Lack of investment partly to blame for electricity cuts – NAO
Enemalta’s lack of investment in its high voltage network over the past decade, despite increasing demand, contributed to the electricity outages during the July 2023 heatwave. The conclusion was drawn from a high-level review by the National Audit Office (NAO), which was presented to the Speaker on Monday afternoon. The review was initiated following a request from ADPD last year to investigate the power outages that caused widespread disruption during the heatwave. The NAO acknowledged that Malta experienced an unprecedented eight-day heatwave in July 2023, leading to a series of events that caused 83 joints on Enemalta’s high voltage network to fail rapidly. (Maltatoday)
Union, Government reach agreement for educators
Government and the teachers’ union finalized the educators’ sectoral agreement after a year and a half of negotiations and a brief strike. Both the government and the Malta Union of Teachers announced that the agreement will enhance the salaries and working conditions for over 11,000 educators in state schools. Agreements for church and independent schools are still pending. The previous five-year agreement expired two years ago, and educators will receive their backdated allowance increases. (Times of Malta)
Identità denies issuing illegal ID cards
The agency Identità has categorically denied that it issued thousands of ID cards to foreign nationals in an illegal manner, saying that a story run by Nationalist Party media over the weekend was false. In response to a Net News report last Sunday, which alleged that Identità, formerly known as Identity Malta, had issued slews of identity (ID) cards to foreigners who were in Malta irregularly, the agency made it clear that ID cards are only issued to persons who have a Maltese nationality whilst foreigners who live and work in Malta are given a permission slip or document of residence that states the reason they are living in Malta. (The Malta Independent)
