Bugibba Water Park closed due to "technical problems"

July 30, 2016, 1:52 am

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Bugibba Water Park has been temporarily closed due to "technical problems", the Environmental Health Directorate said today.  The decision to close the park was taken in conjunction with the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change. "The necessary steps are being taken by both entities to allow the park to reopen as soon as possible," the Directorate said.   

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Eurozone unemployment down as Malta leads the pack

July 29, 2016, 2:14 am

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Malta's 4 per cent June unemployment rate was the lowest throughout the eurozone, new Eurostat figures have shown.  Unemployment across the eurozone was 10.1 per cent during that month, stable when compared to May and down from 11 per cent in June 2015. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since July 2011, Eurostat noted.  Across the entire EU28, unemployment fell from 9.5 per cent in June 2015 to 8.6 per cent in June of this year - the lowest figure since March 2009. The rates mean that compared with June 2015, unemployment fell by 2.114 million in the EU28 and by 1.363 million in the eurozone. Malta's 4 per cent rate was just lower than the Czech Republic's 4.1 per cent and Germany's 4.2 per cent figures. The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (23.3 per cent in April 2016) and Spain (19.9 per cent). Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in June 2016 fell in twenty-five Member States, remained stable in Belgium and Estonia, while it increased in Austria (from 5.7 per cent to 6.2 per cent). The largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 15.1 per cent to 11.7 per cent), Croatia (from 16.2 per cent to 13.2 per cent), Bulgaria...

B.Sc Pharmaceutical Science students to get higher stipend

July 30, 2016, 1:35 am

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Students reading for a B.Sc in Pharmaceutical Science are to receive a higher stipend and initial financial grant as of next month, the Education Ministry has announced.  It did not however say how much stipends would rise by. The change, effective immediately, will be reflected in students' August stipend payment.  The ministry said the decision was taken in light of the fact that students in this course had for a number of years been denied a level playing field with students in similar courses. Upgrading the course's stipend classification also complemented the government's policy of encouraging science education, it added.  The ministry also said it was pleased that there had been a "noteworthy" increase in the number of Form 3 students choosing to study a science subject next year. 550 students have taken up Biology as a subject, with a further 300 students opting for Chemistry. 

St Peter’s Pool illegalities slapped with enforcement notices

July 30, 2016, 12:05 am

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The owner of a field overlooking St Peter’s Pool has been served with an enforcement notice by the Planning Authority after the Times of Malta highlighted illegalities at the Delimara site. An agricultural field was turned into a car park, with illegally built rooms serving as kiosks selling cold beverages and a host of services, including taxi rides. A €2 fee is charged for every car parked, and drinks are sold from a makeshift room. There are signs promoting a taxi service. Read: One year on, untouchables still ruling Delimara The illegalities sprouted around last June. It would have been a feat to miss the blatant flouting of planning and trade laws, since a number of directions were spray-painted on rubble walls, as well as rudimentary signs along the stretch of road leading to the area. This newspaper featured the site in a report on July 17, referring to a number of illegalities on the Delimara coast. Five days later, the Planning Authority served the owner with an enforcement notice listing at least eight infringements of planning laws. They include the owner’s change of use of the site intended for agriculture to a commercial site and car park, the extension of an old...

Pilots pledge not to cancel any Air Malta flights

July 29, 2016, 4:07 am

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The pilots' union this morning allayed concerns that it was planning to keep Air Malta planes grounded, saying they were not considering any flight cancellations as part of their dispute over a new collective agreement.This assurance was given before Magistrate Silvio Meli, who is hearing submissions on an injunction filed by Air Malta in a bid to prevent the pilots' union from taking industrial action while the airline negotiates a proposed 49 per cent takeover by Alitalia. Pilots have been following a dress-down directive in recent weeks, as talks on a new collective agreement, which expired last January, have stalled.Today's sitting followed a conciliation meeting held last Wednesday on the court's initiative, which however failed to break the deadlock as both sides did not budge from their positions.Lawyer Louis Degabriele who is appearing on behalf of Air Malta this morning reiterated that the airline had €66 million in accumulated losses and could not withstand any industrial action in the current circumstances.  Earlier the court heard that if no agreement is reached with Alitalia or any other strategic partners by the end of October, Air Malta would not be in a position...

