Police arrest 15 in Marsa drugs raid

Heavily-armed police officers in bullet-proof vests raided the New Tiger Bar in Marsa on Wednesday and arrested at least 15 people after finding a full-scale cannabis operation. Several units from the Rapid Intervention Unit and officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Drug Squad swooped on the bar and a block of apartments. Sniffer dogs were also used during the operation as armed policemen were posted in strategic spots on rooftops.

What made the headlines

Absenteeism cut by half in inner harbour schools: Absenteeism in schools within the inner harbour region has been cut by more than half. This figure emerges from the number of citations issued to parents of truant children over the past three scholastic years. San Ġorġ Preca College, in Ħamrun, has seen a 60 per cent drop in the number of fines handed out. The college encompasses several primary and secondary schools in the inner harbour area, including in Valletta, Floriana, Pietà, Marsa and Paola.

NAO criticises land deals: The Auditor General cri­ticised two government property deals conducted under the outgoing Nationalist government on March 5, 2013, pointing to a lack of transparency. One NAO report indicated elements of “ministerial involvement”, although no evidence of political pressure could be established. It delved into the government’s decision to sell a St Julian’s property for €525,000, which the NAO valued at €2.4 million. In a second report, this time on an expropriation case in Fekruna Bay, a lack of documentation was identified by the NAO as a “serious shortcoming”.

Drugs, mobile phones found in prison: A large quantity of drugs were found in a culvert outside the Corradino Correction Facility, in the same week inmates were caught with illegal substances and mobile phones in their cells, the Times of Malta revealed. A significant amount of what was believed to have been a synthetic drug, which is becoming very common within the prison walls, was found in a large plastic bag.

Francis Zammit Dimech wins vacant MEP seat: Veteran politician and former Cabinet minister Francis Zammit Dimech was the winner of the casual election held to fill the seat in the European Parliament vacated by new Nationalist MP Therese Comodini Cachia. Dr Zammit Dimech’s term will end in May 2019, when the next MEP elections will be held.

Four-horse race for PN leadership: In a surprise move, former MP Frank Portelli became the fourth candidate vying for the Nationalist Party leadership, entering the race just half an hour before nominations closed. Unlike the other three candidates – outgoing party treasurer Alex Perici Calascione, lawyer and former Birkirkara FC president Adrian Delia and Gozitan MP Chris Said, who had all announced their intention to run for the leadership some time ago – Dr Portelli only made up his mind on the last day of the three-day nomination period.

Software VAT scam: Unscrupulous entrepreneurs have found a way to avoid paying millions of euros in VAT by using software to under-declare sales, the Times of Malta revealed. In a subsequent story, the Times of Malta reported that tax investigators would be going undercover in their fight against VAT-dodging software.

Schembri files criminal complaint against PN leader: Keith Schembri, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, filed a criminal complaint against Simon Busuttil, calling on the police to investigate the Opposition leader for filing a false report in court, perjury and lying. The move came a week after Dr Busuttil asked the courts to examine whether Mr Schembri and Konrad Mizzi broke money-laundering laws when opening secret companies in Panama. In response Dr Busuttil vowed to keep up his fight for justice and hit out at “fascist” attempts by the government to try to silence him. Manfred Weber, the chairman of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament, said the criminal complaint was a worrying signal with regard to respect for democracy and the rule of law.

Police recruit 27 officers with criminal record: Twenty-seven of the 204 officers recruited by the police since the start of 2016 have a criminal record, according to information given in Parliament. The recruitment of police officers with a criminal record only became possible when the rules were changed when Labour won the 2013 election.

NGO watchdog wants Gozo fund probe: Kenneth Wain, the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, wants the Auditor General to probe the Gozo Ministry on grounds of “disregard of the law” in its administration of the Gozo NGO fund, the Times of Malta revealed. Prof. Wain said that his office had requested the investigation after irregularities were flagged in his annual reports for 2015 and 2016.

What trended

Another week, another series of controversies

With Malta’s building boom in full flow, hardly a day passes without a new, controversial planning decision being taken by the powers that be – and last week was no different.

Lija residents could not believe their eyes when Transport Malta workers removed a series of holm oak trees to make way for a new  traffic lane. The felling was not illegal, but that justification – offered by the Environment Ministry and the environmental regulator – did not wash with many readers.

“Change the regulations then,” wrote one in reply to the ministry’s appeal to existing regulations. He was not alone.

“This is clearly a gap in the law ... mature trees should be protected wherever,” wrote another.

A woman argued: “That does not mean you have the right to uproot any tree. Malta has become a block of concrete with no greenery at all, but who cares. Money doesn’t grow on trees.”

Others despaired: “Some Environment Ministry,” sighed one. “Anti-environment ministry would be a more appropriate title.”

A few days later, it was the Planning Authority’s turn to attract citi­zens’ ire, with a decision to build a new petrol station on virgin land going down like a lead balloon.

“Four petrol stations in St Paul’s Bay,” wrote one resident. “We would be better served with more buses and better public transport than encouraging more vehicles.”

“Let’s apply for a pastizzi booth opposite Castille,” fumed another. “Everything goes these days.” 

Amid the outraged comments, one reader used sarcasm to make his point: “This petrol station was needed. Burmarrad is a long highway in the middle of nowhere. This was taken into consideration!”

While planners carved up more  natural land, police officers were busy throwing everything but the kitchen sink at a raid on a Marsa bar popular with African migrants.

Dozens of officers in bulletproof vests and automatic weapons stormed through the door, while others took to the rooftops. Someone even brought a drone along.

The operation unearthed stashes of cannabis and a suspected synthetic substitute. Readers were quick to note something awry.

“So ironic,” noted one. “This as we prepare to legalise marijuana for recreational purposes.”

“Easy,” cautioned another. “It’s like they’re off to catch [Mexican drug lord] El Chapo.”

Another looked at images of the raid and thought of another police operation that caught the public’s attention for altogether different reasons:

“That’s what the Pilatus Bank raid should have been like. What do you reckon, friends?”

What they said

“Unfortunately, over the last years, boundaries were drawn up demarcating the political space of ‘conservatives’ and ‘liberals’ which generated a silent hostility.”

Nationalist MP Claudio Grech, who decided not to run for the party leadership, hinting at the friction between the PN’s conservative and liberal wings, in a Facebook post.

“If anything, we can compete on who has the best ideas rather than on who can hurl the harshest insults.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne on the need to cooperate with the Opposition, soon after his election as deputy leader of the Labour Party.

“These values cannot be switched on and off according to circumstance.”

Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo, the only MP to vote against the Marriage Equality Bill, stressing on Facebook that he would remain loyal to his convictions.

“Farrugia speaks as though the Maltese public is an ignorant species.”

Ann Fenech, president of the Nationalist Party executive committee, rubbishing an article by Kurt Farrugia, head of government communications, which attacked outgoing PN leader Simon Busuttil.

“Let us pray to God so that with the intercession of St George the Martyr, with respect to everybody’s rights, Europe shows solidarity with migrants and refugees.”

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech speaking in a message marking the feast of St George the Martyr.