timesofmalta.com

Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable after cardiac intervention

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:10:00 +0200

Updated 2.11 p.m. Former President and Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami, 79, is stable after undergoing a coronary angiogram, Mater Dei Hospital said in a statement. He was admitted to hospital this morning, complaining of chest pains. His condition is stable and he is now recovering in the critical coronary care unit. Dr Fenech Adami has had a history of heart problems in the past and had a pacemaker implanted. Prime Minister and Mrs Muscat in a statement wished the former President a speedy recovery. They said his work reflected the deep civic sense of a person who had given a lot to the country. The Nationalist Party also augured that Dr Fenech Adami would recovery quickly and be reunited with his family. Dr Fenech Adami was elected leader of the Nationalist Party in 1977 and served as prime minister from 1987 to 1996 and 1998 to 2004. He was President for the following five years.

Gianluca returns to work - Eurovision 'perfect ice-breaker' with patients

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:14:00 +0200

Gianluca Bezzina, also dubbed as 'Doctor Feelgood', has returned to work in the surgical wards of Mater Dei Hospital after an exhilarating two weeks in Malmö representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. He told Kim Dalli that his Eurovision experience has provided him with the perfect ice-breaker when treating patients. He now looked forward to seeing his singing and medical careers develop and mature although he would focus especially on the latter. Gianluca placed eighth in last Saturday's festival, Malta's best result since 2005.

Muscat wants PN pay rise refunded in full

Christian Peregin — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:01:00 +0200

The Prime Minister has called on former Nationalist ministers to refund in full the pay rise they gave themselves in May 2008. PN leader Simon Busuttil should convince them to do so “as they gave the impression that they did,” a spokesman for Joseph Muscat said. According to information given in Parliament by Dr Muscat on Tuesday, about €300,000 of the €1.6 million PN ministers and parliamentary secretaries had received were returned. Yesterday, his spokesman accused Dr Busuttil of trying to hide the facts and playing with words in press conferences, to the effect that the former ministers had paid back the full amount they took “behind people’s backs”. “The former ministers who took the pay rise are now prominent in Busuttil’s shadow cabinet. They should remain politically accountable to the people,” he said. A look at former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s statements in the last legislature shows the Government never said ministers and parliamentary secretaries would be refunding the bulk of their raises. In January 2011, the Government accepted to downgrade the honorarium being received by Cabinet members to pre-2008 levels and refund the difference between the two rates. This...

German diver dies in Gozo

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:44:00 +0200

A German diver, 55, has died after finding himself in difficulties while diving at Mgarr ix-Xini, Gozo. The police said he was rushed to Gozo hospital, where he died. Magistrate Josette Demicoli is holding an inquiry.

Former policeman admits taking bribes to write off tickets

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:08:00 +0200

A former policeman who had admitted to accepting bribes to write off traffic related offences was this morning given a two year jail term suspended for four years, a general interdiction and a €670 fine. Ian Grech, 38, of Marsascala had initially pleaded not guilty to receiving bribes, relapsing and committing a crime he was duty bound to prevent. But he admitted to the crime during the hearing of his case. See more details at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120116/local/court-orders-witness-s-arrest-in-policeman-bribery-case.402554

23 children reported to be suffering Slapped Cheek Syndrome

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:34:00 +0200

The Ministry for Health said today that 23 children had been reported to be suffering from slapped cheek syndrome since the beginning of this year in various localities in Malta. Slapped cheek syndrome is a viral infection that is most common in children, although it can affect anyone of any age. It is caused by a virus called a parvovirus which is spread in much the same way as the cold or flu viruses through infected secretions from the nose and throat. Most children will not need treatment as slapped cheek syndrome is usually a very mild condition that passes in a few days. The main symptom is a blotchy red rash on the face, resembling slapped cheeks, that could later spread to other parts of the body. Prevention of spread is by frequent hand washing. The ministry said that if a pregnant woman acquires the infection before 20 weeks of pregnancy, as might happen in other infections during this stage of pregnancy, there is a slightly higher risk of miscarriage. In such a case where a pregnant woman is exposed to an infected child she should consult her gynaecologist for necessary investigations. "There is no need for alarm. The Ministry for Health is raising awareness about this...

Driver slightly injured in Kappara accident

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:31:00 +0200

A young woman was slightly injured when this Daewoo Matiz flipped onto one of its sides in Kappara this afternoon. The car is believed to have clipped the pavement before crashing.

Tonio Fenech - ‘I did not badmouth Malta...I defended it’

Matthew Xuereb — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:19:00 +0200

Former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has denied badmouthing Malta in a recent meeting with the International Monetary Fund, insisting that he had a clear conscience and had actually defended the country. He was contacted after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in Brussels claimed that a member of the previous administration – whom he refused to name – had incited IMF representatives during a recent meeting he had with them. “We know there was someone, who, for instance, was inciting the IMF because he is not in government anymore and told the IMF that there are problems, which only three months ago he was saying did not exist. The IMF itself told us this. When they told us who had told them this we were surprised,” he told journalists on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels. Asked to name the individual, Dr Muscat said: “I think you can ask around.” Dr Muscat was speaking in the context of the Excessive Deficit Procedure that the European Commission is expected to take against Malta for its failure to keep within the deficit threshold of the eurozone. In spite of the procedures, Dr Muscat said the Government had managed to convince the Europ-ean Commission against the need for...

