Afternoon Portal Review
The Times of Malta reports that a man who vowed to throw acid at his former partner’s face, burn her and shoot her has been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to threatening her.
Maltatoday says that a property developer from Iklin who pretended to return deposits on promise of sale agreements with cheques linked to unusable accounts has pleaded guilty to fraud and misappropriation charges.
TVM leads with the launching of a campaign for fostering, where it was revealed that there are currently 57 children waiting for foster care. During the launch, it was stated that last year foster carers who take in children requiring love and a family environment had increased marginally.
Newsbook reveals that no director has been appointed for the Land Transport Directorate within Transport Malta after Clint Mansueto was arraigned in August 2022.
Updated 1230
Hotel stays still below Covid – NSO
The number of people who slept at three, four and five-star hotels throughout 2022 increased by 85% over the previous year, NSO data said. The figures confirm that tourism fgures are still below pre-pandemic levels. Data released by the National Statistics Office on Monday shows that throughout the year, there were 1,812,834 guests at hotels – an increase of 831,044 over the same period in 2021. That year, 981,790 people had stayed at hotels, far less than the 2,022,283 in 2019, before COVID hit the islands. (Times of Malta)
Women NGOs lament inaction on domestic abuse
Activists placed posters demanding justice in domestic abuse cases on the entrance to the Home Affairs Ministry in the run up to the Women’s Day protest march on Wednesday. The photos depict victims of domestic abuse and reflect this year’s protest theme, Women United Against Injustice. “This year’s theme was chosen after witnessing several injustices that women in our society face every day, especially when they seek justice through our institutions,” the NGOs said. (Maltatoday)
Morning Briefing
PN askes PM to file lawsuit against Vitals
PN leader Bernard Grech called on the Prime Minister to file a lawsuit against Vitals-Stewards for this money to be returned to the Maltese and Gozitans. he estimated the hospital concession saga, which a court described as fraudulent, to have cost some 20,000 euro per person. Grech was addressing a protest in Valletta, called by the Nationalist Party, attended by thousands carrying Maltese flags. Former PN leader Adrian Delia who led the case against Vitals, called for the people to come together with “one voice” and speak out for justice, truth and righteousness. “When the Maltese are robbed, we stand together and say Malta deserves better,” he said. (Times of Malta)
Works on new hospital for Gozo to start in this legislature – PM
Work on a new Gozo hospital will start in this legislature announced the Prime Minister. This announcement came by the Prime Minister during an event he was addressing in Gozo on Sunday. The reference to a new Gozo hospital comes in the wake of a court decision that annulled the Steward hospitals concession contract concluded during the Muscat administration. The court attributed fraudulent behaviour to the private concessionaires and ordered that the Gozo, St Luke’s and Karin Grech hospitals be returned to the government. Abela acknowledged that over the past years, there were “instances” when the Labour government could have done better. He said the government will continue to listen to critics and all those who believe it can do better. (Maltatoday)
Vitals got €390m over concession, doctors claim
The Medical Association of Malta (MAM) has revealed that between 2016 and 2023, the government paid Vitals Global Healthcare and eventually Steward Health Care a total of €390,702,135. The group said it reached this figure from budget estimates of the Government of Malta between 2016 and 2023. The figures show that investments made into the companies kept increasing substantially year after year. (Newsbook)
