Weekly News highlights

Government's plan to beef up human resources at detention centres with retired police and army officers failed to meet expectations, with only 16 personnel so far taking up the offer.

Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela recently told The Times that another call for applications would be issued soon, adding, however, that the Government hoped for a better response.

The Government is offering an annual salary of Lm4,325 over and above the service pension, which the officers would retain while serving at the detention centres.

15 stowaways rounded up

Two Stowaways jumped into the sea and held on to the quay for several minutes early on Monday morning while Freeport security personnel busily rounded up ten other men.

The incident started at about 7 p.m. last Sunday when the Fas Provence vessel docked at the Freeport, sources told The Times.

Five individuals running across the terminal were spotted when containers were being unloaded. After a brief chase, the men were rounded up and later another five were netted. Cutting tools, which served to force open the containers, were later found.

At about 4 a.m. two other individuals were plucked out of the sea after they were spotted clinging on to the quay in chilly waters. None of the men, all Algerian, aged between 18 and 30, offered resistance and all appeared to be in good health.

Later on Monday, the captain of another ship, the Ville de Dubia, informed the Freeport he would be docking in Malta with three stowaways on board. The men weren't allowed to disembark.

Three day bus strike

Bus Drivers, locked in disagreement with the Transport Ministry over subsidy and reform issues, decided to go on strike on Monday. The Public Transport Authority (PTA) said the strike was indefinite, saying that it had given the ministry and the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) a 48-hour ultimatum last Friday week.

The main bones of contention are disputed subsidies the government still has to pay for 2005 and a reform in the public transport service which, PTA chairman Victor Spiteri said, the Government wants to push down the association's throat.

The Minister of Education and the director general of Education on Wednesday filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court, against Mr Spiteri and association secretary Emmanuel D'Amato, claiming that, in stopping its state school transport service, the PTA had breached its contractual obligations, even though the education authorities were not involved in the dispute.

Such actions were illegal and irresponsible and were in breach of the contract, the judicial protest said. The contract also laid down that, if the association suspended its services, it would be liable to a fine that was double the amount paid for a route.

No routes were served on Wednesday and, as the association was paid Lm3,450.48 per route, it had now to pay a fine of Lm6,900.96.

Public transport returned to normal on Friday morning after bus drivers decided to lift the strike action and accept the Transport Ministry's proposals almost in their entirety.

The ministry told The Times that the government's offer consisted of an immediate payment of the undisputed 2005 arrears, amounting to Lm150,000 and a monthly transfer of Lm75,000, from the subsidies for this year, starting this month.

Power surcharge up to 67.5 per cent

The electricity surcharge between last Wednesday and April 30 will increase to 67.5 per cent, government said on Tuesday.

The prices of unleaded petrol and lead replacement petrol (LRP), went down from 47c6 to 45c5 per litre and 50c6 to 48c5 per litre respectively. The price of diesel went down by 0c4 from 41c9 per litre and the price of light heating oil and kerosene remained the same at 23c9 and 41c5.

The electricity surcharge, up from 47.4 per cent, will be raised to make up for the increasing cost of fuel oil used by Enemalta to generate electricity.

Surprise spring hunting visit to Malta

The European Parliament is to send a delegation to Malta to get first hand experience of spring hunting.

The decision was made following a discussion two weeks ago at the European Parliament's Petitions Committee when a petition, signed by almost 200,000 EU citizens, called on the EU to intervene and stop spring hunting in Malta. The petition was raised by the Belgian ornithological society Bird Protection Belgium.

Sources close to the European Parliament told The Times on Tuesday the decision to send a delegation to Malta has already been approved by the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament. The dates of the visit will not be announced in advance.

Pension reform plans unveiled

Retirement age will be raised gradually to 65 under pension reform plans unveiled on Wednesday, but it is still unclear how and when a second pillar pension will be introduced for which taxpayers will contribute. Private pension schemes will remain a voluntary option.

Addressing a press conference at his office in Valletta on Wednesday, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the Bill on pensions will be presented to Parliament by June.

Current pensioners, or those who would have turned 55 by January 1, will not be affected by the reforms. Working women over 55 will have the right to work till 61 instead of 60.

The retirement age for employees aged between 46 and 55 shall increase gradually depending on their age.