Din l-Art Ħelwa says relocation of market to Ordnance Street 'lacks vision'

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:18:00 +0200

Heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa insisted today that Ordnance Street and the entrance to Valletta are unsuitable for the Monti open market, particularly because of the potential spill over across the new Parliament building up to Victory Square. "This idea lacks vision for the area and may be the result of a hurried decision taken without sufficient reflection on the devaluation it is going to bring to the investment made to upgrade City Gate. It is ironic that while the Government plans to relocate and tidy up the unsightly kiosks and stalls just outside the entrance to Valletta, on the other hand it may now be proposing to place market stalls just within the city walls thus restoring dignity to one side and taking it away from the other," the NGO said. "While acknowledging that the current market site at Merchants Street may have its drawbacks and that other solutions may be considered, the entrance to Valletta is wholly unsuitable for this open-air market," the society said.

Sex abuse victims file civil case for damages

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:42:00 +0200

The 10 victims of sex abuse by former priests today filed a civil case requesting the court to liquidate for damages. The victims filed their case against abusers Carmelo Pulis and Godwin Scerri, the Missionary Society of St Paul, the Archdiocese of Malta, and the directors general at the Office of the Prime Minister, the Education and Employment Ministry and the Social Solidarity and Family ministry. They claimed that as victims of abuse, they were exposed to a negative experience which left them suffering permanently.

PN slams Ronnie Pellegrini's Freeport appointment

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:05:00 +0200

The Nationalist Party in a statement has criticised the government's decision to appoint Ronnie Pellegrini as a director of the Malta Freeport Corporation. It said such appointments fly in the face of promises that appointments would be made on the basis of merit. The party said persons from the prime minister's circle were being appointed instead of competent people. Mr Pellegrini, the PN said, was known for his links with the GWU, with former minister Lorry Sant, and with former PL general secretary Jason Micallef. But it questioned what credentials he had for this position.

‘I know the party. I might know people even better ’

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:21:00 +0200

PN deputy leadership candidate CLAUDETTE BUTTIGIEG, the party’s spokeswoman for civil liberties, tells Christian Peregin she is encouraged by the party’s internal discussions on sensitive issues. Why did you decide to contest for the deputy leadership? Sometimes in life people around you see you in a way which perhaps you don’t see yourself. This is what happened to me when I started being approached by several people who told me I should consider contesting for one of the highest posts in the party. Including leadership? Yes, and I thought this was too soon and too abrupt. After all, you had just been elected MP for the first time. I also felt it would be totally misinterpreted as being presumptuous. My immediate reaction was no, but as time went by I understood where this was coming from. It came from reading the electoral result, which told us we need to change. That’s when I realised people were seeing me as part of this change. The role of deputy leader was split in two after you made your announcement to contest. Why did you choose to contest for the position related to party affairs and not parliamentary affairs? I’m actually thankful the decision was made because when I...

Brussels ditches proposal to aid Malta relocate migrants

Ivan Camilleri — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 +0200

Hopes that Malta would get help to relocate irregular migrants were dashed as “harsh resistance” forced a change of plans. Speaking at the European Parliament, European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said the Commission would not deliver on its 2011 promise to propose a permanent, voluntary scheme and complained it was a non-starter. Following an influx of irregular migrants to Malta some years ago and intense pressure by the island’s authorities for “concrete solidarity” by the EU, the Commission, in 2009, had launched a pilot project called Eurema, specifically designed for member states to relocate asylum seekers from Malta. The voluntary scheme provided financial compensation for countries relocating recognised refugees and people with international protection. Following more pressure and European Parliament intervention, the Commission announced in 2011 that it would make a legislative proposal to make the scheme permanent. Although the EU executive had promised to make the proposal last year, it postponed its launch, until this latest decision was announced. Ms Malmström said Brussels would now propose an annual forum to discuss transfers of refugees among EU...

Oil rig leased for oil exploration well off Malta

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:06:00 +0200

Mediterranean Oil & Gas has reached agreement with Genel Energy Plc to use the deep-water semi-submersible drilling rig "Paul Romano" to drill an exploration well offshore Area 4 south of Malta later this year. The Paul Romano, will drill the Hagar Qim 1 exploration well in water depths of approximately 450 metres and will target reservoirs at a depth of approximately 2,500 metres. The company said the are has prospective resources in the Lower Eocene/Paleocene of 109 million barrels of oil equivalent. The Paul Romano is currently undergoing a five year class survey in Malta, has a rated water depth of up to 1,800 metres and is capable of drilling to a depth of approximately 7,500 metres. The survey will also include preparation for the installation of a fifth ram to the blow out preventer to comply with latest best practice guidance for deep water operations. The upgraded blow out preventer will be fully installed prior to commencement of drilling activities on the Hagar Qim well. "We are very pleased to be able to reach agreement with Genel to use the Noble Paul Romano for the drilling of our joint exploration well offshore Malta later this year. We are excited to progress the...

