Updated 1600 – Afternoon Portal Review
Maltatoday reports that lawyers for George Degiorgio have criticised the Prime Minister’s comments about Degiorgio being granted prison leave to attend his granddaughter’s baptism over the weekend, warning that this would affect the perceptions of potential jurors.
The Times of Malta said that the Nationalist Party said on Monday it is continuing to oppose government plans to hand over 504 square metres of the shoreline and 16,000 square metres of the sea in Sliema.
The Malta Independent follows up a story first revealed by Lovin Malta which claims that former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had brushed off concerns over the involvement of Steward Health Care in the now annulled hospitals concession as “bull” when speaking to an envoy over WhatsApp, according to a report.
TVM says that a 56-year-old Italian man was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined €28,000 after he admitted to importing 10 kilograms of cannabis into Malta four years ago.
Updated 1230
Doctors ask Government to recover millions poured into Vitals
The government should take legal action to recover the millions of euro poured into the Vitals/Steward hospitals management contract, the Medical Association said on Monday. The association had strongly opposed the deal, even ordering industrial action twice, as it insisted that the hospitals should have remained under the authority of the government of Malta without any contractual relationship with either Vitals or Steward. “Now it is time for the government to take legal steps to recover all the hundreds of millions poured into this contract,” the association said. (Times of Malta)
PN wins Court Case confirming impartial reporting by PBS
An appeals court has upheld a decision against the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) and the Broadcasting Authority (BA) for impartial reporting against the Nationalist Party. Damages have been increased from €1,500 to €5,000 for each of the two separate incidents. The separate issues concerned the lack of publication of a right of reply related to the newly inaugurated Marsa flyover project while the second concerned political advertising spots concerning the 2022 Budget, where PN’s adverts were “neutralised” when placed between government ads. (Maltatoday)
Morning Briefing
Government will not appeal Steward judgement
Government will not be appealing the judgment that annulled the hospitals concession agreement with Steward Healthcare, MaltaToday has revealed. “The move is intended to close the chapter once and for all so that the Gozo, St Luke’s and Karin Grech hospitals are returned back to the State as quickly as possible,” government sources told the paper. The report indicates that government has no intention of appealing and a managerial team has already been assembled to take over the running of the three buildings once the case is definitely closed. (Maltatoday)
Degiorgio’s son arrested after Facebook comment
Denzel Degiorgio, son of convicted killer George Degiorgio, was arrested on Sunday over a “money talks” Facebook post which he uploaded on Saturday when it was revealed that his father had been allowed out of prison for a family baptism party. The image raised outrage among politicians, NGOs and members of the Caruana Galizia. The younger Degiorgio was seen entering the headquarters of the Financial Crimes Investigations Department on Sunday afternoon where he was expected to be interrogated. A representative for Degiorgio insisted that everything “was done legally, with all the necessary requests and authorisation from the authorities”. (Times of Malta)
Two incidents, six hospitalised on Sunday
Four persons have been hospitalised after a car flipped over in Baħrija. The accident occurred in Triq Bieb ir-Ruwa, between Rabat and Baħrija, at about 2.30 p.m. Also yesterday, two men – a pedestrian and a car passenger – were grievously injured last night when a driver lost control of his car. The accident occurred in Triq Sant’Antnin, Marsaskala. (TVM)
