ħafna mill-irġiel b’kundizzjoni fil-prostata huma wkoll pensjonanti.
Julia Farrugia Portelli has no problem with police investigation into IIP agent's claims
Parliamentary Secretary says she has full confidence in IIP process after claims made by Maltese passport agent in French TV reveal
24 September 2019,
by Massimo Costa
Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia Portelli
Julia Farrugia Portelli has expressed full confidence in the vetting process for citizenship applications and had no issue with a police investigation into claims made by an IIP agent in a French TV sting.
The parliamentary secretary, who is responsible for citizenship reiterated this evening that an investigation by the IIP regulator on all files concerning the agent - Chetcuti Cauchi Advisors - had started.
A representatives of the advisory firm was secretly filmed by a French journalist boasting about his political connections and how the authorities could close an eye on problematic clients. Chetcuti Cauchi's licences to act as an IIP agent were immediately suspended.
Farrugia Portelli, who was fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of an event for public service awards, emphasised that the politicians' role in the citizenship process was minimal and the whole process was transparent and rigorous.
Asked whether the problem could be bigger than the Chetcuti Cauchi agency and involve other persons responsible for the citizenship application process, Farrugia Portelli said that the system would not allow for manipulation in the vetting process.
"It is only in the last stages [of the process] that people in politics are involved," she said.
"The process goes through four levels of due diligence vetting. I have no say in this. The scrutiny process takes place, and the IIP agency then makes its recommendations to the responsible minister.
"Each [citizenship application] file is vetted by the independent regulator, who was appointed through agreement by the government and the Opposition."
Pressed on whether a police investigation should be started - given that it appeared from the footage filmed by the French TV programme Enquête Exclusive that the agents involved could be using people in government to trade in influence - the parliamentary secretary reiterated that she had no issue with any investigation.
"I have no problem with any investigation by any person who feels they should investigate. My standing on the matter is clear. We have taken steps against the agent concerned. The process is transparent and there is a trail audit of every file which the agency deals with," she underlined.
In terms of how long the investigation by the regulator will take before reaching its conclusion, Farrugia Portelli did not give a specific timeframe, but said it wasn't something which should take years to be completed.
"I am informed the investigation is going to start, and I understand that it is not something which should take years," she said.
The government has faced calls by the Opposition to suspend the passport programme and initiate an inquiry.
In a statement on Monday, the government refuted all claims of impropriety made in the documentary, and welcomed the request made by Arnold Cassola to Standards Commissioner George Hyzler to probe the matter.
The police can initiate a criminal investigation of their own accord but it is unclear whether this has been started.
READ ALSO: Passport agents and Paceville boss boast of ministerial friendships in French TV reveal
Asked about this, Dr Farrugia Portelli stuck to what she had previously said in a statement - insisting she had only gone to school with one of the agents’ wives, as a child.
Asked whether the law firm could lose the right to sell citizenship altogether, Ms Farrugia Portelli said she could not rule this out as there were clauses in the law that allowed for an IIP licence to be completely revoked.
The probe by the IIP regulator, she said “will not take years”, adding that she had confidence in the office of the regulator to get to the bottom of any misconduct.
Asked if she felt there was need for further inquiry into the sector, and whether this law firm may not be the only one to allegedly behave in this way, Dr Farrugia Portelli said she had no reason to have any suspicions on any of the other IIP agents.
When it was pointed out to her that the video appeared to suggest that the law firm was trading in influence - a criminal offence - she said there was nothing stopping the police from investigating the matter.
Parliamentary Secretary says she has full confidence in IIP process after claims made by Maltese passport agent in French TV reveal
24 September 2019,
by Massimo Costa
Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia Portelli
Julia Farrugia Portelli has expressed full confidence in the vetting process for citizenship applications and had no issue with a police investigation into claims made by an IIP agent in a French TV sting.
The parliamentary secretary, who is responsible for citizenship reiterated this evening that an investigation by the IIP regulator on all files concerning the agent - Chetcuti Cauchi Advisors - had started.
A representatives of the advisory firm was secretly filmed by a French journalist boasting about his political connections and how the authorities could close an eye on problematic clients. Chetcuti Cauchi's licences to act as an IIP agent were immediately suspended.
Farrugia Portelli, who was fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of an event for public service awards, emphasised that the politicians' role in the citizenship process was minimal and the whole process was transparent and rigorous.
Asked whether the problem could be bigger than the Chetcuti Cauchi agency and involve other persons responsible for the citizenship application process, Farrugia Portelli said that the system would not allow for manipulation in the vetting process.
"It is only in the last stages [of the process] that people in politics are involved," she said.
"The process goes through four levels of due diligence vetting. I have no say in this. The scrutiny process takes place, and the IIP agency then makes its recommendations to the responsible minister.
"Each [citizenship application] file is vetted by the independent regulator, who was appointed through agreement by the government and the Opposition."
Pressed on whether a police investigation should be started - given that it appeared from the footage filmed by the French TV programme Enquête Exclusive that the agents involved could be using people in government to trade in influence - the parliamentary secretary reiterated that she had no issue with any investigation.
"I have no problem with any investigation by any person who feels they should investigate. My standing on the matter is clear. We have taken steps against the agent concerned. The process is transparent and there is a trail audit of every file which the agency deals with," she underlined.
In terms of how long the investigation by the regulator will take before reaching its conclusion, Farrugia Portelli did not give a specific timeframe, but said it wasn't something which should take years to be completed.
"I am informed the investigation is going to start, and I understand that it is not something which should take years," she said.
The government has faced calls by the Opposition to suspend the passport programme and initiate an inquiry.
In a statement on Monday, the government refuted all claims of impropriety made in the documentary, and welcomed the request made by Arnold Cassola to Standards Commissioner George Hyzler to probe the matter.
The police can initiate a criminal investigation of their own accord but it is unclear whether this has been started.
READ ALSO: Passport agents and Paceville boss boast of ministerial friendships in French TV reveal
Asked about this, Dr Farrugia Portelli stuck to what she had previously said in a statement - insisting she had only gone to school with one of the agents’ wives, as a child.
Asked whether the law firm could lose the right to sell citizenship altogether, Ms Farrugia Portelli said she could not rule this out as there were clauses in the law that allowed for an IIP licence to be completely revoked.
The probe by the IIP regulator, she said “will not take years”, adding that she had confidence in the office of the regulator to get to the bottom of any misconduct.
Asked if she felt there was need for further inquiry into the sector, and whether this law firm may not be the only one to allegedly behave in this way, Dr Farrugia Portelli said she had no reason to have any suspicions on any of the other IIP agents.
When it was pointed out to her that the video appeared to suggest that the law firm was trading in influence - a criminal offence - she said there was nothing stopping the police from investigating the matter.
Scene of the cliffs in Nadur from St. Blas
Picture by Mario Muscat
Picture by Mario Muscat
Shocking footage shows two men destroying Daphne Caruana Galizia's memorial
The men accosted the sisters of the murdered journalist in footage
By Ivan Martin
Kicking flowers and tearing down posters, these men destroy Daphne Caruana Galizia's memorial in this screengrab from Enquete ExclusiveShocking footage filmed in broad daylight shows two men destroying a makeshift memorial to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and verbally attacking her sisters.
In one section of an hour-long episode of French news show Enquête Exclusive, the men are seen approaching the memorial on Valletta’s Republic Street and destroying it in front of onlookers.
“This is not a f***ing grave yard,” one of the men can be heard telling one of Ms Caruana Galizia’s sisters as another kicks and tramples bouquets of flowers.
Insisting that the candles, flowers, and posters are “illegal” and that there should be “no politics” at the Great Siege Memorial monument, the two men throw them to the ground in front of the late journalist’s sisters.
Although the sisters can be heard telling them that the makeshift memorial commemorated a murdered journalist, the men ignore them and violently clear the flowers and candles. At one point, one of the even throws them at one of the sisters as she tried to stop them.
The flowers and candles are put back shortly after the men leave.
Another of Ms Caruana Galizia’s sisters tells the French TV crew that the memorial is routinely cleared away. Although there were CCTV cameras looking directly at the monument, no one has ever been prosecuted, she says.
The family have regularly complained that the memorial to Ms Caruana Galizia is cleared.
Last year the matter ended up in court after government workers from the Cleansing Department were seen clearing the candles and flowers away, shortly after they had been left their by activists.
The episode also shines a spotlight on the trials of the family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia as they campaign for justice, travelling with them to a sitting before the Council of Europe.
In June a report condemning the state of rule of law in Malta and raising concerns on the investigation into Ms Caruana Galizia’s murder was overwhelmingly approved at the Council of Europe.
The report had also called for Malta to set up a public inquiry to establish whether her death could have been prevented. The inquiry was finally announced last week.
The men accosted the sisters of the murdered journalist in footage
By Ivan Martin
Kicking flowers and tearing down posters, these men destroy Daphne Caruana Galizia's memorial in this screengrab from Enquete ExclusiveShocking footage filmed in broad daylight shows two men destroying a makeshift memorial to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and verbally attacking her sisters.
In one section of an hour-long episode of French news show Enquête Exclusive, the men are seen approaching the memorial on Valletta’s Republic Street and destroying it in front of onlookers.
“This is not a f***ing grave yard,” one of the men can be heard telling one of Ms Caruana Galizia’s sisters as another kicks and tramples bouquets of flowers.
Insisting that the candles, flowers, and posters are “illegal” and that there should be “no politics” at the Great Siege Memorial monument, the two men throw them to the ground in front of the late journalist’s sisters.
Although the sisters can be heard telling them that the makeshift memorial commemorated a murdered journalist, the men ignore them and violently clear the flowers and candles. At one point, one of the even throws them at one of the sisters as she tried to stop them.
The flowers and candles are put back shortly after the men leave.
Another of Ms Caruana Galizia’s sisters tells the French TV crew that the memorial is routinely cleared away. Although there were CCTV cameras looking directly at the monument, no one has ever been prosecuted, she says.
The family have regularly complained that the memorial to Ms Caruana Galizia is cleared.
Last year the matter ended up in court after government workers from the Cleansing Department were seen clearing the candles and flowers away, shortly after they had been left their by activists.
The episode also shines a spotlight on the trials of the family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia as they campaign for justice, travelling with them to a sitting before the Council of Europe.
In June a report condemning the state of rule of law in Malta and raising concerns on the investigation into Ms Caruana Galizia’s murder was overwhelmingly approved at the Council of Europe.
The report had also called for Malta to set up a public inquiry to establish whether her death could have been prevented. The inquiry was finally announced last week.
The Most Respected Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul.
Grand Chapter of Malta.
Address: December 13 Street. Nadur, Gozo.
22 September, 2019
Congratulations to our Members in Malta for doing such a great job in helping the poor in Peru.
Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli
Grand Master
CKSPP
The mission of the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul is to help the poor and the sick
Grand Chapter of Malta.
Address: December 13 Street. Nadur, Gozo.
22 September, 2019
Congratulations to our Members in Malta for doing such a great job in helping the poor in Peru.
Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli
Grand Master
CKSPP
The mission of the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul is to help the poor and the sick
Two injured in Gozo robbery
Alleged assailant fled with stolen jewellery after early morning attack
NationalXagħraCrime
Triq Bullara in Xaghra, Gozo. Photo: Google Maps.Updated 5.30pm
Two British nationals were injured in the early hours of Sunday morning when they were attacked with a rock during a robbery in Xagħra, according to police.
Police said the two, a 58-year old man and 55-year old woman, were believed to have been attacked shortly before 4am in Triq Bullara. The attacker fled the scene with jewellery stolen from the two.
The victims were taken to Gozo General Hospital where the woman was found to have suffered grievous injuries. The man's injuries were described as slight.
Police later said a 29-year old man "of foreign nationality" had been held in connection with the investigation.
A magisterial inquiry has been appointed and police investigations are ongoing.
Alleged assailant fled with stolen jewellery after early morning attack
NationalXagħraCrime
Triq Bullara in Xaghra, Gozo. Photo: Google Maps.Updated 5.30pm
Two British nationals were injured in the early hours of Sunday morning when they were attacked with a rock during a robbery in Xagħra, according to police.
Police said the two, a 58-year old man and 55-year old woman, were believed to have been attacked shortly before 4am in Triq Bullara. The attacker fled the scene with jewellery stolen from the two.
The victims were taken to Gozo General Hospital where the woman was found to have suffered grievous injuries. The man's injuries were described as slight.
Police later said a 29-year old man "of foreign nationality" had been held in connection with the investigation.
A magisterial inquiry has been appointed and police investigations are ongoing.
Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia resign from Partit Demokratiku
The Farrugias said that their parliamentary work would continue up until the end of the current legislature as they would not be contesting another election
22 September 2019, 9:36am
by David Hudson
Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia
Partit Demokratiku MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia have resigned from PD with immediate effect to make room, they said, for the small party to "rebuild."
In a press statement on Sunday morning, the Farrugias said that the party still has room to evolve, even if it has to be rebuilt from the ground up.
"For democracy to stay alive, there needs to be a political force that represents all those movements that embrace economic, social and environmental sustainability and respect towards humanity," the statement read.
They insisted that PD needed to develop into its next phase with the help of new faces and relatively new people, ultimately weaned off politicians that already come with their own baggage and story.
"With that said and with immediate effect, and with a sense of loyalty to our country and then to Partit Demokratiku, we our signing our resignation from PD," the Farrugias wrote.
They added that their parliamentary work would continue up until the end of the current legislature and that this would be their last since they would not be contesting another election.
Partit Demokratiku was founded in 2016 after former Labour MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia defected from the Labour Party. Godfrey Farrugia had been Health Minister under Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for a year up until March 2014 when he refused to take on a different portfolio.
In the run-up to the 2017 elections, the newly-formed PD announced it was in talks to form a coalition with the Nationalist Party in opposition. In the 2017 elections, PD candidates contested as Nationalist "tal-orangjo." Both Marlene and Godfrey Farrugia were elected into Parliament.
The Farrugias said that their parliamentary work would continue up until the end of the current legislature as they would not be contesting another election
22 September 2019, 9:36am
by David Hudson
Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia
Partit Demokratiku MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia have resigned from PD with immediate effect to make room, they said, for the small party to "rebuild."
In a press statement on Sunday morning, the Farrugias said that the party still has room to evolve, even if it has to be rebuilt from the ground up.
"For democracy to stay alive, there needs to be a political force that represents all those movements that embrace economic, social and environmental sustainability and respect towards humanity," the statement read.
They insisted that PD needed to develop into its next phase with the help of new faces and relatively new people, ultimately weaned off politicians that already come with their own baggage and story.
"With that said and with immediate effect, and with a sense of loyalty to our country and then to Partit Demokratiku, we our signing our resignation from PD," the Farrugias wrote.
They added that their parliamentary work would continue up until the end of the current legislature and that this would be their last since they would not be contesting another election.
Partit Demokratiku was founded in 2016 after former Labour MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia defected from the Labour Party. Godfrey Farrugia had been Health Minister under Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for a year up until March 2014 when he refused to take on a different portfolio.
In the run-up to the 2017 elections, the newly-formed PD announced it was in talks to form a coalition with the Nationalist Party in opposition. In the 2017 elections, PD candidates contested as Nationalist "tal-orangjo." Both Marlene and Godfrey Farrugia were elected into Parliament.
Updated | Prime Minister to meet Caruana Galizia family over public inquiry concerns
Joseph Muscat will meet journalist’s family after returning from next week’s UN General Assembly
21 September 2019,
by Massimo Costa
The Prime Minister will be meeting the Caruana Galizia family the week after the next
The Prime Minister has agreed to a request by the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia to meet to discuss their concerns over the members of the board of the public inquiry appointed to determine whether the journalist’s murder could have been prevented.
Both government sources and the Caruana Galizia family have confirmed that the intention is for the meeting to take place, reports said.
Joseph Muscat will be attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, with the meeting expected to be held once he is back in Malta the week after the next.
The public inquiry, which was announced by the government on Friday night, is to be presided over by Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia, and will also be composed of constitutional expert Professor Ian Refalo and forensics expert Anthony Abela Medici.
Shortly after the announcement, however, the Caruana Galizia family requested to meet Muscat over concerns about the board’s composition.
