10 years ago - The Times
Monday, August 11, 2008
No conspiracy in Harry Vassallo VAT case
The internal police inquiry, into why the police left it to the eve of the general election to serve former Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo with an arrest warrant – which had been issued five months earlier – excludes any politically-driven conspiracy.
In exonerating the police of any wrongdoing, the inquiry report, of which The Times has seen a copy, reads more like a Seconds From Disaster documentary: it gives a blow-by-blow account of how bureaucratic mishaps and plain mismanagement aligned to facilitate something of a calamity.
An angry Dr Vassallo had accused the Nationalist Party of plumbing new depths in its campaign when he was served with the arrest warrant for a tax offence on March 5.
The warrant had been issued in October 2007 but Dr Vassallo was only served with it five months later, just three days before polling and two days before ‘silence day’, during which he would not be able to react or clarify his position.
The fact that a Net News journalist inquired about the warrant hours before the police had served it, further supported the notion that the whole debacle was the result of a planned political conspiracy.
25 years ago - The Times
Wednesday, August 11, 1993
Food poisoning at prisons
A barbecue at the Corradino Civil Prisons over the weekend had a sour sequel, when a number of inmates were found to be suffering from food poisoning.
The food for the barbecue, held on Friday, was supplied by the governmental department concerned while members of the Prison Fellowship organisation helped prepare it.
The Department of Information told The Times yesterday that a few inmates and staff had shown symptoms of food poisoning over the succeeding days. This was a common risk in the hot summer months, the DOI said, adding that although two people had been hospitalised, their condition was stable and not considered to be serious.
Water plant expansion
Expansion works at the Pembroke reverse osmosis plant will entail a water production loss of about 7.5 million gallons, forcing water cuts in various areas today and tomorrow, the Water Services Corporation said yesterday. Urging prudent use of water, the corporation said there will be a 24-hour suspension of the water service today in St Julian’s, Swieqi, Paceville, St Andrew’s and part of L-Ibraġ and San Ġwann.
Half a century ago - Sunday Times of Malta
Sunday, August 11, 1968
Ideal woman of the year
Lena Naudi of Sliema has been voted the Ideal Maltese Woman of the Year.
“I was thrilled when I was told the news,” she said yesterday.
Thirty-three married women and two single girls qualified for the competition but only six reached the finals, including one of the singles, Corinne Brincat.
The competition, organised by the Ideal Woman Committee, consisted of tests on floral arrangement, starching and ironing a man’s shirt and the preparation of two Maltese dishes.
Mrs Naudi, who was educated at St Joseph School, spent six years in Libya with her husband. She said she had learnt Arabic during her stay there.
She is chairman of the Malta Floral Club and of the Mentally Retarded Children of Birżebbuġa. Her hobbies are floral arrangement and gardening. She also likes undertaking charity work.
The five other contestants who reached the finals were: Rose Bonello of Żebbuġ, Jane Scicluna of Victoria, Maria Zimelli of St Julian’s, Celine Briffa of Sliema and Corinne Brincat of Sliema.
Mrs Naudi will leave on August 20 for Montecatini.