10 years ago - The Times
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Unions call for rates revision
Trade unions yesterday asked the government to revise the water and electricity tariffs, as they united for the first time around a common cause.
Although the protest was considered historic because it brought together 20 trade unions, the number of people attending was nowhere near the thousands who turned up for a manifestation on the same issue organised by the Labour Party last Sunday.
Around 2,000 braved the drizzle and ominous clouds to protest against the tariffs, approving a resolution saying the new bills will undermine the standard of living. Read out by GWU general secretary Tony Zarb to resounding applause, the resolution called on the government to reopen discussions with union representatives.
Nurse shortage
Around five per cent of beds and half the theatres in Mater Dei Hospital are not being used due to a shortage of nurses, Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses president Paul Pace claimed yesterday. He said shortages also mean that three wards at St Vincent de Paul, two at Mount Carmel Hospital and another two at Zammit Clapp Hospital lie empty, while Mater Dei’s Fertilisation Unit was still closed.
25 years ago - The Times
Monday, November 15, 1993
Malta links up to the internet
Maltese research institutions will have access to the internet from November 25. Internet, funded by the US government, has 15 million users worldwide and is growing at a rate of one million users per month.
International Internet Association said that due to limitations of existing data lines to Malta, access to the internet has been limited mainly to research institutions. Every major university in the world as well as millions of businesses and individuals are connected to the internet.
Once on the internet, users can communicate with any other user in the world free of charge, as well as access thousands of free information databases. The purpose of the internet is to enable the exchange of information on a global scale to produce greater productivity and understanding worldwide.
The International Internet Association has funding to provide unlimited free access to the internet for users in Malta. Anyone with a modem can access internet by dialling the association’s master node in Washington DC.
All that is required is for users to register to be provided with access to the system. This can be arranged by faxing 202 387 5446 or phoning 202 387 5445. Due to the large number of users anticipated there may be a delay in providing ID codes.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Friday, November 15, 1968
Prime Minister in Kyoto
The Prime Minister and the Maltese delegation at present visiting Japan today left Tokyo for a visit to the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto.
In this ancient city centre of Japanese culture for many centuries and defined as ‘the Florence of Japan’, Dr Borg Olivier and his party visited temples and museums and met economic and industrial experts. They also visited Osaka where Expo 70 will be held.
Before the party’s departure for Kyoto this morning P.J. Naudi, director of the Department of Information, declared that the trade pact signed yesterday was not a finality in itself but a beginning. He continued: “The Maltese government has no illusions on a concrete possibility that thanks to the trade pact Malta will be able to balance the trade figures between Malta and Japan.”
US Sixth Fleet commander’s three-day visit to Malta
Vice-Admiral D.C. Richardson, Commander of the US Sixth Fleet, arrives this morning in his flagship, the missile cruiser USS Little Rock for a three-day visit. Other US navy warships visiting Malta include the destroyer USS Waldron, the USS Denebola, the USS Diamond Head and USS Sylvania.