10 years ago - The Times

Friday, August 29, 2008

Stiffer emissions tests for newer buses

Route buses with engines manufactured after 1979 will have to undergo more rigid emissions tests following an assessment of the testing methods carried out by the Malta Standards Authority (MSA).

On the whole the authority gave its seal of approval to the tests, the Transport Ministry said yesterday.

But it found that the Malta Transport Authority was being “too generous” by applying the least rigid test.

Therefore, buses with engines manufactured after 1979 will, from now on, have to undergo the more rigid test applicable to the newer engines. Buses and heavy vehicles are notorious in Malta for emitting heavy exhaust fumes, known to be highly hazardous to health.

The Sunday Times also reported that the quality of smoke emissions on the road point to the use of a harmful mix of diesel and light heating oil. The authority, in its report, proposed that drivers should be given information sessions about the effect of emissions on society.

The MSA also recommended that all buses should have a functioning rev counter so as to solve the problems raised when somebody, other than the driver, is required to control the vehicles under test.

25 years ago - The Sunday Times

Sunday, August 29, 1993

Ninu Zammit rebuts call for his dismissal

Water production rose by 66 per cent in the last six years – from 18 million gallons a day in 1987 to 30 million gallons this year, thanks to new reverse osmosis plants, while the electricity supply rose by 65 per cent from 250 megawatts in 1987 to more than 400MW this year.

These figures were given yesterday by Mr Ninu Zammit, Parliamentary Secretary for Water and Energy. He was replying to a statement by Alternattiva Demokratika issued earlier in the day, in which they called on the Prime Minister to dismiss Mr Zammit from his post.

Alternattiva said that despite the Nationalist Party’s capital expenditure in this sector, and boasting that the situation had improved, concrete facts showed Mr Zammit’s failure.

As the parliamentary secretary responsible for water and energy for the last six years, Mr Zammit can no longer blame the situation on the shortcomings of the previous administration, AD said.

In his reply, Mr Zammit said that in the past six years work to improve water distribution had been carried out all over the island, including Buġibba, Sliema, and Birżebbuġa.

Half a century ago - Times of Malta

Thursday, August 29, 1968

Housing development programme – accent on home ownership

Work on the construction of 32 government flats at Msieraħ, 16 at Ħamrun and 16 at Floriana is expected to start in October this year. These flats, to be rented to engaged and married couples under the government rental scheme (points scheme), constitute the first stage of a bigger housing development programme.

The construction of these flats is in addition to the 95 plots of land being made available under the Home Ownership Scheme. Mr J. M. Micallef, Housing Secretary, said plans for the rapid development of the scheme were initiated last year.

Fifty-eight of the plots available are at Msieraħ, 33 at Mellieħa and four at Kirkop. Mr Micallef said that the land bought by the government is surveyed and plotted, and “subject to  the availability of finance, we issue parcels of land for the erection of housing units by persons who wish to own their own house”.

The Home Ownership Scheme – an assistance scheme – was introduced in 1962. Originally, the government provided the parcel of land, with the free provision of electricity, water and drainage service up to the site.

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