Updated 1745 – News Portal Review
TVM reports that the Health Ministry said today that 30 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in Malta following 1,703 swab tests. 36 other persons have been declared as recovered, with the total number of active cases now at 399.
MaltaToday says a 45-year-old inmate was found dead in his prison cell at the Corradino Correctional Facility. The correctional services agency said Maltese man, found dead at 6:35am, had passed away of natural causes.
Times of Malta reports that Joseph Muscat has denied that a conflict of interest existed on the tribunal hearing appeals against the planning authority when it was chaired by his appointee, an employee of the same authority.
The Malta Independent says how a month after it rescued migrants in the Mediterranean at Malta’s request, a Danish-flagged chemical tanker awaited at sea Friday with low supplies. The Maersk Etienne rescued 27 migrants, including a pregnant woman and a child. Its owners, Maersk Tankers, said food and fresh water are running low.
Newsbook reports that an 85-year-old man has died after testing positive for coronavirus. This is the fourteenth coronavirus-related death registered in Malta. The ministry expressed its condolences to the man’s family, and appealed to the public to continue following the advice of the health authorities.
Updated 1244 – Covid-19 Update
Malta reported 30 new cases of coronavirus this Saturday, lowering the number of active cases to just below 400 after 36 persons recovered since yesterday.
The Health Ministry also announced the 14th victim in Malta. The person, aged 85, tested positive late last month but was admitted to Mater Dei earlier this week.
Updated 0911 – Newspaper Review
The Times leads with a video message by the captain of a stranded oil tanker which has rescued 27 migrants a month ago. Captain Volodymyr Yeroshkin said the vessel is ‘paralysed’ at Hurd’s bank and pleaded with the Maltese authorities to allow the migrants to disembark.
The Independent quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who warned that the approaching flu season will present the greatest test for the management of the pandemic. Prof. Gauci appealed for vigilance and responsibility.
L-Orizzont says that the General Workers Union is considering industrial actions at places of work where its members are being forced to switch from quarantine leave to sick leave if they register positive for Covid-19.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that despite amendments to the appointment of specific public roles, the Prime Minister still wields too much power in selecting the chair of the Electoral Commission, the Broadcasting Authority, and other offices.
The Independent follows the testimony of the principal permanent secretary in the Finance Ministry, Alfred Camilleri, who told the Caruana Galizia public inquiry that former minister Konrad Mizzi had asked him to say he was never involved in any wrongdoing.
The Times says that the Caruana Galizia family filed a note of submission raising concern about a deadline set by the Prime Minister on the completion of the public inquiry. The family argues that it is the board which should decide on the timeframe, not the government.
L-Orizzont quotes Education Minister Owen Bonnici who said that safety guidelines for kindergarten centres, post-secondary schools and tertiary institutions are at an advanced stage and will be published in the coming days.
In-Nazzjon reports that civil movements and the press in Slovakia are up in arms against the acquittal of billionaire businessman Marian Kocner, who stood accused of masterminding the killing of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his partner Martina Kusrinova in 2018.
Morning Briefing
Konrad Mizzi got Enemalta to cover €5 million in tax owed by Electrogas
Former Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi negotiated an agreement for Enemalta to pay €5 million in excise tax that was owed by Electrogas, without the knowledge of the Ministry of Finance. This came out in an explanation provided by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Alfred Camilleri, who was testifying during the public inquiry in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galiza.
From the testimony and from emails quoted by lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia, it transpired that these negotiations had taken place around September 2017. Alfred Camilleri confirmed this arrangament and argued that the Ministry only got to know months later.
Camilleri, who is a long-standing public servant, revealed that as government faced massive protests last December, Konrad Mizzi had asked him to say that he was “not involved”.
Meanwhile the Council of Europe’s rapporteur, Pieter Omtzigt, said that it was “seriously concerning” that the Prime Minister has imposed a termination deadline by mid-December on the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry.
He expressed this concern in a letter to PM Abela.
Covid-19 in Malta
46 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Malta during the past 24 hours, 27 of which are migrants who reside in closed centres. 37 persons have recovered and there are now 406 active cases. 1869 swab tests were carried out in the past 24 hours.
Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said that 20% of patients were asymptomatic. Most were recovering at home, with six patients in the Infectious Diseases Unit and one patient in intensive care.
Gauci said that several family and friends clusters have developed over the past days. The average age of the number of cases in the past week has dropped slightly to 39.5 years old, with Gauci indicating that this may be a reflection of the number of cases being found in the workplace.
Man charged with sunbather attack
A 36 year-old-man has denied seriously injuring a young woman as she sunbathed in Valletta last week. Frederick Mifsud, who hails from Siggiewi, also denied breaching the conditions of a previous release and breaching bail over another case.
He was identified through CCTV after victim Anna Karsbjer described how she was kicked in the face and was beaten badly in an attack last Friday.
CDE News
