10 years ago - The Times
Friday, July 18, 2008
Transport strike lifted
The public transport strike was called off yesterday after four days of chaos on the roads, inconvenience to many, including tourists, and a few ugly incidents. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said at about 6.30pm that the Transport Federation had e-mailed the government saying it agreed to stop the action with the buses resuming the service as usual this morning.
Transport Minister Austin Gatt said both the federation and the government accepted that: EU rules had to be followed with regard to buses and the distribution of routes; liberalisation had to follow discussion and consultation; the present stock of 404 minibuses with more than 14 seats would be increased only after consultation; the two sides would go to arbitration over the decision by the government to deduct €60,000 daily from the subsidy to the bus owners for the duration of the strike. The federation has argued that, in terms of an existing agreement, the government cannot deduct so much; a fresh tender would be issued for transport services from the Park and Ride to Valletta.
Dr Gatt said that an issue that should never have been created was now solved, the road to liberalisation was strengthened and the country would be moving towards it at a faster pace.
25 years ago - The Sunday Times
Sunday, July 18, 1993
SGS-Thomson exports Lm1m to Japan in six months
SGS-Thomson, local manufacturers of electronic chips, are beating the Japanese at their own game. Exports to Japan by the company reached Lm1 million in the first half of this year. SGS-Thomson also registered increases in sales to the US and the Far East, sources said, describing the Japanese exports as a breakthrough for the company. In 1989, Malta imported some Lm16 million worth of goods from Japan, exporting in return less than Lm300,000. Today the company represents some 35 per cent of Malta’s domestic exports.
Bomb explodes outside house of priest in Qrendi
A bomb exploded outside a priest’s house in Qrendi early yesterday morning, causing thousands of liri in damage. The force of the blast shattered windows along the road and damaged two cars. No one was injured. Fr Raymond Ellul was in his house in Żurrieq Street, Qrendi, when the bomb exploded shortly after midnight. Neighbours described him as a man who liked being involved in local affairs. Recently he had helped set up a football ground in the area.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Thursday, July 18, 1968
Italian loan agreement
Prime Minister G. Borg Olivier yesterday laid on the table of the House of Representatives a copy of a financial agreement between the government of Malta and the Italian government for a loan of 3,000 million Italian lire (£2m) for 15 years at four-and-a-half per cent with a three-year grace period for Phase II of Malta’s power/water plant.
The Prime Minister said: “When international tenders were called for Phases II and III of the electricity plant, the most favourable tender was submitted by an Italian firm. This tender amounted to £1.75m. In addition there are other supplies such as cables which the Malta Electricity Board normally received from Italian firms because their quotations are competitive. For this reason the government found no objection to agreeing that loan funds be used for the purchase of Italian goods and services.
“In this deal with the Italian government it was possible to obtain the most favourable finance. Had we raised a local loan, borrowed from the World Bank, or used money under the financial agreement with the British government, the interest rate would have been higher. This loan has a political meaning which is obvious in that for the first time a foreign government which is not the British government has shown interest in Malta’s economic situation.”