Midday Briefing
Malta kicked off 2022 with its lowest number of new COVID-19 infections in five days, with health authorities reporting 1,030 new cases on Saturday, Times of Malta reports.
249 patients recovered bringing the number of active virus cases in the country currently stands at 12,222.
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Five people are under investigation over a workplace accident that claimed the life of Somali national Ahmed Diriye.
The Somali man had died in hospital but remained unidentified until police issued a missing person’s notice for him.
Two men were arrested and are being investigated over the accident, Times of Maltareports today. Another three were spoken to under caution, which means they are being treated as suspects.
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Political Addresses – New Year 2022
PM Robert Abela: Let’s address hate speech in 2022
2022 must be the year in which we strengthen our efforts to improve the environment in which we live, the Prime Minister said in his New Year’s message.
Robert Abela said that the environment and the quality of life we are living are the new and great priority that we have before us. He said that despite the small size of our country, Malta has committed itself to the agreements reached at the COP26 conference and will take effective measures to combat the effects of climate change.
The Prime Minister said that during this year major environmental incentives have been launched to take care of air quality, the heart of our villages, more open spaces and smarter planning.
In his message, the Prime Minister spoke about another big change that he said he would like to see next year – the way we act towards each other, particularly the way we address each other on social media. “There should be no room for hatred in our hearts, nor in our writings, nor in our deeds. We still see too much hate speech. Hate speech is still too present especially in the online world. If there is a resolution that we have to make, it is to fight this phenomenon by the way we behave and by the example we set “, the PM added. (TVM)
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech: I will ask for your trust to lead the country forward
The Leader of the Nationalist Party, Bernard Grech said that during the new year as he will be asking for the trust of the people to lead the country forward. Dr Grech said that Malta could be better than it is now and that he believed that we must strive to always be better. He stressed that we must continue to build on the the kindness and goodness that we have always shown each other.
He said that both he and the people want Malta to really reward honest work. He said that he believes that our country needs to give more value to what is right and take strong action those who exploit workers. He stated that there was a need to give more value to jobs and professions such as educators, nurses and all technical jobs without which no modern society based on work and human resources could continue to grow and be strengthened.
He said that next year we must give birth to a new hope that we will be stronger, that our country will start to recover, that we will start to take back the name that Malta always had. (TVM)
Covid-19: New record case tally
A new record 1403 cases were reported on Friday, the last day of 2021. This has taken up the active case tally to 11,441. During the last 24 hours, a 62-year-old male passed away after being infected with coronavirus, becoming the 477th victim of the pandemic in Malta.
Schools to move online until end of week
Students will physically return to schools on 10th January, the Education Ministry said, with any lessons due to be held next week being moved online. Government schools were meant to resume the second term on January 7th, with Church and Independent school having students back in class on Wednesday or Thursday.
The decision was taken after meetings between the MUT, school representatives and health authorities. Childcare centres will also re-open on the 10th. In a statement, the MUT said despite the compromise agreement, that “when management deems that a school, classroom or group cannot be attended to in person, due to insufficient personnel, the school, classroom or group will remain home until the required capacity to operate is available”. (Times of Malta)
Man charged with attempted murder of sister
A 54-year-old man from Kalkara has been charged with the attempted murder of his sister after trying to run her over with his car. According to Maltatoday, the incident occurred yesterday morning at around 10am in Xghajra after the two argued over a property that had been leased to her.
George Degabriele was charged on Friday in front of Magistrate Charmaine Galea. He was denied bail.
