Update 1700h – An 82-year-old man is fighting for his life after falling on rocks in Sliema. The police said the accident happened in Triq ix-Xatt, close to Independence Garden, at 10.30am Times of Malta
Update 1230h – Coronavirus Update
Malta has registered 50 new coronavirus cases, the health authorities announced in the latest bulletin. 51 recoveries were also reported on Sunday, bringing the total number of known active cases down to 635 . Newsbook
Update 1200h – Political statements
Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that the budget for 2022 will be announced on October 11th 2021. The announcement was made during Abela’s interview on One Radio earlier on Sunday. Abela dedicated much of the interview to a glowing review of the government’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Detailing “wise” policy decisions, Abela contrasted these against the Nationalist administration’s handling o the 2008 economic crisis. How could the electorate trust that the PN in government would not do the same again, he asked. Times of Malta
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday that Prime Minister Robert Abela is “still in some way or other being controlled by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat”. During an interview on party media, He was asked about the interview with Joseph Muscat that was published recently. “It is evident that we have a Prime Minister who is weak, and is controlled. Joseph Muscat doesn’t interest me, he lost his credibility. Joseph Muscat damaged the country. He should be part of the past not the present. The problem is that Robert Abela cannot cut off from Muscat as he is in some way still controlled by him. I will not continue to comment on Joseph Muscat, what interests me is the country and getting it out of the situation we are in.” – Malta Independent
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Bernard Grech failed to take any strong position for or against plans for a yacht marina in Marsaskala.
Speaking in separate interviews on Sunday, the two party leaders were non-committal on the project, saying that some level of development wouldn’t be a bad idea. MaltaToday
Update 1720h – Meanwhile, according to NetNews PN leader Bernard Grech said that if he is elected PM, the PN will scrap the plans for a Marina in Marsascala.
Updated 0845 – Newspaper Review
Malta Today reports that Yorgen Fenech’s legal team is requesting the recusal of Judge Edwina Grima from presiding over the trial by jury of their client. The lawyers argue that, as an appellate judge, Madame Justice Grima would also participate in any eventual appeal.
The Sunday Times leads with survey results showing that the PL’s lead over the PN fell from 15 percentage points in July to 9 points this month. Meanwhile, Robert Abela gained 4 points in trust ratings while Bernard Grech dropped 1 point.
The Independent on Sunday says that Infrastructure Malta awarded 95 direct orders with a combined value of €10.4 million in the first half of this year. By contrast, the agency issued 23 tenders in the same period, although their value was typically higher than direct orders.
Illum speaks with government MP Jean Claude Micallef who criticised the proposed yacht marina project in Marsascala. He said that the concept was neither endorsed by the Labour Party nor the Prime Minister.
Kullħadd says that registered unemployment last month fell to its lowest historical numbers. At 1,1542, there were 74 fewer people on the unemployment register than in the previous lowest month on record, June 2019.
It-Torċa quotes a statement by the education section within General Workers Union calling for equal recognition of educators in early schooling years. The union called out salary gaps between professionals at different levels.
The Sunday Times says that government advisers have their eyes on a November general election to ride on the feel-good factor of a favourable budget and the completion of major infrastructure projects.
Illum publishes an interview with academic Andrew Azzopardi and broadcaster Peppi Azzopardi about a series of recommendations to revamp the incarceration system. The pair propose 100 ideas including a dedicated ombudsman for prison and probation.
The Independent on Sunday speaks with the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Marisa Xuereb, who proposed that persons carrying out unneeded jobs in the public sector should be seconded to the private sector.
Malta Today reveals that an unpublished ministerial inquiry completed in 2018 warned about a culture of clientelism for teaching staff at MCAST. The president of the board of governors at the time, Silvio de Bono, was found to have bowed to pressure from Castille.
It-Torċa reports that the former member of the European Council Assembly, Joe Brincat, has written to the body’s current president expressing concerns about shortcomings in the rule of law in the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry.
Kullħadd says that opposition MP Jason Azzopardi had sought Yorgen Fenech’s help to organise a coffee morning for his constituents in the lead-up to the 2008 general election. The businessman obliged by hosting the event at the Hilton Hotel.
Morning Briefing
Fake Newsbook website reported
A fake Newsbook website, copying the style and layout of the news portal appeared online on Saturday, posting content appeared to instil doubts into the case being made against Yorgen Fenech while attacking the credibility of those fighting for justice in these cases. Another article of the spoof website claims that lawyer and MP Jason Azzopardi “allegedly accepted expensive gifts from people he called mafiosi”. PN leader Bernard Grech expressed concern on the matter, writing on social media: “It is worrying to see an increase in fake news tactics aimed at confusing voters, especially as we head closer to a general election. “Journalism is essential to democracy and any deliberate attempts to undermine it must be fought forcefully”.
Green transition not just about converting to electric cars – ADPD
The Green Party poured cold water on plans by Government and the PN to propose strong incentives for electric cars, arguing that such proposals do not address the most important aspects of sustainable mobility. Rather, it said, there was a need for safe bicycle lanes along all main roads, a bus rapid transit system and free public transport for everyone to reduce the number of private cars on the road.
The Party also pointed that an increase in electric cars will mean that the amount of electricity consumed will increase so much that any new generation of clean energy will end up not meeting the demand.
Party chairman Carmel Cacopardo noted how this shift to electric cars would mean an estimated annual loss of revenue of around €154 million from petrol and diesel, and therefore the government should declare the alternative sources that would be replacing it.
Covid-19 Update: An 85-year-old woman died passed away from COVID-19 on Saturday, becoming Malta’s 440th victim of the virus. 49 new cases were reported on Saturday, with 52 recovering. Active cases have gone down slightly to 636.
CDE News
