Updated 1300
Judge recuses himself from PN Steward case
Judge Giovanni Grixti has withdrawn from overseeing the lawsuit brought forth by Bernard Grech and Adrian Delia, aiming to compel the government to recover the millions paid to Steward Healthcare.This decision comes after the judge’s partner was appointed as the curator for the absent company.Grixti initially began hearing submissions but has recused himself from the case due to theinvolvement of his partner in the role of curator.
Naxxar council to pay biker €101,000 in damages over ill-kept bollards
The Naxxar local council hasbeen instructed to compensate a motorcyclist, Joseph Fenech, with over €101,000 for the permanentdisability he incurred in a crash involving poorly maintained bollards on Salina Road in February 2016.Fenech, who was 51 years old at the time, sustained a 22% permanent disability when colliding withnon-reflective plastic bollards at a known accident-prone area. In his lawsuit, Fenech held TransportMalta and the Naxxar council accountable for the accident. Mr Justice Toni Abela, presiding over theFirst Hall of the Civil Court, criticised the systemic issue of local authorities neglecting themaintenance of initially installed road markings, traffic signs, and traffic calming equipment.
Illegal Sliema restaurant canopy sanctioned after a decade
The Planning Authority has grantedapproval for a permit to legitimise a restaurant canopy that has unlawfully occupied part of a busymain road in Sliema for approximately ten years. The canopy, owned by Gourmet Cocktail Bar & Grillon The Strand, gained attention in 2022 when residents raised concerns about its unpermittedoperation affecting their quality of life. Malta Developers Association president Michael Stivalasubmitted the permit application in June 2022, initially facing a recommendation for refusal by a PAofficer a year later. However, in December, the PA board overruled the recommendation, citing thatthe reasons for refusal were either no longer relevant or being addressed. The approved changesinclude replacing the current tiling with a “demountable timber platform” and adjusting the canopy’sshading to move it slightly away from the road, among other modifications specified in a PA documentattached to the case.
Morning Briefing
Report suggests high money laundering through property
A national evaluation of Malta’s financial crime risks suggests that the extent of money laundering within the property market could be substantial. The comprehensive 200-page national risk assessment, conducted by a committee comprising law enforcement and the FIAU, acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the full extent of money laundering activities in the property sector. Nevertheless, it highlights the estimation of €44.6 million in real estate assets frozen in Malta in 2021 as an indicator of the “significant” nature of money laundering through real estate. These assets are typically frozen by authorities during criminal proceedings related to financial crimes. The assessment specifically points out that criminals find property a lucrative avenue to conceal their illicit gains, allowing them to launder substantial sums of money in a single transaction. (Times of Malta)
Fighting inflation is a top priority for Government – PM Robert Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Government had listened to the concerns of the people and had taken up the grievance about inflation as its battlecry. The Prime Minister spoke about the scheme of reducing the prices of food products announced this week and said that stability on 400 food products will give more peace of mind to the people. Addressing a political activity in Mġarr, Gozo, Dr. Abela said that Gozo this year had to decide whether to believe in the progressive politics of the Labour Party or choose the policy of austerity that he said the Nationalist Party continued to embrace. (TVM)
Drug reforms are enabling trafficking – Bernard Grech
Opposition leader Bernard Grech has once again lambasted government’s proposed reform of drug laws, reiterating his concern that the suggested limits open the door to drug trafficking. In an interview, Grech reiterated his belief that the proposed changes, such as allowing possession of 500 pills of ecstasy, are conducive to drug trafficking. He asserted that many individuals are expressing the view that these alterations are tantamount to endorsing trafficking. Earlier this month, the government put forth a proposal for a “moderate increase” in the maximum quantities of drugs permissible for personal use before falling under the jurisdiction of the drug court.
