258 Midweek 28th Mar 2012

Transcription

WEDNESDAY EDITION
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WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT
WEDNESDAY • 28 MARCH 2012 • ISSUE 258 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY
‘Investigate links
between police
sergeant and my
dead son’s wife’
Bidder
end?
Pg 6
Joe Azzopardi, whose son
Nicholas died
under mysterious
circumstances while
in police custody, points
towards rumoured
‘connections’ between the
victim’s estranged wife, and the
police sergeant who escorted him
at the depot on that fateful day in
April 2008 SEE PAGE 4
If the PN
says I do...
Pgs 8, 9
GONZI’S GO-AHEAD TO GAY PARTNERSHIPS
Government confirms plans to introduce civil partnerships concept in cohabitation law
CONTINUES ON PAGE 3
Malta raises alarm over Filipino
trade in unborn babies
KARL STAGNO-NAVARRA
MPS in the Philippines have called on
the Manila police to hunt members of
crime syndicates who are luring Filipino pregnant women to engage in the
trafficking of their unborn babies to
foreign countries – including Malta
– in exchange for large amounts of
money.
“They travel overseas legally as tourists then sell their newborns to waiting adoptive parents abroad,” Rufus
Rodriguez, an MP from the southeast
Asian island republic, claimed.
Filipino authorities were first alerted
to the possibility of this racket by a
case that surfaced in Malta last year,
where a local man was charged in
court in connection with a suspicious
visa application by a pregnant Filipino
woman.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
Argotti
grows
Page 24
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Editorial ........... Pg 11
Business Today .. Pg 13
What’s On ......... Pg 16
TV ................... Pg 17
Cinema ............ Pg 17
Events .............. Pg 18
Classifieds ....... Pg 19
Sports .............. Pg 21
Weather ........... Pg 23
G. Borg Olivier Str., Mellieha
4ELs-OB
Newspaper post
The Hilltop
Restaurant
2
News
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 MARCH 2012
After Malta alert, Filipino MPs
demand crackdown on unborn
baby trafficking ring
PAGE 1 MPs Rufus Rodriguez and
Abante Mindanao said that the
recruitment of pregnant women
by these syndicates to perpetuate
their illegal activities should be
stopped.
In filing a House Resolution,
both they urged the Filippino
House committees on social
services and welfare of children to look into the matter.
“They travel overseas legally as tourists then sell
their newborns to waiting
adoptive parents abroad,”
Rodriguez said.
They added that the crime
syndicates give them necessary travel documents, plane
tickets and pocket money
with the intent of having the
child adopted as a form of a prearranged plan. He said that a case
happened in Austria two years ago
and in Malta last year.
Last year a Maltese man was
Filipino MPs Rufus Rodriguez (left) and Abante Mindanao said that recruitment of pregnant women by
criminal syndicates should be stopped
charged before a local court for allegedly making a false declaration
to immigration authorities when
sponsoring a Filippino woman who
requested and obtained a Visa, but
who in fact was pregnant.
The police, department for Social
Welfare Standards and Aġenzija
Appoġġ investigated the case –
which was triggered by reports of
unborn child trafficking from the
Philippines to Malta – and came
to light during the 11th Global
Consultation on Child Welfare
Services held in Makati City, Philippines.
It transpired that although the
woman had travelled to Malta legally as a tourist, investigations
led to a Maltese man to be charged
in court for not mentioning that
the woman was expecting a child
when he applied for her visa to
come to Malta.
In August last year, the Philippines undersecretary for social
affairs Alicia Bala expressed
her concern that pregnant
Filipino women were being recruited to travel
overseas legally
as
tourists,
then
sell
their newborns
to
waiting
adopt ive
parents.
Alicia
B a l a
was categoric
that in the
specific case
of Malta “the
mother who’s
pregnant [was]
sponsored to go
to that place with
the intent of having
the child adopted.”
“This is a form of trafficking… Our attention
was called by Malta authorities,” she told had reporters.
The mother has since returned
to the Philippines, but her child
is now undergoing procedure for
adoptive parents to keep the baby
in custody.
“This is just one instance but,
who knows, there may be other
cases that are not brought to our
attention. It is a prearranged plan
of giving birth there, then they
give the baby up. They don’t keep
the baby because there is already
that intention to have the baby
adopted abroad,” Bala said.
As the mothers are able to exit
the country legally, such cases are
hard to detect unless reported by
the receiving country, she said.
“You can’t stop anyone from travelling. There’s no reason for immigration agents to be suspicious
about why a pregnant woman is
going overseas. Maybe there’s a facilitator here,” Bala said.
Malta on trafficking watch list
The two Filippino MPs have
meanwhile reiterated Bala’s concern over the trafficking of unborn babies, but also warned that
“there is no reason for immigration agents to be suspicious about
why a pregnant woman is going
overseas”.
