Weekly News highlights

The end of the summer should see the start of the rehabilitation programme at the Maghtab dump after a German-Maltese consortium, Hasse/Vassallo Builders, won the €7.5 million contract for extraction and monitoring of toxic gases.

The contract is part of a larger EU-funded project for the rehabilitation of the dumps at Maghtab, Qortin and Wied Fulija. The beginning of the rehabilitation programme is substantially behind schedule, although according to WasteServ CEO Vince Magri, the delay - caused by an appeal lodged by one of the bidders - is manageable.

Night of arson

A Range Rover, a car, a motorbike and the door of a elderly woman's residence were set alight in Main Street, Zebbug, on Monday night. A jerrycan filled with petrol was found near one of the vehicles. Later that night, a Jaguar belonging to an Irish resident suffered the same fate in St Paul's Bay.

On Friday, two other cases of arson were reported. At 1.30 a.m. police reported seeing a truck in a field in Triq is-Siggiewi, Zebbug, on fire, which was later put out by firefighters. Then at 4.30 a.m. a car was reported to be on fire in Merchants Street, Valletta, which was put out by the person who lodged the report.

Electricity thieves come clean

Until last Friday week, 1,400 people whose electricity meters were tampered with answered Enemalta's call to pay Lm100 to regularise their position and install a digital meter. Enemalta is expecting to increase its annual revenue from electricity by around Lm300,000 following a three-month campaign to curb theft, corporation chairman Alex Tranter said yesterday. From yesterday, the corporation was to take harsher measures against electricity theft.

Germany takes refugees

Twenty refugees accommodated in open centres, left Malta for Germany on Tuesday after Germany accepted to help alleviate Malta's illegal immigration crisis. The transfer is the result of several months of negotiations between former German Home Affairs Minister Otto Schily and his Maltese counterpart Tonio Borg.

Auctioneer ordered to pay damages

Auctioneer Albert F. Santucci on Monday was ordered to pay Lm400 in libel damages after a court found that a letter entitled "Fake Malta paintings" published in The Sunday Times in July 2003, libelled Reno Spiteri. In 2002 and 2003 some false watercolours and paintings purportedly by famous local artists were in circulation. In his letter Mr Santucci had mentioned Mr Spiteri as the artist who had painted them.

Mr Santucci told the court that he had been approached at an auction by a man who introduced himself as Reno Spiteri but refused to do business with him. The auctioneer said that Mr Spiteri was not the same person who had approached him at the auction and had written an apology to Mr Spiteri, carried in The Sunday Times last year. Mr Spiteri accepted the apology but insisted on claiming libel damages.

€8 million farmers' aid scheme

Under a new €8 million scheme, launched by Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino on Tuesday, dairy farmers will benefit from funds to invest further in the sector. The EU funds fall under the Special Marketing Policy Programme for Maltese Agriculture and the Meeting Standards Scheme.

To qualify for funds farmers have to compile a programme of necessary works on their farms and an estimate of costs by July 27. Half of the expenses will be covered.

Van falls into valley

Two Gozitan men are lucky to be alive after their van crashed against a low wall and fell a height of about two storeys into Mistra Valley on Tuesday morning. Civil Protection Department personnel had to help the driver out of the van. He was seriously injured but the passenger escaped unscathed.

Motion against Austin Gatt

The Opposition on Tuesday gave notice of a motion in Parliament demanding the resignation of Investments Minister Austin Gatt over comments made during the House sitting of May 30. The minister in a prompt reaction denied having made the comments and published the transcript of the debate.

Opposition Deputy Leader Charles Mangion and Whip Joe Mizzi in their motion said that on May 30 Dr Gatt "in an arrogant manner admitted" that owing to a lack of observance of the law, and in view of its five-seat majority in the House, the government could violate the law but may retroactively rectify any such violation of laws and regulations. They were referring to comments by Dr Gatt over the government's sale of its shares in Maltacom.

Malta joins anti-cigarette smuggling network

Malta has joined a network, originally set up in 2004 by the EU, 11 of its member states and the multi-national cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris International, aimed at fighting cigarette smuggling. The European Commission said on Tuesday that another 13 member states, including Malta, have now signed the anti-contraband and anti-counterfeit agreement with Philip Morris International Inc, bringing the total number of signatory EU members to 24.

Residents act to halt Pender Place excavations

Some 180 residents of The Gardens and nearby areas in St Julian's on Wednesday filed a judicial protest asking MEPA not to approve any works or excavations at the former Maltacom site at Pender Place before an environment impact assessment was presented and other formal procedures observed.

