Weekly News highlights

A 30-year-old Burmarrad man was critically injured in an accident in Qawra last Sunday when he crashed into a pole in Il-Pijunieri Street. He was rushed to hospital where he was certified to be in danger.

Lost trekkers return home

A group of trekkers who got caught in a blinding fog on Mount Etna, Sicily, on Sunday arrived on Monday morning confident this incident had primed them for their final challenge - conquering Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro in January.

The team, in Sicily to train for their final goal, had already made it to the top of Mount Etna and were on their way down when a blanket of fog settled on the mountain, hampering their journey.

It took them seven hours, from the moment they called the rescue service, to reach safe, dry ground. They missed the evening flight back home, but Air Malta immediately booked them on another flight, returning 24 hours later.

Three years for hold-up

Nineteen-year-old Roderick Brincat was jailed for three years and a month on Monday after he admitted to his involvement in a hold-up of a confectionery and to breaching bail conditions.

Brincat yesterday week pleaded guilty to stealing Lm170 in cash from Carmel Ellul at a confectionery in Senglea. He also admitted to holding Ellul against his will, threatening to kill him, and slightly injuring him, and to the illegal possession of a knife.

In a second arraignment, the teenager also admitted to breaching bail conditions handed down in a separate case on September 26.

Vessel runs aground

The Golden Bay, an oil-bunkering vessel, was salvaged and towed away for repairs on Tuesday after it ran aground at St Thomas Point, Marsascala, the very same spot where an oil tanker, the Angel Gabriel, was shipwrecked 37 years earlier.

The Valletta maritime control tower received a call for help from the Golden Bay at about 6.15 a.m., after the vessel developed mechanical problems and was drifting rapidly towards shore. Rough sea complicated matters as the single-hull vessel was battered against the rocks.

It took two Tug Malta tugboats and a barge, which made the first attempts alone, the best part of the afternoon to pull the seven-metre long vessel away, from different angles, from the rocks.

Agreement for cheaper telephone calls

Cheaper fixed-line phone calls are on the way after Maltacom and Melita Cable finally signed an interconnection agreement on Tuesday.

Maltacom plans to revise its fixed tariffs while Melita Cable has drawn up an attractive package for its Hello service. The signing marks the end of a three-month saga during which Maltacom's refusal to sign the interconnection agreement led the Malta Communications Authority to impose an administrative Lm10,000 fine and a daily penalty of Lm200, which Maltacom is appealing in court.

Woman judge holds first sitting

Madam Justice Abigail Lofaro on Tuesday became the first woman judge to take her place on the Bench in Malta's law courts.

The event was witnessed by President Eddie Fenech Adami, Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano, former Presidents Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and Censu Tabone, and Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. Madam Justice Lofaro's husband, lawyer Pierre Lofaro and their daughter Giulia, were also present.

Lm12,000 in damages

Joseph Gauci, an Enemalta Corporation employee, on Tuesday was awarded Lm12,000 in damages after he was injured at work.

Mr Gauci sued the corporation, claiming he was permanently injured in June 2000 when an electricity pole he was working on at Buskett Road, Rabat, collapsed.

Bill bans alcohol for under-16s

Parliament on Tuesday started debating a Bill to clamp down on the sale and supply of alcohol to children.

The Bill, piloted by Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina, makes it unlawful for any person to "sell alcohol to, or purchase alcohol on behalf of a minor or serve or in any manner supply alcohol to a minor in any shop, street or public place".

People convicted of selling or supplying alcohol to children will be liable to a fine on first conviction of between Lm100 and Lm500. On a second or subsequent conviction the fine will rise to between Lm500 and Lm1,000.

Any child who breaks the law may be ordered to participate in uncompensated community service, which may be combined with counselling. This penalty may not clash with the child's schooling.

Mrs Cristina thanked the government agencies, NGOs, parents' groupings and the leisure industry for their backing of this Bill.

Vote of confidence in GWU leaders

The General Workers Union administration on Wednesday won a unanimous vote of confidence - by a show of hands - during an extraordinary general conference called in the wake of a spate of resignations since August.

The conference was held at the union's headquarters in Valletta amid a show of strength, coupled with the screening of a video showing parts of last year's congress when GWU general secretary Tony Zarb was re-elected.