They told parliament in Manila
however that action must be taken
to address the reality which was
exposed by the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that
there are an estimated 60,000 to
100,000 children in the Philippines
involved in human trafficking.
The International Labour Organisation estimated 100,000 Filipino children who are victims of
human trafficking.
Washington’s 2011 Trafficking
in Persons Report showed that the
Philippines is overcoming its status as being included in the Tier 2
Watch List of United States’ Trafficking Victims Protection Act of
2000 (TVPA).
“Things may soon turn for the
worse again if a new form of human
trafficking racket is not addressed,
trafficking in unborn babies.
There is a need to stop this new
form of trafficking from proliferating and instead convince wouldbe-parents who wish to place their
children up for adoption to comply with the legal process and go
through the Inter-Country Adoption Board.”
Malta appears on the Tier 2
‘Watch List’ along with – among
others – Russia, Afghanistan and
Belarus: the Watch List signifies
that they do not comply with US
norms and while they are making
significant efforts to do so, there is
little or no evidence that these efforts are proving effective.
The report recommends that
Malta punishes human trafficking offenders more harshly. In the
case of Malta it suggests, among
other measures, that it should do
more to identify victims and that
it should punish them less.
Malta is currently engaged in a
Human Trafficking Action to fight
trafficking, prosecute offenders
and protect victims.
US concern
The issue of Malta’s listing on
the Washington ‘Watch List’ for
human trafficking was raised last
week at the US Senate during the
hearing of ambassador designate
Gina Abercombie-Winstanley.
Answering a question by Florida Senator Marco Rubio – who
expressed concern at Malta’s capabilities of addressing matters
related to human trafficking –
Abercombie-Winstanley said that
“the Maltese have had trouble with
identifying victims and we have
been working with them to help
them do so as well as ensuring that
they do not hold victims responsible or charge them for crimes directly related to them having been
trafficked”.
Abercombie-Winstanley
was
well briefed about a recent court
judgement that sentenced a man to
10 years imprisonment for human
trafficking, describing it as “a first
successful prosecution and shows
that they’re moving in the right
direction.
“Human trafficking concerns
will be my priority when I get
there,”
Abercombie-Winstanley
told the Senate committee.
Pakistani adoption ring
In 2006, a Maltese national was
imprisoned for seven years in Karachi for smuggling newborn infants
to Malta. A preliminary inquiry by
Judge Javed Qureshi in the Pakistani capital of Karachi had found
that a Maltese adoption ring had
taken some 100 Pakistani infants
to Malta between 1998 and 2001.
However this figure was claimed
to be 39 by the Maltese ministry of
social policy in 2006.
The children had been allegedly
bought from poverty-stricken parents by a Maltese couple – Dennis
and Concetta Charles – who had
their house in Gulshan-I-Iqbal district raided in March 2002, where
11 infants had been found.
3
News
Government to propose
civil partnerships for
gay couples
JURGEN BALZAN
JUSTICE Minister Chris Said, who
is piloting the cohabitation law, said
yesterday that the government will
propose the regulation of same-sex
relationships.
Asked by MaltaToday whether the
government intends to propose legislation with regard to same-sex unions, Said replied: “The bill on cohabitation will be discussed in Cabinet
and within the Parliamentary Group
shortly. It will be presented to Parliament soon after.”
The justice minister added: “Government’s position is that the relationship between gay couples should
be regulated by the law regulating cohabitation, including the institute of
civil partnership.”
This is the first time the government has expressed itself clearly on
same-sex unions and might pave the
The proposed law will provide
legal recognition to same-sex
partners
way for a fully fledged battle for the
liberal vote between all the established political parties.
Government’s position on same-sex
unions follows the Nationalist Party’s
adoption of ‘Our Roots’, the party’s
new basic principles. The document
explains that the PN believes that a
“State that should legislate to establish the rights and obligations that
should govern personal relationships;
both heterosexual and homosexual”.
The proposed law will, for the first
time ever, provide legal recognition to same-sex partners. In Malta,
same-sex marriages are not legal and
there is no other legislation regulating same-sex relationships.
Under the helm of Joseph Muscat,
Labour has championed a liberal
agenda, including divorce and gay
rights without actually taking an
official stand. As with divorce, the
party leader has taken a stand in favour of civil unions. But though the
party has declined from taking an official stand, it has declared that it will
include this proposal in its electoral
manifesto.
On the other hand, Alternattiva
Demokratika is the only political
party to have taken a consistent stand
in favour of same-sex unions. To date,
the Greens are the only party that advocates gay unions on a par with marriage between heterosexual couples.
The gay lobby also puts same-sex
unions on the same level as marriage.
