Quotes of the week

“The system stinks. It leads to a hiccupping court system with repeated six-week intervals between hearings.”

Criminal lawyer Joe Brincat lambasting the six-week maximum period between each hearing allowed by law.

“Malta’s system lacks transparency, patients’ rights are weak and the medical outcomes mediocre.”

European Health Consumer Index coordinating author Arne Björnberg on findings that Maltese are not getting value for money from their public healthcare systems; results the Health Ministry contests.

“Unacceptable.”

Transport Minister Austin Gatt reacting to the decision by Mellieħa mayor Robert Cutajar and Transport Malta to ban two-way traffic through the locality’s main road.

“Richard Cachia Caruana acted on the government’s instructions.”

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi testifying that Malta’s EU ambassador was following a Cabinet decision when he proposed to gain access to EU-Nato discussions without joining the Partnership for Peace programme in 2004.

“We must ensure these people are kept in acceptable conditions appro­­priate for human beings not animals.”

Kevin Wain commenting on timesofmalta.com that while border control of irregular immigrants was important the humanitarian crisis could not be forgotten.

“I had to sell all my gold, including my wedding ring.”

Marisa Bondin on the desperate actions she took to continue giving her three children an acceptable standard of living after works on the Dock No. 1 project in Cospicua forced their restaurant to close.