Matthew Caruana Galizia, writing on Facebook this morning, elaborated on the concerns, asking how Refalo, “a lawyer defending the interests of Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman”, could be a part of the inquiry.
He also said Abela Medici’s qualifications were completely inadequate for the purposes of carrying out the inquiry.
NGO Repubblika also cast doubts on the suitability of the members of the board earlier today.
PN leader Adrian Delia subsequently called on Muscat to accede to the Caruana Galizia family’s request for a meeting, saying it was essential that the whole truth emerged from the inquiry, leaving no doubts as to what happened.
No criticism levied against inquiry's terms of reference - government
In a statement on Saturday afternoon, the government acknowledged that comments had been made on the members of the public inquiry’s board, but noted that no criticism had been directed towards the inquiry’s terms of reference.
“The government takes note of comments made on the persons occupying the role of Chairperson and Members of the independent public inquiry appointed on Friday by the Prime Minister,” the government said.
“Firstly, the government notes that no criticism was made with regards to the terms of reference.”
The government went on to defend its choice of members of the inquiry board.
“With regards to Mr Justice Emeritus Michael Mallia’s role as court-appointed expert in the compilation of evidence proceedings following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, this does not interfere with his role as Chairperson of the Inquiry. In fact, Mr Justice Mallia was appointed as expert upon the consent of all parties involved,” it said.
“Professor Ian Refalo’s appointment was criticised solely due to his role as a professional lawyer. The right to access to a lawyer and the right of a lawyer to practice his or her profession are cornerstones of the rule of law, and this does not impede a lawyer’s judgement. Professor Refalo is well known for his integrity and is a point of reference for the legal profession in Malta. That being said, lawyers are governed by a Code of Ethics.
“With regards to the current role of Dr Anthony Abela Medici as Commissioner for NGOs, it has to be stated the Voluntary Organisations Act provides for important safeguards of security of tenure for this post. Therefore, the claim that the Commissioner for NGOs is dependent on government is incorrect.”
Regarding the Caruana Galizia family’s request to meet with the Prime Minister, the government confirmed that “contacts are ongoing for the meeting to take place accordingly.”
Joseph Muscat will meet journalist’s family after returning from next week’s UN General Assembly
21 September 2019,
by Massimo Costa
The Prime Minister will be meeting the Caruana Galizia family the week after the next
The Prime Minister has agreed to a request by the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia to meet to discuss their concerns over the members of the board of the public inquiry appointed to determine whether the journalist’s murder could have been prevented.
Both government sources and the Caruana Galizia family have confirmed that the intention is for the meeting to take place, reports said.
Joseph Muscat will be attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, with the meeting expected to be held once he is back in Malta the week after the next.
The public inquiry, which was announced by the government on Friday night, is to be presided over by Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia, and will also be composed of constitutional expert Professor Ian Refalo and forensics expert Anthony Abela Medici.
Shortly after the announcement, however, the Caruana Galizia family requested to meet Muscat over concerns about the board’s composition.
Matthew Caruana Galizia, writing on Facebook this morning, elaborated on the concerns, asking how Refalo, “a lawyer defending the interests of Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman”, could be a part of the inquiry.
He also said Abela Medici’s qualifications were completely inadequate for the purposes of carrying out the inquiry.
NGO Repubblika also cast doubts on the suitability of the members of the board earlier today.
PN leader Adrian Delia subsequently called on Muscat to accede to the Caruana Galizia family’s request for a meeting, saying it was essential that the whole truth emerged from the inquiry, leaving no doubts as to what happened.
No criticism levied against inquiry's terms of reference - government
In a statement on Saturday afternoon, the government acknowledged that comments had been made on the members of the public inquiry’s board, but noted that no criticism had been directed towards the inquiry’s terms of reference.
“The government takes note of comments made on the persons occupying the role of Chairperson and Members of the independent public inquiry appointed on Friday by the Prime Minister,” the government said.
“Firstly, the government notes that no criticism was made with regards to the terms of reference.”
The government went on to defend its choice of members of the inquiry board.
“With regards to Mr Justice Emeritus Michael Mallia’s role as court-appointed expert in the compilation of evidence proceedings following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, this does not interfere with his role as Chairperson of the Inquiry. In fact, Mr Justice Mallia was appointed as expert upon the consent of all parties involved,” it said.
“Professor Ian Refalo’s appointment was criticised solely due to his role as a professional lawyer. The right to access to a lawyer and the right of a lawyer to practice his or her profession are cornerstones of the rule of law, and this does not impede a lawyer’s judgement. Professor Refalo is well known for his integrity and is a point of reference for the legal profession in Malta. That being said, lawyers are governed by a Code of Ethics.
“With regards to the current role of Dr Anthony Abela Medici as Commissioner for NGOs, it has to be stated the Voluntary Organisations Act provides for important safeguards of security of tenure for this post. Therefore, the claim that the Commissioner for NGOs is dependent on government is incorrect.”
Regarding the Caruana Galizia family’s request to meet with the Prime Minister, the government confirmed that “contacts are ongoing for the meeting to take place accordingly.”
HAPPY MALTA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY
Prime Minister appoints former judge to head public inquiry into Caruana Galizia murder
Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia will lead the public inquiry that also includes constitutional expert Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici
20 September 2019,
by Karl Azzopardi
The government has launched a public inquiry into the assassination of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
In a statement, the government said that the decision reflects the government’s consistent position that there exists no difficulty in establishing a public inquiry once it is assured that such an inquiry does not undermine investigations.
The inquiry will be headed by judge emeritus Michael Mallia.
The inquiry will also be composed of former Dean of the Faculty of Law and constitutional expert Ian Refalo.
Forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici will be assisting in the inquiry.
The statement read that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has requested for the inquiry to be concluded within nine months.
The commission will also be regulating its own procedure.
“Government has engaged in technical discussions with officials of the Council of Europe to avoid that the public inquiry endangers the integrity of investigations and/or criminal proceedings which are already underway in this case,” the statement read.
The government also cited reservations on the methodology used and the conclusions listed in the Resolution of of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
“Yet, Government has full respect towards the Council of Europe, and the work carried out over the past weeks is testament to the reciprocal respect between Malta and this important institution,” the statement read.
Judge Emeritus Michael Mallia will lead the public inquiry that also includes constitutional expert Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici
20 September 2019,
by Karl Azzopardi
The government has launched a public inquiry into the assassination of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
In a statement, the government said that the decision reflects the government’s consistent position that there exists no difficulty in establishing a public inquiry once it is assured that such an inquiry does not undermine investigations.
The inquiry will be headed by judge emeritus Michael Mallia.
The inquiry will also be composed of former Dean of the Faculty of Law and constitutional expert Ian Refalo.
Forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici will be assisting in the inquiry.
The statement read that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has requested for the inquiry to be concluded within nine months.
The commission will also be regulating its own procedure.
“Government has engaged in technical discussions with officials of the Council of Europe to avoid that the public inquiry endangers the integrity of investigations and/or criminal proceedings which are already underway in this case,” the statement read.
The government also cited reservations on the methodology used and the conclusions listed in the Resolution of of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
“Yet, Government has full respect towards the Council of Europe, and the work carried out over the past weeks is testament to the reciprocal respect between Malta and this important institution,” the statement read.
'Game-changer' Marsa Junction Project sees first flyover officially opened
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the project as a game-changer, saying that such a project would ensure 62,000 tonnes less carbon emissions
20 September 2019,
by David Hudson
Vintage cars were invited to drive up the new Marsa flyover as part of a ceremony inaugurating the opening of the first Marsa Junction Project flyover
The government officially inaugurated the opening of the first flyover of the Marsa Junction Project on Friday evening, which Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described as a 'game-changing' infrastructural feat.
The €70 million part-EU-funded project saw its first celebratory milestone completed as vintage cars were invited to drive over the first completed flyover to mark its official opening.
Muscat said that such a project was game-changing in that it would ensure that cars emit 62,000 tonnes less since the waiting time on the roads would be significantly reduced.
"Since 1997, this area saw absolutely no maintenance, no design. It's fitting that on the 55th anniversary of Malta's independence we are giving a present to the Maltese people," Muscat said, adding that criticisms of the project were constant despite the behind-the-scenes work of wardens, police, Infrastructure Malta and foreign workers.
The date for the official opening was also chosen partly due to students returning back to school next Monday, Muscat said.
The Prime Minister spoke on a makeshift stage put up at the flyover and switched to the English language to thank the Turkish workers which were so "essential" for the completion of the first stage of the junction project.
"The fact that we are here today, ahead of schedule, is testament to how thrilled we are to work with you. At the beginning, there were comments about your arrival which verged on racism, of which I am ashamed. Today, I see this project as a very good blueprint for further collaboration between our two countries," Muscat said.
Muscat said that Infrastructure Malta, on taking over roadworks from Transport Malta, had filled the shoes well and had been doing some "excellent work" across all of Malta.
"Sometimes you're known as bulldozers," he joked, "and sometimes that's what you need to do. Of course, a smoother approach is sometimes required as well. But people are also tired of seeing renderings of projects that never happen. People want to see the real deal."
Muscat thanked Transport Minister Ian Borg and said that he had shown "obvious leadership" in overseeing the projects.
"He won't rest on his laurels," Muscat said. "The rest of the Marsa Junction Project has to be finished."
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the project as a game-changer, saying that such a project would ensure 62,000 tonnes less carbon emissions
20 September 2019,
by David Hudson
Vintage cars were invited to drive up the new Marsa flyover as part of a ceremony inaugurating the opening of the first Marsa Junction Project flyover
The government officially inaugurated the opening of the first flyover of the Marsa Junction Project on Friday evening, which Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described as a 'game-changing' infrastructural feat.
The €70 million part-EU-funded project saw its first celebratory milestone completed as vintage cars were invited to drive over the first completed flyover to mark its official opening.
Muscat said that such a project was game-changing in that it would ensure that cars emit 62,000 tonnes less since the waiting time on the roads would be significantly reduced.
"Since 1997, this area saw absolutely no maintenance, no design. It's fitting that on the 55th anniversary of Malta's independence we are giving a present to the Maltese people," Muscat said, adding that criticisms of the project were constant despite the behind-the-scenes work of wardens, police, Infrastructure Malta and foreign workers.
The date for the official opening was also chosen partly due to students returning back to school next Monday, Muscat said.
The Prime Minister spoke on a makeshift stage put up at the flyover and switched to the English language to thank the Turkish workers which were so "essential" for the completion of the first stage of the junction project.
"The fact that we are here today, ahead of schedule, is testament to how thrilled we are to work with you. At the beginning, there were comments about your arrival which verged on racism, of which I am ashamed. Today, I see this project as a very good blueprint for further collaboration between our two countries," Muscat said.
Muscat said that Infrastructure Malta, on taking over roadworks from Transport Malta, had filled the shoes well and had been doing some "excellent work" across all of Malta.
"Sometimes you're known as bulldozers," he joked, "and sometimes that's what you need to do. Of course, a smoother approach is sometimes required as well. But people are also tired of seeing renderings of projects that never happen. People want to see the real deal."
Muscat thanked Transport Minister Ian Borg and said that he had shown "obvious leadership" in overseeing the projects.
"He won't rest on his laurels," Muscat said. "The rest of the Marsa Junction Project has to be finished."
Jinstab forn tal-Kavallieri fil-Ministeru għall-Ugwaljanza
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
DOI - Jeremy Wonnacott
Forn ta’ żmien il-Kavallieri li kien mirdum għal mijiet ta’ snin fil-bini tal-Ministeru għall-Ugwaljanza inkixef waqt li kien qed isir xogħol ta’ skavar.
Fi stqarrija, il-Ministeru qal li mir-riċerka rriżulta li dan il-forn kien uniku għal Malta u fost l-uniċi fid-dinja li għadu prattikament intatt u preservat fl-istat oriġinali tiegħu. Il-forn kien taħt wieħed mill-uffiċini fil-Berġa ta’ Aragona.
Hu maħsub li ladarba jitlestew ix-xogħlijiet ta’ restawr dan il-wirt storiku jibqa’ mikxuf u aċċessibbli bħala attrazzjoni fil-Belt Valletta.
Il-Ministru għall-Ugwaljanza Edward Zammit Lewis fakkar li l-Berġa ta’ Aragona, li kienet l-Uffiċċju tal-eks prim ministri George Borg Olivier u Dom Mintoff.
Iċ-Chairperson tal-Korporazzjoni għar-Riġenerazzjoni tal-Port il-Kbir Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi spjega li dan il-proġett qed isir b’investiment ta’ madwar €1m mill-fond tal-Ministeru.
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
DOI - Jeremy Wonnacott
Forn ta’ żmien il-Kavallieri li kien mirdum għal mijiet ta’ snin fil-bini tal-Ministeru għall-Ugwaljanza inkixef waqt li kien qed isir xogħol ta’ skavar.
Fi stqarrija, il-Ministeru qal li mir-riċerka rriżulta li dan il-forn kien uniku għal Malta u fost l-uniċi fid-dinja li għadu prattikament intatt u preservat fl-istat oriġinali tiegħu. Il-forn kien taħt wieħed mill-uffiċini fil-Berġa ta’ Aragona.
Hu maħsub li ladarba jitlestew ix-xogħlijiet ta’ restawr dan il-wirt storiku jibqa’ mikxuf u aċċessibbli bħala attrazzjoni fil-Belt Valletta.
Il-Ministru għall-Ugwaljanza Edward Zammit Lewis fakkar li l-Berġa ta’ Aragona, li kienet l-Uffiċċju tal-eks prim ministri George Borg Olivier u Dom Mintoff.
Iċ-Chairperson tal-Korporazzjoni għar-Riġenerazzjoni tal-Port il-Kbir Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi spjega li dan il-proġett qed isir b’investiment ta’ madwar €1m mill-fond tal-Ministeru.
“Ejja nkunu l-bidla!” – Adrian Delia
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Adrian Delia appella lill-partitarji tiegħu biex ikunu parti mill-bidla f’Malta.
Delia qal dan waqt il-“Mass Meeting” tal-PN quddiem id-Dar Ċentrali.
Waqt id-diskors tiegħu, Delia tkellem dwar għadd ta’ temi fosthom l-edukazzjoni, l-ambjent, u l-korruzzjoni. Ftit tal-ħin qabel ma tkellem Delia, il-Gvern ħabbar li ħatar inkjesta pubblika dwar l-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia. Delia ma għamilx referenza għal din l-aħbar fid-diskors tiegħu.
Assassinju Daphne: Il-Gvern jaħtar inkjesta pubblika
Delia qal li l-Gvern tal-lum m’għandux viżjoni imma ċpar. Qal li l-Gvern m’għandux pjan fit-tul u li l-Gvern ġab l-istituzzjonijiet Maltin fix-xejn. Semma kif anke l-Qorti, post fejn wieħed suppost ifittex il-ġustizzja, spiċċat maħkuma mill-id it-twila tal-Gvern.
Delia qal li filwaqt li llum għadd ta’ żgħażagħ inġabru l-Belt fi protesta għall-klima, il-Gvern kien qed jiftaħ il-flyovers fil-Marsa. Qal li kull sena qed ikun hawn 600 persuna li jmutu qabel iż-żmien minħabba mard respiratorju.
Dwar l-edukazzjoni, Delia qal li minflok ma jitgħallmu fl-aqwa livelli, it-tfal qed jitgħallmu fil-kontejners. Żied jgħid li hawn 80 suġġett li għandhom nuqqas ta’ għalliema fihom. Qal li pajjiż li mhux kapaċi jgħallem lil uliedu huwa pajjiż fallut. Semma li 50% tal-għalliema huma lesti li jitlqu x-xogħol tagħhom jekk isibu mpjieg ieħor.
Il-Kap tal-PN tkellem dwar is-saħħa fejn fakkar fil-bini tal-isptar Mater Dei li qal li meta nbena kien wieħed state-of-the-art. Qal li r-rekord tal-Gvern Laburista huwa l-bejgħ tal-isptarijiet pubbliċi lill-kumpanija Vitals li ħadd ma jaf ta’ min hi.
“Ġewwa l-Qrati sal-lum qed niġġieldu biex l-isptarijiet inġibuhom lura,” qal Delia.