Government wants more women to join the army

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:08:00 +0200

The government is looking into schemes, including better childcare facilities, to encourage more women to join the army, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia said this morning. Speaking during the passing out parade of 78 recruits, the minister said only four per cent of soldiers were women, five of whom were among this morning’s recruits. The recruits also included shooter William Chetcuti, who formed part of the soldier athlete scheme, which allows recruit athletes to practice their sport for 20 hours each week and attend soldier training for the other 20 hours. The recruits, who have been through 19 weeks of training, also included 12 Gozitans. Dr Mallia said the government was thinking about extending night patrol operations in Gozo to allow more Gozitan soldiers to serve in Gozo. He said that at the beginning of this legislature, €700,000 were invested in a night surveillance system and €52,000 in fire-fighting and communication equipment at the new hangar at Malta International Airport. The minister said the government was analysing the prospects of further utilising EU funds to improve army equipment and facilities.

Update 3: Smoking plane in emergency landing

Peter Woodman, Press Association — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:29:00 +0200

A British Airways plane had to return to Heathrow airport today with smoke billowing from the aircraft. With eyewitnesses reporting seeing an engine on fire, the Airbus A319 plane made an emergency landing, with the 75 passengers and crew all safely evacuated via the emergency chutes. London Ambulance service later reported that three people had been treated for minor injuries from the flight, which had taken off from Heathrow for Oslo this morning. Both the northern and southern runways at Heathrow were closed after the incident, although flights were able to resume shortly afterwards from the southern runway. Eyewitnesses described seeing smoke coming from the plane, with the right engine on fire. Clive Cook, who lives on the Heathrow flight path, told Sky News: "The actual engine itself was on fire. "This plane was coming over and suddenly the tone of the engine changed dramatically, and I could almost say it sounded as if it was like a blowout, or an explosion. "I'm absolutely certain that as it came through the clouds, and I looked up ... the right engine was on fire, it wasn't smoking, it was actually on fire." Mr Cook said he saw the plane over the Thames at Battersea as...

Sliema parking scheme 'to be postponed for not more than three weeks' - council

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:51:00 +0200

The Sliema council said today it was willing to postpone the enforcement of its controlled parking scheme for not more than another three weeks, within which Transport Malta was being invited to make proposals for the scheme's improvement. In a statement, the council said it disagreed with Cabinet’s decision to suspend the implementation of the trial period of the scheme and had reservations about the way the scheme was suspended. TM had suspended the scheme a week after it was introduced on the strength of a Cabinet decision. The council was asked to rethink the scheme and revisit its plans. The council said it only went ahead with the scheme after it obtained all the necessary permits from Transport Malta. Prior to the implementation, the council was in constant communication with TM officials. Authority officials also chipped in with their advice. The council said while its scheme was suspended, similar ones in other localities were not. The council said it sent a preliminary report on the improvement of the traffic and parking situation in Sliema to Transport Minister Joe Mizzi and Councils Parliamentary Secretary Jose Herrera.

Interest calls for casinos in Malta, Gozo issued

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:00 +0200

The government has issued two calls for expressions of interest for 10-year concessions of a casino in Malta and another in Gozo. Parliamentary Secretary for the Economic Growth Edward Zammit Lewis said the international call was issued today. The government wanted to hear ideas from potential investors on how the casinos could be incorporated into larger projects, such as hotels or shopping malls. Dr Zammit Lewis said the casino industry has been in Malta since 1964. In 2008, it contributed €10 million in taxes going up to €13.5 in 2012. The call closes on July 1. There will no appeal stage. Professional people from the Lotteries and Gaming Authority will be answering queries and clarifications between June 10 and 21. Dr Zammit Lewis said he was confident interest would be shown in the calls and he had already spoken to public sector. Asked about the Casino di Venezia, he said the licence was still suspended and the government was evaluating the situation.

Father and son sentenced to jail for money laundering

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:02:00 +0200

A father and son have each been sentenced to 18 months in jail and fined €5,000 after they were found guilty of money laundering. Alfred Delia, 65, and his son Marco, 43, bought three cars in January 2010 worth €19,000, €24,000 and €14,000 when Marco, who was a labourer, earned €800 a month and had €1.58 in his bank account and Alfred, a pensioner, earned €700 a month. Alfred’s other sons Freddie and Roderick had previously been found guilty of drug trafficking.

Eddie Fenech Adami responding well to treatment

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:58:00 +0200

Former President and Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami has been moved from Mater Dei's Critical Coronary Care Unit to a normal ward. When contacted, his son Beppe said his father underwent a coronary angiogram yesterday, and was responding well to treatment. Dr Fenech Adami, 79, was admitted to hospital complaining of chest pains. He has had a history of heart problems in the past and had a pacemaker implanted.