In January, the Malta Gay Rights
Movement presented a position paper advocating the best options for
the legislation of same-sex marriage
and families in Malta. The paper provides a legal framework for same-sex
couples to be married and enjoy the
rights and obligations that are incumbent upon married couples.
Last week, PN backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said that his
position in favour of gay unions was
backed by the Prime Minister’s special envoy and probable PN leadership contestant, Simon Busuttil.
Asked to confirm or deny Pullicino
Orlando’s claims, Busuttil said: “I
have no comment to make on private
conversations.”
Busuttil was pressed to explain his
personal position on gay unions as
against gay marriages, however no reply was received by the time we went
to print.
Justice Minister Chris Said has for
the first time outlined government’s
official position on gay marriage
4
News
Father calls for inves
links between Lia an
Former police sergeant Adrian Lia
KARL STAGNO-NAVARRA
JOSEPH Azzopardi, who has not
rested since his son’s mysterious
death while in police custody in
2008, has said that besides looking
into the events that led to Nicholas
Azzopardi’s death, a new and independent inquiry must also look
into rumours that disgraced Sergeant Adrian Lia may have had a
connection to his son’s estranged
wife.
Speaking to MaltaToday, Joseph
Azzopardi insisted that a new –
but independent – inquiry must
leave no stone unturned.
He was reacting to information
he received about the former Sergeant Adrian Lia, who was the last
officer to escort his son Nicholas
from his lock-up cell, minutes before he allegedly jumped off the
Floriana bastions, and incurred
the injuries that would prove fatal.
“If this connection is true, then
an inquiry should establish a pattern and motive into what might
have led to my son’s death,” Azzopardi said.
Nicholas Azzopardi had been
summoned for questioning and
later detained following a report
filed by his estranged wife over
family matters in 2008 (see timeline, below).
Azzopardi was interrogated and
detained by the Vice Squad, of
which Sergeant Adrian Lia was at
the time a member. Lia was the
officer entrusted with escorting
Azzopardi from his lock-up cell to
the CID offices.
A police statement had said that
Nicholas Azzopardi had “jumped”
off the bastion after running away
from his escorting officer through
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Joseph Azzopardi (right) at the
press conference in 2008
the CID yard.
Azzopardi was grievously injured and recovered at Mater Dei’s
Intensive Therapy Unit for some
days, but died on 22 April soon after he was moved into a ward.
Shortly before he died, Nicholas
Azzopardi had confided with his
family, and a magistrate, that he
had been brutally beaten by two
policemen while in custody. Family members filmed him making
these claims. In the video, later
made available by MediaToday,
Azzopardi was clearly heard alleging that the police had ‘beaten
him to a pulp’ (“Qlajt xeba tal-beati pawli”).
He recounted how he was taunted and beaten in the lock-up, but
also admitted that he retaliated
against one of the interrogators by
crushing him against the lock-up’s
metal door.
In turn, an officer – possibly
trained in martial arts – allegedly
flung a side kick, breaking four of
Azzopardi’s ribs and puncturing
his lung.
The victim told his family he lost
consciousness and only fully came
to his senses some 13 days later in
hospital.
The police always denied Azzop-
ardi was pushed or beaten.
Soon after Nicholas Azzopardi’s
death had made the headlines, the
police revealed that “a policeman
was slightly injured trying to save
Nicholas Azzopardi from jumping
off a wall” .
Lia: a proven liar, now charged
with theft
According to the police, the officer who was escorting Nicholas
Azzopardi, was treated in hospital
for scratches on his forearms and
chest injuries, giving a new twist
to the mystery, which became even
more intriguing when it became
known that the officer in question
was Adrian Lia: the same officer
who had duped the nation into believing he had behaved heroically
by jumping into the ice cold sea in
Sliema to save Mary Farrugia on
23 December 1997.
Lia – then a 23-year-old police
constable – had been awarded a
gold medal for bravery after he
claimed to have jumped into the
sea to save 54-year-old Farrugia
from Sliema as she was drowning near Qui Si Sana at around
5.15am.
His fabricated story not only
eventually embarrassed the gov-
ernment and the police, but also
made it to the official police press
releases issued by the corps.
The son of a retired Police Major who has recently been released
from prison, Adrian Lia yesterday appeared before a Magistrate
where Police Inspectors Fabian
Fleri and Melvyn Camilleri presented evidence that allegedly
pins him to a series of thefts from
police headquarters.
Yesterday, the court heard how
Lia – who resigned from the
force a few weeks ago – admitted to stealing some €30,000 in
cash which was kept as evidence
in case related to illegal lotto and
gambling.
Inspector Fabian Fleri said the
sergeant had admitted to 10 thefts
between 2009 and 2011, including a theft of €10,000 and other
amounts of €6,000, €2,000 and
€1,000.