Delia seta’ jiffranka l-ispiża – PL
Il-Partit Laburista qal li kieku ried, Delia seta’ jiffranka għal kollox l-ispiża taċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Indipendenza.
“Dan għax Adrian Delia llejla seta’ xandar id-diskors tas-sena l-oħra,” qal il-PL.
“Quddiem id-Dar Ċentrali Delia kellu l-istess negattivita, l-istess attakki fuq l-investiment u l-ebda proposti. Biex inkunu ġusti miegħu żied l-attakk fuq il-proġett tal-flyover tal-Marsa.”
Minn Christoph Schwaiger
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Adrian Delia appella lill-partitarji tiegħu biex ikunu parti mill-bidla f’Malta.
Delia qal dan waqt il-“Mass Meeting” tal-PN quddiem id-Dar Ċentrali.
Waqt id-diskors tiegħu, Delia tkellem dwar għadd ta’ temi fosthom l-edukazzjoni, l-ambjent, u l-korruzzjoni. Ftit tal-ħin qabel ma tkellem Delia, il-Gvern ħabbar li ħatar inkjesta pubblika dwar l-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia. Delia ma għamilx referenza għal din l-aħbar fid-diskors tiegħu.
Assassinju Daphne: Il-Gvern jaħtar inkjesta pubblika
Delia qal li l-Gvern tal-lum m’għandux viżjoni imma ċpar. Qal li l-Gvern m’għandux pjan fit-tul u li l-Gvern ġab l-istituzzjonijiet Maltin fix-xejn. Semma kif anke l-Qorti, post fejn wieħed suppost ifittex il-ġustizzja, spiċċat maħkuma mill-id it-twila tal-Gvern.
Delia qal li filwaqt li llum għadd ta’ żgħażagħ inġabru l-Belt fi protesta għall-klima, il-Gvern kien qed jiftaħ il-flyovers fil-Marsa. Qal li kull sena qed ikun hawn 600 persuna li jmutu qabel iż-żmien minħabba mard respiratorju.
Dwar l-edukazzjoni, Delia qal li minflok ma jitgħallmu fl-aqwa livelli, it-tfal qed jitgħallmu fil-kontejners. Żied jgħid li hawn 80 suġġett li għandhom nuqqas ta’ għalliema fihom. Qal li pajjiż li mhux kapaċi jgħallem lil uliedu huwa pajjiż fallut. Semma li 50% tal-għalliema huma lesti li jitlqu x-xogħol tagħhom jekk isibu mpjieg ieħor.
Il-Kap tal-PN tkellem dwar is-saħħa fejn fakkar fil-bini tal-isptar Mater Dei li qal li meta nbena kien wieħed state-of-the-art. Qal li r-rekord tal-Gvern Laburista huwa l-bejgħ tal-isptarijiet pubbliċi lill-kumpanija Vitals li ħadd ma jaf ta’ min hi.
“Ġewwa l-Qrati sal-lum qed niġġieldu biex l-isptarijiet inġibuhom lura,” qal Delia.
Delia seta’ jiffranka l-ispiża – PL
Il-Partit Laburista qal li kieku ried, Delia seta’ jiffranka għal kollox l-ispiża taċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Indipendenza.
“Dan għax Adrian Delia llejla seta’ xandar id-diskors tas-sena l-oħra,” qal il-PL.
“Quddiem id-Dar Ċentrali Delia kellu l-istess negattivita, l-istess attakki fuq l-investiment u l-ebda proposti. Biex inkunu ġusti miegħu żied l-attakk fuq il-proġett tal-flyover tal-Marsa.”
Aktar għajjat u storbju fiċ-ċentru ta’ detenzjoni f’Ħal Safi
Minn Nicole Borg
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
Jidher li fl-aħħar ħin reġgħet qamet kommossjoni sħiħa fiċ-ċentru ta’ detenzjoni f’Ħal Safi.
Dan ġie kkonfermat ma’ Newsbook.com.mt minn kelliema għall-Pulizija. Jidher li għall-ħabta tal-4.30pm reġa’ nstema’ għajjat u storbju bħal ma ġara aktar kmieni dan ix-xahar.
L-ewwel każ tat-tip seħħ fit-3 ta’ Settembru. Fil-protesta ħadu sehem aktar minn 100 persuna, iżda n-numru eżatt ma kienx ġie kkonfermat.
Minn Nicole Borg
-
20 ta' Settembru 2019
Jidher li fl-aħħar ħin reġgħet qamet kommossjoni sħiħa fiċ-ċentru ta’ detenzjoni f’Ħal Safi.
Dan ġie kkonfermat ma’ Newsbook.com.mt minn kelliema għall-Pulizija. Jidher li għall-ħabta tal-4.30pm reġa’ nstema’ għajjat u storbju bħal ma ġara aktar kmieni dan ix-xahar.
L-ewwel każ tat-tip seħħ fit-3 ta’ Settembru. Fil-protesta ħadu sehem aktar minn 100 persuna, iżda n-numru eżatt ma kienx ġie kkonfermat.
Koncelebrazjoni f gheluq il 125 sena Kollegjata fin-Nadur
Minn Mario Muscat
Minn Mario Muscat
“Waqqa’ l-libelli ċivili kontra Daphne” – Il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa lill-PM
Minn Maria Webb
19 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Kummissarju għad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem fil-Kunsill tal-Ewropa kitbet lill-Prim Ministru (PM) Joseph Muscat biex jaqgħu t-30 każ ta’ libell ċivili kontra Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Dunja Mijatović saħqet li dawn il-libelli jqajjmu problemi kemm għall-familja ta’ Daphne, kif ukoll għall-protezzjoni tal-libertà tal-midja, u għas-saltna tad-dritt f’Malta. Il-Prim Ministru rrisponda billi qal li biex jaqgħu dawn il-libelli, se jkun hemm problema bid-dritt ta’ smigħ xieraq. Għalhekk, ħeġġiġha biex isibu soluzzjoni komuni Ewropea.
“Wieħed mill-każijiet huwa tiegħek stess” – Il-Kummissarju
Fl-ittra tagħha lill-Prim Ministru, il-Kummissarju qajjmet il-punt li wieħed mill-każijiet ta’ libelli ċivili huwa tal-PM stess. Saħqet li din tqajjem mistoqsijiet dwar ix-xewqa tal-awtoritajiet Maltin biex isibu min għamilha. Dan minħabba l-pressjoni psikoloġika u finanzjarja li qed ipoġġu l-libelli fuq familtha.
Aqra: “Waqqgħu l-libelli kollha li ftaħtu lil Daphne” – MEPs lill-Gvern Malti
Il-Kummissarju spjegat li skont il-liġi f’Malta, l-obbligu tal-prova fil-każ ta’ Daphne jaqa’ fuq il-werrieta. Dan ifisser li l-familja tagħha trid tagħti prova li hi innoċenti. Skont Mijatović, din hija problema għad-dritt tal-protezzjoni ta’ sorsi ġurnalistiċi. Qalet ukoll li Daphne kienet qed titkellem fuq korruzzjoni u għalhekk jiġi każ ta’ interess pubbliku. Minħabba f’hekk, saħqet li l-Qorti Maltija għandha tikkunsidra li minflok, Daphne tiġi kkunsidrata mhux ħatja sakemm jidher prova li hi.
Aqra: Assassinju Daphne: L-armel stenna li jitwaqqgħu l-libelli
Ikkonkludiet billi qalet lill-PM biex jirranġa l-liġijiet li hemm bżonn, u biex il-Gvern iwaqqa’ l-każijiet ta’ libelli ċivili kontra Daphne. Skontha, dan se jkun sinjal tal-impenn tiegħu u tal-Gvern biex jipproteġu d-dritt tal-libertà tal-espressjoni.
“Inwaqqa’ l-każ meta jaċċettaw s-sejbiet t’Egrant; kollox ġie ppubblikat” – Il-PM
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat wieġeb dwar il-każ tiegħu ta’ libell kontra Daphne. Qal li minn dejjem saħaq li kien lest iwaqqgħu jekk familtha jaċċettaw ir-riżultati tal-inkjesta dwar Egrant.
Aqra: Filmat: “Inwaqqa’ l-libell ta’ Daphne jekk il-familja taċċetta r-riżultat tal-inkjesta Egrant” – Muscat
Fl-ittra tiegħu qal li din l-inkjesta maġisterjali kienet prova li hu u familtu kienu innoċenti fl-allegazzjonijiet ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Żied li r-riżultat kien ppubblikah l-Avukat Ġenerali.
Aqra: Inkjesta Egrant: L-AĠ iżomm ir-rapport sigriet; Delia jmur il-Qorti
Muscat fir-risposta tiegħu qal li l-Att tal-Midja u Defamazzjoni għadha kemm daħlet f’Malta fl-2018. Saħaq li daħlet fis-seħħ wara konsultazzjonijiet mal-Organizzazzjoni għas-Sigurtà u Kooperazzjoni fl-Ewropa (OSCE). Qal li dan l-att neħħa libelli kriminali, poġġa ammont massimu ta’ €11,600 f’danni u pprovda kontra li jinfetħu numru ta’ libelli kontra ġurnalisti.
Barra minn hekk, l-att jipproteġi sorsi ġurnalistiċi aħjar għax jipproteġi ġurnaliżmu taċ-ċittadin. Qal ukoll li d-difiżi legali ġew immodernizzati biex jirriflettu dawk tal-Qorti Ewropea tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem.
Il-PM kompla jżid li hu nfurmat li l-OSCE ma sabitx problema bil-fatt li libelli ċivili jirtuhom l-familja. Apparti, qal li jekk iwaqqa’ l-każijiet mingħajr kumpens minħabba mewt, tqajjem problema differenti. Din hija li jkun hemm problema bid-dritt għal smigħ ġust. Minħabba f’hekk, il-Gvern ma jistgħax jindaħal f’każijiet ċivili kontra ġurnalista mejta, jekk min qed jiddefendi aċċetta li jieħu l-wirt. Minħabba dan kollu, ħeġġiġha biex isibu soluzzjoni komuni Ewropea.
“Aħna mhux se naċċettaw użu ta’ rikatt” – Il-werrieta ta’ Daphne
Fi stqarrija, il-werrieta ta’ Daphne qalu li mhux se jaċċettaw l-użu ta’ rikatt. L-istqarrija qalet li dak huwa li wieġbu fil-Qorti meta l-PM qalilhom li jekk jaċċettaw ir-rapport t’Egrant, iwaqqa’ l-libell.
Ir-risposta formali tagħhom fil-Qorti kienet li m’għandhomx aċċess għar-rapport sħiħ tal-Avukat Ġenerali dwar Egrant. Dan ifisser li ma jafux numru ta’ xhieda x’qalu u x’jidher fit-tfittxijiet.
Aqra: L-AĠ jippubblika l-konlużjonijiet ta’ Egrant; mhux ir-rapport sħiħ
L-istqarrija spjegat li m’għandhomx aċċess għax-xhieda ta’ Daphne, u ta’ Maria Efimova. Barra minn hekk, m’għandhomx aċċess għax-xhieda ta’ Jacqueline Alexander. Jacqueline Alexander kellha tikkonferma jew tiċħad li ffirmat trust document fejn indikat lill-Michelle Muscat bħala l-ultimate beneficial owner ta’ Egrant. Karl Cini u Brian Tonna wkoll kellhom jagħtu xhieda dwar min kellu l-pussess tal-bearer share certificates li jirrapreżentaw 99% tal-ekwità ta’ Egrant Inc. u dwar f’isem min kienu.
Minħabba li m’għandhomx ir-rapport sħiħ tal-Avukat Ġenerali, m’għandhomx aċċess għar-rapporti tal-forensic accountants li eżaminaw l-operational database, kontijiet u arkivji
ta’ Pilatus Bank Ltd.
Minn Maria Webb
19 ta' Settembru 2019
Il-Kummissarju għad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem fil-Kunsill tal-Ewropa kitbet lill-Prim Ministru (PM) Joseph Muscat biex jaqgħu t-30 każ ta’ libell ċivili kontra Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Dunja Mijatović saħqet li dawn il-libelli jqajjmu problemi kemm għall-familja ta’ Daphne, kif ukoll għall-protezzjoni tal-libertà tal-midja, u għas-saltna tad-dritt f’Malta. Il-Prim Ministru rrisponda billi qal li biex jaqgħu dawn il-libelli, se jkun hemm problema bid-dritt ta’ smigħ xieraq. Għalhekk, ħeġġiġha biex isibu soluzzjoni komuni Ewropea.
“Wieħed mill-każijiet huwa tiegħek stess” – Il-Kummissarju
Fl-ittra tagħha lill-Prim Ministru, il-Kummissarju qajjmet il-punt li wieħed mill-każijiet ta’ libelli ċivili huwa tal-PM stess. Saħqet li din tqajjem mistoqsijiet dwar ix-xewqa tal-awtoritajiet Maltin biex isibu min għamilha. Dan minħabba l-pressjoni psikoloġika u finanzjarja li qed ipoġġu l-libelli fuq familtha.
Aqra: “Waqqgħu l-libelli kollha li ftaħtu lil Daphne” – MEPs lill-Gvern Malti
Il-Kummissarju spjegat li skont il-liġi f’Malta, l-obbligu tal-prova fil-każ ta’ Daphne jaqa’ fuq il-werrieta. Dan ifisser li l-familja tagħha trid tagħti prova li hi innoċenti. Skont Mijatović, din hija problema għad-dritt tal-protezzjoni ta’ sorsi ġurnalistiċi. Qalet ukoll li Daphne kienet qed titkellem fuq korruzzjoni u għalhekk jiġi każ ta’ interess pubbliku. Minħabba f’hekk, saħqet li l-Qorti Maltija għandha tikkunsidra li minflok, Daphne tiġi kkunsidrata mhux ħatja sakemm jidher prova li hi.
Aqra: Assassinju Daphne: L-armel stenna li jitwaqqgħu l-libelli
Ikkonkludiet billi qalet lill-PM biex jirranġa l-liġijiet li hemm bżonn, u biex il-Gvern iwaqqa’ l-każijiet ta’ libelli ċivili kontra Daphne. Skontha, dan se jkun sinjal tal-impenn tiegħu u tal-Gvern biex jipproteġu d-dritt tal-libertà tal-espressjoni.
“Inwaqqa’ l-każ meta jaċċettaw s-sejbiet t’Egrant; kollox ġie ppubblikat” – Il-PM
Il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat wieġeb dwar il-każ tiegħu ta’ libell kontra Daphne. Qal li minn dejjem saħaq li kien lest iwaqqgħu jekk familtha jaċċettaw ir-riżultati tal-inkjesta dwar Egrant.
Aqra: Filmat: “Inwaqqa’ l-libell ta’ Daphne jekk il-familja taċċetta r-riżultat tal-inkjesta Egrant” – Muscat
Fl-ittra tiegħu qal li din l-inkjesta maġisterjali kienet prova li hu u familtu kienu innoċenti fl-allegazzjonijiet ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Żied li r-riżultat kien ppubblikah l-Avukat Ġenerali.
Aqra: Inkjesta Egrant: L-AĠ iżomm ir-rapport sigriet; Delia jmur il-Qorti
Muscat fir-risposta tiegħu qal li l-Att tal-Midja u Defamazzjoni għadha kemm daħlet f’Malta fl-2018. Saħaq li daħlet fis-seħħ wara konsultazzjonijiet mal-Organizzazzjoni għas-Sigurtà u Kooperazzjoni fl-Ewropa (OSCE). Qal li dan l-att neħħa libelli kriminali, poġġa ammont massimu ta’ €11,600 f’danni u pprovda kontra li jinfetħu numru ta’ libelli kontra ġurnalisti.
Barra minn hekk, l-att jipproteġi sorsi ġurnalistiċi aħjar għax jipproteġi ġurnaliżmu taċ-ċittadin. Qal ukoll li d-difiżi legali ġew immodernizzati biex jirriflettu dawk tal-Qorti Ewropea tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem.
