10 years ago - The Times

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Fireworks found on ship

An undisclosed amount of explosive material was confiscated from on board a cargo ship about to leave the island on Monday.

A container carrying the explosives was identified by Customs officers where the ship was berthed at Laboratory Wharf, in Marsa, the Armed Forces of Malta said yesterday. The Malta Maritime Authority said the next port of call of the MV Eurocargo Istanbul, where the explosive material was allegedly found, was Catania.

On being informed of the discovery, Customs informed the Ports Duty Officer who, in turn, requested the assistance of the AFM’s Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit to provide an initial assessment of the situation.

The AFM said the EOD identified the explosives as ready-for-use fireworks, hidden behind wooden container pallets.

Shipyard talks with GWU

The government is “cautiously optimistic” about reaching an agreement with the General Workers’ Union over the shipyards’ privatisation, a spokesman for the Finance Ministry said yesterday. The statement, which comes in the wake of a similarly optimistic outlook by the union’s general secretary Tony Zarb, marks a new development in the privatisation process.

25 years ago - The Times

Friday, September 3, 1993

Call for greater transparency in government work

A report on “Correct political behaviour”, drawn up by a Labour Party-appointed commission calls for greater transparency in government departments, the courts of justice, the government auditor’s office and within political parties.

The commission, chaired by Dr Daniel Micallef, presented its report to the MLP leader, Alfred Sant yesterday.

The six-member commission was appointed in February to make proposals on how political behaviour in Malta could be improved.

The report deals with the principles and norms of correct political behaviour and makes a number of suggestions.

The Constitution, it says, requires a number of amendments to assure that commissions and authorities are truly independent and acceptable by all.

The government and the Opposition should agree on the appointments and where this is not possible, an independent authority should make appointments.

The President of the Republic should be appointed by both sides of the House of Representatives or by some other means which would enable him to be truly independent of the government.

50 years ago - Times of Malta

Tuesday, September 3, 1968

Meeting with ex-King Umberto recalled

Mr W. Garroni, administrative officer at the Treasury, yesterday recalled his meeting with ex-King Umberto, of Italy, in January 1945 when he was a lieutenant attached to 56 British Liaison Unit (BLU) serving in Italy.

The Unit was at the time attached to the Gruppo di Combattimento Mantova.

The ex-monarch, who is currently in Malta on a private visit, was Prince of Piedmont when he visited the Unit. Mr Garroni served with the 3rd Battalion, the King’s Own Malta Regiment and had volunteered to go to Italy.

The ex-King had visited the Gruppo di Combattimento Mantova before they moved from Ariano Irpino to the front in the north. The German force, the 8th Army, was on the other side of the Senio River, North of Florence.

Mr Garroni said that the former monarch talked to him about Malta.

Competition winners

Two British couples – Mr and Mrs P. Leach of Coventry and Mr and Mrs C. G. Godley of Surrey – who won the second competition organised by Kosset Carpets Ltd are spending a fortnight’s holiday in Malta.

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