Health Ministry raises alarm of medicinal shortage / Malta News Briefing – Thursday 29 December 2022

Mid-Day Briefing

The Times of Malta says that the Planning Authority has granted a permit for the redevelopment of a derelict farmhouse in Rabat after the Church backtracked on its original plan to turn it into a habitable three-bedroomed house with a pool in a protected area of archaeological importance.

Maltatoday reports that the ministry of health has issued an urgent stock shortage alert to medicinal importers, after reporting a list of 25 items that are currently out of stock. The list of out-of-stock items includes medicinals such as morphine tablets, codeine phosphate, insulin aspart, as well as other ointments and paraffin.

Newsbook reveals that there have been no less than 71 applications to build sheep farms in Gozo since the beginning of 2015, with 30 of the 50 applications brought to a close receiving the approval of the Planning Authority.

TVM reports that the Executive Head of Aquaculture Resources Limited, Charlon Gouder, said the smells being complained about by Birżebbuġa residents are not caused by the plant that is processing tuna remains. He added that the plant follows he highest levels of environmental conditions.

Morning Briefing

Valletta man in custody after theft conviction
59-year-old Charles Cutajar of Valletta has been remanded in custody after being charged with two thefts that took place last year.
Arraigned before Magistrate Joe Mifsud, Cutajar was charged with having, between May and November 2021, stolen a laptop from a pharmacy in Ta’ Xbiex and tools from a residence in Ħaż-Żebbuġ. He was also charged with breaching Court-imposed bail conditions. (TVM)

36-year old injured after being hit by glass panes
A 36-year-old Qormi resident sustained grievous injuries at his place of work when large glass panes that were being transported fell on him. Police said the incident happened at around 10:30am in a garage at Sqaq il-Mitħna in Qrendi. The man was assisted on site by a medical team from Mater Dei Hospital before being hospitalised. He was later certified to have sustained grievous injuries. (Maltatoday)

Hunting stats not a reflection of reality
Official statistics on hunting and trapping in Malta are not reflecting the reality on the ground, pressure group Malta Ranger Unit is insisting: and this is particularly the case in Gozo. A case in point highlighted by the recently-established group is a report by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit on the 2021-22 autumn hunting season, in which the authorities confirmed just 154 total offences in the country. (Newsbook)

Company held responsible for damages in property case
A director and a company were held jointly responsible and ordered to pay over €235,000 in damages to a woman who had to seek alternative accommodation when her St Julian’s home was demolished and replaced with an apartment block. The case dated back to March 2007 when Dorothy Lentini first filed a civil lawsuit against AS and B Limited claiming that the company, or third parties engaged thereby, had “arbitrarily” demolished the property on George Borg Olivier Street, which was her home. (Times of Malta)