Driver involved in Gudja crash had severe eyesight problems, court hears
A driver accused of causing a 2024 traffic accident in Gudja, which left a 29-year-old man without his left leg, had been considered unfit to drive because of a serious eyesight condition, an eye specialist told the court. The victim, Chris Bonello, was struck by a car driven by Brian Azzopardi on December 13, 2024, while changing a punctured tyre on his parked vehicle along Dawret il-Gudja. Testifying before Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici, Bonello recounted how the impact threw him to the ground, leaving him with severe injuries and significant blood loss. He spent three months in intensive care at Mater Dei Hospital and another three months at Karin Grech Hospital, undergoing two operations before his left leg was amputated. The former Valletta police officer subsequently had to change roles within the force. (Maltatoday)
Over 2,100 call for culture minister’s resignation
More than 2,100 artists, cultural workers, organisations and members of the public have signed a letter calling for Culture Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea to resign. The petition, submitted by the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) on Tuesday, follows controversy over the minister’s description of his first four months in office as “traumatic” and remarks that people in the creative sector think they are “God’s gift to the world”. MEIA also cited previous comments concerning the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, in which the minister questioned whether her murder was linked to her work. The association said the number of signatures reflected strong sentiment across the sector and urged Prime Minister Robert Abela to seek the minister’s resignation and reassign the culture portfolio. (The Times of Malta)
Tourism eco-contributions to finance new infrastructure fund
Tourist eco-contributions will help finance a new Tourism Infrastructure Fund aimed at improving public spaces and the experience of residents and visitors, Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela has announced. The fund will form part of the government’s Refresh plan, which will use Budget 2027 to support a shift towards a new tourism model. Speaking in Parliament, Abela said the fund would finance small-scale interventions with visible results, beginning with the upkeep of pavements. The wider plan will bring together government, the Malta Tourism Authority, local councils, academics, tourism operators and NGOs, with the aim of delivering measurable improvements within 12 months. Initial measures include the creation of 10 tourist clean zones, with more frequent cleaning, improved waste infrastructure and clearer rules governing commercial waste. Abela also defended Malta’s tourism performance, citing average visitor stays of 5.5 to 6.8 days and expenditure of almost €1,000 per tourist. (The Malta Independent)