Updated 1745
The Times of Malta reports that a magistrates’ court has turned down a request by former prime minister Joseph Muscat and his wife to intervene in criminal proceedings against former police inspector Jonathan Ferris. The Muscats failed to justify their request by demonstrating how Ferris’ testimony could harm them, a magistrate ruled.
Newsbook leads with the story that six individuals have been charged in connection to a smuggling investigation which has been ongoing for weeks, after the first person to be arraigned pleaded guilty on 19 September.
The Malta Independent says that over €1.6 billion was spent on pandemic response actions and measures since 2020, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has revealed.
TVM reports that during a pre-Budget with the General Workers’ Union at the Auberge de Castille, Prime Minister Robert Abela declared that next year’s Budget will not just be a defensive one but also an ambitious one to boost investments and create more work.
Updated 1230
Malta’s aviation sector tops 700 aircraft: Malta continued to see its aviation sector expanding, with more than 700 aircraft now included in its registry. Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia said that this figure is expected to increase to over 800 by next year. Addressing the Malta Aviation Conference, Farrugia said that as an island on the periphery of the EU Malta depend on aviation, insisting on the need “to defend our interests against the one size fits all attitude”. He also called for a greener aviation that is sustainable both environmentally and economically for Malta”.
Architect’s warrant suspended for six months: The Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers has suspended the warrant of an architect for six months after they found that he was “grossly negligent” when working on a construction site in Birkirkara. They said that David Psaila breached the chamber’s code of professional conduct when his activities were found to have lacked “adequate professional rigour”, which constituted negligence. The decision came following an investigation into a complaint filed by a couple who live next to the construction site.
NGO calls for nationalisation of Malta-Gozo fast ferry service: Moviment Graffitti has called for the nationalisation of the Malta-Gozo fast ferry service after private operators drastically reduced operations, to the dismay of regular users, particularly Gozitans. The NGO said that the service should be nationalised to ensure a more effective and affordable fast ferry service. It insisted that it makes little to no financial sense for government to use taxpayers’ money to subsidise the profits of private companies when it can offer the service itself directly.
Morning Briefing
Government proposes tax on unused agricultural land
Government has proposed a tax on agricultural land that is not being used for its designated purpose – including through the increased sale of such plots for recreational purposes. This proposal was made as part of a proposed reform concerning agricultural land – with the aim of addressing the concerns of farmers who are being priced out of the lands they cultivate. The White PAper also calls for the creation of an authority responsible for agricultural land, which would keep records on the use of agricultural land and encourage its use for agricultural purposes. (Newsbook)
Fire engulfs container packed with batteries
Members of the Civil Protection Department were called on at the Malta Freeport on Tuesday afternoon as fire swept over a container on the yard ready to be loaded aboard. According to TVM, the container was packed with tons of lithium batteries. A statement by Civil Protection said that a fire-fighting operation was taking place and it was recommended as a precaution in the location known as Tal-Papa, Bengħajsa, and surrounding areas,to keep their windows closed and avoid having to go outside.
Man charged with defiling minor, denied bail
A man who exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl on the steet has been denied bail after pleading not guilty to defiling the minor.
The Times of Malta reports that the incident allegedly happened in June, when 41-year-old Louis Calleja from Fgura stopped the girl as she was walking along a street in his hometown. The girl and her mother subsequently turned up in tears at the Paola police station, reporting how a stranger first spoke to the minor, asking whether she “liked boys or girls” and then suddenly exposed his genitals to her. (Times of Malta)
