Updated 1200
San Andrea School whistleblower sues school over dismissal
An assistant head who was dismissed after raising concerns about financial mismanagement has taken legal action against San Andrea School, alleging that her termination violated her human rights due to the summary nature of her dismissal. Ruth Azzopardi has initiated legal proceedings in the First Hall of the Civil Court, in its constitutional jurisdiction. She contends that the school’s management terminated her employment without adhering to the principles of natural justice. She asserts that the school acted as both prosecutor and judge in the disciplinary proceedings initiated against her, effectively excluding her right to a fair defense. Azzopardi, who had been with the school since 2000 and was appointed as assistant head in 2018, maintains that the disciplinary board responsible for her dismissal demonstrated bias and failed to provide her with a proper opportunity to refute the allegations against her.
Almost 70 new cars on the road daily – NSO
During the third quarter of 2023, Malta experienced a significant uptick in the number of officially registered motor vehicles, as per the National Statistics Office’s report. This period witnessed an increase of 3,968 newly registered vehicles compared to the preceding quarter, translating to an average of 69 freshly licensed motor vehicles hitting Maltese roadways each day. Of the recently licensed vehicles, passenger cars took the lead, representing 56.0% of the total, amounting to 3,575. Motorcycles, bikes, and E-bikes were a close second, constituting 18.4% with 1,173 newly licensed vehicles. The report also delved into the types of engines propelling these vehicles. Petrol engines were predominant, accounting for 58.2% of the total, closely followed by diesel-powered engines. Notably, electric and plug-in hybrid engines demonstrated their presence, collectively making up 3.7% and 35.9% of the total, respectively.
Property prices up 40% since 2017 – study
An analysis conducted by KPMG reveals that property prices in Malta have surged by 40% since 2017, with an average annual growth rate of around 6%. The report examined the changes in asking prices for various property types over the past seven years. It utilized KPMG’s extensive internal database, encompassing over 19,000 properties, and identified the median price for each property type. The median price serves as a means to gauge property costs by considering the entire range of prices in the housing market and selecting the middle value. This often provides a more accurate representation than the average price, which can be skewed by exceptionally high or low-priced properties. While the prices of all property types experienced an increase, the extent of these increases varied among different housing categories. The median price of apartments has shot up by 40% since 2017, rising from €200,000 seven years ago to €280,000 this year. (Times of Malta)
Morning Briefing
PM says energy subsidies cost a million euro daily
PM Robert Abela said that the government will allocate one million euros in daily energy subsidies next year to maintain price stability. Robert Abela conveyed during an interview on party television, arguing that without these subsidies, every Maltese household would have faced an additional €3,000 in expenses for fuel, water, and electricity bills – equating to over €8 for each day of the year. “This is the financial burden the Nationalist Party would have imposed on the Maltese population if they were in power”, he insisted. Abela argued that under a Nationalist Party administration, utility costs rose, unemployment increased, and economic growth declined, leading to years of recovery from that period of stagnation.” (TVM)
PN says government ignored inflation concerns
PN leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday that Government’s budget for 2024 failed to address the increasing inflationary spiral which was impacting families and businesses alike.
Grech insisted that nearly everyone is experiencing the impact of inflation, but he noted that the government has “neglected to tackle it.” “The government has relinquished its responsibility to meet the fundamental needs of the nation. Daily, people convey their concerns about the diminishing quality of their lives, which is why we are advocating for an economy of high standards,” Grech asserted. He underscored the critical condition of the healthcare sector, highlighting the hospital’s shortage of essential supplies. (Maltatoday)
