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'A few minutes later I heard the explosion': Matthew Caruana Galizia testifies in court

December 5, 2018, 2:32 am
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Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son Matthew recalled the fateful October day his mother was killed as he testified in court on Wednesday. “I got up at around 9am. My mother made coffee. We were sitting at the same desk. Mother got a phone call at around 2pm from HSBC about an appointment about her bank accounts and the garnishee order. She left the house but returned to pick up her cheque book.” Mr Caruana Galizia was testifying in the compilation of evidence against the three men facing criminal proceedings over their alleged involvement in the car bomb that murdered his mother on October 16, 2017. The three men were charged with the murder a year ago today. Recalling that day, he said he heard his mother start the car. “I heard the music going on and heard the car driving off. Just a few minutes later I heard the explosion. “It’s very quiet where we live, so you hear almost everything. My mother drives very fast and she goes down the lane very fast.” Mr Caruana Galizia said he jumped out of his seat upon hearing the explosion and ran to the gate. “I saw the smoke rising in the distance and at that point I just sprinted down the lane towards the main road.” Mr Caruana Galizia said...
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One drink too many lands man in hot water

December 4, 2018, 4:00 am
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A drunk man who kicked up a racket at a Żejtun square in the early hours of Monday was granted bail upon his arraignment on Tuesday. Taxi driver Alex Bonnici, a 28-year-old Qormi resident, was at the centre of a commotion that broke out in Bandolier Square when district police received a call for assistance at around 1.35am. Officers converging at the site came across the unruly man who was making noise after having evidently had a drink too many. Upon sighting the police, also accompanied by members from the RIU, the man allegedly became aggressive, banging on and kicking several vehicles parked in the vicinity. It was a sober and subdued man who sat before duty magistrate Neville Camilleri on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to charges of voluntary damage to five vehicles, including a motorbike and a police car. He was further charged with behaving aggressively towards a police constable, disobeying legitimate police orders, being drunk in public and breaching the peace. Prosecuting Inspector Roderick Attard did not object to the request for bail, as long as stringent conditions were imposed, requesting, however, a daily signing of the bail book. In the light of the prosecution’s...
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Preliminary assessment shows cliff top Mellieħa hotel cannot have additional floors

December 4, 2018, 8:45 am
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An application by the Panorama Hotel for the building of an additional three floors may not fall within the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy for Hotels, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg indicated in Parliament on Tuesday. Times of Malta revealed on November 27 that an application had been submitted for the hotel, which sits at the top of Mellieħa ridge, to rise to eight floors.  The news drew many complaints on social media because of the visual impact which the development would have. Replying to a question by Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar, the minister said the development application process was still in its early stages and the Planning Directorate of the Planning Authority would have to study the application in detail once the period for submissions by interested parties was over. A second consultation phase may also be necessary and the directorate would then submit its report to the Planning Commission. It was therefore premature for the Planning Authority to pronounce itself on the application. However, without prejudice to the ultimate decision, the directorate in a preliminary assessment found that the application was not in line with the height limitation policy...
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Bullying has no place in society, let alone in Parliament, PD says

December 4, 2018, 1:29 am
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Partit Demokratiku MP Marlene Farrugia urged the public to stand up to bullies everywhere and at all times. Bullying, she said on Tuesday, had no place anywhere in society, let alone Parliament, she said referring to Monday's Parliamentary sitting during which Economy Minister Chris Cardona was heard saying Ġejja Tiegħek (Your turn will come). Dr Cardona denied he was threatening anyone and said he was speaking in a political tone. "No bully scares me. Yesterday's remarks strengthen my resolve to give my 100% towards cleaning up the mess in Malta's political system," Dr Marlene Farrugia said. During Monday's sitting, PD leader Godfrey Farrugia brought the comments to the attention of the Speaker, who concluded that Dr Cardona's comment was made with political intent. "Hate speech and bullying, especially against women, is rampant in Malta and more so in social media. It is directed towards politicians, journalists and activists. Little to nothing is being done by PL or PN to stop it," Dr Marlene Farrugia said. She noted that journalistic revelations showed persons linked to both major political parties running 'online troll farms' to inflame debate online. One such Facebook...
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Former Xgħajra deputy mayor cleared of harassing his former girlfriend

