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Government objects to Attorney General testifying before House Privileges Committee in Dalli case

February 11, 2015, 4:38 am
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The Attorney General appeared before the parliamentary Privileges Committee this afternoon but was unable to reply to questions on his role in the investigations involving former EU Commissioner John Dalli after the government refused to release him from professional secrecy obligations. The government's objections drew an angry reaction from Nationalist MP Chris Said, who said the government should lift professional secrecy conditions if it had nothing to hide. But Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech said that having the Attorney General testify before the committee would set a precedent and hinder future cases in which he may be required to give advice to the government, since he could then expect to be summoned by parliament. The Privileges Committee is considering a case instituted by the Prime Minister against the Leader of the Opposition. Dr Muscat complained after Dr Busuttil said the government had interfered to stop police investigations involving John Dalli.  Follow the proceedings on video below. Text report is underneath. At the beginning of the sitting, Dr Grech said that in terms of the law and the code of ethics, he was bound by professional secrecy and could not...
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Amnesty on illegal development “unacceptable” – NGOs

February 10, 2015, 3:44 am
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The planning authority has finally relinquished all pretence of being a regulator and exposed its real role as facilitator for development, environmental organisations said today, slamming the Authority’s proposed amnesty on works done without permits. Environmentalists united against Mepa’s proposal to sanction illegal developments saying it was “unacceptable” and sent out a message that “abuse pays off”. Calling Mepa’s latest proposal “the mother of all building amnesties”, they said it was proof of the Authority’s incompetence and put into question the very reason for its existence, they said. The Sunday Times of Malta revealed earlier this month that Mepa was in the final stages of proposing an amnesty to sanction long-standing illegal developments. The scheme is meant to wipe out a substantial chunk of the planning authority’s pending enforcement cases, which number about 10,000, and to rake in more than €20 million. The organisations pointed out amnesties held in 2012 and 2013 already dealt with the abuse that could reasonably be absolved.  They drew attention to the contradictory situation that the Authority’s chairman, Vince Cassar, now finds himself in. At the time of...
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Lawyer claims police inspector leaked recording to blogger

February 11, 2015, 5:36 am
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Lawyer Lynn Zahra has challenged the Police Commissioner to take criminal action against a police inspector for having allegedly leaked information to columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia. In a challenge procedure filed before the Magistrate's Court against Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and the Attorney General, Dr Zahra is alleging that Police Inspector Jason Sultana had recorded a meeting she had with him when they were discussing possible criminal libel proceedings against Ms Caruana Galizia. He then passed the recording to the columnist. In her application, Dr Zahra referred to a post on Ms Caruana Galizia's blog where she alleged that someone had recorded Ms Zahra discussing the libel proceedings at the Sliema police station. Dr Zahra said that only the inspector and Police Superintendent Ray D'Anastas were present for the meeting. She is alleging that during the meeting, Mr Sultana placed his mobile phone on the desk. At the time she did not think that the conversation was being recorded without her consent or knowledge and would end up leaked to Ms Caruana Galizia. She said she filed reports with former Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit and then with former acting...
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Migrants tell committee they miss family, lack jobs

February 10, 2015, 4:16 am
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Migrants from various countries spoke about their experiences in Malta when they appeared before the Social Affairs Committee  yesterday. Mohamed Ahmed Ali, a 17-year-old Somali who has been here for 18 months, said he had been in detention for two days before moving to Dar Is-Sliem. He said he is studying ICT (at Mcast) and works in a hotel at night. He is also learning English. Malta, he said, ‘was good’ and he wished to continue to live here. He regretted, however, that there were no activities for the migrants, although he was able to make friends at Mcast. Hussein Do, 17 from Mali, who arrived in Malta last year, said he was in detention for a month, during which, he said, the migrants played football. He said his problem was that he had not been issued local documents. The only thing he had was a police card.  He goes to the (former) Lyceum in Hamrun to learn English and Maltese and he said he was making friends. He also praised Dar is-Sliem and said that before coming to Malta he could not speak English but was able to pick it up once he arrived here.   Another migrant, 25, who arrived from Senegal two years ago, said he was held in detention for eight months. “I felt so...
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Armed man arrested after argument in San Gwann house

February 11, 2015, 12:01 am
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The police have arrested and are interrogating a man who reportedly entered  a house in San Gwann  yesterday and brandished a firearm. A family which included children was in the house but no one was injured and the man was arrested. Sources said this was a case of domestic violence.  
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Siemens announces €175 million order for Malta power station gas plant

