10 years ago - The Times
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Murder suspect on business trip to Africa
The relatives of a Qormi businessman who was shot dead last year are angered that the courts allowed the man charged with the murder to go on a business trip to Africa.
Grace Scicluna said it was “unheard of” that the man charged with the murder of her brother Martin was allowed to leave the island when such a serious case was still pending.
On September 16 last year, Mr Scicluna, 43, of Siġġiewi, died on the spot after being shot twice in a building in Qormi, where he and Spiridione Mercieca ran the company All Sports International, that specialises in turf.
Two days later Mr Mercieca, 46, of Birkirkara, was charged with the murder to which he is pleading not guilty.
Car owners can claim ‘illegal’ VAT refunds
According to the European Commission, car owners who bought new or second-hand cars since Malta’s accession and paid VAT over and above the normal registration tax may claim a refund as the tax was charged against EU laws. This could mean the government would have to fork out hundreds of thousands of euros in refunds.
25 years ago - The Times
Friday, February 25, 1994
MLP claims ‘intrigues’ behind new ID cards system
The Labour Party has claimed that the transfer of the resposibilty for the issue of ID cards from the Electoral Office to the Home Affairs Ministry is illegal and unacceptable.
Addressing a news conference yesterday, deputy leader for party afffairs George Abela and general secretary Jimmy Magro said the MLP only officially found out about the move from an interview with the ministry’s director general Louis Cilia in il-Mument on January 16.
The party yesterday presented the media with a report Intrigues behind the new ID cards system – the MLP’s position.
The report showed the proposal for the move undermined the work of the Electoral Commission as it breached the law.
The party expected the commission to consider the party’s position and on February 15 requested a written reply from the commission which it had not yet received.
Dr Abela urged the commission to observe the law and the oaths taken by its members.
He said the ID card issue was regulated by three laws, the Constitution, Act XXI of 1991 on the general elections, and Act LI of 1975 on the ID cards.
The proposed move was contradictory to the laws.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Tuesday, February 25, 1969
Maltese Canadian flies ‘solo’
Manoel Cachia, formerly of Qormi, had been taking flying lessons in Canada for two months and recently made his first “solo” flight.
According to the magazine By-Line, he is the sixth Maltese in the world to have qualified as a pilot since 1945.
When asked how he felt about flying solo, Cachia said that he was uneasy at the start when he knew that the instructor was no longer sitting beside him. After his initial “scare”, he enjoyed his first “solo”.
Manoel emigrated to Canada in 1963. He is married and he and his wife Tessie have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Grace.
Camilleri works in London recital
Composer Charles Camilleri’s Trois Pieces pour Piano were included at the Law Society Hall’s piano recital in London last Tuesday.
This year’s series of concerts featured Philips recording artist Rhondda Gillespie who has already broadcast Camilleri works on the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Miss Gillespie, who leaves on her first American tour on March 3, will include Camilleri works in all her US recitals.