Il-PM kompla jżid li hu nfurmat li l-OSCE ma sabitx problema bil-fatt li libelli ċivili jirtuhom l-familja. Apparti, qal li jekk iwaqqa’ l-każijiet mingħajr kumpens minħabba mewt, tqajjem problema differenti. Din hija li jkun hemm problema bid-dritt għal smigħ ġust. Minħabba f’hekk, il-Gvern ma jistgħax jindaħal f’każijiet ċivili kontra ġurnalista mejta, jekk min qed jiddefendi aċċetta li jieħu l-wirt. Minħabba dan kollu, ħeġġiġha biex isibu soluzzjoni komuni Ewropea.
“Aħna mhux se naċċettaw użu ta’ rikatt” – Il-werrieta ta’ Daphne
Fi stqarrija, il-werrieta ta’ Daphne qalu li mhux se jaċċettaw l-użu ta’ rikatt. L-istqarrija qalet li dak huwa li wieġbu fil-Qorti meta l-PM qalilhom li jekk jaċċettaw ir-rapport t’Egrant, iwaqqa’ l-libell.
Ir-risposta formali tagħhom fil-Qorti kienet li m’għandhomx aċċess għar-rapport sħiħ tal-Avukat Ġenerali dwar Egrant. Dan ifisser li ma jafux numru ta’ xhieda x’qalu u x’jidher fit-tfittxijiet.
Aqra: L-AĠ jippubblika l-konlużjonijiet ta’ Egrant; mhux ir-rapport sħiħ
L-istqarrija spjegat li m’għandhomx aċċess għax-xhieda ta’ Daphne, u ta’ Maria Efimova. Barra minn hekk, m’għandhomx aċċess għax-xhieda ta’ Jacqueline Alexander. Jacqueline Alexander kellha tikkonferma jew tiċħad li ffirmat trust document fejn indikat lill-Michelle Muscat bħala l-ultimate beneficial owner ta’ Egrant. Karl Cini u Brian Tonna wkoll kellhom jagħtu xhieda dwar min kellu l-pussess tal-bearer share certificates li jirrapreżentaw 99% tal-ekwità ta’ Egrant Inc. u dwar f’isem min kienu.
Minħabba li m’għandhomx ir-rapport sħiħ tal-Avukat Ġenerali, m’għandhomx aċċess għar-rapporti tal-forensic accountants li eżaminaw l-operational database, kontijiet u arkivji
ta’ Pilatus Bank Ltd.
Feast celebrations in St Augustine Parish cancelled
By Monique Agius
-
September 19, 2019
The popular celebrations for the feast of St Augustine planned for this weekend have been cancelled, the Augustinian Order said in a statement on Thursday morning. The religious activities will still be held but the processions and celebrations outside the Church were stopped.
The decision was taken after Friar Deo Debono was removed from parish priest and barred from celebrating mass in public. The decision was taken by the Provincial of the Augustinian Order in Malta, Leslie Gatt, and Archbishop Charles J Scicluna in the light of pending police investigations on allegations of theft.
Friar Deo Debono who is currently out on police bail is expected to be charged over the theft of sacred art and silverware from his own convent.
READ: Valletta friar removed from Parish Priest following theft allegations
The liturgical functions would proceed as planned, however, all external celebrations in Valletta were cancelled.
Today and Friday Mass will be celebrated at 6.30 pm, while the solemn Mass on Saturday will be held at 6.30 pm. Mass on Sunday will be celebrated at the usual times at 7 am, 9.30 am, 10.45 am and 7.15 pm.
The Order asked people to allow the police investigations and court proceedings to take their course.
Provincial Fr Leslie Gatt pledged the Order’s support to the Valletta community, “especially those who help in the parish and the organisation of the feast”.
By Monique Agius
-
September 19, 2019
The popular celebrations for the feast of St Augustine planned for this weekend have been cancelled, the Augustinian Order said in a statement on Thursday morning. The religious activities will still be held but the processions and celebrations outside the Church were stopped.
The decision was taken after Friar Deo Debono was removed from parish priest and barred from celebrating mass in public. The decision was taken by the Provincial of the Augustinian Order in Malta, Leslie Gatt, and Archbishop Charles J Scicluna in the light of pending police investigations on allegations of theft.
Friar Deo Debono who is currently out on police bail is expected to be charged over the theft of sacred art and silverware from his own convent.
READ: Valletta friar removed from Parish Priest following theft allegations
The liturgical functions would proceed as planned, however, all external celebrations in Valletta were cancelled.
Today and Friday Mass will be celebrated at 6.30 pm, while the solemn Mass on Saturday will be held at 6.30 pm. Mass on Sunday will be celebrated at the usual times at 7 am, 9.30 am, 10.45 am and 7.15 pm.
The Order asked people to allow the police investigations and court proceedings to take their course.
Provincial Fr Leslie Gatt pledged the Order’s support to the Valletta community, “especially those who help in the parish and the organisation of the feast”.
Nadur Maritime Museum
Click on the link to see the collection.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Maritime-Museum-Nadur-281092168942357/reviews/?post_id=10220428464525495&referrer=page_recommendations_home_card
Click on the link to see the collection.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Maritime-Museum-Nadur-281092168942357/reviews/?post_id=10220428464525495&referrer=page_recommendations_home_card
Police question Augustinian parish priest over theft of artworks, silverware
Fr Deo Debono was spoken to at length by the police after a stolen incense holder was discovered at an antique shop • Archbishop removes parish priest
18 September 2019,
by Matthew Agius
Police have questioned Valletta’s Augustinian parish priest over the theft of priceless artworks and silverware from his own convent, MaltaToday has learnt.
Sources close to the investigation said the police were led to Fr Deo Debono’s door when the authorities were alerted to the presence of a stolen silver thurible at an antique shop.
The incense holder was reported stolen from a cloister used by the Augustinian nuns in Valletta.
Sources said it was the shop owner who led the police to Debono.
Further investigations uncovered more stolen items, including “priceless” paintings that were found in a house known to Debono.
It remains unclear what the priest’s involvement in the case is but sources said he was spoken to at length by the police.
“He could simply be the middleman,” the sources said, refusing to be drawn on whether there were plans to charge the priest in the coming days.
News of the theft of priceless paintings from the St Augustine church first emerged earlier this year when In-Nazzjon reported the matter. The newspaper gave more details of the case over the past two days.
It is understood that the issue came to light after priests living in the same convent noticed that some of the paintings on one of the upper floors went missing, or were replaced by others.
The sources said investigations in the case were complicated by the conflicting interests of the people involved.
When contacted Debono said he was instructed by the police not to say anything. However, he insisted that the allegations against him were being “embellished and exaggerated”.
The feast of St Augustine in Valletta is being celebrated on Sunday 22 September.
Archbishop removes Debono from parish priest
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said that in agreement with the Provincial of the Augustinians, Fr Leslie Gatt, Debono, will not remain parish priest of St Augustine Parish in Valletta.
Scicluna decided that Debono will not exercise his priestly ministry in public until the police investigations and any other procedures in the Civil Courts are concluded.
"This decision has been taken following the allegations concerning this priest that have been reported in the media," the statement released by the Curia said.
Fr Deo Debono was spoken to at length by the police after a stolen incense holder was discovered at an antique shop • Archbishop removes parish priest
18 September 2019,
by Matthew Agius
Police have questioned Valletta’s Augustinian parish priest over the theft of priceless artworks and silverware from his own convent, MaltaToday has learnt.
Sources close to the investigation said the police were led to Fr Deo Debono’s door when the authorities were alerted to the presence of a stolen silver thurible at an antique shop.
The incense holder was reported stolen from a cloister used by the Augustinian nuns in Valletta.
Sources said it was the shop owner who led the police to Debono.
Further investigations uncovered more stolen items, including “priceless” paintings that were found in a house known to Debono.
It remains unclear what the priest’s involvement in the case is but sources said he was spoken to at length by the police.
“He could simply be the middleman,” the sources said, refusing to be drawn on whether there were plans to charge the priest in the coming days.
News of the theft of priceless paintings from the St Augustine church first emerged earlier this year when In-Nazzjon reported the matter. The newspaper gave more details of the case over the past two days.
It is understood that the issue came to light after priests living in the same convent noticed that some of the paintings on one of the upper floors went missing, or were replaced by others.
The sources said investigations in the case were complicated by the conflicting interests of the people involved.
When contacted Debono said he was instructed by the police not to say anything. However, he insisted that the allegations against him were being “embellished and exaggerated”.
The feast of St Augustine in Valletta is being celebrated on Sunday 22 September.
Archbishop removes Debono from parish priest
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said that in agreement with the Provincial of the Augustinians, Fr Leslie Gatt, Debono, will not remain parish priest of St Augustine Parish in Valletta.
Scicluna decided that Debono will not exercise his priestly ministry in public until the police investigations and any other procedures in the Civil Courts are concluded.
"This decision has been taken following the allegations concerning this priest that have been reported in the media," the statement released by the Curia said.
First Marsa junction flyovers to open this weekend
Traffic will initially flow south-bound
NationalTrafficRoads
19 September, 2019
The first two flyover structures of the Marsa Junction project will be inaugurated this weekend.
The two interconnected structures, extending half a kilometre, link Marsa and Luqa, replacing the route through the Addolorata Cemetery traffic lights junction.
Initially, until the third and fourth flyover structures of the project are opened early next year, the new two-lane connection will be used in the southbound direction, from Aldo Moro Road (Marsa) towards Giuseppe Garibaldi Road (Luqa).
This arrangement will allow Infrastructure Malta to close the temporary lanes currently serving this route, in the Addolorata Cemetery car park area, and free up the required space to complete the construction of other flyovers beneath the two that will open this weekend.
How the project will look on completion.
These flyovers will form the final two-lane southbound route between Aldo Moro Road and Garibaldi Road.
The first two flyovers will then serve the northbound route, to complete a continuous bi-directional link between these two major roads.
Other flyover structures and new lanes will create similar uninterrupted connections between Aldo Moro Road and the other roads merging at the Addolorata traffic lights junction, including Sir Paul Boffa Avenue (towards Corradino and Paola), Santa Lucija Avenue (Addolorata Hill) and Marsa Road (towards Qormi).
Infrastructure Malta said that before opening new lanes, it is modelling and testing each configuration using specialised traffic flow software. Different options are examined to identify diversions with the least possible impact on over 100,000 persons who travel through this area every day.
The Marsa Junction Project will feature seven flyovers. The project will provide 12 kilometres of uninterrupted lanes.
The first two phases of the project, including the reconstruction of Aldo Moro Road, Gvern Lokali Road and parts of other nearby roads, were completed in 2018. Last December, Infrastructure Malta started the third phase, focusing on the construction of the flyovers. More than a third of the €70-million project has now been completed.
The Marsa Junction Project is co-financed through the EU’s Cohesion Fund and Connecting Europe Facility.
Traffic will initially flow south-bound
NationalTrafficRoads
19 September, 2019
The first two flyover structures of the Marsa Junction project will be inaugurated this weekend.
The two interconnected structures, extending half a kilometre, link Marsa and Luqa, replacing the route through the Addolorata Cemetery traffic lights junction.
Initially, until the third and fourth flyover structures of the project are opened early next year, the new two-lane connection will be used in the southbound direction, from Aldo Moro Road (Marsa) towards Giuseppe Garibaldi Road (Luqa).
This arrangement will allow Infrastructure Malta to close the temporary lanes currently serving this route, in the Addolorata Cemetery car park area, and free up the required space to complete the construction of other flyovers beneath the two that will open this weekend.
How the project will look on completion.
These flyovers will form the final two-lane southbound route between Aldo Moro Road and Garibaldi Road.
The first two flyovers will then serve the northbound route, to complete a continuous bi-directional link between these two major roads.
Other flyover structures and new lanes will create similar uninterrupted connections between Aldo Moro Road and the other roads merging at the Addolorata traffic lights junction, including Sir Paul Boffa Avenue (towards Corradino and Paola), Santa Lucija Avenue (Addolorata Hill) and Marsa Road (towards Qormi).
Infrastructure Malta said that before opening new lanes, it is modelling and testing each configuration using specialised traffic flow software. Different options are examined to identify diversions with the least possible impact on over 100,000 persons who travel through this area every day.
The Marsa Junction Project will feature seven flyovers. The project will provide 12 kilometres of uninterrupted lanes.
The first two phases of the project, including the reconstruction of Aldo Moro Road, Gvern Lokali Road and parts of other nearby roads, were completed in 2018. Last December, Infrastructure Malta started the third phase, focusing on the construction of the flyovers. More than a third of the €70-million project has now been completed.
The Marsa Junction Project is co-financed through the EU’s Cohesion Fund and Connecting Europe Facility.
Schoolbus drivers accused of sex with minor
Two school bus drivers were charged with defiling a minor they used to drive to school as well as producing and possessing child pornography
17 September 2019, 5:15pm
by Matthew Agius
The court heard how the minor, aged 15, was defiled by schoolbus drivers who used to transport her to school
Two schoolbus drivers have denied charges of having engaged in sexual activities with an underage girl, 15, whom they allegedly used to drive to school.
Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard how Indian nationals Nidhin Eldhose, 32, and Sarath Babu Kongadan, 28, had befriended the minor on social media before the alleged incident came to light when the girl reportedly went to hospital. A police report was subsequently filed by the girl’s parents.
The two men were arraigned separately on Tuesday, both pleading not guilty to sex with an underage person, defilement of the minor as well as producing and possessing child pornography and misusing telecommunications technology.
Defence lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace asked the court for bail during Eldhose’s arraignment, arguing that so far there was no evidence other than the police report.
“We know nothing else. It is still too early to deny bail. It all depends on the testimony of the minor,” suggested the lawyer.
However prosecuting inspectors John Spiteri and Joseph Xerri objected to the request in view of the nature and gravity of the charges as well as the fact that the man was a flight risk. There was no extradition treaty with the accused’s country of origin, he explained.
The danger of the accused tampering with evidence was “clear and manifest,” Inspector Spiteri said.
Magistrate Camilleri rejected the bail request, but urged the prosecution to summon its civilian witnesses at the first opportunity.
No request for bail was made during the arraignment of the second accused, Kongadan, who was also remanded in custody.
The court rejected a defence request for a ban on the publication of the names of the accused, but upheld one for the name of the child involved.
Lawyer Joseph Calleja appeared parte civile.
Two school bus drivers were charged with defiling a minor they used to drive to school as well as producing and possessing child pornography
17 September 2019, 5:15pm
by Matthew Agius
The court heard how the minor, aged 15, was defiled by schoolbus drivers who used to transport her to school
Two schoolbus drivers have denied charges of having engaged in sexual activities with an underage girl, 15, whom they allegedly used to drive to school.
Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard how Indian nationals Nidhin Eldhose, 32, and Sarath Babu Kongadan, 28, had befriended the minor on social media before the alleged incident came to light when the girl reportedly went to hospital. A police report was subsequently filed by the girl’s parents.
The two men were arraigned separately on Tuesday, both pleading not guilty to sex with an underage person, defilement of the minor as well as producing and possessing child pornography and misusing telecommunications technology.
Defence lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace asked the court for bail during Eldhose’s arraignment, arguing that so far there was no evidence other than the police report.
“We know nothing else. It is still too early to deny bail. It all depends on the testimony of the minor,” suggested the lawyer.
However prosecuting inspectors John Spiteri and Joseph Xerri objected to the request in view of the nature and gravity of the charges as well as the fact that the man was a flight risk. There was no extradition treaty with the accused’s country of origin, he explained.
The danger of the accused tampering with evidence was “clear and manifest,” Inspector Spiteri said.
Magistrate Camilleri rejected the bail request, but urged the prosecution to summon its civilian witnesses at the first opportunity.
No request for bail was made during the arraignment of the second accused, Kongadan, who was also remanded in custody.
The court rejected a defence request for a ban on the publication of the names of the accused, but upheld one for the name of the child involved.
Lawyer Joseph Calleja appeared parte civile.
Assassinju Daphne: “Għandhom jitħabbru d-dettalji dwar l-inkjesta indipendenti”
Minn Monique Agius
17 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-dettalji tal-inkjesta independenti dwar l-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia għandhom jitħabbru dalwaqt. Dan qalu l-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat wara l-laqgħa tal-Kabinett lill-midja li kien hemm preżenti. Huwa sostna li għalkemm għandu r-riservi tiegħu fuq ir-rapporteur li ġie maħtur mill-Assemblea Parlamentari fil-Kunsill Ewropew, huwa għandu rispett għall-istituzzjoni.