February 11, 2015, 2:48 am
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Siemens today formally announced it has been awarded an order by Electrogas Malta for the turnkey construction of a 200 megawatt (MW) natural-gas-fired combined cycle power plant (CCPP). The order value for Siemens is about €175 million. “The CCPP is part of a programme of the government of Malta to phase out the use of heavy fuel oil and switch to the use of natural gas for power production. Besides the new power plant, Electrogas Malta will provide a floating storage unit for LNG and a regasification plant to provide the natural gas fuel required both for the new CCPP and for an existing reciprocating engine power plant located at the same site, which will be converted to natural gas,” the company said. (Siemens has a 20 per cent stake in Electogas and the fact that it would provide the plant was mentions by Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi last in October, when he said the work was already in hand.) In its statement today, Siemens said the new plant will generate enough power to meet around 50 percent of Malta's electricity demand, and will operate at high efficiency with low emissions, also at part loads. “When this new plant takes up operation, the level of air pollutants as...
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Statement by the accused in cyclist's fatality cannot be used as evidence

February 11, 2015, 5:50 am
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A man who stands accused of killing cyclist Clifford Micallef on the Coast Road in July 2009 had his human rights breached when he was interrogated by the police without the presence of a lawyer. The statement he gave to the police therefore cannot be used as evidence, the Constitutional Court ruled today. The court said that the accused, Anthony Taliana, was only 18 years old at the time and thus was "vulnerable" when he was interrogated by the police.  Mr Taliana, 24, of Ħamrun, is charged with the involuntary homicide of Mr Micallef, drink-driving, driving a car without insurance cover and relapsing, after having already been convicted of dangerous driving. Mr Micallef died on the scene at about 5 a.m. on July 30, 2009 some 20 metres away from the entrance to the White Rocks Complex on the Coast Road. Mr Taliana  had filed a constitutional case, arguing that the fact that he had no legal assistance during interrogation meant that his statement to the police should be declared null and removed from the court proceedings. The same, he said, should apply to the reports by three court experts, which were based on what he said. Presided over by Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri and...
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Governments ‘turned blind eye’ over Swiss accounts

February 11, 2015, 12:37 am
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Governments are partly to blame for turning a blind eye as banks exploited legal loopholes to stash billions of dollars in Swiss accounts, according to the Commissioner for Revenue, Marvin Gaerty. He was commenting  in the wake of revelations showing how HSBC used its Swiss private bank to help clients around the world dodge tax authorities in their own countries. The revelations known as Swiss Leaks were made by the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). They included information on $687 million held by HSBC for 71 Maltese clients in Geneva. A single Maltese client held $630 million. Mr Gaerty said the European Services Directive introduced in 2004 only covered individuals and certain financial products. The directive was eventually changed last year to include companies (known in financial jargon as ‘legal persons’). “These were loopholes everyone knew existed and I am sorry to say governments and the EU are partly to blame because they knew what banks were doing was wrong but possible,” Mr Gaerty said. He said last year’s changes meant that banks were obliged to know who the ultimate beneficiary and individual owner of an account...
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Expert brands new Gżira bus lane idea ‘a disaster’

February 10, 2015, 10:21 pm
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A bus lane on the Gżira front will spell “disaster” and make a “dreadful” situation even worse, a traffic expert has warned. Transport Malta announced yesterday that traffic along the Gżira front towards Ta’ Xbiex will soon be limited to a single lane as a bus lane is introduced. It said the new arrangement will improve traffic flow near Manoel Island as vehicles approaching from Sliema will no longer have to move from two lanes to one. Traffic expert and former transport consultant Hugh Arnett said the plan will only make the present “dreadful” situation worse. “Bus lanes are a silly thing unless you have got a really wide road,” he said. “If they are going to knock out one lane in favour of a dedicated bus lane, it will make life much more difficult for thousands of motorists, unless the service is running on time,” he remarked. When it was pointed out to him that studies had been carried out, Mr Arnett said such a measure should be introduced for a trial period in the summer months, when traffic in the area was at its peak.  Gżira mayor Roberto Cristiano was pleased that parking spaces or part of the front would not make way for an additional lane, as had been proposed in...
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Garden at City Gate ditch still possible but Renzo Piano's involvement is over - minister

February 10, 2015, 10:17 am
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World-renowned architect Renzo Piano will no longer be involved in the City Gate project once work on the new Parliament is complete, according to Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi. Speaking on Times Talk, the minister said the government had not ruled out a garden at the City Gate ditch and the final decision would take into consideration the interests of the area and of the whole of Valletta. Although the garden was still a possibility, Mr Piano would not be involved in its development, Mr Mizzi said. The government was also considering whether to have other uses added to the site. Access to the ditch has been closed since late 2010 when works on the Valletta entrance project started. In his plan, Mr Piano, who was commissioned to come up with the design, earmarked the open space in the ditch between St John Cavalier and St James for a public garden as part of his vision for a regeneration of the capital’s entrance. However, the Labour administration shelved the garden in July 2013 as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Faced by a public outcry against the decision, the government insisted the project incorporating the new parliament building and the open theatre was running over...
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Minister's driver refuses to testify in case against man he shot at

