10 years ago - The Times
Monday, March 2, 2009
Gambling crawling ‘on to our doorsteps’
The spread of gaming into parish band clubs, under the guise of bingo centres, has set alarm bells ringing for Oasi Foundation founder Fr Emmanuel Cordina. Spurred by the planned investment in a 24-hour bingo centre at a band club in Gozo, Fr Cordina has written to Gozo Bishop Mario Grech asking him to take action.
But the scenario is wider than that and Fr Cordina is claiming that various forms of gambling are seeping into every corner, hurting even more when they entered parish halls, convents, sports centres and other venues connected to the Church, in certain instances even being held on the parvis, and frequented by children and youths.
Fr Cordina saw this as a cause for concern not just for the country but also for the Catholic community and said his conscience pricked him to voice his preoccupations. “Is it possible that no one is recognising the alarming damage being done among those who are becoming dependent on the thrill of excitement?”
Fr Cordina said it was a shame that, while women were, supposedly, staying at home for the good of their family and society, they were finding enough time to go and blow money that was meant for their children’s maintenance and for other bills.
25 years ago - The Times
Sunday, March 2, 1994
Opposition insists on trial period before entrenchment in Constitution
The Opposition will vote against a bill for the setting up of a Commission for the Administration of Justice if the government continued to insist that it should be entrenched in the Constitution, Dr John Attard Montalto, Opposition spokesman on justice, said in Parliament.
He was speaking during the debate on a Bill to amend the Constitution moved earlier by Justice Minister Dr Joe Fenech.
The commission will have among its functions the investigation of any matters that could constitute misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge or magistrate.
It will exercise discipline over lawyers and legal procurators and draw up a code or codes of ethics for the professional conduct of members of the legal professions.
The commission shall also: supervise the workings of the courts and make recommendations to the Minister of Justice for greater efficiency; advise the minister on the organisation of the administration of justice and advise the Prime Minister on appointments of acting judges.
Half a century ago - Sunday Times of Malta
Sunday, March 2, 1969
Barclays train ex-Service personnel
Dr V. Tabone, Minister of Labour, Employment and Welfare, yesterday morning inaugurated a special three-day introductory course at the Staff Training Centre of Barclays Bank in Sliema.
The course is for 12 former Service employees who are being engaged by Barclays as cashiers.
The ages of the new employees range from 35 to 39, and they will during a probationary period of one year, undergo special courses to equip them for duties as cashiers.
These cashiers, on being confirmed as pensionable staff, will be eligible to a pension, under the non-contributory benefits scheme enjoyed by the bank’s staff in Malta.
Addressing the men, Dr Tabone said that the government had appealed to those in industry and commerce to help in providing alternative jobs for service employees and Barclays Bank has responded to this appeal. He was certain the new employees would make a success of their new job. This experiment had proved that people of 30 or 40 years or even older were still willing and able to be trained in new and productive jobs.