Memorial cleared multiple times

The makeshift memorial to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was cleared 16 times since it was first erected at the Great Siege Monument last year, activist and journalist Manuel Delia told a demonstration on Sunday evening. Speaking at a gathering to mark 11 months since the car bomb murder of Ms Caruana Galizia, Mr Delia said the government was using “garbage cleaners” to clear away the memorial.  PHOTO: CHRIS SANT FOURNIER

What made the headlines

Court allows Delia to summon AG as witness in Egrant report case: The First Hall, Civil Court in its constitutional jurisdiction upheld a request by Opposition leader Adrian Delia to summon Attorney General Peter Grech as a witness in the Egrant report case. The proceedings stem from a constitutional application filed by Dr Delia requesting the court to order the AG to furnish him with a full copy of the Egrant report.

Glitch costs taxpayers an extra €237,000: An IT glitch, which apparently prevented a Contracts Department evaluation committee from accessing a computer file, cost taxpayers dearly, Times of Malta revealed. According to Huawei Technologies Italia Srl, a subsidiary of the Chinese multinational, which was competing for the supply of a fibre optic link between Malta and Gozo, the Department of Contracts preferred to grant the tender to another company offering the same service but costing €237,000 more than contact them to solve the software problem. The company has now appealed to the public contracts review board to order a fresh evaluation process.

Man, 28, charged with killing partner: A 28-year-old man was charged with the murder of his 35-year-old partner in a case investigators believe is linked to domestic violence.  Michael Emmanuel, of the Ivory Coast, was charged with causing the death of Maria-Lourdes Agius, the partner with whom he has three children and has shared a home for the past three years. Mr Emmanuel was remanded into custody.

Priest cleared of abusing vulnerable woman: Former Kerygma Movement director Fr Charles Fenech was acquitted of having sexually abused a vulnerable woman after a judge found it had been consensual. Fr Fenech had been sentenced to three months imprisonment suspended for a year, which the appeals court revoked. However, he was sentenced to a week’s imprisonment, suspended for six months, for having had sex in a public place and was also fined €500.

Former ITS site mega-project approved: The Planning Authority gave the go-ahead to controversial plans for a 38-storey tower and 17-floor hotel at the former Institute of Tourism Studies site in St George’s, to the dismay of thousands of residents opposing the project. The PA board voted 10 to four in favour of the db Group’s €300-million City Centre project. Objectors voiced concerns over the scale of the development and the impact on the local residential community and raised questions over traffic management.

MEPs say passive authorities ‘a concern’: The Maltese authorities seemed passive when faced with allegations of criminal activity, according to MEPs looking into the state of the rule of law in Malta. Dutch MEP Sophie in’t Veld said the authorities tended to spend more time trying to figure out which body should investigate an allegation than probing the wrongdoing. Her delegation, she added, also visited Slovakia where the MEPs found indications that investigations into the murder of a journalist were moving forward, though the same could not be said on Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.

Gozo-Malta fast ferry tender suspended: A tender for the provision of a fast-ferry service between Malta and Gozo is expected to remain suspended for the coming months as the Transport Ministry will have to await a decision by the Court of Appeal over the validity of a choice made by Gozo Channel to select an inexperienced provider, Islands Ferry Network Ltd. The Civil Court this week shed doubts on the way the State company carried out its exercise which is now expected to be given weight by the Appeals Court. The court said it could not understand how Gozo Channel decided to engage Islands Ferry Network Ltd over Virtù Ferries, when according to its call the selected company had to have “the necessary experience, expertise or resources to provide fast ferry services”. The court also noted that questions were raised over the fact that Islands Ferry Network was registered just three days before it was awarded the contract.

What trended

Tony Zarb’s outburst

Former General Workers’ Union general secretary Tony Zarb’s Facebook video clip hitting out at activists calling for justice in the wake of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder understandably led to a barrage of online comments by Times of Malta readers.

Readers took particular offence at Mr Zarb’s comment that “the most important thing is that she [Daphne] never returns”.

“This is hate speech. It’s even more important that you will disappear Mr Zarb, for the good of the country. You did enough damage,” Carmen said.

“This clearly shows the level of unadulterated and venomous hatred that many Labour leaning persons still harbour towards the assassinated Daphne Caruana Galizia. These people keep accusing her of hate speech. It is amazing how these same persons fail to see the churlishly hateful language they are themselves using towards a person who was killed because she spoke the truth,” Nenu added.

This is hate speech

One person, Charles, however, backed Mr Zarb, saying “Wasn’t it ‘churlishly hateful language’ she used against the dead Mr Mintoff?  Did you protest then? Of course not. Hypocrites!”

Another reader pointed out that Mr Zarb had been awarded the title of Ġieħ ir-Repubblika and should act accordingly: “One would hope that the person awarded such a title would actually be worthy of it and not instigate such blatant hate.”

One reader reminded everyone that Mr Zarb is a paid government consultant.   “He is not a journalist or a blogger speaking for himself,” adding that it was shameful for those in power not to condemn this type of language.

“Tony Zarb is not the Labour Party. He is just unbelievably stupid to have said this. He sure did not do Labour any favours,” Joseph said.

Another reader wrote that Daphne had also attacked George Borg Olivier and Guido de Marco as well as anyone else she disagreed with, adding that few people wanted her attitude back.

“I don’t agree with what Tony Zarb wrote, but I believe that deep inside, very few are those who wish her attitudes come back,” the reader said.

One reader said respect by all sides was essential but doubted this would happen: “It was her [Daphne’s] own family that continued this feud with Labour, starting by not inviting the President of Malta to her funeral. Still, I condemn all hate speech, especially from those who should know better such as this stupid ex-union man Zarb. We should respect each other whoever we support. But it is not going to happen. Some of us (PN/PL) are really rabid.”

What they said

“Society has to wake up and smell the coffee. Regardless of colour or nationality, religion or race, no one has the right to take a woman’s life.”

Labour Women’s Forum president Nikita Zammit Alamango speaking about the surge in fatal violent attacks against women.

“We want to move towards post-partisan politics and we will go down in history for having reached across the aisle.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat speaking on One Radio about the appointment of former PN parliamentary secretary George Hyzler as Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

 

“The papers keep asking what my proposals are. Well, let Labour leave, and then I will tell you what my proposals are.”

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia speaking at the Floriana Granaries on the first day of the week-long Independence activities organised by the PN.

“Even the most lucrative economic boom needs to be managed.”

Maurice Mizzi, the Guardian of Future Generations, adding his voice to the mounting opposition to db Group’s mega-project at the site formerly occupied by the Institute of Tourism Studies in Pembroke. 

“If the activists want a permanent memorial or protest, they need to abide by the rules.”

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici speaking after a banner at the foot of the Great Siege monument calling for justice following Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was removed by the authorities and replaced by a banner around the hoarding indicating the Great Siege monument is situated there.