NEWZ on Tuesday 21 May 2024

Abela ‘worried’ about PN’s ‘persuction’ against 84 families

Last week, a court ordered a police investigation into public officials who had manipulated voters into changing their address to a Siġġiewi construction site – just in time for the local council elections.

The magisterial inquiry led by Donatella Frendo Dimech was requested by the Nationalist Party. Prime Minister Robert Abela now claims he was “worried” about the PN’s “persecution … against 84 families”.

Last week, the court ordered the Electoral Commission to revoke their change in address. It noted how it was public officials who rushed the applications. The court also blasted the authorities for risking that the residents become complicit in their crimes.

The PN said on Monday that Labour was deceiving and manipulating the people to “steal” the Siġġiewi council. “Despite the court ruling, Abela continues to attack the PN for revealing the government’s fraudulent actions”, the opposition said.

San Ġwann ODZ supermarket plans withdrawn

Plans for a 7,000 square metres supermarket in San Ġwann, proposed on ODZ land have been withdrawn.

Reports of the application sparked public outcry last week, leading to 800 objections and the prime minister to quickly declare that the project was “a non-starter”. Planning Authority sources told MaltaToday that the project had “practically no chance of being approved”.

Mount Carmel starts closing down

Malta’s notorious psychiatric hospital, Mount Carmel, starts closing down. Around 100 patients will be relocated to other psychiatric facilities and community services over the next weeks.

The first group of people to move within the next weeks will be those with the mildest and most stable conditions. The second phase of the reform will see the acute psychiatric service relocated to Mater Dei Hospital.

Finally, the government will invest around €33 million in a new acute psychiatric unit there. Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela announced on Monday that Mount Carmel will close within four years

Steward denies Swiss fund reports

Steward Health Care denies reports that it set up a Swiss fund to bribe Joseph Muscat and friends.

“We have never been asked for – nor provided – financial favours by any current or former Maltese official or minister and no such fund ever existed. We purchased a concession for an end-of-useful life small community hospital; a rehab facility in poor shape; and an abandoned asbestos infested building. We also inherited many unexpected liabilities totalling over €60 million.”

The company also hit out at the magisterial inquiry into the deal, and at the Maltese media. Steward said neither the court nor the media ever asked the company for any information on the story.

Steward admitted hiring Swiss firm Accutor as a business management consultant during “negotiations with the government … to bring the concession in line with regulations and make it bankable”.

The ‘coincidince’ of Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri’s reported connections to Accutor remains unexplained by all those allegedly involved.

Steward said that Maltese news outlets “indulge in ridiculous conspiracy theories and conjecture”

Weather

Today, the wind is conspiring against us, and lower temperatures than yesterday at up to 25°C.