Updated 1300
Contractors fined 100k for breaching road tender
A court has ruled that two contractors are to pay close to €100,000 in damages and fees between them after they refused to carry out roadworks despite being the winning bidders. Times of Malta reveals that in two separate judgments handed down this week, the court ordered the contractors to pay damages to roadworks agency Infrastructure Malta after they refused to carry out excavation and laying work. In particular, the judgments lay out that, although no contracts had been signed, pre-contractual agreements, such as a bidding process, are to be respected. The government agency says it then had to go for the second-best offer, which cost some €27,000 more than the winning bid. (Times of Malta)
Commissioner denied access to investigate Bernard Grech tax leaks
The Standards Commissioner was denied access to an alleged conversation between the prime minister and the Commissioner for Tax, over the tax filings of Opposition leader Bernard Grech. As a result, no ethical breach could be determined. The Commissioner was looking into a complaint by independent politician Arnold Cassola after it was revealed that Abela had allegedly received information about Grech through the Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty.
(Maltatoday)
Free transport starts today
Free transport to all starts today, with day trips, night trips and special services ones will be free for all those having a personalised Tallinja Card. Commuters traveling on buses will need to use their personalised Tallinja Card, while those without the card are now obliged to pay for the ticket with cash or contactless payment. During buses routes Malta Public Transport will make inspections on buses to verify that passenger are using the Tallinja Card or have a ticket. (TVM)
Morning Briefing
184 migrants relocated
Some 184 migrants that were living in Malta illegally were repatriated, with 24 more expected to join in the next weeks. In a statement, Government said that all 208 people were arrested in the past weeks after they were found to be living in Malta without the necessary paperwork. The migrants came from several African, Asian, eastern European and Southern American countries.
Plans for Gozo airfield submitted to PA
Government has submitted the application for the Rural Airfield in Gozo to the Planning Authority. The project will take place over 76,000 square metres of land which is already committed for similar development purposes and which is currently in a depleted state. No additional buildings will be built, while the existing passenger terminal will be refurbished. The existing runway will be prolonged by 271 metres, reaching a length of 445 metres. Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri stated that through this project, Gozo’s connectivity will continue to improve.
Labour council objects to Kalkara marina plans
The Kalkara council – a red stronghold, has expressed itself “strongly” against plans for the installation of 334 boat moorings inside the locality’s creek. Maltatoday reports that in its objection to the plans by Transport Malta, the council also recalled that back in 2019 the council had “been promised the marina will remain as it is”. The plans envisage berths over 35,000sq.m of space inside the creek along Triq Sally Port and Triq ix-Xatt.
Stock issue announced
A substantial issue was announced by the Accountant General, with two hundred million euro (€200,000,000) Malta Government Stocks being sold as 3.40% Malta Government Stock 2027 and 4.00% Malta Government Stock 2032. The sum of money to be raised may be increased by an additional €100,000,000 in the event of oversubscription. Members of the public who are interested to invest may apply for an amount up to a maximum of one hundred thousand euro (€100,000) per person in any one or in each of the two stocks on offer.
