Updated 1200
Family members, politicians react to Degiorgio’s sentence
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder should never have been allowed to happen, her son said, moments after two brothers were sentenced to 40-years in jail after pleading guilty to her assassination. Matthew Caruana Galizia said the family was happy to see the homicide squad and attorney general remain united throughout but noted that five years was too long: “Everyone kind of pulled together to make sure this happens. Our legal team, the NGOs that supported us in this fight. It’s thanks to that humungous teamwork that this has been possible.”
Lead investigor on the case Superintendent Keith Arnaud expressed his satisfaction on the way his team worked on the case. A number of political leaders, including PM Robert Abela, EP President Roberta Metsola and PN leader Bernard Grech described the sentence as another step towards full justice.
“This is an important step forward, to deliver justice in a case that represents a dark chapter in Malta’s history,” Robert Abela said. In parallel, the government will continue implementing important reforms to strengthen further the rule of law principles and democracy in Malta, a government statement said.
Jason Azzopardi, a former PN MP and lawyer of the Caruana Galizia family, said that after the evening’s developments many high-ranked officials will be increasingly concerned. (Maltatoday, Facebook)
Zammit Marmara’ resigns from Labour
Former Labour councillor and activist Desmond Zammit Marmarà has left the Labour Party describing his party as ‘a sham, Labour in name only’. Writing in The Times of Maltat today, Zammit Marmara said that “I still consider myself a staunch Labourite but by this I now understand simply yearning for the day when once again I shall be able to form part of a Labour Party that is really Labour in its decisions and actions and not a sham, being Labour in name only”. He had served as a local councillor in Balzan and was regularly involved in PL policy group. (Times of Malta)
Morning Briefing
Employment levels surge in 2022
In May 2022, registered full-time employment increased by 5.4 per cent while part-time employment as a primary job increased by 6.3 per cent when
compared to May 2021, the NSO said. Administrative data provided by Jobsplus show that, over a period of one year till May 2022, the
labour supply (excluding part-timers) increased by 4.9 per cent, reaching 251,573. This was mainly attributed to a year-on-year increase in the full-time registered employment (12,764) and a decrease in registered unemployment (1,040).
PN laments uncertainty among Gozo Channel workers
The PN argued that there is a high level of uncertainty for Gozo Channel workers as the government has confirmed that it wants the privatization of the company. The Opposition said that PM Robert Abela has lied to the Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, who was one of the first to deny that there was any thought about the privatization of Gozo Channel. Earlier this week, the PM announced that he will issue a public tender, open to all, for the operation of the transport service which is currently being managed by Gozo Channel.
September rainier, summer than usual
September ushered in the first rain showers of the new precipitation year, with the Meteorological Office measuring 59.8 mm of precipitation in Ħal Luqa. This total was slightly above the 1991-2020 climate norm of 59.2 mm, and was collected over the span of two days on September 22 and 23. Rainfall was accompanied by thunder on these two days, with a third thunderstorm being reported by the Meteorological Office on September 30. September 22, which accounted for 84 per cent of the month’s total rainfall, was the month’s wettest and gloomiest day. However, having clocked 12.1 hours of sunshine in excess of the monthly norm of 253.1 hours, September was sunnier than expected at this time of year.