The 37-year-old disgraced sergeant from San Gwann was arrested two weeks ago when investigators had pinned him to the thefts
after police took the evidence bag
to court and found it to be empty.
Lia is understood to be of an athletic disposition, and plays Futsal
for Bidnija.
5
News
stigation into alleged
d deceased’s wife
Timeline of a death in custody
Tuesday 8 April 2008 – Nicholas Azzopardi receives a phone call in
the evening from Inspector Graziella Muscat, asking him to go to the
police headquarters in Floriana with his daughter. Later, the police
say Azzopardi is taken to hospital for the first time at around 9pm,
suffering from chest pains.
Wednesday 9 April – Azzopardi is taken for the second time to
hospital at around 4am, according to the unofficial police version
given last week. At around 7.40pm, the police issue an official press
statement claiming that a man under investigation had “escaped
from his police escort and jumped”. At around 8.45pm, the police
issue an update saying the man was certified of having broken ribs
and was in danger of dying.
Azzopardi’s family are called by phone at around 9.30pm and asked
to go to Police HQ. They are met by Inspector Louise Calleja, who
tells them Nicholas had injured a policeman before jumping from a
window. She informs them he is in danger of dying at the Mater Dei’s
Intensive Therapy Unit. Upon reaching hospital, family are told by
doctors that Nicholas was seriously injured in the rib cage, his lungs
were totally crushed, had multiple fractures to left arm and was
suffering internal bleeding.
Thursday 17 April – A restless Nicholas makes first attempts – in
vain – to communicate to his family by writing on a mobile phone.
Friday 18 April – Still restless, Nicholas tries again to communicate
through oxygen mask.
Saturday 19 April – Nicholas wakes up and talks to his brother
for the first time in the evening. He recalls being led to a cell by
two policemen dressed in blue without a number, where he was
eventually beaten. He recounts how he had resisted in self-defence,
pushing one of the police against the metal bars. After this, he
received sidekicks to his chest and started spitting blood from his
mouth. He tells his brother he could remember their faces clearly.
Family phones Nicholas’s lawyer, Raphael Fenech Adami, who arrives
in hospital to hear his client’s version and informs Magistrate Tonio
Vella.
Sunday 20 April – Nicholas repeats his version to his parents.
Monday 21 April – Family members try contact Justice Minister Carm
Mifsud Bonnici through his canvassers as the magistrate has not
yet turned up to interview Nicholas. Minister’s canvassers reassure
family that the magistrate would visit him the next day.
Tuesday 22 April – Nicholas is released from ITU and transferred
to Orthopaedic ward 1. Breathing apparatus is removed. Magistrate
interrogates him in the morning and again at 5.30pm, accompanied
by Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and Inspector
Graziella Muscat. Nicholas’s brother pleads to magistrate to provide
24-hour security as his room was accessible to everyone but is
informed that such a measure was up to the hospital’s authorities.
Family receives phone call at 11pm and is asked to rush to hospital.
Upon reaching his bed, Nicholas is dead. Brother recalls seeing large
bruises on his left chest side, left ear and behind it, left buttocks
and kidney area.
Wednesday 23 April – Autopsy completed but report never issued.
Nicholas Azzopardi
‘Independent or nothing’
Calls for the re-opening of the
inquiry into Nicholas Azzopardi’s death were triggered following the revelation by MaltaToday
into Sergeant Adrian Lia’s arrest
and subsequent arraignment over
the €30,000 theft from the police
headquarters.
A week ago, MaltaToday revealed that Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici had refused to reopen the inquiry, while
Police Commissioner John Rizzo
had asked the Attorney General
to reopen the magisterial inquiry.
“You may recall that two inquiries were carried out over the
Nicholas Azzopardi case,” he replied when asked specifically to
reopen the investigation. “Despite
the fact that the documentation
in relation to both inquiries has
been open to scrutiny by journalists, their findings were never put
in doubt.”
However six days after the publication of this statement on maltatoday.com.mt, Mifsud Bonnici
denied that he had ever opposed
the re-opening of the inquiry.
The minister was referring to
separate inquiries: the first conducted by Judge Albert Manche,
who had been assigned to conduct
a special inquiry into the circumstances of Nicholas Azzopardi’s
death. Manche had ruled out any
wrongdoing by the police, while
Magistrate Anthony Vella – who
had conducted a magisterial inquiry into the same incident, and
had spoken to Azzopardi before
he died – had drawn the same
conclusions.
However, following the latest
revelations of the police sergeant
whose testimony was central to
both inquiries, Police Commissioner John Rizzo on Saturday
publicly called on the Attorney
General to reopen the case in order to “remove any doubts” about
the behaviour and integrity of the
police.
But Joseph Azzopardi has
warned that any new inquiry
“must now be totally independent
of government. If not, the inquiry
would mean nothing to me and
my family”.