Seven hospitalised following collision between tourist coaches in Mellieħa

July 29, 2016, 5:19 am

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Updated A substantial number of tourists had a lucky escape this afternoon when the two coaches they were in collided at Triq Louis Wettinger in Mellieħa. The police said the accident happened at 2pm and it did not look like anyone was seriously injured. Health Minister Chris Fearne later tweeted that seven patients were taken to Mater Dei Hospital, two to the Mosta Health Centre. Mellieha update: 7 patients taken to Mater Dei, 2 to Mosta Health Centre. — Chris Fearne (@chrisfearne) July 29, 2016 Those hopitalised are the 24-year-old driver, from Mosta, of one of the coaches, an 18-year-old Italian woman, three Italian men aged between 18 and 21 and two Irish women aged 26 and 28.  The other coach was being driven by a 25-year-old Tunisian who lives in Birżebbuġa. The Civil Protection Department and ambulances were sent on site.

Franco Debono hints at Labour general election candidacy

July 30, 2016, 4:35 am

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Law Commissioner and former Nationalist MP Franco Debono has hinted that he would consider contesting the next election as a Labour Party candidate.  In a Facebook post, Dr Debono said that he appreciated the many Labourites who were urging him to contest the election on the PL ticket. Dr Debono wrote that were he to contest, he would work alongside his "childhood friends" Joseph Muscat and Edward Zammit Lewis and the rest of the PL to "keep Malta at the forefront of Europe". Dr Debono's comments came shortly after former Labour Party president Emanuel Cushcieri had uploaded a post saying the former PN MP was not ruling out contesting the election as a fifth district PL candidate, quoting him as saying "the Labour Party's path is a great deal similar to my beliefs".

Off-duty police constable steps in to stop Tarxien vandal

July 30, 2016, 12:19 am

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An off-duty Valletta police constable yesterday found himself unexpectedly answering the call of duty as he intervened to stop a vandal damaging a car in Tarxien.  Constable Andy Bugeja was driving down Napuljun Caruana Dingli street, Tarxien at around 10.35am when the driver of the car in front of him stopped his vehicle, got out of the car and started damaging a parked Toyota Vitz.  Sources told the Times of Malta that the car allegedly belonged to the vandal's ex-girlfriend.  Constable Bugeja immediately ordered the man to stop what he was doing, only to find himself entangled in a scuffle after the vandal turned his fists on him.  "He was off-duty with his family but still intervened," a source said, "and he managed to hold the man off until other police officers arrived."  Members of the police's rapid intervention unit subsequently arrested the man, a 26-year-old from Birżebbuġa. This article was amended at 11.20am to include the constable's name

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Traffic flow into Mosta town centre could soon be switched

July 29, 2016, 8:17 am

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Drivers heading into Mosta could soon be able to access the main square directly if a proposal by the council to change the direction of traffic in Eucharistic Congress Road is approved. The decision to allow traffic to flow out of the square through the main road, taken some 20 years ago, was meant to be temporary but traffic has been exiting Mosta through Eucharistic Congress Road ever since. Speaking to this newspaper as a public consultation on the issue comes to an end, mayor Edwin Vassallo said the idea to switch traffic direction had been discussed for years but no action was ever taken. As Mosta increasingly becomes a commercial hub, the mayor said, the council had agreed to once again attempt to make the switch. “Mosta is changing rapidly. There is an influx of traffic coming into the square and something has to be done to better manage the situation. “We now have two big supermarkets which means more people are coming to the locality,” Mr Vassallo said. The council has already discussed the change with Transport Malta, who have backed up the idea, supplying plans, he added. If the change takes place, traffic heading out of the square could go through both ends of Main...

Quran copies desecrated at Mater Dei hospital

July 29, 2016, 9:38 pm

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Updated 3pm with Ahmadiyya Muslim community condemnation Several copies of Muslim holy book the Quran kept in Mater Dei hospital's multi-faith room were desecrated yesterday, the Ministry of Health said this morning.  Slices of pork laid inside copies of the holy book, according to photos posted to Facebook by the Islamic Community of Malta. Vandals also left behind a printout featuring a photo of Father Jacques Hamel, a Christian priest whose throat was slit by Islamic State terrorists in Normandy earlier this week, under the heading 'Victim of Islam'. The "act of degradation" happened at some point yesterday afternoon, the ministry said.  In a Facebook post, the ICM said that it would not fall for the perpetrators' bait and encourage hate in "this beautiful country".  "We urge our fellow Muslim brothers to act responsibly," the ICM added.  In a tweet, Archbishop Charles Scicluna also condemned the vilification, saying "not in our name".  The Health Ministry condemned the "cowards" who carried out the desecration, and expressed its solidarity with the Muslim community.  Hospital authorities have reported the case to the police.  In a statement this afternoon, the Ahmadiyya...