February 12, 2015, 6:55 am
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The police officer and former driver of Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, Paul Sheehan, this afternoon asked a court not to testify in the case against a Scotsman for fear of incriminating himself. He was summoned to testify in the compilation of evidence against Steven Morrison Smith who stands charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, damaging the minister's car on November 19 last year and with breaching traffic regulations. However, when he appeared before Magistrate Josette Demicoli, he refused to testify since his case is still pending. Mr Smith was on the receiving end of two shots fired in his direction by Mr Sheehan, who is facing separate criminal proceedings where he stands charged with Mr Smith's attempted murder. As the case against Mr Smith continued, Police Inspector Jesmond Micallef said Mr Smith told the police during interrogations that that evening he was at the Black Gold bar in Sliema and left at about 8.30pm. Before heading home he decided to stop at a confectioner, located in Nazju Ellul Street, to buy a pack of water. As he was driving, he hit the mirror and side of a parked Mercedes and stopped “to exchange details”. That was when he saw Mr...
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DJ Martin Garrix for Isle of MTV

February 12, 2015, 2:03 am
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Superstar DJ and Producer Martin Garrix is to perform at the Isle of MTV in Malta on July 7, MTV and the Malta Tourism Authority said today. He is the first supertstar of the 2015 line-up to be revealed. "Riding high after an incredible 2014 - cementing his position as one of the world’s biggest DJ’s - GARRIX will bring the live music festival to an epic close by performing an exhilarating closing set to the anticipated crowd of 50,000+ music fans," MTV said. weeks. As one of the world’s youngest DJ’s, 18 year old Garrix stormed the DJ Mag Top 100 in 2014, smashing into #4 position as a result of sensational break-out dance anthem ‘Animals’ which catapulted him into the spotlight. The monster hit received almost half a billion views on YouTube and topped the charts around the world, earning the platinum status in the US. Having collaborated with some of the world’s biggest names including Ed Sheeran, David Guetta, Tiesto, Hardwell and Afrojack, and dominated the stage at some of the world’s biggest music festivals – including Coachella, EDC Las Vegas, Ultra and Belgium’s Tomorrowland – there’s no surprise that Martin Garrix is considered “the fastest rising star in...
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Kiosk to be removed from the middle of Golden Bay next month

February 12, 2015, 5:23 am
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The Mepa board members this afternoon unanimously approved the transfer of the Munchies Kiosk from the middle of Golden Bay to a site adjacent to the car park. The kiosk must be dismantled by the end of next month. The decision, coincidentally, was taken while attention was focused on another kiosk which was set up in the morning in the middle of De Valette Square in Valletta and had still not been removed by 2 p.m., despite an outcry. Six spaces will be lost at the Golden Bay parking to make way for the Munchies relocation . The kiosk will occupy 24 square meters of the car park and another 500 square meters of the beach under the car park. The planning directorate admitted in its comments on the case that the development does not fully comply with the local plan, adding that the positive recommendation for this application was “an attempt at resolving the enforcement situation”. Last May, the planning authority issued an enforcement notice over the extension of the restaurant to a structure covering 465 square metres. Mepa was unequivocal in stating the entire structure was considered illegal. The authorities want the kiosk removed so that the bay may be granted Blue Flag...
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Foreign company can supply fuel to petrol stations in Malta - Opposition leader

February 11, 2015, 9:54 am
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The Nationalist Party would not shelter anyone involved in any kind of corruption, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today. Asked about the latest developments regarding stashed money in Swiss accounts, Dr Busuttil said during a visit to Balzan there were legal means for an investigation to be carried out and for all steps to be taken against account holders who were evading tax. He hoped all steps would be taken against tax evaders. Asked about fuel prices, Dr Busuttil said that while Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi was saying he could not bring down the cost of fuels substantially immediately because this would create a cashflow problem for Enemed, he did not care about the cash flow problem f Maltese and Gozitan businesses were facing. He said that in October, a contract without a call for tenders was given by MOBC to World Fuel Services for use of its storage tanks to World Fuel Services. As a result this foreign company now had access to the fuel tanks in Malta and could supply fuel to petrol pumps here, Dr Busuttil said.
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Man seeks damages from ETC over leak of medical history

February 12, 2015, 3:20 am
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A former Employment and Training Corporation employee is seeking damages from the corporation for having allegedly used confidential health information from a  medical insurance application to threaten him with dismissal. In a judicial protest filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court, David Bajada, claimed that the Data Protection Commissioner had already ruled that what the ETC had done was in breach of the Data Protection Act. Mr Bajada explained that when he joined the corporation on a definite contract, he was asked by the Human Resources Department to fill in a health insurance application form to be passed on to MiddleSea Insurance.  He was assured that the sealed envelope containing the confidential health information would only be opened by the insurance company. At no point did he give his consent for the envelope being opened by anyone else. Mr Bajada said that despite not giving his consent, the envelope was opened and the information handled by ETC employees. He said he had been contacted by corporation employee Maria Bartolo Galea saying she was aware of the contents of the medical insurance application and made reference to a medical condition that he may have...
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€6,400 stolen in hold-up, man held for questioning by the police