Attard
Separation of roles
In a pending Private Members’
Motion that calls for a reform in
the justice system and police, Nationalist MP Franco Debono insists that Magistrates must have
a separate role as inquiring magistrates and presiding judges, and
a pool of magistrates should be
formed, specialising in inquiries.
“It is odd how a magistrate who
heads an inquiry would also judge
a case,” Debono told MaltaToday,
adding that the same issue concerns the Attorney General and
the Police who hold discretionary
powers which limit any citizen’s
rights.
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6
News
A witness revealed how Mimcol
CEO Mario Mizzi had pressured
British expert Sue Hall to reduce
the marks given to the SYC
consortium
Mizzi ‘took it upon himself’ to eliminate
consortium from bidding process - witness
JURGEN BALZAN
PAUL Cardona, star witness in the
ongoing case involving allegations
of bribery during the privatisation
of the shipyards’ Superyachts Facility, revealed in court yesterday that
Mimcol CEO Mario Mizzi had pressured British expert Sue Hall to reduce the marks given to the SYC consortium: which in the first round had
been awarded 71 marks.
Mario Mizzi was a member of the
Evaluation Committee of the Privatisation Unit which judged the incoming bids for the privatisation of the
Superyachts facilities.
Cardona – who held 5% of shares in
SYC – also said that Mizzi had told
him: “if you take care of me, I am in a
position to help you”.
Cardona informed the consortium
about Mizzi’s offer but the consortium partners refused to budge to such
pressures.
Mizzi is facing criminal charges for
seeking favours to be advantaged in
the privatisation of the super yachts
facility tender. The Superyachts
Facility tender was awarded to Palumbo Malta Superyachts Limited
for 30 years, and the global amount
to be paid by Palumbo reaches €29.4
million.
In his testimony, Cardona also explained how the privatisation unit
headed by Mizzi had expressed reservations about SYC’s foreign partners,
Couach. The unit had asked SYC to
clarify the legal and financial position of their foreign partners.
Couach had fallen into receivership
because they were faced by a multi-
million euro judgement against them,
and were taken over by CMC.
Cardona noted that after all the
legal and financial issues regarding
Couach were cleared, Mizzi pressured Sue Hall to reduce the mark
awarded to SYC Cardona said that
this was allegedly done via e-mails.
The mark rewarded to SYC, after
having cleared all doubts about its
foreign partner, was reduced from 71
to 50. Cardona added that according
to the evidence given by Assistant
Commissioner Cassar and the Chairman of the PU, when Sue Hall reduced the mark down to 50%, Mario
Mizzi asked to have SYC’s mark reduced below 50 as otherwise SYC
would still have to be considered.
From the evidence produced in
court, it seems that Mizzi only pressured Hall to downgrade SYC below
50 and put them out of the running,
once it was evident that SYC’s foreign
partners had resolved their legal and
financial problems.
Cardona also noted that a member
of the MIMCOL staff, Antoinette
Borg, sent further emails to Hall inviting her to settle on a definite decision regarding SYC. He said that
Hall pointed out that she had been
tough in her assessment in one of
her e-mails, and even stressed that
SYC hardly demonstrate technical
competence. Yet Hall gave SYC a
full 71% after the first meeting, even
though she said that she was preoccupied about the financial situation
of Couach.
The concerns raised by the privatisation unit about the SYC bid were of
a technical nature. However Cardona
explained that none of members of
the adjudication board were technical experts so they were in no position to comment on the technical
validity of SYC’s offer and even less
order their technical expert to reduce
the marks.
Cardona alleged that from the evidence given by Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar and the Chairman of the Privatisation Unit, Mizzi
insisted with Hall that SYC should be
eliminated.
He said that Hall seemed to have
been reluctant to do this as first she
reduced the marks from 71 to 50%
and then she had to be pushed further by the MIMCOL officials; Mizzi
and Antoinette Borg to further reduce the mark from 71% down to 48%
and eliminate SYC.
Cardona explained that this was
done even though nothing had
changed in the operation of the
French partners. All that happened
was that Couach Group went into
receivership and the French Courts
awarded all assets, business, and
book of business to Chantier Naval
Couach.
SYC had presented all documents
to confirm that CNC will continue
with the agreement with SYC and
all documents were presented to the
Privatisation Unit. During the meeting in August 2009, between the Privatisation Unit, the SYC Partners and
the President and Lawyer of CNC,
it was confirmed that all legal questions had been answered and this
was confirmed by Ann Fenech, legal
council to the Privatisation Unit, to
the Chainman in front of all present.
Cardona added that at that moment
Mizzi was heard telling the Chair-
man, “we can now continue to deal
with these.”