TV presenter John Bundy to become new PBS chief

July 29, 2016, 9:35 pm

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TV presenter John Bundy is expected to be made the new CEO of PBS, succeeding Anton Attard, the Times of Malta has learnt. He is expected to take over at the public broadcaster next week. Mr Attard was appointed by the previous government in August 2010 after being involved in the Nationalist Party’s election campaign in 2008. Political pressure was applied by certain members of the Labour Party – including One TV and V18 chairman Jason Micallef – for Mr Attard’s removal soon after the 2013 general election. Mr Attard had been blamed by Mr Micallef for Malta’s successive failures in the Eurovision song contest, as well as PBS’s excessive spending on the contest. This paper reported last month that flight and accommodation expenses for Malta’s participation in this year’s contest amounted to what the country would usually spend on the entire competition. Mr Attard, who led the organisation of Malta’s entry, insisted the expenses were covered by advertising and sponsorships, and that PBS had made an “overall profit”. Mr Bundy has had stints as a television presenter on both political party stations. He started his professional broadcasting career in 1990, presenting a breakfast...

Three injured in two separate traffic accidents

July 31, 2016, 1:41 am

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Updated 1.13pm Three people were injured, two seriously, in two separate traffic accidents last night, police said.  A 17-year-old was injured after being hit by a taxi in Triq L-Erba’ Mwieżeb, St Paul's Bay yesterday at around 9pm. Police initially described his injuries as serious but subsequently clarified that to note that he was only slightly injured.   The taxi, a BMW, was being driven by a 24-year-old from Żurrieq.  In a separate crash, three Italians were injured after the BMW one of them was driving crashed and flipped over in Triq Sant'Andrija, Swieqi at around 5.30am.  A 37-year-old passenger was seriously injured in the crash, while a 29-year-old suffered slight injuries. The driver's condition is not yet know.  Police investigations are underway for both cases. 

Malta to introduce alert system for missing children next year

July 31, 2016, 4:19 am

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A new system for alerting the public about missing children will come into effect in the first half of next year, the Home Affairs ministry announced today. The AMBER Alert System will allow police to quickly involve the public in the search for missing children using an array of available media, from TV to variable-message road signs, public transport, text messages, and social media, among others.   Local police have teamed up with international NGO AMBER Alert Europe to set up the system and network it with that of other EU member states, the ministry said.  The Netherlands, Slovakia and Luxembourg already make use of the AMBER Alert system. A further 13 EU countries have their own child alert systems in place.  “Ensuring children's well-being and protection from harm have always formed an intrinsic part of the Maltese people’s core values,” Home Affairs minister Carmelo Abela said. “The issue of abducted or missing children has always been given utmost priority by our Police Force, and during its Presidency of the Council of the EU Malta will be working hard to see further developments on a European level in this field.” He commended MEPs Miriam Dalli and Roberta Metsola for...

Two men critical after suffering burns while trying to start dinghy's motor

July 31, 2016, 7:24 am

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Two men were admitted to hospital in a critical condition this afternoon after suffering burns when trying to start the motor of a dinghy they were on at Armier. The police said the incident happened at around 1pm. Relatives gave the victims - a 28-year-old man from Marsa and a 33-year-old man from Żebbuġ - first aid and took them to the nearest health centre from where they were transferred to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. An inquiry is being held.

Maltese tourists undeterred by terrorist threat

July 31, 2016, 8:23 am

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Recent terrorist attacks across Europe have given Maltese holidaymakers pause for thought but done little to alter their final plans, according to local travel agents. The heightened terror threat has had a significant impact on tourism around the continent, with areas worst hit in recent months reporting heavy declines in arrivals. Terrorism and political instability in Turkey have led to tourist numbers in June, even before the attempted military coup, being 41 per cent lower than this time last year, while travel agent Thomas Cook said this week they were experiencing “significantly lower demand” after the Brussels airport bombings in April. France has also been heavily hit following attacks last November in Paris and this month in Nice, with Air France reporting a 5.2 per cent drop in revenue. Maltese travel agents, however, told The Sunday Times of Malta that few local travellers were letting the threat get in the way of their summer holiday plans. “There is concern, but it doesn’t mean that people aren’t travelling,” said Noel Farrugia, managing director of Brittania travel. “These threats are becoming part and parcel of our lives but we are still getting new bookings and...

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Interview: Blame the syllabus, not the teachers

July 31, 2016, 5:38 am

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The creation of college secondary schools to replace junior lyceums has delivered its first group of fifth formers. Malta Union of Teachers president Kevin Bonello tells Kurt Sansone why he is not too pleased with the results – and defends teachers against any suggestion they are not flexible enough in their methods. The Matsec O level results came out last week. These are the results of the first group of students to have joined the new system that did away with the secondary school divide between area secondaries and junior lyceums. The MUT was not pleased with the results, going so far as to say ‘we told you so’. Why? The MUT had always been in favour of removing streaming and aiming for more inclusivity. But when the reform was unveiled some six years ago, we felt it had been hurried. People were not trained. Take, for example, boys’ Church schools, which had been accustomed to taking in the top achievers, who passed the Common Entrance exam. That changed to a ballot system and the result was a greater mixture of students that teachers were unprepared for. The academic results today are no better than what they used to be. Your focus is solely on academic achievement. Could...

