Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that OPM minister Carmelo Abela’s position is no longer tenable in light of a police investigation into his potential involvement in the failed 2010 HSBC heist, the PN said on Monday.
MaltaToday reports that the Council of the Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK) has filed a judicial protest in court against BirdLife Malta, accusing the NGO of systematically spying on FKNK members during the hunting and trapping season.
Newsbook reports that two representatives from PwC told the court that they only got to know that Progress Press had applied for a grant with Malta Enterprise during an audit of the company’s financial statements carried out in 2014 for the previous financial year.
TVM reports that Mario Brignone, 66, from Bormla was arraigned in Court, charged with money-laundering and of breaching the conditions imposed by the Court in which he had been granted bail for money-laundering in connection with drugs. He pleaded not guilty.
MAM says cannabis WP is poorly thought out: The Medical Association of Malta has described the cannabis white paper as “poorly thought out” and called for its withdrawal. The MAM said this white paper was prepared without the input of health and social professionals who deal with the after effects of cannabis use. In a position paper on the white paper presented by the government in March, MAM warned against the promotion of the island as a place for “cannabis tourism or commercialisation of recreational cannabis”.
The medical body said it was in favour the depenalisation and decriminalisation of recreational cannabis for personal use, but it was against the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes.
Rental market unlikely to return to pre-pandemic days: Construction magnate Zaren Vassallo said that that the Maltese rental market had already seen a decline in 2019 and plummeted in 2020 due to the pandemic, and there were few signs it would grow back. In an interview on The Times of Malta he said that demand for offic and retail space have fallen drastically because the pandemic has made it possible for people to work from home and more businesses went online.
Vassallo also proposed a property bank, with the state renting properties at market prices and offering them to those in need of social housing at a subsidised rate.
Covid-19 Update: The number of active cases in Malta declined further on Monday with four new cases reported together with 17 recoveries, taking the tally down to 147. These new cases were identified through 1,541 swab tests. No new deaths were recorded, with the total number of fatalities remaining unchanged at 417.
Updated 0900 – Newspaper Review
The Times reports that former managing director of Allied Group, Adrian Hillman, is due to appear before a UK court as the extradition process begins. Malta has handed in all documentation to back its request for Hillman’s return.
The Independent quotes the president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association, Tony Zahra, who said that results from the first week of operations after a two-month shutdown beat expectations.
L-Orizzont publishes an interview with the CEO of the Foundation for Social Wellbeing Services, Frans Grixti, who said that the state shares responsibility for the care of children with their parents.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that truth prevailed in the case of MP Toni Bezzina who was cleared of corruption charges. Grech asked what was holding the Prime Minister back from acting on allegations levelled at Cabinet ministers.
The Independent speaks with President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro-Precawho declared her position against abortion but said that women who perform abortion should not be criminalised.
The Times says that Electrogas director Paul Apap Bologna is expected to be summoned by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee to explain the power station deal. The businessman was behind the secretive company Kittiwake set up in the UAE.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who welcomed European Commission estimates for Malta predicting a rate of economic growth higher than the European average. Abela said the government made difficult decisions during the pandemic.
In-Nazzjon reports that the police are investigating claims that that sitting minister Carmelo Abela was involved in an attempted heist on the HSBC bank headquarters in 2010. Sources say that the minister was called in for questioning.
Morning Briefing
Abela slams Opposition for lack of cannabis feedback
PM Robert Abela said that a number of entities had responded to consultation on the reform of the law governing the responsible use of cannabis for recreational purposes, slamming the Opposition for not sharing its views on the matter.
“The Opposition said it was going to consult and discuss, yet no submissions were made on such an important topic”, Abela said.
Abela also revealed the granting of a licence to a Canadian company that will manufacture medicinal cannabis in Malta, with foreign and local investment, which will mean the medicinal product will be used worldwide. The Prime Minister added that there would be more licencing of companies with foreign investment, which will translate into quality work for Maltese workers.
PN defends anti-abortion stance
PN Leader Bernard Grech has underlined his personal and the Party’s stance against the decriminalisation of abortion, saying that the Nationalist Party defends the value of life and that “without life, you have absolutely nothing”. Grech stated that the PN does not support the bill since it believes that life, from conception till death, should be safeguarded.
Acknowledges the challenges faced by women, Grech said that he is ready to listen and help devise solutions. “We have values”, Grech said, “but we will not close our ears to the difficulties of others”.
Covid-19 Update
Two new cases were registered in Malta according to the country’s Health Ministry data release on Sunday. There were 21 recoveries which brought down the number of active cases to 158.
CDE News
