Updated 1300 – Mid-Day Briefing
Corradino prisons head of operations to be replaced: The Times of Malta reports that Corradino’s head of administration and operations Randolph Spiteri is set to be replaced. Spiteri was considered to be former director Alex Dalli’s right-hand man. He
has denied that he was sent out on forced leave when questioned last week. However, the newspaper reports that Spiteri did not show up for annual graduation ceremony for prison guard recruits, a “momentous” occasion for prison’s top brass.
Motorcyclist dies in Coast Road accident: A 35-year-old motorcyclist has died in a traffic accident on the Coast Road this morning. The accident occurred at 3am. Police said the French man who lived in Sliema lost control of the Honda CB600 he was riding and crashed into a barrier. The man got caught in the barrier as the bike dragged for several meters and ended up on the side of the road. The man was certified dead on site. Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is leading the inquiry.
Covid-19 Update: Five people died while positive with COVID-19 and a further 167 new cases were recorded, according to the health authorities. There are now 3,158 known
active COVID cases in the country.
Govt hints at cost-cutting within public sector
Public service employment could be one of the first areas to see cuts as government starts revealing details of its spending review. Principal Permanent Secretary said that cuts to government spending could impact public service employment if a review finds any “waste”. During a news conference on Tuesday as part of Public Service Week, Cutajar said that the internal review aims to safeguard essential public service while addressing “what we can do without in these circumstances”. Jobs with the public sectors have increased significantly during the past ten years – exceeding 50,000 by the end of 2021. (Times of Malta)
Retail trade up in March: In March 2022, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 3% in Malta, compared with February 2022, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Compared with March 2021, the calendar adjusted retail sales index in Malta increased by 16.4%, well above the EU and eurozone averages. The seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade decreased by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU while the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 0.8% in the euro area and by 1.7% in the EU.
Covid-19 Update: 158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on health authorities with active cases standing at 3,283. One new death took the fatalities up to 703.
Covid-19 Update: 158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on health authorities with active cases standing at 3,283. One new death took the fatalities up to 703.
via Reuters