Whistleblower alleges racket over Libyan medical visas

July 30, 2016, 9:56 pm

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A Health Ministry official ran a medical visa racket charging Libyans thousands of euros to get into Malta, a whistleblower has claimed. The official, Neville Gafa, allegedly pocketed the funds, amounting to nearly €38,000, and purchased a BMW, according to a letter sent to then-health ministerKonrad Mizzi back in April. The government said yesterday that the matter was being investigated. Mr Gafa denies the allegations. The letter, leaked to The Sunday Times of Malta, details how Mr Gafa was allegedly charging Libyans a €2,500 monthly fee to secure medical visas, treatmentand accommodation, along with an additional €100 charge. Back in November 2015, this newspaper reported on the extraordinary number of medical visas issued that year and how police had received serious allegationsof abuse. More than 600 medical visas allowing Libyan citizens to come for treatment in Malta were issued in the first half of 2015, a far cry from the 252 issued in 2011, whenthe Libyan conflict was at its peak. According to the leaked letter, signed by lawyer Leslie Cuschieri on behalf of Libyan Khaled Ben Nasan, Mr Gafa coordinated the operation for around a year andthree months, “until this way of...

Fish farm expands to four times its permitted size

July 31, 2016, 2:46 am

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A fish farm located in the south has over the years increased the number of its cages to four times above the quantity it has permits for, The Sunday Times of Malta can reveal. Malta Fish Farming Ltd, a subsidiary of construction company Elbros Ltd, is allowed five cages but is operating about 20. This expansion increases the operation’s impact on the surrounding marine environment and popular swimming zones in Delimara and Marsaxlokk. It comes despite a planning authority assurance that it had taken enforcement action in October 2014, after this newspaper reported that the farm had grown to 18 cages. The authority has given no further information on the current situation. When contacted, company owner Salvu Ellul said he did not owe anybody an explanation. By contrast, the owner of the adjacent fish farm, Joseph Caruana of Fish and Fish Limited, met The Sunday Times of Malta to explain the company’s operations. The number of its cages is in line with the permit granted. He agreed that controls were lacking. When trying to obtain answers on why the situation was out of control, the planning authority referred this newspaper to the fisheries department, which in turn directed...

Watch: CCTV shows thieves at work in Sliema store

July 31, 2016, 10:21 am

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It only takes a couple of seconds for thieves to strike, as this CCTV footage sent to Times of Malta shows.  In the video, a mother pushing a pram casually walks up to the counter of a cosmetics shop in Sliema. She reaches into her handbag for her purse, and then turns her back on it as she speaks to the shop attendant.  Two young women who seem to be casually browsing the store's cosmetics position themselves just behind the woman.  Working in tandem, the thieves quickly strike. As one jostles into position and holds up her carrier bag to block the view from the rear of the shop, the other reaches into the victim's dangling handbag, pulls out the victim's mobile phone and slips it into her own bag. Seconds later, the two are out of the shop.  The theft happened last Tuesday, said Candice Mangani.   "I realised my phone was missing five minutes after I left the shop," she said. "My bag was closed but she managed to take my phone anyway."  Mrs Mangani said that although the phone - a €900 iPhone 6 Plus - was valuable, it was the videos of her baby daughter that she would miss the most.  "I had a video of her steps that I didn't download off the phone," she said.  She said that...

Anġlu Xuereb has a 10-year plan for Valletta

July 31, 2016, 12:14 am

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Updated 12.26pm - Added PDF drawings Can you imagine a Valletta where large government buildings have been transformed into five-star hotels, subterranean tunnels link the city to its suburbs, and dilapidated townhouses are restored to their former glory? Entrepreneur Anġlu Xuereb can. In a detailed 10-year master plan passed on to The Sunday Times of Malta, Mr Xuereb maps out his vision for the capital. Full details of the plan are in the PDF links at the bottom of this article.  “My vision is for a Valletta with a long-term master plan that will enable it to be regenerated into a truly unique Renaissance city. “I love our capital city and I want it to be brought back to life as a centre of commerce and a home for the many residents that should be attracted back,” says Mr Xuereb’s 14-page plan, Regenerating Our Renaissance Capital. His suggestions range from logistical changes such as limiting the window for when delivery trucks can enter the city or putting an 11pm curfew on live music to not disturb residents, to larger, more ambitious proposals such as an underground electric tram connecting the Floriana park-and-ride to City Gate. In fact, Mr Xuereb envisions an extensive...