Il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa kien approva riżoluzzjoni li fiha fost diversi rakkommandazzjonijiet li saru lil Malta, ntalbet tiftaħ inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju fi żmien tliet xhur. Baqa’ biss disat ijiem qabel id-data tal-iskadenza.
F’Lulju l-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Carmelo Abela qal li l-Gvern se jkun qed iżżomm maż-żmien li ngħata mill-Kunsill tal-Ewropa biex jibda l-inkjesta indipendenti. Huwa kien qal dan waqt avveniment fir-Renju Unit.
Il-familja Caruana Galizia ilha titlob li tibda inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju, u għamlet protest ġudizzjarju quddiem il-Prim’Awla tal-Qorti Kostituzzjonali.
Diversi għaqdiet lokali u internazzjonali talbu għall-inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju ta’ Caruana Galizia. Bl-MGRM, aditus Foundation, Integra Foundation, Critical Institute u l-Pjattaforma għall-Organizzazzjonijiet dwar id-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem jitolbu inkjesta indipendenti l-għada li seħħ l-assassinju.
Newsbook.com.mt bgħatt mistoqsijiet bil-miktub lill-Kap tal-Komunikazzjoni tal-Gvern wara li dan insista li l-mistoqsijiet jintbagħtu b’imejl.
Il-ġurnalista Caruana Galizia kienet assassinata fis-16 ta’ Ottubru 2017 ftit metri ‘l bogħod mid-darha. Tliet persuni kienu arrestati f’Diċembru tal-istess sena. F’Lulju l-avukat ġenerali ħareġ l-att tal-akkuża fil-konfront tal-aħwa Alfred u George Degiorgio, u Vince Muscat li huma akkużati bil-qtil tal-ġurnalista.
Minn Monique Agius
17 ta' Settembru 2019
Id-dettalji tal-inkjesta independenti dwar l-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia għandhom jitħabbru dalwaqt. Dan qalu l-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat wara l-laqgħa tal-Kabinett lill-midja li kien hemm preżenti. Huwa sostna li għalkemm għandu r-riservi tiegħu fuq ir-rapporteur li ġie maħtur mill-Assemblea Parlamentari fil-Kunsill Ewropew, huwa għandu rispett għall-istituzzjoni.
Il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa kien approva riżoluzzjoni li fiha fost diversi rakkommandazzjonijiet li saru lil Malta, ntalbet tiftaħ inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju fi żmien tliet xhur. Baqa’ biss disat ijiem qabel id-data tal-iskadenza.
F’Lulju l-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Carmelo Abela qal li l-Gvern se jkun qed iżżomm maż-żmien li ngħata mill-Kunsill tal-Ewropa biex jibda l-inkjesta indipendenti. Huwa kien qal dan waqt avveniment fir-Renju Unit.
Il-familja Caruana Galizia ilha titlob li tibda inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju, u għamlet protest ġudizzjarju quddiem il-Prim’Awla tal-Qorti Kostituzzjonali.
Diversi għaqdiet lokali u internazzjonali talbu għall-inkjesta indipendenti dwar l-assassinju ta’ Caruana Galizia. Bl-MGRM, aditus Foundation, Integra Foundation, Critical Institute u l-Pjattaforma għall-Organizzazzjonijiet dwar id-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem jitolbu inkjesta indipendenti l-għada li seħħ l-assassinju.
Newsbook.com.mt bgħatt mistoqsijiet bil-miktub lill-Kap tal-Komunikazzjoni tal-Gvern wara li dan insista li l-mistoqsijiet jintbagħtu b’imejl.
Il-ġurnalista Caruana Galizia kienet assassinata fis-16 ta’ Ottubru 2017 ftit metri ‘l bogħod mid-darha. Tliet persuni kienu arrestati f’Diċembru tal-istess sena. F’Lulju l-avukat ġenerali ħareġ l-att tal-akkuża fil-konfront tal-aħwa Alfred u George Degiorgio, u Vince Muscat li huma akkużati bil-qtil tal-ġurnalista.
Nadur-Mgarr road reconstruction tender still in appeal stage, no date for completion
Rebekah Cilia
Sunday, 15 September 2019,
Works were set to start last year
The tender for the reconstruction of the two roads that lead from Nadur to Mgarr in Gozo is still in the appeal stage, the Ministry for Gozo has confirmed, despite having announced that work for one of the roads would start a year ago.
In September last year, Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana had announced, in an on-site press conference, that works were to start and that the Nadur-Mgarr road's foundations would be rebuilt and utilities channelled underground before a new surface was laid.
A tender by negotiated procedure for the reconstruction and resurfacing of part of Mgarr Road was issued in June 2018. According to the tender document, the works had to be carried within four months from the date of order to start works.
According to the law, a negotiated procedure means the procedure whereby Contracting Authorities consult the economic operators of their choice and negotiate the terms of a contract with one or more of these.
The tender was awarded to Road Construction Co. Ltd, Gozo's leading building contractors, for the price of €652,207.
Two months after, the same road was closed off after a section caved in. The Ministry had then said, in reports to the media, that complications had arisen and more studies were needed to be carried out to ensure the road is properly built.
It was reported that the contractor that won the bid had closed off the road to minimise the danger, that was evident. When asked by this newsroom if works had actually commenced on this road in September and if yes, why were they stopped, the Ministry did not reply.
In a Facebook post in January 2019, however, Caruana said the road would be built from scratch and that the project was proceeding as planned and accepted. The post shows a picture of a part of the road that had been dug up.
The Malta Independent on Sunday went to the area and found that the road is still closed off today and no workers were seen on site. One way signs appear along the road, as well as several diversion signs. Sources have told this newsroom that no works have been carried out on the road for about a year.
In May this year, a new tender, for 'Reconstruction of Triq Imgarr (Nadur) and Triq Sant'Antnin (Ghajnsielem) Gozo)' was issued. The subject of this tender is the reconstruction of the two roads including structural, infrastructural and piling works.
The execution period of the tender is nine months, although the mobilisation period extends it by a further three months.
Three tenderers have submitted their bid, with Road Construction Co. Ltd being the recommended tenderer with the lowest bid of €7,992,359.01.
When asked about the progress of the tender, the Ministry confirmed that the tender is being awarded, and is in fact in the appeal stage. When asked why it took so long for the tender to be issued, following the announcement to the media in November that more studies were required, the Ministry, did not reply.
"The road works involved are a total road build-up and is a multimillion project. Considering that road works have been due for decades and considering the terrain challenges, geotechnical investigations had to be carried out," the Ministry told this newsroom. "This enabled us to design a long term project and address the issue permanently and secure peace of mind to Nadur residents."
When asked when actual works on site will commence and when the road project will be concluded, in its entirety, and reopened to the public, did Ministry did not reply.
'Bigger and immediate investment needed for roads in Gozo' - Clint Camilleri
The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries, Clint Camilleri also said in a Facebook post, last week, that bigger and immediate investment was necessary for a number of roads to be built from scratch in Gozo, including Nadur, which were left to deteriorate for a number of years.
Camilleri, who is from Gozo, appealed for Infrastructure Malta to be "allowed" to work in Gozo. The roads agency, which he said was changing the face of Malta's roads with efficiency and professionalism, is not responsible for Gozo's road infrastructure.
Farmers cannot access the fields - Chris Said
Gozo PN spokesperson, Chris Said explained that the road starts off in Nadur and ends at the Mgarr port, making it the arterial road leading to the port. For this reason, he noted that the road falls under the responsibility of the central government.
Furthermore, in Gozo these arterial roads were not transferred to Infrastructure Malta, as is the case for arterial Maltese roads, because of strong objection from the Ministry for Gozo who wanted to keep these roads under her Ministry, Said said.
He did note that the road has been damaged for various years and patching was always done to fix this road.
A year ago, Said said, Caruana held a press conference and the contractors dug up the whole road, so much so that today no cars or pedestrians can pass through it. "The road has been closed for a year and in the last year, no work was done. In the whole year, no workers were seen on site."
Said also said that farmers cannot access the fields, whilst people that need to travel from Nadur to Mgarr, and vice versa, have to pass through Qala or Xewkija, which he commented, is a much longer route.
Furthermore, he added that the Nadur football pitch is not accessible from Mgarr. Business for a private restaurant situated on the road has also taken a big turn for the worse, due to the road situation.
"The road could have easily been done from EU funds, however, the government over the last six years has not applied for any funds for roads in Gozo," Said said.
Rebekah Cilia
Sunday, 15 September 2019,
Works were set to start last year
The tender for the reconstruction of the two roads that lead from Nadur to Mgarr in Gozo is still in the appeal stage, the Ministry for Gozo has confirmed, despite having announced that work for one of the roads would start a year ago.
In September last year, Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana had announced, in an on-site press conference, that works were to start and that the Nadur-Mgarr road's foundations would be rebuilt and utilities channelled underground before a new surface was laid.
A tender by negotiated procedure for the reconstruction and resurfacing of part of Mgarr Road was issued in June 2018. According to the tender document, the works had to be carried within four months from the date of order to start works.
According to the law, a negotiated procedure means the procedure whereby Contracting Authorities consult the economic operators of their choice and negotiate the terms of a contract with one or more of these.
The tender was awarded to Road Construction Co. Ltd, Gozo's leading building contractors, for the price of €652,207.
Two months after, the same road was closed off after a section caved in. The Ministry had then said, in reports to the media, that complications had arisen and more studies were needed to be carried out to ensure the road is properly built.
It was reported that the contractor that won the bid had closed off the road to minimise the danger, that was evident. When asked by this newsroom if works had actually commenced on this road in September and if yes, why were they stopped, the Ministry did not reply.
In a Facebook post in January 2019, however, Caruana said the road would be built from scratch and that the project was proceeding as planned and accepted. The post shows a picture of a part of the road that had been dug up.
The Malta Independent on Sunday went to the area and found that the road is still closed off today and no workers were seen on site. One way signs appear along the road, as well as several diversion signs. Sources have told this newsroom that no works have been carried out on the road for about a year.
In May this year, a new tender, for 'Reconstruction of Triq Imgarr (Nadur) and Triq Sant'Antnin (Ghajnsielem) Gozo)' was issued. The subject of this tender is the reconstruction of the two roads including structural, infrastructural and piling works.
The execution period of the tender is nine months, although the mobilisation period extends it by a further three months.
Three tenderers have submitted their bid, with Road Construction Co. Ltd being the recommended tenderer with the lowest bid of €7,992,359.01.
When asked about the progress of the tender, the Ministry confirmed that the tender is being awarded, and is in fact in the appeal stage. When asked why it took so long for the tender to be issued, following the announcement to the media in November that more studies were required, the Ministry, did not reply.
"The road works involved are a total road build-up and is a multimillion project. Considering that road works have been due for decades and considering the terrain challenges, geotechnical investigations had to be carried out," the Ministry told this newsroom. "This enabled us to design a long term project and address the issue permanently and secure peace of mind to Nadur residents."
When asked when actual works on site will commence and when the road project will be concluded, in its entirety, and reopened to the public, did Ministry did not reply.
'Bigger and immediate investment needed for roads in Gozo' - Clint Camilleri
The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries, Clint Camilleri also said in a Facebook post, last week, that bigger and immediate investment was necessary for a number of roads to be built from scratch in Gozo, including Nadur, which were left to deteriorate for a number of years.
Camilleri, who is from Gozo, appealed for Infrastructure Malta to be "allowed" to work in Gozo. The roads agency, which he said was changing the face of Malta's roads with efficiency and professionalism, is not responsible for Gozo's road infrastructure.
Farmers cannot access the fields - Chris Said
Gozo PN spokesperson, Chris Said explained that the road starts off in Nadur and ends at the Mgarr port, making it the arterial road leading to the port. For this reason, he noted that the road falls under the responsibility of the central government.
Furthermore, in Gozo these arterial roads were not transferred to Infrastructure Malta, as is the case for arterial Maltese roads, because of strong objection from the Ministry for Gozo who wanted to keep these roads under her Ministry, Said said.
He did note that the road has been damaged for various years and patching was always done to fix this road.
A year ago, Said said, Caruana held a press conference and the contractors dug up the whole road, so much so that today no cars or pedestrians can pass through it. "The road has been closed for a year and in the last year, no work was done. In the whole year, no workers were seen on site."
Said also said that farmers cannot access the fields, whilst people that need to travel from Nadur to Mgarr, and vice versa, have to pass through Qala or Xewkija, which he commented, is a much longer route.
Furthermore, he added that the Nadur football pitch is not accessible from Mgarr. Business for a private restaurant situated on the road has also taken a big turn for the worse, due to the road situation.
"The road could have easily been done from EU funds, however, the government over the last six years has not applied for any funds for roads in Gozo," Said said.
Foqra spiċċaw Monte Karmeli għax ix-xelters mimlijin – Delia
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
16/09/2019,
Il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni Adrian Delia qal li tkun bla saqaf fuq rasek hi trawma psikoloġika u tmur kontra d-dritt fundamentali tal-bniedem. Hu qal dan waqt żjara li għamel f’Dar Niki Cassar li jieħdu ħsiebha l-YMCA. B’kollox f’din id-dar hemm 30 resident u Delia qassam hamper lil kull persuna.
Delia qal li l-faqar jinsab mifrux fis-soċjetà fost taqsimiet differenti. Hu rringrazzja l-għaqdiet mhux governattivi li joffru kenn għal min m’għandux saqaf fuq rasu u l-bqija tal-għaqdiet li jaħdmu mal-batut fis-soċjetà. Delia spjega kif fil-preżent id-domanda għal dawn il-postijiet hija waħda kbira u mhux l-ewwel darba li jkun hemm każ diffiċċli fejn ix-shelter homes ikunu mimlijin u spiċċaw f’istituzzjonijiet oħra bħal Monte Karmeli.
Skont stqarrija maħruġa mill-Partit Nazzjonalista f’Malta hawn aktar minn 78,000 persuna li qegħda f’riskju ta’ faqar. Aktar minn 36,000 m’għandhomx biżżejjed flus biex iżommu d-dar sħuna fi-xitwa aktar minn 27,000 persuna ma jaffordjawx li jieklu l-laħam, tiġieġ jew ħut, u aktar minn 12,000 ma jistgħux iħallsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma jew is-self mal-banek.
Delia spjega kif dan kollu juri li għalkemm il-Gvern baqa’ jiftaħar bis-surplus, il-ġid li qed jinħoloq mhux jitqassam għand kulħadd. Hu saħaq li l-ħaddiema Maltin u Għawdxin qed iħossu morsa doppja fejn min-naħa l-pagi baqgħu baxxi u min-naħa l-oħra l-prezzijiet tal-prodotti essenzjali qed dejjem jiżdiedu. Hu qal li din hi sitwazzjoni fejn lanqas il-middle class mhi tlaħħaq.
Il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni qal li l-Partit Nazzjonalista jisħaq li għad hawn bżonn ta’ aktar miżuri preventivi b’mod partikolari ta’ politika nazzjonali, strateġija li sservi biex tidentifika l-ewwel sinjali ta’ meta persuna għandha tiġi mgħejuna b’mod immedjat.
Delia għandu jieqaf juri wiċċ b’ieħor – Il-Partit Laburista
Il-Partit Laburista (PL) qal li Delia għandu jieqaf juri wiċċ b’ieħor billi jitkellem mod fil-preżenza ta’ NGOs u mod ieħor fl-assenza tagħhom. Il-PL żied jgħid li jekk Delia jrid tassew jelimina l-faqar, għandu jappoġġja l-protezzjoni bażika pprovduta mil-liġi tal-kera li qed tiġi proposta mill-Gvern minflok jivvota kontriha.
Minn Sarah Cassar Dymond
16/09/2019,
Il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni Adrian Delia qal li tkun bla saqaf fuq rasek hi trawma psikoloġika u tmur kontra d-dritt fundamentali tal-bniedem. Hu qal dan waqt żjara li għamel f’Dar Niki Cassar li jieħdu ħsiebha l-YMCA. B’kollox f’din id-dar hemm 30 resident u Delia qassam hamper lil kull persuna.
