Update – 1855 People will be allowed to visit elderly relatives in care homes from 18 June without having to stay behind a Perspex, the government has announced.
MaltaToday reports that visits will still have to take place in a designated area with enough space to allow a distance of two metres between visitors and residents.
Every resident is allowed two visitors and visits will have to be by appointment.
The relaxation of measures was communicated by the parliamentary secretariat for the elderly on Wednesday, which disseminated the instructions issued to care homes by the Social Care Standards Authority.
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Updated 1235 – Three new cases of coronavirus
Three new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, out of 851 tests. As no person recovered during the same timeframe, the total number of active cases has risen to 29.
Updated 1119 Upskilling and reskilling crucial for economic recovery
Upskilling and reskilling of the labour force are crucial for a more competitive and resilient economy. The Skills Development Scheme, which will see an investment of €5m for in-house training of employees and the €5,000 grant for companies to re-engineer their business models are initiatives which will instil the necessary skills in our workforce to further boost economic growth.
Speaking during a virtual Informal Ministerial Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers, Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici said that the synchronisation between national employment and social policies requires a holistic approach, with the ultimate aim being to learn from the opportunities which have surfaced and see how these can be adapted.
Updated 1010 – Today’s Newspaper Review
The Independent reports on a press conference addressed by the Prime Minister on Monday evening in which he announced that most restrictive measures will be lifted on Friday so people can return to work.
L-Orizzont says that the new normality announced by the Prime Minister will be guided on the principles of social distancing, wearing of face masks, and personal hygiene. Robert Abela thanked people for their discipline throughout the pandemic.
The Times quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who said that Malta has “won the war” against Covid-19 as the virus reproductive rate went down to 0.5 and said that the country can now move on from the pandemic.
In-Nazzjon quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who said that the country will remain in a state of medical emergency even after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted on Friday.
The Independent follows the testimony in court of self-confessed middleman in the Caruana Galizia assassination plot, Melvin Theuma. He said that he saw former Assistant Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta at Yorgen Fenech’s ranch in Żebbuġ.
In-Nazzjon also reports on the testimony in court by Melvin Theuma on Monday, who was heard in a recording asking Yorgen Fenech about a mobile phone belonging to then Economy Minister Chris Cardona discovered on the Marsa seabed.
The Times says that PL Deputy Leader Chris Cardona denies any involvement in the Caruana Galizia murder and denounced the testimony in court of middleman Melvin Theuma linking him to the plot as lies.
L-Orizzont speaks to the General Workers Union secretary of the maritime and aviation section who welcomed the reopening of ports from the first of July. Sandro Vella said that the closure had an impact on the finances as well as the morale of workers.
In-Nazzjon says that Prime Minister Robert Abela failed to answer questions in parliament about his visit to Libya last week. Opposition Leader Adrian Delia asked whether there were new arrangements for migrants crossing between the new countries.
L-Orizzont covers a meeting of the Council of Economic and Social Development with OPM Minister Carmelo Abela. General Workers Union Josef Bugeja proposed a framework to protect the right of future workers to be set up.
He stressed that we need to take stock of the investments achieved so far in our digital and green transitions in the world of work and inject the necessary skills in our workforce to further boost sustainable innovation in these sectors. In this context, the EU must remain sensitive to the individual needs of labour markets across the respective member states, in the context of the medium and long-term challenges we are faced with.
Parliament is expected to debate this evening the economic regeneration plan launched last Monday, in which Government rolled out a number of initiatives intended to provide a boost throughout the next three months, until the traditional budget is announced accordingly.
Most trade lobbies and business stakeholders have generally welcomed the announced measures, claiming that such initiatives came from proposals launched at their end. Points of diversion remained on the refusal from Government’s end to provide reductions in utility bills on a permanent basis, across the board.
Meanwhile , two new cases of coronavirus were identified in Malta during the previous 24 hour period, taking the country’s tally to 632. With one person recovering, the number of active cases has increased to 26.
Yesterday, Opposition Leader Dr Adrian Delia announced that the Nationalist Party will nominate uperintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, who has been driving the country’s response to COVID-19, for the National Order of Merit. On Facebook, Delia said that this title is deserved not solely for Prof Gauci’s commitment to the cause but for the role carried out by all frontliners during this critical time.
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