Updated 1100
Steward bans employees from attending meetings with Government
Steward Healthcare has ordered its employees not to show up for any meetings organised by the government, in the latest development in the tumultuous takeover saga. The Times of Malta reveals that in an email sent out on Thursday, Steward president Nadine Delicata and Chief Transition Officer Miroslav Boyanov informed employees that the government was unlawfully attempting to begin taking over the hospitals and had started to call employees into meetings. “As Steward employees and officials you should therefore not attend any meetings called by the Government of Malta […] unless specifically authorised to do so by Steward,” they said.
PM highlights single market, common energy procurement at EU summit
While addressing the EU’s Spring Summit, Prime Minister Robert Abela focused on the importance of the positive effects of the single market being felt everywhere, particularly in the medicinal sector, where there is also an expectation for the Commission’s plans so that Maltese citizens can truly feel that they are benefiting from the positive impact of the single market in this area. In comments to TVM, Dr Abela highlighted discussions revolving around the energy sector, indicate positive indicators relating to the establishment of a European platform which will see gas procured as a bloc. (TVM)
No future for Malta until politics sheds money influence
NGO Moviment Graffitti said Malta has no future until the influence of money is taken out of politics. In a statement, he NGO stated it is deeply concerned about the past days’ events that have further exposed the precarious situation of the government. “There will be no better future for Malta and its people until politics is cleaned of the influence of those with money. This applies regardless of who is in government, as this is a systemic issue and action must go further than just the removal of a few bad actors”, it argued. (Maltatoday)
Morning Briefing
Malta’s debt levels approach €9.3bn – NSO
By the end of February, Malta’s national debt has climbed to €9.28 billion, an increase of €886.4 million when compared to 2022, new data by the National Statistics Office has shown. Conversely, annual figures for the first two months of this year so far have seen a surplus of €114.2 million. Recurrent Revenue amounted to €1,028.8 million, €231.3 million higher than the €797.5 million reported a year earlier. The largest increase was recorded under Income Tax (€155.4 million), followed by Value Added Tax (€31.7 million).On the other hand, recurrent expenditure totalled €838.5 million, an increase of €36.1 million in
comparison to the €802.4 million reported at the end of February 2022. The main contributor to this increase
was a €17.3 million rise reported under Operational and Maintenance Expenses.
Church reveals changes to funeral services
On April 10, clergy will stop escorting corteges from the morgue to the funeral ceremony and will begin welcoming funeral processions at church doors, where a blessing will take place before Mass. “The bishops have taken this difficult decision, after consultation with parish priests, due to the declining number of clergy in parishes, increasingly lengthy travel times and a long-felt need for priests to be present in church before the funeral service takes place to console relatives and friends as well as hear confessions,” a Church spokesperson told The Times of Malta.
NCPE worried about Court emphasis on victims’ sexual history
The recent court decision in a case of claimed rape and sexual harassment has raised serious concerns for the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE), which has stated that too much emphasis was paid to the accused victims’ sexual conduct and personality. “Questions about past or present sexual behaviour, in the context of Court cases dealing with rape and other forms of sexual violence, only serve to humiliate the alleged victim and dismiss her/his version of events, without shedding any light on the occurrence of the crime or otherwise,” the NCPE argued. The Commission said that this approach will make it harder for victims to come forward.