Delia qal li l-faqar jinsab mifrux fis-soċjetà fost taqsimiet differenti. Hu rringrazzja l-għaqdiet mhux governattivi li joffru kenn għal min m’għandux saqaf fuq rasu u l-bqija tal-għaqdiet li jaħdmu mal-batut fis-soċjetà. Delia spjega kif fil-preżent id-domanda għal dawn il-postijiet hija waħda kbira u mhux l-ewwel darba li jkun hemm każ diffiċċli fejn ix-shelter homes ikunu mimlijin u spiċċaw f’istituzzjonijiet oħra bħal Monte Karmeli.
Skont stqarrija maħruġa mill-Partit Nazzjonalista f’Malta hawn aktar minn 78,000 persuna li qegħda f’riskju ta’ faqar. Aktar minn 36,000 m’għandhomx biżżejjed flus biex iżommu d-dar sħuna fi-xitwa aktar minn 27,000 persuna ma jaffordjawx li jieklu l-laħam, tiġieġ jew ħut, u aktar minn 12,000 ma jistgħux iħallsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma jew is-self mal-banek.
Delia spjega kif dan kollu juri li għalkemm il-Gvern baqa’ jiftaħar bis-surplus, il-ġid li qed jinħoloq mhux jitqassam għand kulħadd. Hu saħaq li l-ħaddiema Maltin u Għawdxin qed iħossu morsa doppja fejn min-naħa l-pagi baqgħu baxxi u min-naħa l-oħra l-prezzijiet tal-prodotti essenzjali qed dejjem jiżdiedu. Hu qal li din hi sitwazzjoni fejn lanqas il-middle class mhi tlaħħaq.
Il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni qal li l-Partit Nazzjonalista jisħaq li għad hawn bżonn ta’ aktar miżuri preventivi b’mod partikolari ta’ politika nazzjonali, strateġija li sservi biex tidentifika l-ewwel sinjali ta’ meta persuna għandha tiġi mgħejuna b’mod immedjat.
Delia għandu jieqaf juri wiċċ b’ieħor – Il-Partit Laburista
Il-Partit Laburista (PL) qal li Delia għandu jieqaf juri wiċċ b’ieħor billi jitkellem mod fil-preżenza ta’ NGOs u mod ieħor fl-assenza tagħhom. Il-PL żied jgħid li jekk Delia jrid tassew jelimina l-faqar, għandu jappoġġja l-protezzjoni bażika pprovduta mil-liġi tal-kera li qed tiġi proposta mill-Gvern minflok jivvota kontriha.
Emergency drill in Zebbug Gozo
Video by Chevalier Carmel Saliba CKSPP
Civil Protection and Hospital Staff works together to rescue a man after a traffic accident.
NOT A REAL CASE. Video Carmel Saliba © 15.9.19.
The emergency drill was part of a celebration in Zebbug Gozo for the feast of the Ghazziela. A traditional feast held in Zebbug.
https://www.facebook.com/carmel.saliba/videos/10156323102411594/
Photos by Chevalier Carmel Saliba
Video by Chevalier Carmel Saliba CKSPP
Civil Protection and Hospital Staff works together to rescue a man after a traffic accident.
NOT A REAL CASE. Video Carmel Saliba © 15.9.19.
The emergency drill was part of a celebration in Zebbug Gozo for the feast of the Ghazziela. A traditional feast held in Zebbug.
https://www.facebook.com/carmel.saliba/videos/10156323102411594/
Photos by Chevalier Carmel Saliba
L-insara f’Burkina Faso mġiegħla jaħarbu, jikkonvertu jew jinqatlu
Minn Mario Schiavone
16/09/2019,
Insara bla dar jattendu għal servizz reliġjuż f’Kaya, Burkina, Faso, aktar kmieni din is-sena. (Credit: Anne Mimault/Reuters via CNS.)
Skont l-organiżazzjoni Kattolika tal-karita “Clancy”, l-insara f’Burkina Faso qed ikunu sfurzati jaħarbu mill-pajjiż, jikkonvertu jew imutu minn Jihadisti Islamiċi.
Nhar it-Tnejn li għadda l-Gvern ta’ Burkina Faso qal li estremisti kienu wettqu żewġ attakki li fihom qatlu total ta’ 29 persuna.
Wieħed mill-attakki li seħħ nhar il-Ħadd – 8 ta’ Settembru – f’Dablo-Delba inqatlu 17-il persuna filwaqt li 15 oħra inqatlu meta trakk rifes splussiv fi triq fil-provinċja ta’ Sanmatenga.
Il-vjolenza mill-estremisti Islamiċi f’Burkina Faso, matul din is-sena kibret sew u fuq il-fruntiera mal-Mali. F’dawn l-attakki nqatlu mijiet ta’ persuni u eluf kellhom jaħarbu minn djarhom.
Żdiedet il-vjolenza
L-insara kienu fil-mira. F’Ġunju li għadda, seba’ nsara nqatlu mill-Jihadisti f’attakk fil-belt ta’ Bani. Qabel inqatlu saret tfittxija fuqhom għal xi oġġetti li jidentifikawhom bħala nsara bħalma huma slaleb u kopji tal-Bibbja.
Clancy qalet li “il-gvernijiet ta’ pajjiżi bħal Burkina Faso mhux biss għandhom jagħtu aktar protezzjoni lill-insara u minoritajiet oħra, imma l-komunità internazzjonali għandha tieħu passi deċisivi biex jintemm il-finanzjament internazzjonali tat-terroriżmu u t-trasferiment tal-armamenti minn pajjiż għall-ieħor.”
20% Kattoliċi
Burkina Faso hu pajjiż b’maġġoranza ta’ twemmin Musulman. Iżda l-minoranza ta’ Kattoliċi li tista’ tilħaq sa 20% tal-popolazzjoni hi waħda sinjifikanti. Ħafna mill-insara huma Kattoliċi u fil-pajjiż hemm 3 arċidjoċesijiet u 12-il djoċesi oħra.
Fl-imgħoddi, ir-relazzjonijiet bejn nies minn reliġjonijiet differenti kienu tajbin u l-Insara u l-Musulmani għexu flimkien fil-paċi. Iżda mill-2015 ‘l hawn is-sitwazzjoni inbidelt ħafna” gruppi Jihadisti li qabel kienu fil-Mali, infiltraw fil-Burkina Faso u bdew jiżdiedu l-attakki.
Bejn April u Ġunju ta’ din is-sena il-Jihadisti qatlu 56 nisrani f’serje ta’ attakki vjolenti.
Fil-pajjiż hemm jaħdmu diversi gruppi Islamiċi li filwaqt li jattakkaw simboli tal-Istat bħalma huma skejjel, faċilitajiet tas-saħħa u postijiet militari, il-preferenza tal-attakki tagħhom hi fuq knejjes insara.
Minn Mario Schiavone
16/09/2019,
Insara bla dar jattendu għal servizz reliġjuż f’Kaya, Burkina, Faso, aktar kmieni din is-sena. (Credit: Anne Mimault/Reuters via CNS.)
Skont l-organiżazzjoni Kattolika tal-karita “Clancy”, l-insara f’Burkina Faso qed ikunu sfurzati jaħarbu mill-pajjiż, jikkonvertu jew imutu minn Jihadisti Islamiċi.
Nhar it-Tnejn li għadda l-Gvern ta’ Burkina Faso qal li estremisti kienu wettqu żewġ attakki li fihom qatlu total ta’ 29 persuna.
Wieħed mill-attakki li seħħ nhar il-Ħadd – 8 ta’ Settembru – f’Dablo-Delba inqatlu 17-il persuna filwaqt li 15 oħra inqatlu meta trakk rifes splussiv fi triq fil-provinċja ta’ Sanmatenga.
Il-vjolenza mill-estremisti Islamiċi f’Burkina Faso, matul din is-sena kibret sew u fuq il-fruntiera mal-Mali. F’dawn l-attakki nqatlu mijiet ta’ persuni u eluf kellhom jaħarbu minn djarhom.
Żdiedet il-vjolenza
L-insara kienu fil-mira. F’Ġunju li għadda, seba’ nsara nqatlu mill-Jihadisti f’attakk fil-belt ta’ Bani. Qabel inqatlu saret tfittxija fuqhom għal xi oġġetti li jidentifikawhom bħala nsara bħalma huma slaleb u kopji tal-Bibbja.
Clancy qalet li “il-gvernijiet ta’ pajjiżi bħal Burkina Faso mhux biss għandhom jagħtu aktar protezzjoni lill-insara u minoritajiet oħra, imma l-komunità internazzjonali għandha tieħu passi deċisivi biex jintemm il-finanzjament internazzjonali tat-terroriżmu u t-trasferiment tal-armamenti minn pajjiż għall-ieħor.”
20% Kattoliċi
Burkina Faso hu pajjiż b’maġġoranza ta’ twemmin Musulman. Iżda l-minoranza ta’ Kattoliċi li tista’ tilħaq sa 20% tal-popolazzjoni hi waħda sinjifikanti. Ħafna mill-insara huma Kattoliċi u fil-pajjiż hemm 3 arċidjoċesijiet u 12-il djoċesi oħra.
Fl-imgħoddi, ir-relazzjonijiet bejn nies minn reliġjonijiet differenti kienu tajbin u l-Insara u l-Musulmani għexu flimkien fil-paċi. Iżda mill-2015 ‘l hawn is-sitwazzjoni inbidelt ħafna” gruppi Jihadisti li qabel kienu fil-Mali, infiltraw fil-Burkina Faso u bdew jiżdiedu l-attakki.
Bejn April u Ġunju ta’ din is-sena il-Jihadisti qatlu 56 nisrani f’serje ta’ attakki vjolenti.
Fil-pajjiż hemm jaħdmu diversi gruppi Islamiċi li filwaqt li jattakkaw simboli tal-Istat bħalma huma skejjel, faċilitajiet tas-saħħa u postijiet militari, il-preferenza tal-attakki tagħhom hi fuq knejjes insara.
Feast of St. Padre Pio
Sunday 15 September, 2019
The feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was held today by the Italian community at Ta' Pinu Shrine in Bacchus Marsh, Melbourne.
The Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul was invited to take part in the celebration.
Sunday 15 September, 2019
The feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was held today by the Italian community at Ta' Pinu Shrine in Bacchus Marsh, Melbourne.
The Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul was invited to take part in the celebration.
“I will not resign before, during or after the Budget” – Joseph Muscat
PM had said he would not contest another general electionBy Claire Caruana
15 September, 2019
Joseph Muscat insisted on Sunday he will not be stepping down “before, during or after” the upcoming Budget, saying he will instead continue to focus on his work to better the country.
The Prime Minister’s comments come in the wake of reports that an internal race among a number of potential contenders – namely Health Minister Chris Fearne, Transport Minister Ian Borg, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and MEP Miriam Dalli – had kicked off.
Dr Muscat has repeatedly stated he will not contest the next general election yet despite the main contenders embarking on unofficial campaigns to take his place, close advisers have claimed the Prime Minister will not be stepping down anytime soon.
While insisting he will not step down in the coming weeks, Dr Muscat on Sunday still did not specifically state when he plans on stepping down.
“I will not resign before, during or after the upcoming Budget. I am focused on the work that needs to be carried out in the coming months to ensure the country continues to prosper,” Dr Muscat said during a recorded interview broadcast on Labour’s ONE radio.
Dr Muscat kicked off the interview by reaffirming that the government does not stop working in summer, saying it was instead busy working on the Budget set to be unveiled on October 15.
While making sure those doing well will continue to be able to do so, Dr Muscat said that the government also wants to make sure poverty is eradicated. Unlike other administrations in the past, he said, the government acknowledged the fact that some are still living in poverty and will continue to work hard to help those struggling.
MoneyVal reportOn the report by the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body – MoneyVal – which said that Malta failed an expert review of its money-laundering regime, Dr Muscat insisted a number of the issues flagged had already been addressed.
“The MoneyVal reports are always critical of Malta but this time around, it also listed a number of things that need to be improved and we are confident the points raised will be implemented,” Dr Muscat said.
Rent law reformMoving on to the rent law reforms, the Prime Minister lambasted the Opposition and its criticism of the proposed changes, saying the Nationalist Party had a change of heart after certain bodies spoke out against the proposals.
“A few months ago, the Opposition was criticising the government for not protecting tenants. Now that we are doing that, it is criticising us for not protecting landlords, which is not even the case.
“The Opposition’s biggest problem is it does not know what it stands for, unlike the government, which has a clear position,” Dr Muscat said.
Public cleansingHe then moved on to the importance of public cleansing, saying that while there had been improvements in this area, there was still more that needed to be done to ensure the island is in top shape.
“We have a very efficient cleansing department but I am still not satisfied. In the coming months, we will make sure there is better coordination between the different entities. I believe that people are mostly annoyed when the different entities shirk responsibility and claim something does not fall under its remit,” he went on, adding that a national conference on the subject will be held in the coming months.
Helena Dalli and the Equality portfolioDr Muscat went on to congratulate Malta's nominee to the European Commission Helena Dalli for landing the equality portfolio. European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Tuesday.
“It is a great honour for Dr Dalli and the country. It’s ridiculous when people say this is not an important portfolio. Dr Dalli will be the first European Commissioner tasked with such a portfolio. The agenda for this, as stated by Ms von der Leyen, is never-ending,” Dr Muscat went on.
He also believed it to be the most important portfolio ever assigned to a Maltese commissioner.
PM had said he would not contest another general electionBy Claire Caruana
15 September, 2019
Joseph Muscat insisted on Sunday he will not be stepping down “before, during or after” the upcoming Budget, saying he will instead continue to focus on his work to better the country.
The Prime Minister’s comments come in the wake of reports that an internal race among a number of potential contenders – namely Health Minister Chris Fearne, Transport Minister Ian Borg, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and MEP Miriam Dalli – had kicked off.
Dr Muscat has repeatedly stated he will not contest the next general election yet despite the main contenders embarking on unofficial campaigns to take his place, close advisers have claimed the Prime Minister will not be stepping down anytime soon.
While insisting he will not step down in the coming weeks, Dr Muscat on Sunday still did not specifically state when he plans on stepping down.
“I will not resign before, during or after the upcoming Budget. I am focused on the work that needs to be carried out in the coming months to ensure the country continues to prosper,” Dr Muscat said during a recorded interview broadcast on Labour’s ONE radio.
Dr Muscat kicked off the interview by reaffirming that the government does not stop working in summer, saying it was instead busy working on the Budget set to be unveiled on October 15.
While making sure those doing well will continue to be able to do so, Dr Muscat said that the government also wants to make sure poverty is eradicated. Unlike other administrations in the past, he said, the government acknowledged the fact that some are still living in poverty and will continue to work hard to help those struggling.
MoneyVal reportOn the report by the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body – MoneyVal – which said that Malta failed an expert review of its money-laundering regime, Dr Muscat insisted a number of the issues flagged had already been addressed.
“The MoneyVal reports are always critical of Malta but this time around, it also listed a number of things that need to be improved and we are confident the points raised will be implemented,” Dr Muscat said.
Rent law reformMoving on to the rent law reforms, the Prime Minister lambasted the Opposition and its criticism of the proposed changes, saying the Nationalist Party had a change of heart after certain bodies spoke out against the proposals.
“A few months ago, the Opposition was criticising the government for not protecting tenants. Now that we are doing that, it is criticising us for not protecting landlords, which is not even the case.
“The Opposition’s biggest problem is it does not know what it stands for, unlike the government, which has a clear position,” Dr Muscat said.
Public cleansingHe then moved on to the importance of public cleansing, saying that while there had been improvements in this area, there was still more that needed to be done to ensure the island is in top shape.
“We have a very efficient cleansing department but I am still not satisfied. In the coming months, we will make sure there is better coordination between the different entities. I believe that people are mostly annoyed when the different entities shirk responsibility and claim something does not fall under its remit,” he went on, adding that a national conference on the subject will be held in the coming months.
Helena Dalli and the Equality portfolioDr Muscat went on to congratulate Malta's nominee to the European Commission Helena Dalli for landing the equality portfolio. European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement on Tuesday.
