Updated 1745: Newsportal Coverage
The Times of Malta reports that Nationalist Party MPs started being called in for a meeting with leader Bernard Grech on Monday as a reshuffle of their duties is under way. It quotes sources claiming that each of the PN’s 28 MPs was holding one-on-one meetings with the new PN leader at the party headquarters, with the process expected to continue on Tuesday.
The Malta Independent quotes former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who, when speaking to journalists after the Vitals court case, said he has full confidence in the Prime Minister and the government on the way forward with regard to the privatisation of three public hospitals.
Newsbook also leads with the Vitals courts case, quoting former PM Muscat that the Vitals deal is costing taxpayers €64,000 a day. For the fourth time, former Minister Konrad Mizzi failed to respond to his summons claiming he had returned from the UK and was therefore under mandatory quarantine.
Maltatoday‘s take from today’s Court action focuses on Joseph Muscat’s defence of the VGH hospitals concession, saying that he rejected claims it was a done deal despite investors having had a previous agreement.
TVM.com.mt leads with the Prime Minister’s reaction to the alleged racist abuse suffered by a young female footballer. Robert Abela said that a young athlete facing abuse due to her skin color could no longer be the reality of athletes in Malta, and appealed for a society where everyone is treated with respect and without discrimination.
Updated 1245 – Covid-19
Health authorities reported 154 new cases of coronavirus in Malta, with 136 recoveries, in the past 24 hours. This means that the number of active cases continue to increase, reaching 2,784. These cases were identified through 3,239 swab tests. The number of total cases has reached 15,588.
The daily update also referred to the number of vaccine doses administered, which till Sunday stood at 11,705.
Two male patients were the latest Covid-19 fatalities. They were aged 73 and 84. Malta’s death tally now stands at 239.
Updated 1200 – Afternoon Update
Police association expresses concern on Paceville incidents, says clubs should have been closed
The Malta Police Association expressed concern on recent trouble in Paceville and other entertainment areas when clubs and bars are supposed to be shut. In a statement, the association said that these places should not open to serve customers because of the pandemic, and yet incidents are being reported regularly.
This means that rules are not being followed, the association argued, recalling how bars, clubs, discos and nightclubs were meant to be closed, according to legal notices issued by the authorities.
“The police are having to deal with people who are causing trouble and who are flaunting rules to the detriment of their health and that of others. The MPA is closely monitoring these developments and does not rule out action to safeguard the personal health of its members,” the association said.
Kenneth Grech to rejoin Covid-19 team in three to four weeks
Public health consultant Kenneth Grech will re-join COVID-19 team in “three to four weeks”,The Times of Malta reports, although the government is yet to commit as to when the reinstatement will happen.
Grech had been redeployed to work on the national health strategy, a job the government says he had been doing before the virus pandemic hit the island last March. However, his move prompted a strong reaction, particularly by health and educational unions, after it was revealed that Grech’s move followed his recommendation or a delay in re-opening of schools.
University reverses decision on Commerce students
University has reversed a decision to fail more than 250 first-year commerce students following allegations of cheating. The decision has been revised by a new disciplinary board and students found to be directly involved in the suspected cheating have been reprimanded and had marks from the affected test “deducted according to the degree of severity of their collusion”.
All other students have been given the original mark they obtained in the test.
Earlier this month, the Faculty of Economics informed students that they would receive no marks for Progress Test 1 after Messenger chats seems to show that some of them cheated their way through two tests that formed part of one study unit.
Updated 0830 – Newspaper Review
The Independent says that a five-month investigation by the Church into a religious sect found no evidence of criminal offence., despite warning about psychological and spiritual abuses by the leaders.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that the co-option of Oliver Scicluna to parliament sends a ‘powerful message’ of inclusion of people with different abilities.
The Times follows a speech by the Prime Minister where he said it was time for a discussion about euthanasia. Robert Abela said he did not personally have a clear position on the subject but insisted that the issue cannot be ignored.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that the Prime Minister’s first year in the role will be remembered for two reshuffles in ten months. He said that Robert Abela failed to raise above partisan politics on crucial issues.
L-Orizzont picks a report by the Human Rights Watch which criticises the EU for pursuing orders with vaccine developers while joining the global Covax effort. The organisation says that the unilateral agreements risk unequal access to vaccines by poorer countries.
The Independent publishes an interview with a Maltese priest living in Rome who described the Covid-19 situation as surreal. Fr Mario Attard praised front line workers for the generosity they have been showing since the start of the pandemic.
The Times says that there is a lower rate of influenza and common cold this month, compared to previous years. Public Health Superintendent Charmain Gauci said that Covid-19 protocols have kept the number of cases down.
In-Nazzjon reports the death of a Covid-19 patients in the last 24 hours, the twentieth fatality since the start of the year raising the total number of casualties to 239. There are currently 2,753 registered infections.
Morning Briefing
Euthanasia, equal representation, employment on PM’s agenda
Prime Minister Robert Abela tackled a number of themes during Sunday’s political event at the Labour HQ. Looking at Malta’s economic performance in the past year, Abela said that in the midst of a pandemic, unemployment in Malta is less than it had been in March of last year when the first cases were identified locally. He attributed such result to the fact that rather than opting for austerity, Government incentivised workers and businesses to improve wealth whilst safeguarding the people’s health.
The Prime Minister added that through the co-option of Oliver Scicluna as an MP, a strong message was being sent in favour of inclusion and different abilities. Dr Abela stated that he wants Mr Scicluna to advance further in his political career, as he believes that Parliament has to be more representative of different sectors within society. Dr Abela expressed his disappointment that the Opposition has not yet congratulated Mr Scicluna, but rather, has created a controversy, and as a result has not sent a message of national unity.
The Labour leader also shared his views on the recent debate related to the proposed corrective mechanism of equal representation between the sexes in Parliament. Dr Abela made it clear that those who are elected through this mechanism will not be second category MPs.
Touching on Government’s liberal agenda, Abela said that the time has come for a national discussion on euthanasia. Insisting that he was yet to make up his mind on the controversial subject, the PM said that he believed the issue should no longer be swept beneath the rug.
PM ignoring health experts – Bernard Grech
The PN leader said the Prime Minister is ignoring the opinions of health experts, and this will lead to Malta taking a longer time to get back to normal. Dr Grech said that the Covid vaccination process is proceeding too slowly, adding that there is a need for the vaccination to be given properly and speedily.
The Opposition leader took the PM to task for insisting that everything will be back to normal by May, a statement which contrasts even with comments by the newly-appointed Finance Minister.Grech added that the same Finance Minister is already indicating he might have to bow to pressure from certain countries and introduce changes to taxation in Malta. Dr Grech further stated that this is what comes from a Government which causes the country to lose credibility, and expressed the opinion that this will be a death blow for various businesses which are already faced with huge burdens.
Dr Grech also looked back at his first hundred days at the helm of the Party. Grech said a lot had been achieved during his first 100 days, including work that has yet to bear fruit. “There was a lot of work being done as a team. We have people coming forward who want to be candidates and it is their first time doing so. And to those who have been with us I say, we are rebuilding.
Covid-19 Update
Malta reported 141 new Coronavirus cases on Sunday. During the same period, Malta reported 136 recoveries. The total number of active cases has reached 2753.
Meanwhile, staff nurse Rachel Grech became the first Maltese to take the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday morning, having been the first Maltese to receive the first dose three weeks ago. The jab was administered at the country’s main hospital, Mater Dei Hospital, where the nurse works.
CDE News