December 4, 2018, 10:05 am
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Former Xgħajra Labour deputy mayor Neil Attard has been cleared of harassing his former girlfriend through a series of messages allegedly sent by means of fake Facebook profiles. The woman had stated under oath that Mr Attard had seemed unwilling to accept their breakup and kept harassing her through messages, some 46,000 in all, sent via fake Facebook profiles. READ: Xgħajra Labour councillor axed from the party Although Mr Attard was charged with stalking and harassing his ex, when delivering judgment the court observed that although both the alleged victim and the prosecuting officer had made reference to a series of phone calls allegedly made by the accused, these constituted the subject of separate proceedings. Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech observed that the proceedings lacked “all evidence in respect of phone calls.” READ: Woman claims to have received 46,000 Facebook messages from stalker Nor was there any shred of evidence regarding the alleged stalking, the court pointed out, thereby limiting itself to the accusation concerning the fake profiles, focusing upon testimony by the alleged victim herself. The prosecution’s case rested entirely upon the result of...
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Watch: Education Minister stands by call for Mizzi to resign

December 5, 2018, 7:45 am
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Education Minister Evarist Bartolo intimated on Tuesday he was still of the opinion that Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi should step down in the wake of the Panama scandal. Asked by the Times of Malta whether he still supported calls for Dr Mizzi to step down, the veteran minister replied: “I speak when I decide to. I have nothing to add to the many times I have expressed myself.” Fellow ministers Edward Scicluna and Helena Dalli have said they had “no opinion” about 17 Black, while other Cabinet members toed the Prime Minister’s line about awaiting the outcome of investigations. Mr Bartolo was at the forefront of both public and internal Labour Party calls two years ago for Dr Mizzi to step down in the wake of reports that he had opened secret structures in Panama to receive planned payments of $1 million. Mr Bartolo, however, remained silent in the wake of media reports by the Times of Malta and Reuters that 17 Black is owned by power station investor Yorgen Fenech. When asked about this, Mr Bartolo said nothing had changed on his part. “I have not reversed anything,” he said. Read: 'I would have resigned', Bartolo says of his cabinet colleague A leaked e-mail sent by Dr Mizzi’s...
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Sicily's president in Malta for talks on gas pipeline

December 4, 2018, 3:33 am
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Sicily's president Sebastiano Musumeci is in Malta for bilateral talks with the Energy Minister on the Malta-Sicily gas pipeline. During a meeting on Tuesday, Minister Joe Mizzi assured Mr Musumeci that consultation would be ongoing with further meetings to be held in Sicily in the coming months. During these meetings, the project’s progress would be explained to enable Malta’s authorities to understand concerns on the Sicilian side. Mr Mizzi said the Maltese government was taking the environmental impact of the project very seriously, and Environmental Impact Assessments were being undertaken to ensure that the necessary mitigation measures were included in the project design to enable the least possible impact on Sicily’s natural and marine environment. The gas pipeline project has been designated by the EU as a project of common interest since it links Malta with the European gas network, further reducing its energy isolation. The primary scope of the project is the importation of gas from Sicily to Malta, and its completion in 2024 will see the removal of the floating storage unit from Marsaxlokk.
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Proposed law to pave way for cremation services