February 11, 2015, 10:54 pm
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Some €6,400 were stolen in a hold-up in Cospicua last night. The police said an armed and hooded man stole the money from a gaming shop in St Theresa Street, Cospicua. He entered the shop at 11 p,m, and demanded the cash from the 21-year-old attendant.  A man is being held for questioning by the police.    
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Mepa turns down permit for monument of the Four Knights at City Gate

February 12, 2015, 1:42 am
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Updated 3pm The Mepa board has refused a permit for the placement of the monument of the Four Knights at City Gate, Valletta. Ten board members voted against the permit and only three were in favour. During this afternoon's meeting various objections were raised, with board member Ryan Callus MP saying it would clash with the Piano project. He noted Valletta was a World Heritage City and decisions had to respect that title. He also pointed out that while the planning authority’s cultural heritage advisory board had objected to the proposal, the national Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had not objected on condition the monument was reversible and would not impact the architectural values of the City Gate Project. Mr Callus pointed out planning laws related to Valletta refers to the City’s open spaces that any development proposal needed to respect. He said the Renzo Piano has come under attack since the monument cannot be considered in isolation and had to take into the consideration the possible location of hawkers’ stalls in the vicinity.   Timothy Gambin, another board member, said granting such a permit would set a dangerous precedent. He countered comments made in the...
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Father and son accused of stabbing during feast

February 11, 2015, 7:04 am
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A father and son who are facing separate proceedings for allegedly assaulting Enemalta officials during a surprise inspection over a tampered smart meter were today back in court over their involvement in a brawl last August during the Hamrun feast celebrations.  Carmel Salerno, 49, unemployed, from Pieta and his son Fabrizio, a 24-year-old business owner from Hamrun, appeared before Magistrate Doreen Clarke charged with injuring four men during a brawl outside the Godfather Bar in Hamrun last August 10 between 4 and 6pm.  They stand accused with seriously injuring Charlton Agius and with slightly injuring Ian Zammit and Wayne Falzon. Carmel Salerno alone also stands changed with attempting to seriously injure Mr Zammit and Darren Zammit and with being in possession of an unlicensed penknife during the brawl.  The court heard how trouble began a few days before the feast over an argument between Fabrizio Salerno's partner, Raisa Sammut, and Mr Falzon's girlfriend, Denise Schembri whose sister, Louisa, is dating Ian Zammit.  On Sunday, an argument broke out between the Schembri sisters and Ms Sammut over a Facebook post the latter had posted.  Ian Zammit told the court that he...
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Updated: Air Malta group rates too high - minister

February 11, 2015, 9:29 am
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Group rates being requested by Air Malta were too high leading to loss of work in certain instances, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said today. Speaking in Parliament, he said he was not satisfied with the rates being charged by the airline, which were uncompetitive and leading to important conference and incentive work being lost to other destinations. A process, he said, was underway to see what the problem was and revise the tariffs. The minister said there were instances where he had to intervene for the airline not to lose work. The minister said that Joe Galea, a ‘very competent’ former MTA official in Frankfurt, had been recruited a few months ago to investigate the problems of costly flights and late replies to enquiries which sometimes took days in a cut-throat market. But, he said, progress was being registered. Dr Zammit Lewis was replying to parliamentary questions by Nationalist MPs Robert Arrigo and Antoine Borg. Mr Arrigo said that although passengers were ready to pay what Air Malta was demanding, they were still being pushed away because the airline had changed its flight timings, leading to many cancellations because weekend breakers were being expected...
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Malta is only EU country not to join coalition on IS

February 11, 2015, 11:01 pm
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Malta should participate in “non-military” action against Islamic State because neutrality does not hinder the fight against terrorism, Shadow Foreign Minister Roberta Metsola said. She said Malta was the only EU country not to form part of a global coalition against the Jihadist organisation. Dr Metsola is calling on the government to immediately take part in “certain efforts” against IS. “Pretending the threat does not exist will not make it go away... The government’s decision not to join the coalition is questionable to say the least,” Dr Metsola said. Such action, however, should not include military involvement, she added. “Our possible involvement could include political, logistical and humanitarian support,” she said. The government had declined to form part of the international anti-Islamic State coalition when it was set up by the US last year. Back then the government had denied reports in the international press that it had entered into a “commitment” to assist the coalition. Asked why Malta had become the only EU member state not to join the coalition, Foreign Minister George Vella said that despite the neutrality laid down in the Constitution, Malta still had a...
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