TM explores possibility of reducing age for moped driving licence
Transport Malta is exploring the possibility of reducing the minimum age requirement for obtaining a moped driving license as it initiates a study to examine its viability. The transportation authority recently issued a tender worth €23,500, signaling its intent to conduct a thorough study into the potential impacts of lowering the minimum age for licensing small motorcycles. Recognising the preference of the local population for personal vehicles over alternative modes of transportation, Transport Malta noted a significant uptake in the use of mopeds or motorcycles with engine capacities not exceeding 50cc. Within the framework of the European Union’s Driving Licence Directive, EU Member States have the discretion to lower the minimum age for specific driving license categories. Several Member States have already exercised this option, particularly for motorcycles with engine capacities of 50cc or less. These adjustments primarily affect Driving Licence categories AM and A1. (Times of Malta)
Ornis Committee recommends spring hunting to re-open in April
The Malta Ornis Committee has voted to propose to Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri that the upcoming spring hunting season should commence under the same conditions as last year’s. This decision implies that the hunting of turtle doves and quail would be permitted for a brief period in April. The Committee opted to endorse the suggestion put forward by Federazzjoni Kaċċaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) to authorize turtle dove and quail hunting in April, aligning with the dates of the 2023 spring hunting season. By adopting this proposal, Minister Camilleri will be required to seek a derogation from the European Union’s Birds Directive to authorize the commencement of the spring hunting season. (Maltatoday)
PN highlights stagnation in wages, Labour says data incorrectly interpreted
According to a statement by the Nationalist Party, a Eurostat study revealed that wages in Malta and Gozo not only rank as the lowest in the European Union, but have also remained stagnant, with the median pay level unchanged for eight years. This, the party argues, serves as evidence of the failure of the government’s economic model. This failure has resulted in a high cost of living, with emphasis on essentials such as food and produce, yet stagnant wages, the party said. Consequently, the government created difficulties for thousands of families and increased their risk of poverty, the PN added. However, the Labour Party contests the PN’s interpretation of the report and its statistical analysis, asserting that the PN has misinterpreted the data entirely. The party said that the PN had spun what was a statistic about how much an hour of labour costs an employer into how many a worker earns. (The Malta Independent)