Workers aged 51 to 54 will retire at 62, while those between 48 and 50 on January 1 will retire at 63. Those between 46 and 47 will retire at 64 and those who will be 45 or younger will reach pensionable age at 65.

Lm1.5m meat processing plant opened

A New high-tech Lm1.5 million meat processing plant - BBQ Centre Ltd - was opened on Wednesday at Burmarrad by Joanna Drake, head of Representation of the European Commission in Malta.

BBQ Centre Ltd, trading under the label Barbecue World, employs 18 workers.

Co-partners of BBQ Centre Ltd Frank Grima and Jason Pace said the venture is the first in its operational design to comply with all EU regulations offering meat products that are fully traceable, safe and certified.

Machines scan the meat and also calculate the exact fat content.

Nectar Ltd of Ta' Qali are the sales and distribution partner of BBQ World.

Girl's heirs win Lm60,000 damages

Damages amounting to almost Lm60,000 were on Wednesday awarded to the heirs of a young woman killed in a traffic accident in 2000.

The judgment was delivered in the First Hall of the Civil Court in the case filed by the woman's parents and siblings against the estate of the late Clayton Zarb, the driver in the accident.

Louis and Consolata, spouses Caruana, and their children filed their writ against Mr Zarb's estate. Micallef Insurance Agency Ltd later intervened in the litigation.

Plaintiffs claimed that Erika Caruana, who was their daughter and sister, had died in an accident on December 7, 2000, when the car driven by the late Zarb had collided against a crash barrier in Great Siege Road, Valletta and ended up in the sea. Both driver and passenger died.

Judge orders payment of oil purchases worth almost Lm250,000

MR JUSTICE Tonio Mallia, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court, on Wednesday ordered a company and an individual to pay almost Lm250,000 to Enemalta Corporation.

The judgment was delivered in the case filed by the corporation against Nazzareno Fenech Ltd and against Nazzareno Fenech in his personal capacity. Enemalta had sold defendants Lm244,634.65 worth of oil, but defendants had not paid for their purchases and the corporation asked the court to condemn defendants to pay the amount due.

Air Malta posts Lm2.3m operating loss

Air Malta carried almost 10,250 more passengers on its intra-European operations between October and December when compared to the same period the previous year.

However, traffic on its scheduled network to and from Malta dipped by almost 8,000 (-2.53 per cent) passengers, while charter passengers fell by 20,000, the national airline said on Thursday when publishing its results for the fourth quarter of last year.

Operating revenues in the fourth quarter last year reached Lm19.9 million, a drop of Lm1 million. Operating costs reached Lm24.5 million with operating results showing a negative Lm0.8 million when compared to the same quarter in 2004. Looking at the economic performance for the period April to December operating revenues reached Lm81.5 million, a drop of Lm2.7 million. The operating loss stood at Lm2.3 million against a profit of Lm291,000 the previous year.

Government to have 5-10% stake in SmartCity

Government is expected to take a five to 10 per cent share in the IT village that will be built and operated by the Dubai-based Tecom Investments on the Ricasoli industrial estate.

IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt told The Times in an interview last week that the heads of agreement that will make the Lm110 million SmartCity@ Malta a reality should be signed this week.

Lawyers and representatives from the ministry have been to Dubai in the past few days to thrash out the final points.

Dr Gatt said that an exclusive clause would be inserted into the agreement to ensure that Tecom would not set up a similar IT village in the Mediterranean or southern Europe for a specified period of time.

Tecom Investments is expected to start work on the complex later this year. It will open for business in 2008 and continue to expand until 2016, creating about 5,600 jobs in the process.

Lm350,000 annual fee for port operations

The Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) is requesting an annual concession fee of Lm350,000 from the entity that wins the contract to run port operations at Grand Harbour.

The tendering terms were issued last week. Six consortia had expressed interest in bidding but five picked up the tender documents. The tender covers operations at Deep Water Quay and Laboratory Wharf and the bidders have the option of going for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 30.

An investment of Lm5 million is needed to upgrade the Deep Water Quay, which the MMA is saying it will undertake with "the participation" of the winner over a five-year period.

The bidders are being asked to propose what level of co-financing they would consider. The winner is also being asked to propose what it will pay MMA as a royalty fee for each container handled, and MMA will also keep the quay dues for each vessel.