School transport, migration, possible changes at the helm of the police corps are amongst the main items which one finds occupying the news agenda for today.
The following are how the local portals report today’s news.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today that the government’s scheme to provide free school transport to all children is already a success despite the scholastic year not yet starting,MaltaToday reported. Muscat admitted that there has been a greater demand than expected by the Government. “We knew demand would increase, but it has increased so much, especially now that parents have seen it will really be free, that there isn’t one mini-van that won’t be in use during those hours of the morning,” he said.
The Times of Maltareports the Prime Minister saying that the high number of students on the waiting list for the free transport could have been a result of parents leaving for the last minute and then rushing to register their children.
On the same subject, the The Times of Malta reports the comments made by Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia who said that the offer of free transport to students attending private schools was just a “vote-catching exercise” that was ill-prepared. “While I commend this measure, it transpires that a number of students who had no problems before have ended up with no transport, and in some cases, even parents willing to keep paying are being denied this service,” he said. “This is the latest crystal clear example of a government which only cares about schemes and marketing campaigns meant to convey the message that it is achieving results,” he said.
During the interview, the Prime Minister also referred to action that the government is taking, in terms of the issue of migration, specifying that this isn’t just related to immigration from people coming from Africa by boats, but all migration which is flowing in the country, so as Malta can meet its economic needs. He said that while this is being done, currently there are efforts to increase elements related to security. One News
The Malta Independent reports that the PN leader said that even though the economy is doing well and people are spending more money, there are still a number of individuals and families that are in financial crises. Our society has to make sure that each and every person living here is given the basic needs. A person has the right to have a place where to live, food and medical help.
Newsbook reports that there is pressure to name a new Police Commissioner, indicating Angelo Gafa as the successor-in-waiting. Observers have remarked that Cutajar has proved to be a lackluster Commissioner who cannot seem to shake off the image he painted of himself eating rabbit while journalists were doorstepping fleeing Pilatus Bank chairman Ali Sadr Hasheminejad.
Following Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, Adrian Delia had asked for the resignation of Lawrence Cutajar. This was also reported byNetNews, similar to the news broke on newspaper Il-Mument earlier on Sunday.
TVM reports that in the coming days Prime Minister Joseph Muscat will be addressing the UN General Council, as well as attending to other commitments in New York. The session theme is that of the UN being made relevant to all, a discussion that will focus on world leadership and the sharing of responsibility for a sustainable society to be able to live in peace and equality.
OneNewsreports that sick leave claimed by AirMalta pilots has risen by 1000%. This news comes after a recent flight to Orly was canceled, which cost the airline around €200,000.