“It is a great honour for Dr Dalli and the country. It’s ridiculous when people say this is not an important portfolio. Dr Dalli will be the first European Commissioner tasked with such a portfolio. The agenda for this, as stated by Ms von der Leyen, is never-ending,” Dr Muscat went on.
He also believed it to be the most important portfolio ever assigned to a Maltese commissioner.
President George Vella to meet Pope Francis and Italy's president
15 September, 2019
President begins four-day official visit to Vatican and Italy.
Pope Francis (left) President George Vella and Italian president Sergio Mattarella (right). Photos: AFP
President George Vella will have a private audience with Pope Francis on Monday as part of a four-day official visit to the Vatican and Italy.
The delegation leaves Malta on Sunday.
The President, who will be accompanied by his wife as well as by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, will also meet with the Vatican’s secretary of state, cardinal Pietro Parolin.
He will then meet with Italian president Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Tuesday, at an event that will be held at the Quirinal Palace.
Dolores Cristina will serve as acting president during his absence.
15 September, 2019
President begins four-day official visit to Vatican and Italy.
Pope Francis (left) President George Vella and Italian president Sergio Mattarella (right). Photos: AFP
President George Vella will have a private audience with Pope Francis on Monday as part of a four-day official visit to the Vatican and Italy.
The delegation leaves Malta on Sunday.
The President, who will be accompanied by his wife as well as by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, will also meet with the Vatican’s secretary of state, cardinal Pietro Parolin.
He will then meet with Italian president Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Tuesday, at an event that will be held at the Quirinal Palace.
Dolores Cristina will serve as acting president during his absence.
Ghaqda Armar Dicembru 13 - Nadur
L-AHHAR BBQ SUCCESS
IL-Kumitat jixtieq jirringrazzja lil dawk kollha li attendew il-bierah ghal ahhar attivita ghas-sajf Country Night BBQ li kienet success. Grazzi mil-qalb lil helpers kollha u lil dawk li sajru u preparaw l-ikel kollu. Grazzi lil Marisa d'Amato li waqt il-BBQ daqqet u kantat country. Mil-gdid Grazzi lil kull min attenda u zgur li taghmlulna l-kuragg biex inkomplu nahdmu ghal festa u l-gheziez patruni taghna San Pietru u San Pawl.
L-AHHAR BBQ SUCCESS
IL-Kumitat jixtieq jirringrazzja lil dawk kollha li attendew il-bierah ghal ahhar attivita ghas-sajf Country Night BBQ li kienet success. Grazzi mil-qalb lil helpers kollha u lil dawk li sajru u preparaw l-ikel kollu. Grazzi lil Marisa d'Amato li waqt il-BBQ daqqet u kantat country. Mil-gdid Grazzi lil kull min attenda u zgur li taghmlulna l-kuragg biex inkomplu nahdmu ghal festa u l-gheziez patruni taghna San Pietru u San Pawl.
Filmat:Malta bi ftehim mal-Manchester United
Minn Monique Agius
13/09/2019,
Ara il film hawn: https://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2019/09/13/filmat-malta-bi-ftehim-mal-manchester-united/
Il-klabb tal-Manchester United sar is-sieħeb uffiċjali ta’ Malta bħala destinazzjoni globali. B’hekk Malta se tkun qed tiġi rriklamata iżjed waqt avvenimenti f’pajjiżi oħra kif ukoll fuq il-midja soċjali tal-klabb u l-istazzjonijiet tat-televiżjoni tal-istess klabb.
Dan il-ftehim tħabbar mill-Ministru għat-Turiżmu Konrad Mizzi fir-Renju Unit li tela’ flimkien ma’ grupp ta’ ġurnalisti minn Malta.
Il-Ministru Mizzi qal li s-sħubija bejn il-klabb u Malta hi għal tliet snin. F’tweġibiet li ta lil Newsbook.com.mt huwa spjega li din is-sħubija se tfisser li wieħed jista’ jaħdem mal-plejers tal-ewwel tim f’avvenimenti li se jiġu organizzati fis-swieq magħżula minn Malta. Żied jgħid li dawn is-swieq huma fl-Istati Uniti, fil-Korea t’Isfel, il-Ġappun, ċ-Ċina u swieq oħra interessanti.
Fl-istadium ta’ Old Trafford diġà tweħħlu kartelluni ta’ ‘Visit Malta’. Mizzi temm jgħid li Malta tista’ tagħmel użu mill-pjattaformi tal-midja soċjali tal-klabb biex l-avvenimenti f’Malta jiġu rriklamati kif ukoll l-istazzjon uffiċjali tal-Manchester United.
Minn Monique Agius
13/09/2019,
Ara il film hawn: https://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2019/09/13/filmat-malta-bi-ftehim-mal-manchester-united/
Il-klabb tal-Manchester United sar is-sieħeb uffiċjali ta’ Malta bħala destinazzjoni globali. B’hekk Malta se tkun qed tiġi rriklamata iżjed waqt avvenimenti f’pajjiżi oħra kif ukoll fuq il-midja soċjali tal-klabb u l-istazzjonijiet tat-televiżjoni tal-istess klabb.
Dan il-ftehim tħabbar mill-Ministru għat-Turiżmu Konrad Mizzi fir-Renju Unit li tela’ flimkien ma’ grupp ta’ ġurnalisti minn Malta.
Il-Ministru Mizzi qal li s-sħubija bejn il-klabb u Malta hi għal tliet snin. F’tweġibiet li ta lil Newsbook.com.mt huwa spjega li din is-sħubija se tfisser li wieħed jista’ jaħdem mal-plejers tal-ewwel tim f’avvenimenti li se jiġu organizzati fis-swieq magħżula minn Malta. Żied jgħid li dawn is-swieq huma fl-Istati Uniti, fil-Korea t’Isfel, il-Ġappun, ċ-Ċina u swieq oħra interessanti.
Fl-istadium ta’ Old Trafford diġà tweħħlu kartelluni ta’ ‘Visit Malta’. Mizzi temm jgħid li Malta tista’ tagħmel użu mill-pjattaformi tal-midja soċjali tal-klabb biex l-avvenimenti f’Malta jiġu rriklamati kif ukoll l-istazzjon uffiċjali tal-Manchester United.
Filmat: Ftehim bejn il-Gvern u l-Vatikan: Laptops għall-għalliema tal-Knisja
Minn Monique Agius
13/09/2019,
Ara il film hawn: https://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2019/09/13/filmat-ftehim-bejn-il-gvern-u-l-vatikan-laptops-ghall-ghalliema-tal-knisja/
Ftehim bejn Malta u l-Vatikan se jwassal biex l-għalliema li jaħdmu fi skejjel tal-Knisja se jibbenefikaw mir-riżorsi li diġà għandhom l-għalliema tal-istat. L-edukaturi se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw minn laptops ġodda fix-xhur u s-snin li ġejjin, grazzi għal dan il-ftehim.
Il-Kindergarten Assistants u l-Learning Support Educators diġà ngħataw il-laptops fis-sena skolastika li għaddiet li kienu nxtraw mill-iskejjel stess.
F’kummenti li ta lil Newsbook.com.mt, l-Arċisqof Charles Scicluna qal li b’dan il-ftehim l-għalliema se jkunu qed joffru servizz ta’ kwalità aħjar lit-tfal li jattendu l-iskejjel tal-Knisja. Irringrazzja lill-Gvern Malti għall-appoġġ kontinwu tiegħu, kif ukoll lir-reliġjużi, il-qassisin u l-lajċi għad-dedikazzjoni tagħhom f’dan il-qasam.
Il-ftehim tħabbar illum waranofsinhar waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet indirizzata mill-Arċisqof Charles Scicluna, in-Nunzju Appostoliku Alessandro D’Errico, il-Ministru għall-Edukazzjoni Evarist Bartolo u l-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Carmelo Abela.
Waqt il-konferenza, in-Nunzju Appostoliku stqarr li din l-aħbar intlaqgħet tajjeb mill-Vatikan, tant li ddeskriva dan il-ftehim bħala apprezzament sinċier lejn il-ħidma tal-Knisja Kattolika f’Malta u l-istituzzjonijiet tagħha fis-sistema edukattiva.
In-Nunzju spjega li fl-2018 il-Learning Support Educators u l-Kindergarten Assistants fl-iskejjel tal-Knisja ngħataw il-laptops. Semma li dan ir-riżultat wasal wara negozjati intensivi li bdew fl-2017.
Semma wkoll kif fil-bidu tal-ħidma tiegħu f’Malta ġie mgħarraf li dawn il-ħaddiema ma ngħatawx il-laptops bħall-ħaddiema tal-istat u li dan imur kontra l-ftehim iffirmat fl-1991. Dan il-ftehm jgħid li l-edukaturi tal-Istat u dawk tal-Knisja għandu jkollhom l-istess faċilitajiet.
In-Nunzju qal li minħabba li ma kienx hemm soluzzjoni immedjata, ġie ssuġġerit li jkun hemm Kummissjoni Konġunta bejn iż-żewġ entitajiet. Din ġiet aċċettata mill-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat u sa Ġunju 2018 inħatru nies f’din il-Kummissjoni. Żied li wara diversi laqgħat ġie deċiż li l-laptops jingħataw lill-edukaturi kollha għall-aħjar interess tal-istudent.
D’Errico spjega li li wara li Dr George Vella nħatar President, spjegalu s-sitwazzjoni għax emmen li min-naħa tiegħu seta’ joffri s-sapport u jinkoraġġixxi lill-eżekuttiv biex iseħħ dan il-ftehim.
Ikkonkluda li r-riżultat ta’ din il-Kummissjoni Konġunta huwa sinjal ta’ reazzjoni tajba bejn Malta u l-Vatikan u jittama li dawn ir-relazzjonijiet ikomplu jikbru fis-snin li ġejjin.
Minn Monique Agius
13/09/2019,
Ara il film hawn: https://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2019/09/13/filmat-ftehim-bejn-il-gvern-u-l-vatikan-laptops-ghall-ghalliema-tal-knisja/
Ftehim bejn Malta u l-Vatikan se jwassal biex l-għalliema li jaħdmu fi skejjel tal-Knisja se jibbenefikaw mir-riżorsi li diġà għandhom l-għalliema tal-istat. L-edukaturi se jkunu qed jibbenefikaw minn laptops ġodda fix-xhur u s-snin li ġejjin, grazzi għal dan il-ftehim.
Il-Kindergarten Assistants u l-Learning Support Educators diġà ngħataw il-laptops fis-sena skolastika li għaddiet li kienu nxtraw mill-iskejjel stess.
F’kummenti li ta lil Newsbook.com.mt, l-Arċisqof Charles Scicluna qal li b’dan il-ftehim l-għalliema se jkunu qed joffru servizz ta’ kwalità aħjar lit-tfal li jattendu l-iskejjel tal-Knisja. Irringrazzja lill-Gvern Malti għall-appoġġ kontinwu tiegħu, kif ukoll lir-reliġjużi, il-qassisin u l-lajċi għad-dedikazzjoni tagħhom f’dan il-qasam.
Il-ftehim tħabbar illum waranofsinhar waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet indirizzata mill-Arċisqof Charles Scicluna, in-Nunzju Appostoliku Alessandro D’Errico, il-Ministru għall-Edukazzjoni Evarist Bartolo u l-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin Carmelo Abela.
Waqt il-konferenza, in-Nunzju Appostoliku stqarr li din l-aħbar intlaqgħet tajjeb mill-Vatikan, tant li ddeskriva dan il-ftehim bħala apprezzament sinċier lejn il-ħidma tal-Knisja Kattolika f’Malta u l-istituzzjonijiet tagħha fis-sistema edukattiva.
In-Nunzju spjega li fl-2018 il-Learning Support Educators u l-Kindergarten Assistants fl-iskejjel tal-Knisja ngħataw il-laptops. Semma li dan ir-riżultat wasal wara negozjati intensivi li bdew fl-2017.
Semma wkoll kif fil-bidu tal-ħidma tiegħu f’Malta ġie mgħarraf li dawn il-ħaddiema ma ngħatawx il-laptops bħall-ħaddiema tal-istat u li dan imur kontra l-ftehim iffirmat fl-1991. Dan il-ftehm jgħid li l-edukaturi tal-Istat u dawk tal-Knisja għandu jkollhom l-istess faċilitajiet.
In-Nunzju qal li minħabba li ma kienx hemm soluzzjoni immedjata, ġie ssuġġerit li jkun hemm Kummissjoni Konġunta bejn iż-żewġ entitajiet. Din ġiet aċċettata mill-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat u sa Ġunju 2018 inħatru nies f’din il-Kummissjoni. Żied li wara diversi laqgħat ġie deċiż li l-laptops jingħataw lill-edukaturi kollha għall-aħjar interess tal-istudent.
D’Errico spjega li li wara li Dr George Vella nħatar President, spjegalu s-sitwazzjoni għax emmen li min-naħa tiegħu seta’ joffri s-sapport u jinkoraġġixxi lill-eżekuttiv biex iseħħ dan il-ftehim.
Ikkonkluda li r-riżultat ta’ din il-Kummissjoni Konġunta huwa sinjal ta’ reazzjoni tajba bejn Malta u l-Vatikan u jittama li dawn ir-relazzjonijiet ikomplu jikbru fis-snin li ġejjin.
Lest għall-mixja ta’ Puttinu f’Għawdex?
MinnSarah Cassar Dymond
12/09/2019,
MGOZ: George Scerri
Għad-disa’ sena konsekuttiva l-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex qed jorganizza l-Fun Walk for Puttinu. Il-mixja se ssir nhar il-Ħadd 22 ta’ Settembru fl-4:00pm u tibda mill-parkeġġ tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex.
Il-Fun Walk for Puttinu li hi inizjattiva li jieħdu l-impjegati tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex b’kollaborazzjoni mal-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex, twassal biex ta’ kull sena jinġabru fondi biex titwettaq il-missjoni nobbli ta’ din il-fondazzjoni: dik li tgħin u tappoġġa lil dawk morda bil-kanċer u lill-familjari tagħhom.
Waqt it-tnedija tal-mixja annwali, il-Ministru għal Għawdex Justyne Caruana qalet li apparti l-ġest altruwist, hemm messaġġ importanti. Dan hu li wieħed għandu jgħix ħajja aktar sana permezz tal-eżerċizzju fiżiku.
Carmel Camilleri f’isem il-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex, irringrazzja lill-Ministeru għal Għawdex, lill-management tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex u lill-membri tal-kumitat tal-attivitajiet soċjali tal-Isptar ta’ Għawdex li lkoll jikkontribwixxu biex din l-attività tkun suċċess.
MinnSarah Cassar Dymond
12/09/2019,
MGOZ: George Scerri
Għad-disa’ sena konsekuttiva l-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex qed jorganizza l-Fun Walk for Puttinu. Il-mixja se ssir nhar il-Ħadd 22 ta’ Settembru fl-4:00pm u tibda mill-parkeġġ tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex.
Il-Fun Walk for Puttinu li hi inizjattiva li jieħdu l-impjegati tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex b’kollaborazzjoni mal-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex, twassal biex ta’ kull sena jinġabru fondi biex titwettaq il-missjoni nobbli ta’ din il-fondazzjoni: dik li tgħin u tappoġġa lil dawk morda bil-kanċer u lill-familjari tagħhom.
Waqt it-tnedija tal-mixja annwali, il-Ministru għal Għawdex Justyne Caruana qalet li apparti l-ġest altruwist, hemm messaġġ importanti. Dan hu li wieħed għandu jgħix ħajja aktar sana permezz tal-eżerċizzju fiżiku.
Carmel Camilleri f’isem il-kumitat ta’ Puttinu Cares f’Għawdex, irringrazzja lill-Ministeru għal Għawdex, lill-management tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex u lill-membri tal-kumitat tal-attivitajiet soċjali tal-Isptar ta’ Għawdex li lkoll jikkontribwixxu biex din l-attività tkun suċċess.
Work started to repair Ramla Road
11 September, 2019
Work has started in Ramla Road in Nadur, to repair a hole that was caused by the road that is sinking.