Proposed sites for Natura 2000 protection

Ta' Cenc cliffs, an important breeding ground for protected birds, has been proposed to the European Union for conservation under the EU's Natura 2000 framework, along with most of Malta and Gozo's cliff areas.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority announced the sites it has proposed to the EU on Thursday. The areas chosen for protection, which account for about 12.6 per cent of the Maltese Islands, include Il-Ballut ta' Marsaxlokk, Il-Qortin tal-Magun and Ramla l-Hamra, both in Gozo, Ghar Dalam, Ghar ta' L-Iburdan in Rabat and a marine area off Ghajn Tuffieha, in the stretch between Rdum Majjiesa and Ras ir-Raheb.

The proposals also include part of the southwestern cliff areas in Malta and Gozo, including the Ta' Cenc area.

The sites will also be discussed at a bio-geographic seminar organised by the EU in which MEPA is set to take part.

Former security guard wins Lm4,600 in damages

Mr Justice Philip Sciberras on Thursday upheld a claim filed by Austin Gonzi, a security guard at Malta Drydocks, awarding him compensation of Lm4,647.

Mr Gonzi said that in May 1997 he had been charged with disciplinary offences and was informed by the Disciplinary Board that he was to be suspended for three weeks and transferred.

The first Appeals Board had reduced the period of suspension to two weeks but had confirmed his transfer. A second Appeals Board had not given him the opportunity to present his case, Mr Gonzi said, adding that the Drydocks had refused to appoint an independent referee as provided for in the disciplinary proceedings.

Teenager loses hand in factory accident

A 19-year-old employee of Consolidated Biscuits Co. Ltd lost his left hand in an accident at the factory, situated at Mriehel Industrial Estate, early on Thursday morning.

The police said the employee was in a stable condition.

Sources said the young man, from Senglea, was working on a plastic shredding machine when the accident happened.

Price Club companies owe HSBC over Lm2 million

The First Hall of the Civil Court on Thursday declared that HSBC Bank (Malta) Ltd was owed over Lm2 million by Price Club (Swatar) Limited, Price Club Operators Ltd and Price Club (Burmarrad) Ltd.

The court however ruled it could not order Price Club Operators Ltd to pay rent as the company was in liquidation.

The bank claimed it was owed Lm2,646,380.48 by Price Club (Swatar) Ltd, adding that the company itself had admitted this in a notarial deed of August 2001.

Conditional discharge for man who attacked woman

Keith Galea, 25, of St Venera, was conditionally discharged for three years on Thursday after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Angelica Apap when he attacked her and voluntarily damaged her car.

Lotto receivers protest

Lotto receivers closed their booths for an hour from 9 a.m. on Thursday to protest at "Maltco's arrogance", which they claim could lead to the death of lotto, a game played in Malta since 1923.

They assembled in front of the company's offices in Lija carrying posters saying "Gamble... but not our rights", "No to arrogance" and "No more take it or leave it attitude".

The company, the receivers said, wanted to reduce the lotto's winning odds which, they argued, could endanger their livelihoods.

The receivers were asked to protest by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) and the Lotto Receivers' Union (LRU). Action would be taken unless the situation improved, UHM general secretary Gejtu Vella said.

Both unions started discussions with Maltco in April last year so that busy booths would be given a second computer terminal to enable them to cope with work. However, the company has refused to hand these over unless receivers accept its decision to reduce the lotto winning odds.

The UHM said Maltco has informed the government that unless the lotto game was changed it would stop it as of the end of this year.

Malta euro coins to be minted in France

Technical preparations for the minting of about 200 million Maltese euro coins have started at the French state-owned mint Monnaie de Paris, which has won an international call for tenders for the job. This follows the approval of the final designs of the Maltese coins by the European Commission.

The Monnaie de Paris, situated in a new complex in Bordeaux, is one of the oldest and most renowned mints in Europe. It has been minting French coins since 1879 and is also responsible for the minting of the French euro coins. The Maltese euro coins will have three different national sides: the emblem of Malta, the eight-pointed Maltese Cross and an image of the altar at the prehistoric temple of Mnajdra.

The final designs had to be slightly retouched by the artist, Noel Galea Bason, following suggestions by the EU Commission to bring them in line with the established guidelines.

Under the contract with Monnaie de Paris, which will be signed shortly, the Central Bank is to receive 196 million coins in eight denominations - 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, €1 and €2. The value of the coins is expected to be of about €56 million, equivalent to Lm24 million.

PM hints at more EU funds

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi hinted on Friday that Malta could be allocated more than the €805 million it has been promised so far by the EU under its 2007-2013 budget.

Speaking at the party's general conference, which kicked off at the New Dolmen Hotel, Bugibba, on Friday night, he said the €850 million Malta was allocated under the new financial budget of the EU may increase.