December 4, 2018, 9:42 am
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The Cremation Bill, which could make bidding farewells to loved ones more affordable to those not owning a grave, is expected to be presented in Parliament when the House reconvenes after the Christmas break. There are no crematoria in Malta despite consistent calls for an alternative to traditional forms of burial. Last month, Health Minister Chris Fearne said the government will be proposing a law to introduce Malta’s first crematorium for humans, spearheaded by Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar. When contacted, Ms Cutajar said although cremation was not yet offered in Malta, there are “a good number of people” who opt for cremation abroad. Seeking cremation services abroad, which include among others, freight expenses, could reach up to €5,500. “This means that there is already an interest and I am sure that it will gain popularity as soon as it is introduced,” she said.  Among those who reacted to the news of a Cremation Bill, the Malta Humanist Association insisted that the service should be cheaper than a usual burial, allow for funeral services of up to 300 people and be environmentally-friendly. Noting that she had met with the association, Ms Cutajar said the Bill was aimed...
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Ministers ignore calls for answers on Gafà's militia meeting

December 5, 2018, 8:21 am
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A request for ministers to weigh in on an exposed meeting between a government official and a Libyan militia leader was ignored in Parliament on Wednesday evening. Democratic Party leader Godfrey Farrugia requested Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Carmelo Abela to make an urgent statement about the meeting between Neville Gafà, an official within the Office of the Prime Minister, and Haithem Tajouri, commander of the Libyan militia Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade. The meeting was exposed by Times of Malta earlier today. Mr Gafà acknowledged “bumping into” Mr Tajouri when he was in Libya but insisted the encounter was “nothing serious”. “Yes, we may have met – if you want to call it that – but informally, on the street, like I can bump into anyone on the street,” he said. Dr Farrugia's request for a ministerial statement was not accepted by the Government benches and the Parliamentary session went on with its agenda. In his request, Dr Farrugia described the revelations as “worrying”. Dr Farrugia also referred to a 2018 UN Security Council Panel of Experts Report which found that militia activity in Libya had intensified over the course of 2017...
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Proposed law to pave way for cremation services

December 4, 2018, 9:42 am
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The Cremation Bill, which could make bidding farewells to loved ones more affordable to those not owning a grave, is expected to be presented in Parliament when the House reconvenes after the Christmas break. There are no crematoria in Malta despite consistent calls for an alternative to traditional forms of burial. Last month, Health Minister Chris Fearne said the government will be proposing a law to introduce Malta’s first crematorium for humans, spearheaded by Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar. When contacted, Ms Cutajar said although cremation was not yet offered in Malta, there are “a good number of people” who opt for cremation abroad. Seeking cremation services abroad, which include among others, freight expenses, could reach up to €5,500. “This means that there is already an interest and I am sure that it will gain popularity as soon as it is introduced,” she said.  Among those who reacted to the news of a Cremation Bill, the Malta Humanist Association insisted that the service should be cheaper than a usual burial, allow for funeral services of up to 300 people and be environmentally-friendly. Noting that she had met with the association, Ms Cutajar said the Bill was aimed...
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Aviation body that honoured Air Malta gets local sponsorship

December 5, 2018, 11:30 am
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An international aviation organisation that has just named Air Malta 2018 ‘Turnaround airline of the year’ will be holding its top annual event here next year, sponsored by the national air carrier and the Tourism Ministry. The Sydney-based Capa – Centre for Aviation, considered to be one of the world’s most trusted sources of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry, declares on its website that its awards “are not driven by customer surveys or sponsorships”. However, civil aviation industry sources told the Times of Malta it was too much of a coincidence that the award to Air Malta should be announced almost concurrently with Malta’s sponsorship of the organisation’s annual World Aviation Outlook Summit and Awards for Excellence. The sources also noted that they could not understand on which criteria had Capa declared Air Malta “Turnaround airline of the year”. In a statement announcing the award, Air Malta said Capa had selected the Maltese airline “for its successful transformation, from a heavy loss-making entity into a break-even result for fiscal year ended March 2018”. The organisation was asked for the source of the financial data on which it had based...
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False rape report lands mother with suspended sentence