In his evidence, Cardona stressed
that Mizzi took it upon himself to
attack the credibility of the SYC proposal and requested Hall to reduce
the mark.
Cardona also asked why Hall reduced the technical mark when the
technical content was unchanged
and said that if anything the technical mark should have been increased
because the problems as indicated by
Hall had now been cleared up.
However, according to the prior
evidence given by Assistant Commissioner Cassar and the Privatisation
Unit Chairman, Mizzi took it upon
himself to have SYC eliminated from
the bid to give the other bidders the
Malta Superyacht Facility.
In his evidence, Cardona pointed
out that the request for proposal issued by the government and the PU
clearly stated that once the interested
parties passed the basic criteria as
required by the PU, then the most
important criteria was the amount of
money offered up front.
Cardona also said that SYC offered
the government €5.1 million and the
PU, following Mizzi’s continued intervention to have SYC eliminated,
proposed to the government that it
should accept an offer from the Melita/Astellieros offer of €1.9 million.
In fact, as Cardona stated in his
evidence, the recommendation of the
PU was not accepted by the government. This was the first time that the
Government turned down the recommendations given by the PU.
In his evidence, Cardona added that
the PU made it very clear that who-
ever won the Shipyard contract must
have a very strong foreign partner
and were giving the utmost importance on this partner.
Cardona explained that in the dealings with the PU and during other
meetings, both the Chairman and
Mario Mizzi, told the foreign partners that they considered them the
most important part of the deal and
hardly gave any importance to the
Maltese partners who, after all, are
major industrialists and players in
their field in Malta.
He also added that this was the complete opposite of what happened with
the Manoel Island Yacht Yard privatisation. Cardona said that this yard
was contested by at least three consortiums. SYC had Rodriguez Group
as Partners, while another consortium made up of Maltese businessmen
had Azimut as their partners.
Both consortiums included big
yacht builders and important players
in the yachting industry. However, in
this instance, it seems that the PU did
not deem foreign partners to be important when awarding the contract
for the Manoel Island Yacht Yard.
In 2010, the Manoel Island Yacht
Yard was awarded to a group of local
businessmen who had no experience
in the yachting industry, apart from
Victor Bezzina, who owns the Bezzina Ship Repair Yard, which yard
completes with the Manoel Island
Yacht Yard.
The consortium which won the bid
is made up of Mizzi Group, Albert
Mizzi (Midi Project), current Transport Malta chairman Mark Portelli,
Bianchi Group, Paul Hili and Victor
Bezzina.
7
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31 MARCH
8
Insight
If the PN says
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s unconfirmed (but not denied) claim that Simon Busuttil agrees
with the recognition of same sex unions, raises the question of how far the PN is willing to
go to become palatable to liberal voters again. JAMES DEBONO explores the latest Nationalist
dilemma
IN a recent interview with MaltaToday, Simon Busuttil described
the PN as a coalition of Christian
conservatives, Christian liberals
and some liberals who might not
even be Christian at all, adding that
it has been so since the 1970s.
What is certain is that this coalition was seriously undermined
by last year’s divorce referendum,
which – providentially for the PN –
took place two full years before the
electoral deadline.
Now, an opportunity to exorcise
these unhappy memories has presented itself for the PN. Once again
it takes the shape of a Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando proposal, this time to
formally recognise gay marriage. It
also coincides with the final drafting of the cohabitation law, under
the tutelage of Chris Said, a perceived moderate.
Simon Busuttil’s tacit backing to
this direction could well be an indication that the PN wants a fresh
start. But does accepting the notion
of civil unions between same sex
people fly in the face of the party’s
identity? And can the party withstand other lacerating issues like
IVF?
Confessional identity
Surely since the 1970s what held
the PN together was not its confessional identity, but the battle cries
of democratisation and Europeanisation in the 1980s and 1990s,
coupled with a social model which
combined free market capitalism
with an emphasis on a Welfare
State.
Neither did the party define itself
in a confessional way. Even Eddie
Fenech Adami’s refusal to tackle
the divorce issue in 1990s was
based on the argument that at this
particular moment divorce would
have resulted in more social harm
than social good, a hint that all this
could change in the future if it were
to be demonstrated otherwise.
As the PM’s delegate to civil society,
Simon Busuttil’s tacit backing to this
proposal could well be an indication
that the PN wants a fresh start
The party was not immune to
changing realities. In its 1998 electoral manifesto the party went as
far as to propose a law which recognised the rights and duties of persons who lived together.
But equally significant was the
failure of the party to find the necessary courage to implement this
proposal.
In reality, since 1987 conservative
elements have staffed the country’s
establishment, piloting the country’s modernisation while remain-
ing largely silent on moral and
social issues. While these issues
started making the waves in to the
media, the political establishment
remained largely immune to the epochal change in the country’s social
fabric.