Heavy trucks are the cause that keeps damaging the road in Gozo.
11 September, 2019
Work has started in Ramla Road in Nadur, to repair a hole that was caused by the road that is sinking.
Heavy trucks are the cause that keeps damaging the road in Gozo.
Man who threatened Roberta Metsola conditionally discharged after apologising in court
Accused says he is sorry for warning the PN MEP she would end up like slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
11 September 2019, 1:25pm
by David Hudson
PN MEP Roberta Metsola
A man who threatened Roberta Metsola by warning the Nationalist MEP that she would meet the same end as Caruana Galizia has apologised in court, saying it was not his intention to bring harm to anyone.
Josef Farrugia had posted a comment on a Facebook thread in May, saying that Metsola better be careful or she'd "end up like Caruana Galizia", who was murdered by a car bomb in October 2017.
"Toqghod attenta ghax bhal galizzja tisspica (sic)," he had written. Metsola has subsequently filed a police report.
Farrugia, who has since deactivated his Facebook account, told the court on Wednesday that he was sorry. "It was never my intention to cause harm to anyone or to incite violence on Roberta Metsola," he said.
He pleaded guilty to charges of having caused Metsola to fear violence through online harassment.
"While the court understands that everyone is within his right to express himself, nobody should be made to feel threatened or should instigate the impression that someone ought to be murdered in the way Daphne Caruana Galizia has been," presiding magistrate Joe Mifsud said.
"Daphne Caruana Galizia should have never ended up the way she did. She has been missed by her family and left a serious wound in our nation."
The court issued a five-year protection order for Metsola, and conditionally discharged the accused for a period of three years.
Inspector Joseph Scerri prosecuted.
Lawyer Angele Formosa was defence counsel.
Accused says he is sorry for warning the PN MEP she would end up like slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
11 September 2019, 1:25pm
by David Hudson
PN MEP Roberta Metsola
A man who threatened Roberta Metsola by warning the Nationalist MEP that she would meet the same end as Caruana Galizia has apologised in court, saying it was not his intention to bring harm to anyone.
Josef Farrugia had posted a comment on a Facebook thread in May, saying that Metsola better be careful or she'd "end up like Caruana Galizia", who was murdered by a car bomb in October 2017.
"Toqghod attenta ghax bhal galizzja tisspica (sic)," he had written. Metsola has subsequently filed a police report.
Farrugia, who has since deactivated his Facebook account, told the court on Wednesday that he was sorry. "It was never my intention to cause harm to anyone or to incite violence on Roberta Metsola," he said.
He pleaded guilty to charges of having caused Metsola to fear violence through online harassment.
"While the court understands that everyone is within his right to express himself, nobody should be made to feel threatened or should instigate the impression that someone ought to be murdered in the way Daphne Caruana Galizia has been," presiding magistrate Joe Mifsud said.
"Daphne Caruana Galizia should have never ended up the way she did. She has been missed by her family and left a serious wound in our nation."
The court issued a five-year protection order for Metsola, and conditionally discharged the accused for a period of three years.
Inspector Joseph Scerri prosecuted.
Lawyer Angele Formosa was defence counsel.
Xaghra Historic Reenactment Organisation with the Malta Police and Armed Forces on the Celebrations of the Victories of Malta at Xaghra on 7 9 19
By Carmel Saliba 7.9.19.
Watch video here: https://youtu.be/x4tu4qo7F6U
By Carmel Saliba 7.9.19.
Watch video here: https://youtu.be/x4tu4qo7F6U
UPE disagrees with foreign teachers, fears long term consequences on educational system
The Union for Professional Educators says that lack of qualifications and pedagogical differences may have long term repercussions and warns of cultural barriers that may hinder students' learning experience
10 September 2019, 3:43pm
by Karl Azzopardi
Union of Professional Educators CEO Graham Sansone (right)
The Union for Professional Educators has raised concern over the employment of foreign teachers to make up for the lack of educators in the work force.
“This shows an apparent lack of long term planning,” UPE CEO Graham Sansone said in his reaction to comments made by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo to The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Bartolo said the government was in talks with the Malta Union of Teachers on the matter, in a bid to plug the shortage of teachers.
But the news has not gone down too well with the UPE. At a press conference on Tuesday, Sansone said the lack of qualifications needed will result in long-term repercussions.
“It was pointed out by Frank Fabri (education permanent secretary) that the entry requirements will be equivalent to those of a supply teacher, meaning that no pedagogical knowledge and experience will be expected,” the UPE CEO said.
The lack of cultural knowledge will also be an issue, according to the union, because this will create hurdles in the student’s education.
“We are fearing a culture shock with such a large influx of foreign educators,” the union said.
“One tends to forget that teachers are not only delivering academic knowledge but are rather the mother and father figure who understand the social and cultural dynamics of the class,” they said.
The issue of increasing the foreign workforce population and its impact on the country’s infrastructure was also cited by the union.
The UPE said that when reviewing the Labour Party’s 2013 and 2017 election manifestos, both had great proposals targeting the teaching profession. The union insisted that had these proposals been implemented, they would have prevented the education system’s current state.
“Had the proposals been acted upon, we would not be experiencing the current shortage of teachers, which is plaguing the system and which has created the need to consider employing foreign teachers,” the UPE said.
Asked what proposals the UPE recommends in order for the education system to improve, it said that initiatives for students to take up teaching must take priority.
“We feel that financial incentives to retain teachers, higher student stipends and early retirement should be made a priority,” the UPE said.
The union also stated that professional advancement should be provided to educators.
The Union for Professional Educators says that lack of qualifications and pedagogical differences may have long term repercussions and warns of cultural barriers that may hinder students' learning experience
10 September 2019, 3:43pm
by Karl Azzopardi
Union of Professional Educators CEO Graham Sansone (right)
The Union for Professional Educators has raised concern over the employment of foreign teachers to make up for the lack of educators in the work force.
“This shows an apparent lack of long term planning,” UPE CEO Graham Sansone said in his reaction to comments made by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo to The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Bartolo said the government was in talks with the Malta Union of Teachers on the matter, in a bid to plug the shortage of teachers.
But the news has not gone down too well with the UPE. At a press conference on Tuesday, Sansone said the lack of qualifications needed will result in long-term repercussions.
“It was pointed out by Frank Fabri (education permanent secretary) that the entry requirements will be equivalent to those of a supply teacher, meaning that no pedagogical knowledge and experience will be expected,” the UPE CEO said.
The lack of cultural knowledge will also be an issue, according to the union, because this will create hurdles in the student’s education.
“We are fearing a culture shock with such a large influx of foreign educators,” the union said.
“One tends to forget that teachers are not only delivering academic knowledge but are rather the mother and father figure who understand the social and cultural dynamics of the class,” they said.
The issue of increasing the foreign workforce population and its impact on the country’s infrastructure was also cited by the union.
The UPE said that when reviewing the Labour Party’s 2013 and 2017 election manifestos, both had great proposals targeting the teaching profession. The union insisted that had these proposals been implemented, they would have prevented the education system’s current state.
“Had the proposals been acted upon, we would not be experiencing the current shortage of teachers, which is plaguing the system and which has created the need to consider employing foreign teachers,” the UPE said.
Asked what proposals the UPE recommends in order for the education system to improve, it said that initiatives for students to take up teaching must take priority.
“We feel that financial incentives to retain teachers, higher student stipends and early retirement should be made a priority,” the UPE said.
The union also stated that professional advancement should be provided to educators.
Triq ir-Ramla fil periklu li taqa
Ezatt fejn kont noqod jien ftit ta' gimghat ilu, indunajt b'din it-toqba imma qatt ma harist l-isfel biex nara kemm hi fonda.
Il problema li qeda issir il hsara f'din it-triq u totoq ohra hija it-trakkijiet kbar li igorru hamrija jew gebel li jibqew jaghbbu sax xifer ta' fuq.
Il-gvern għandu jieħu azzjoni fuq is-sidien ta 'dawn il-vetturi tqal u jiżgura li jkun hemm limitu ta' kemm iġorru.
Filmat li ttella’ fuq Facebook juri ħofor fi triq prinċipali illi juru li t-triq m’hi qed isserraħ fuq l-ebda struttura jew ġebel.
It-triq prinċipali twassal lis-sewwieqa għar-Ramla l-Ħamra jiġifieri hija triq li tintuża minn bosta; partikolarment mil-Maltin u l-barranin. Apparti hekk tgħaddi minn hemm tal-linja kif ukoll xarabank tal-‘hop-on hop-off’.
Il-filmat juri ħofra li tinfed għal qiegħ li huwa madwar sular taħt it-triq. Apparti hekk, it-triq jidher li ttieklet u b’hekk mhix soda, u jekk ma jsir xejn mill-awtoritajiet qiegħda fil-periklu li taqa.
Jidher ukoll illi l-Kunsill Lokali tan-Nadur għamel diversi rapporti lill-Gvern, mhux biss dwar din it-triq imma wkoll dwar toroq oħra fuq barra tal-lokalità li tagħhom hu responsabbli l-Gvern u jinsabu fl-istess sitwazzjoni.
Ara il film hawn: https://www.facebook.com/gahanonlajn/videos/475110456675077/
Ezatt fejn kont noqod jien ftit ta' gimghat ilu, indunajt b'din it-toqba imma qatt ma harist l-isfel biex nara kemm hi fonda.
Il problema li qeda issir il hsara f'din it-triq u totoq ohra hija it-trakkijiet kbar li igorru hamrija jew gebel li jibqew jaghbbu sax xifer ta' fuq.
Il-gvern għandu jieħu azzjoni fuq is-sidien ta 'dawn il-vetturi tqal u jiżgura li jkun hemm limitu ta' kemm iġorru.
Filmat li ttella’ fuq Facebook juri ħofor fi triq prinċipali illi juru li t-triq m’hi qed isserraħ fuq l-ebda struttura jew ġebel.
It-triq prinċipali twassal lis-sewwieqa għar-Ramla l-Ħamra jiġifieri hija triq li tintuża minn bosta; partikolarment mil-Maltin u l-barranin. Apparti hekk tgħaddi minn hemm tal-linja kif ukoll xarabank tal-‘hop-on hop-off’.
Il-filmat juri ħofra li tinfed għal qiegħ li huwa madwar sular taħt it-triq. Apparti hekk, it-triq jidher li ttieklet u b’hekk mhix soda, u jekk ma jsir xejn mill-awtoritajiet qiegħda fil-periklu li taqa.
Jidher ukoll illi l-Kunsill Lokali tan-Nadur għamel diversi rapporti lill-Gvern, mhux biss dwar din it-triq imma wkoll dwar toroq oħra fuq barra tal-lokalità li tagħhom hu responsabbli l-Gvern u jinsabu fl-istess sitwazzjoni.
Ara il film hawn: https://www.facebook.com/gahanonlajn/videos/475110456675077/
HELPING THE POOR IN PERU
Yesterday Bishop Giovanni Cefai a missionary priest in Peru celebrated Mass in the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Nadur.
After the Mass the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter and St. Paul donated money to his mission.
Thanks to the Supreme Council of the Confraternity in Melbourne and the Grand Chapter of Nadur for the money.
Thanks also to Mons. Jimmy Xerri Parish Priest of Nadur for his support.
This was the second time that the Confraternity donated money to missions in Peru in the last couple of months.
God bless His Excellency Bishop Giovanni Cefai for his work to help the poor and the sick.
God bless the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli
Grand Master
CKSPP
Yesterday Bishop Giovanni Cefai a missionary priest in Peru celebrated Mass in the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Nadur.
After the Mass the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter and St. Paul donated money to his mission.
Thanks to the Supreme Council of the Confraternity in Melbourne and the Grand Chapter of Nadur for the money.
Thanks also to Mons. Jimmy Xerri Parish Priest of Nadur for his support.
This was the second time that the Confraternity donated money to missions in Peru in the last couple of months.
God bless His Excellency Bishop Giovanni Cefai for his work to help the poor and the sick.
God bless the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli
Grand Master
CKSPP
Dahlet Qorrot Bay from Sopu Tower in San Blas Nadur, Gozo. Malta.
Nadur Bailica Church from San Blas
Sopu Tower built in 1667 by the Knights of Malta
Sopu Tower is situated on the cliffs between St. Blas and Dahlet Qorrot bays in Nadur.
Sopu Tower is situated on the cliffs between St. Blas and Dahlet Qorrot bays in Nadur.
Black statue of St. Peter on the throne
I saw this statue while visiting the church of St Anselm and St Cecilia Roman Catholic church in Kingsway, Holborn, London.
Just like the one in Rome and Nadur.
VISITING ENGLAND
After a week of evnts representing the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul in Lisbon and Porto in Portugal, I am now spending a few days with my daughter and her family in England.
I went to Buckingham Palce to meet the queen but although I told them that I am Bin is-Sultan they refused my request.
Then I had to settle for Kensington Palace.
After a week of evnts representing the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul in Lisbon and Porto in Portugal, I am now spending a few days with my daughter and her family in England.
I went to Buckingham Palce to meet the queen but although I told them that I am Bin is-Sultan they refused my request.
Then I had to settle for Kensington Palace.
Grand Master Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli in Mafra Portugal
Sunday 7 July, 2019
The Grand Master of the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli is currently in Portugal visiting his members.
Pictures from Left: With members of the Fraternity of Wines and in the Basilica of Mafra.
Sunday 7 July, 2019
The Grand Master of the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli is currently in Portugal visiting his members.
Pictures from Left: With members of the Fraternity of Wines and in the Basilica of Mafra.
CONFRATERNITY OF THE KNIGHTS OF ST. PETER & ST. PAUL
Nadur. Gozo.
A meeting of the Confraternity was held in the Nadur Council Board Room on Monday 24th June where two newly Knights were appointed by Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli Grand Master CKSPP of the Confraternity of the Knights of St Peter and Paul.
These are Chev Joe M. Attard of Rabat Gozo and Chev Joe Meilaq.
Congratulations.
Photos Copyright Carmel Saliba 24.6.19.
Nadur. Gozo.
A meeting of the Confraternity was held in the Nadur Council Board Room on Monday 24th June where two newly Knights were appointed by Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli Grand Master CKSPP of the Confraternity of the Knights of St Peter and Paul.
These are Chev Joe M. Attard of Rabat Gozo and Chev Joe Meilaq.
Congratulations.
Photos Copyright Carmel Saliba 24.6.19.
After the meeting of the Confraternity of the Knights of St Peter and Paul we attended for the 25th Anniversary Mass of Fr Raymond Portelli at Nadur Basilica.
Donations to Fr Raymond were presented to be used in his mission in Peru.
Congratulations to Fr Raymond.
Photos Copyright Carmel Saliba 24.6.19.
Donations to Fr Raymond were presented to be used in his mission in Peru.
Congratulations to Fr Raymond.
Photos Copyright Carmel Saliba 24.6.19.
Mnarja Agricultural Show 2019
The Mnarja Agricultural Show was held this weekend in Archpriest Dun Martin Camilleri Square in Nadur.
The show was full of entertainment and display of animals, fruits, vegetables, arts and craft, etc.
The Mnarja Agricultural Show was held this weekend in Archpriest Dun Martin Camilleri Square in Nadur.
The show was full of entertainment and display of animals, fruits, vegetables, arts and craft, etc.
Collision between two boats in Comino leaves one seriously hurtAccident took place on Thursday nightAccidentMaritime
Two boats collided in the channel between Comino and Mġarr on Thursday night, leaving the driver of one of them seriously hurt.
The injured man is a 27-year-old Macedonian residing in Żebbuġ, Gozo. He was alone in his boat at the time of the incident around 10.15pm.
There were two people in the other boat: a 48-year-old man from Naxxar and a 35-year-old woman, also from Naxxar. They were not hurt.
Police investigations are still under way.
Two boats collided in the channel between Comino and Mġarr on Thursday night, leaving the driver of one of them seriously hurt.
The injured man is a 27-year-old Macedonian residing in Żebbuġ, Gozo. He was alone in his boat at the time of the incident around 10.15pm.
There were two people in the other boat: a 48-year-old man from Naxxar and a 35-year-old woman, also from Naxxar. They were not hurt.
Police investigations are still under way.