December 5, 2018, 5:30 am
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A mother of five who admitted filing a false rape report against her partner was given a suspended sentence and a general 10-year interdiction. Bianca Hoyer, the 33-year old German national, was arraigned on Wednesday under arrest and charged with filing the false report knowing fully well that her partner, also of German nationality, was innocent. Prosecuting Inspector Joseph Busuttil explained that the woman, apparently fearing that the German authorities were attempting to take away her youngest child, made up the rape story about her partner. Yet, when the police began to investigate, the truth soon emerged and it became clear that the report was false. Defence lawyer Joseph Brincat, assisting the accused as legal aid counsel, informed the court that the woman’s child was in hospital and that her greatest concern was the well-being of her child. Moreover, Dr Brincat pointed out that the woman had fully cooperated with the police. In the light of these submissions, the court, presided over by duty magistrate Doreen Clarke, declared the accused guilty upon her own admission and gave her a one-year jail term suspended for two years. The court further placed the accused under a...
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Case of scabies at Ħamrun school

December 6, 2018, 2:17 am
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A case of scabies has been reported at the San Ġorg Preca primary school in Ħamrun, the Education Ministry has confirmed.  The school took the necessary precautions and interventions were carried out according to procedures, the ministry assured the public. The case was first reported in Net News on Wednesday. Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite. Intense itching occurs in the area where the mite burrows.  Scabies is contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact in a family, child care group, school class, nursing home or prison. Because scabies is so contagious, doctors often recommend treatment for entire families or contact groups.
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Motorcyclist injured in Birkirkara

December 5, 2018, 12:15 pm
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A 37-year-old motorcyclist from Birkirkara was injured when he was involved in a collision along Mannarinu Road in Birkirkara on Wednesday evening. Police said the incident, which occurred at around 5.45pm, had seen the male motorcyclist crash into a Fiat Bravo being driven by a 68-year-old man, also from Birkirkara.The motorcyclist was the only one to sustain any injuries from the incident but no further information on the severity of these injuries, or his condition, was available. The motorcyclist was taken to Mater Dei Hospital by an ambulance that was called to the scene of the collision to provide medical assistance.
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Stella Maris college breaching agreement, union warns

December 5, 2018, 12:30 am
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Updated 5pm with college statement Stella Maris college was breaking terms of the collective agreement, the Union of Professional Educators warned. In a statement, the union said teachers were working well beyond the stipulated amount of agreed lessons. Various had been issued with a working load of 26 lessons, which was “beyond the maximum load agreed,” the union said. The union said it was in possession of emails in which the senior management team was asking teachers to volunteer as replacements. "It seems to transpire that certain teachers have been exempted from replacements for some unknown reason at the detriment of their colleagues," the union added. Teachers had also been asked to put in additional hours for replacement lessons when they went on educational visits outside the school, despite “the Secretariat of Catholic Education agreeing this should be contact time”, the union said. The Union of Professional Educators said it would be meeting the school management in the coming days. Members have been advised not to perform additional replacements. Members who have been issued replacement lessons exceeding the maximum load were asked to report to the union. 'Schools...
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Invasive aliens in environment authority's crosshairs

December 5, 2018, 5:59 am
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The Environment and Resources Authority has called for collective action towards the combating of invasive alien species, with a new national strategy open for consultation.These species are considered to be one of the major causes of biodiversity loss, both in Malta and worldwide, and ERA said on Wednesday it had developed and launched a national strategy and a set of eight complementary codes of good practice to address this aspect.Alien species are plants or animals which are not native to the Maltese islands and which are introduced into the environment by humans. Invasive alien species, meanwhile, are those which, after being introduced deliberately or accidentally, start growing and multiplying spontaneously in the wild.Examples of invasive alien species have become a common sight, and unfortunately often take over native biodiversity, include the crimson fountain grass, acacias, century plants, Kaffir fig and rats. Read: Invasive red crayfish 'spreading like hell'Certain invasive alien species also create significant socio-economic impacts, particularly plant pests, which affect the agriculture and horticulture sectors - such as the red palm weevil, which affects palm...
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Malta's rubble walls left out of Unesco list as no one from community nominated them

