10 years ago - The Sunday Times

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Maltese MEPs to earn €84,000 per year

An MEP’s job is set to become even more lucrative for Maltese during the next European Parliament legislature as their annual salaries rise by a whopping 540 per cent to €84,000.

The government has just agreed to implement the new MEP statute from the beginning of the next European legislature next year, according to a spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister.

‘Make presidential pardon details public’

The public should be told why presidential pardons have been granted, Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano tells The Sunday Times in an interview today.

Figures released by the Home Affairs Ministry last July show that 339 presidential pardons were granted between 2003 and 2008 – a rate of more than one a week.

When asked what he thought of this figure, the Chief Justice said that presidential pardons should only be used in exceptional cases. However, he says the failure to disclose the reasons behind them is what concerns him most since this means the system can be abused.

25 years ago - The Times

Tuesday, September 7, 1993

Glasnost at Kordin jail – prisoners talk to the media

Glasnost came to Kordin Civil Prisons yesterday when the authorities threw their doors wide open to the media.

“There is nothing which you cannot see or film. Just respect the prisoners’ privacy,” the instruction ran.

Although initially cautious, the 160 prisoners reacted well to the unprecedented media exposure and were soon clamouring for more and more access to the numerous microphones.

And when the pressmen did leave the prison halls, the inmates called for more, prompting the prison authorities to cautiously ask the press to return.

The visit came against a background of prison reforms which should see the name of the civil prisons changed to “Corradino Correctional Centre”.

To complement the regenerated prison, it is planned that a “Therapeutic Community Treatment Centre” will be constructed next to the prison. Inmates will have to earn their way into this new “pre-release” centre which will provide intense group counselling in preparation for their return to society.

Social Policy Minister Louis Galea outlined his ambitious plans for Malta’s corrective facilities.

Half a century ago - Times of Malta

Saturday, September 7, 1968

England to Malta in 23 days

Two Royal Navy Lieutenants, on three weeks’ leave, brought the five-ton auxiliary sloop Delfin from Lymington, Hampshire, to Malta in 23 days. They believe that the trip was one of the fastest ever made in a boat of that size.

Lieutenant Peter Bruce, RN of HMS Caledonia and lieutenant Robin Bradley, RN of HMS Blake did it without stopping anywhere – except when the engine packed up on several occasions while transiting the French canals. They had to – the navy would not give them any extra leave. In fact both have to be back in England before next Monday.

With them on the trip are Mr Errollyn Bruce, lieutenant Bruce’s sister and Miss Rosa Urlimann, who come from Switzerland and acted as a very efficient cook during the trip.

Excitement they had in plenty. Off Ushant they ran into a full gale. In the French canals they ran into one of those heavy barges which always seem to bar the movements of small yachts.

Luckily no damage was caused to their boat. Just because they had to press the little yacht in all weathers, quite a few sails ripped.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.