The less these moral conservatives
spoke, the less the country felt their
presence, and for a while many liberals felt that it was simply a matter
of time for the country to become
fully European.
In fact, if the divorce referendum
Having pushed the envelope with last year’s divorce
referendum, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is testing the limits
of his party’s ‘coalition of conservatives and liberals’ with a
proposal on gay marriage
had an immediate impact, it was in
forcing these elements to come out
of the woodwork, revealing the true
conservative credentials of a large
part of an establishment which had
previously prided itself on modernity.
In fact EU membership at first had
a perverse impact on Malta, with
the first cultural battles (like the
attempt to entrench the law against
abortion in the Constitution) being
drawn by extreme conservatives
bent on ditching the trenches be-
fore the expected deluge.
Curiously, social issues like divorce remained under the surface
during the first post-EU Gonzi administration, which had to contend
with widespread opposition to the
government’s collusion with big developers.
This led the PN to commit a
number of U-turns and the Prime
Minister to promise to redress the
country’s environmental deficit.
In some ways, the ability of the PN
to re-invent itself, albeit superficial-
TODAYNEWS
From Monday - Friday
at 6pm on
www.maltatoday.com.mt
9
Insight
Gay marriage in
Europe
I do…
ly, as a green party before the 2008
election could be indicative of the
way the PN can re-invent itself as
a civil rights party to keep its hold
on socially liberal voters. But how
far can the PN go this way without
disorienting its conservative core?
From divorce to gay redemption?
Unlike the Labour Party, which
has failed to discuss moral issues,
giving its leader Joseph Muscat a
carte blanche to push his “progressive” agenda by taking a personal
stand in favour of divorce, the PN
had taken a stand against divorce.
After the defeat, the PN tried to
come to terms with the new reality
in its ‘Our Roots’ document: which
not only accepted the new reality
of divorce but anticipated the future by coming close to supporting
the concept of State recognition of
same-sex couples.
The document describes personal
relationships between different
persons as “something precious”
for those involved. It also states that
such relationships are the “family
nucleus” for those persons involved
“even if they are unmarried”.
Finally the document states, “the
State cannot close its eyes to this
issue and has to legislate wherever
necessary to establish the rights
and duties of those living in cohabitation, whether they are heterosexual or homosexual”.
This proposal remains vague and
open to interpretation for it does
not commit the party on what kind
of arrangement will be offered to
same sex couples.
But it goes a long way from the
never implemented 1998 proposal,
which simply asserted the State’s
obligation to regulate rights and
duties of individuals who for different reasons live in a household.
In contrast, the new proposal refers directly to people in genuine
relationships and implies State recognition of the relationships and
not just of the rights of the individuals living in these households.
Still, this kind of recognition is in
itself pregnant with contradictions
for a party, which has to cater for
both Christian conservatives and
social liberals alike.
Ultimately, it will all depend on
which rights a PN government is
willing to bestow on same sex partners and which rights currently enjoyed by married couples will still
be denied to same sex couples.
New contradictions
Although the PN has never defined
itself as confessional party, in reality part of its strength derives from
the support it enjoys among social
conservatives, especially those
hailing from the traditional middle
classes.
Christian conservatives believe
that the State should favour married couples in its social policies.
They also firmly believe that marriage should remain a heterosexual
institution.
Probably, in normal circumstances the most Christian conservatives will be willing to concede is a
re-edition of the 1998 proposal. As
indicated by numerous statements
by the Archbishops, the church
itself has no problem with the recognition of the rights of individuals
living in households to ensure very
basic protection from abandonment or eviction from the shared
household.
But this would exclude any state
recognition of the relationships between the persons involved.
This was exactly the kind of
regime offered to separated heterosexuals before divorce was approved last year.
Pro-divorce campaigners decreed
this was an attempt to institutionalise an inferior cohabitation regime
for separated couples, who are forced
to cohabit because of their permanent exclusion from the institution
of marriage.
Gay rights activists would probably react in a similar way if the same
model were offered to same sex couples now.
Equating the status of same sex
couples to that of brothers or sisters
who live together would fly in the
face of equality between different affective relationships.
The problem for the PN is that recognising same sex couples is only the
first step.
For if it recognises same sex relationships but fails to grant them the
same rights as married couples, it
will still be accused of discrimination.
The rainbow opportunity
Therefore the only way to accommodate the liberal and gay vote,
short of introducing gay marriage
(which is a no-go area for a party
with a conservative wing), is to create a civil partnerships institution
which grants same sex couples the
same rights as married couples.
This option offers a golden opportunity for the PN to outflank an
evasive Labour party by presenting
a concrete law, which will usher in a
VACANCY
Marketing & Sales executive
The Netherlands became
the first country in the world
to officially allow same-sex
marriages on April 1, 2001.