December 5, 2018, 11:04 pm
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If you were disappointed that Malta’s iconic rubble walls did not make it to a Unesco list of intangible cultural heritage, you can still nominate them to join prospective contenders ftira, għana, brilli, lace and gold embroidery. The United Nations cultural agency announced last week the art of dry-stone walling, knowledge and techniques in Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland had made it to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Despite rubble walls being a common feature across Malta and Gozo, the country did not make it to the list, disgruntling some locals. Asked whether Malta had applied to be included in the list, a Culture Ministry spokesman said it was the community, not the government, that must submit nominations. Read: Plan for intangible cultural heritage to be recognised He noted that during a Unesco intergovernmental meeting held in Mauritius last week, several nominations were rejected because not enough proof was produced to show that the community was involved in nominations. “So far, no one in Malta has come forward to nominate the art of dry-stone walls. We take this opportunity to...
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Qawra high-rise hotel approved, Paceville project in the balance

December 5, 2018, 9:48 pm
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Updated 1.50pm with PA decision The Planning Authority on Thursday approved a 10-storey hotel in Qawra but put off a decision on a similar 12-storey proposal close to the Augustinian priory in Paceville after a majority of board members indicated they were ready to shoot down the proposal.  Plans for the 10-storey reconstruction of the Seaview Hotel in Qawra, which include a car tunnel running beneath the promenade and emerging beside the rocky shore, were green-lit by the PA board, with the new 178-room hotel set to occupy the site of the former four-storey building, already demolished under an approved permit. The development will involve widening an existing culvert into a tunnel to allow vehicles into the hotel’s underground parking area from the seaside access road. Read: 2018: the year high-rise in Malta comes of age Although the height limitation policy for the area is set at five floors, planning policy allows all hotels two floors above that and more than two floors if the hotel is stand-alone and of high design quality. The PA’s case officer said that after amendments to the design, the proposal was deemed to justify these criteria. The building height, according to...
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Nexia BT chief given €5,000 monthly as Justice Minister’s ‘person of trust’

December 6, 2018, 3:00 am
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The €60,000 contract was in Brian Tonna's name but the work was delegated to a ‘technical team’ from Nexia BT; 'Person of trust' contract with Justice Ministry overlapped with judicial inquiry into Tonna-Schembri kickback allegations; Tonna’s companies have received over €800,000 worth of government contracts. Nexia BT managing partner Brian Tonna was given a contract worth €5,000 per month as a “person of trust” answerable to Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, documents obtained by Times of Malta show. A freedom of information request revealed Mr Tonna was given a full-time role as a Justice Ministry adviser between August 2014 to August 2016, and a part-time role until August 2017. The final part-time contract meant Mr Tonna was a Justice Ministry employee at a time when he was facing a judicial inquiry into potential passport sale kickbacks to the Prime Minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri. The contracts passed on to Times of Malta and shared with Reuters reveal Mr Tonna, whose financial advisory firm set up secret Panama companies for Mr Schembri and Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi, was engaged as the minister's “advisor”. Nexia BT also set up the Panama company Egrant, which...
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Maltese are Europe's keenest restaurant spenders

December 6, 2018, 1:02 am
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Eating out and hotel accommodation amount to a fifth of what families spend, the highest rate in Europe, according to the latest figures. Eurostat data showed that last year 20% of families’ expenses consisted of meals at restaurants and hotel stays. This was slightly higher than the 19% registered in the previous year. Cyprus and Spain were the closest biggest spenders in the two categories – 17.5% and 16.8% respectively – followed by Greece and Ireland. The EU average stood at 8.8%. Eurostat also reported that 12% of Maltese families’ expenditure went into food and non-alcoholic beverages and a tenth of what they spent was connected to recreational and cultural activities. Ironically, families spent the same kind of money on alcoholic beverage and health-related costs – 3.9% of their total expenditure. Buying clothing and foot-wear amounted to 4.7% of expenses and almost 12% of families’ expenses consisted of transport costs. Eurostat figures released about two months ago showed that food and non-alcoholic drink prices in Malta had increased by almost 70% since 2000. This was the ninth highest increase within the EU and well above the European average of 43.3%. It had also...
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