They argued that if MEPA allowed the excavation of some 300,000 cubic metres of rock it would be authorising the digging of an area the size of the Red China Dock in a residential area, before the project itself was approved.

Two face drug charges

Nicholas Abela Ayling, 34, of Fgura, on Wednesday was charged with the possession of 500 grams of cannabis resin with the intent to sell within 100 metres from a school or youth centre on and before June 5. In a separate arraignment, Briegel Micallef, 21, of Zebbug, was charged with the same offences and also with trafficking. Both were granted bail.

Customs seize fake footballs

Customs officials on Thursday seized a container with 21,000 fake World Cup footballs amid heightened international alert for the interception of counterfeit World Cup merchandise. The 40-foot container, containing 600 boxes, was en route from the Far East to Mexico. FIFA officials asked for the consignment to be seized.

Poor turnout for ANR protest

Just 200 people joined in a protest against illegal migration in Valletta organised by the Republican National Alliance (ANR) in stark contrast to the thousands that answered the same call last October. The "intimidating" media and a poor marketing campaign were blamed for the poor turnout.

As protesters marched into Valletta, a sizable group of people from five NGOs, lined up on the street overlooking Freedom Square, silently holding anti-racism messages. Norman Lowell, leader of the far right movement Imperium Europa, who is facing charges of inciting racial hatred, also attended.

Developer ordered to submit new plans

The MEPA board on Thursday decided that the developer of a proposed block of apartments overlooking St Anne Square in Sliema must submit fresh plans by June 27, after which the board would reconvene to decide whether it should approve the revised plans or withdraw the permit. MEPA's unanimous decision was reached after the board had also agreed that the original plans contained incorrect information and this had had a bearing on their approval.

Euro information campaign launched

An information campaign on the euro changeover, launched on Thursday, features the introduction of Linja ewro 154, a phone line where the public may seek information on the euro and the changeover process. Five information officers have been trained by the NECC to deal with different sectors. NECC chairman Joe F. X. Zahra said the European Commission was expected to publish a report assessing Malta's progress on July 22.

Jail for rings thief

Jacqueline Rapinett, 29, was jailed on Thursday for 26 months after she admitted to stealing gold rings belonging to Carmelo Muxi in Hamrun last Wednesday. Ms Rapinett admitted to committing the theft when she was serving a 14-month jail term that was suspended for two years.

Suspended jail term for entering Malta

Two men and two women, aged between 18 and 26 and all from Moldova, on Thursday were given a one-year jail term suspended for two years after they admitted entering Malta with forged passports.

Mother, son convicted of murder

Concetta Decelis, 57, and her son Jason, 29, on Friday were found guilty of the murder by omission of 18-year-old Rachel Bowdler, who died of a drug overdose in May 2001. Decelis' estranged husband Carmel, also 57, was found guilty of involuntary homicide.

Jurors believed that while Mrs Decelis and her son had acted with a positive, indirect intent to kill Ms Bowdler, the father had acted negligently and did not predict the consequences of his actions. Ms Bowdler's lifeless body had been found by a farmer in a field in the limits of Mgarr.

Eleven migrants drown

Eleven illegal immigrants drowned on Friday morning after their crowded boat capsized in relatively calm waters 40 miles east of Malta. Just before 6 a.m. an Italian fishing boat rescued 16 immigrants but it was soon learnt that there had been around 27 men on board. Three of the victims were found but eight others could not be traced.

The AFM dispatched a rescue launch while the Italian Coast Guard sent three vessels currently taking part in the annual Canale multi-national military exercise. The search was called off later in the morning after the rescue teams found no trace of other survivors.

GDP up 3.1 per cent

Gross domestic product in real terms rose by 3.1 per cent in the first quarter of the year, the National Statistics Office said. GDP at market prices reached Lm465.1 million, an increase of 6.5 per cent over the corresponding period last year. Gross value added was higher in all industries except agriculture, electricity, gas and water supply, and hotels and restaurants.

Most bathing sites fail EU standards

The majority of Malta's bathing sites last summer did not reach cleanliness standards as envisaged by the European Union, according to a report issued in Brussels on Friday. The only country with worse results was Poland. "Almost 60 per cent of the bathing areas were not sampled or not compliant with the mandatory values. Bathing was prohibited in a number of bathing areas. This implies that two out of three bathing areas are failing to comply with the minimum standards set in the EU Directive," the report said. Member states are obliged to monitor the water quality of their bathing areas during the bathing season