Iceland passed a law to make
same-sex marriage legal in June
11, 2010.
Belgium recognized gay marriage
on January 30, 2003. The law
granted almost all the rights
open to heterosexual married
couples, stopping short of
the right to adopt. Legal coparenting for Belgium’s same-sex
couples came into force just over
three years later in April, 2006.
Spain passed same-sex marriage
legislation on June 30, 2005. The
law on assisted reproduction was
amended in 2006, allowing coparenting recognition for married
lesbian partners who had used
IVF treatment to have a child.
Norway passed a gender-neutral
marriage bill in June 11, 2008,
followed by a law to allow
same-sex marriage on January 1,
2009. The new law also allowed
co-parenting same-sex adoption
rights and state funded IVF
treatment for married lesbian
couples.
The PN’s amendment to the ‘Our Roots’ document
accomodated for the new reality of divorce, while also
paving the way for State recognition of same-sex couples
veritable cultural revolution before
the next election.
Curiously, while hinting at agreement with civil partnerships, Labour
has refrained from stating which
rights will be given to same sex couples.
Labour leader Joseph Muscat has
made it clear that he disagrees with
gay couples adopting children.
So far only Alternattiva Demokratika has stated its full agreement
with equality between same sex and
married heterosexual couples; and it
is only Jeffrey Pullcino Orlando who
is waving the banner of gay marriage,
perhaps to spur the government into
accepting gay partnerships.
Therefore, by legislating on gay
partnerships the PN would be making strategic inroads among liberals
without taking little political risks
since all parties converge in favour of
civil partnerships.
In reality even if the PN accepts
civil unions, cultural conservatives
have nowhere else to go.
By not calling the new regime marriage but granting same sex couples
equal rights to those enjoyed by
married couples, the PN would have
found a way of exorcising the damage inflicted on itself during the divorce referendum campaign and the
subsequent vote in parliament.
Old versus New?
What is more problematic for
the PN at the moment is the will-
ingness of conservatives like Edwin Vassallo, Carmelo Mifsud
Bonnici and Austin Gatt – among
others – to accept a civil partnership regime which grants same
sex couples the same or most of
the rights enjoyed by married
couples. Crucially, the cohabitation law no longer falls under the
conservative Mifsud Bonnici and
has been taken over by the more
pragmatic and moderate Chris
Said, who stands out in the party
as a centrist able to reach out both
to the conservative base and to
liberal exponents. Said, who distinguished himself as one of the
first Nationalist MPs to declare
that they would be voting for the
divorce bill, could have another
opportunity to underline his ministerial and leadership qualities.
But his more liberal inclinations
could be exploited by his adversaries in the Gozo district.
Significantly all those with a
stake in the PN’s future seem intent on distancing themselves
from the conservative ways of the
past, with Mario de Marco abolishing theatre censorship, Simon
Busuttil allegedly pushing recognition of same sex couples, and
Chris Said ultimately drafting the
final version of a law which could
ultimately redeem the party’s liberal credentials.
The stage has been set for the final act before the next election.
Sweden, having already passed
a law to allow same-sex couples
to adopt in June, 2002, became
the seventh country to recognize
gay marriage on May 1, 2009.
Sweden’s Lutheran Church voted
to permit gay marriages to be
carried out in its congregation
from November 1, 2009. nearly
70% of the 250 synod members
of the Church of Sweden voted in
favor of the move.
Slovenia, in July 2006, became
the first former Eastern bloc
country to recognize domestic
partnerships nationwide. In
December 2009 the Slovenian
government approved a new
Family Code, which includes
same-sex marriage and same-sex
adoption.
Portugal’s parliament voted to
approve gay marriage On January
8, 2010. The bill was passed by
125 votes to 99. A provision
to allow adoption by same-sex
partners was struck down.
The United Kingdom’s
parliament voted on 18 November
2004 in favour of the Civil
Partnership Act, which came
into force in December 2005
and allows same-sex couples to
register their partnership. The
rights and duties of partners
under this legislation are
almost exactly the same as for
married couples. Currently public
consultation is under way with a
view to introducing full marriage
equality
Maltatoday.com.mt is one of Malta’s most popular websites.
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Editorial
Nicholas Azzopardi’s legacy
On Saturday, Police Commissioner John
Rizzo publicly called on the Attorney
General to reopen inquiries into the death
of Nicholas Azzopardi, who died following
injuries sustained while in police custody in
April 2008.
As yet, we still do not know precisely
what form this latest inquiry will take; nor
whether the terms of reference will extend
beyond determining what actually happened,
to also cover other relevant considerations…
for instance, the precise responsibility of the
Police Force in similar cases.
In fact, the entire episode has opened a can
of worms that goes far, far beyond the precise
circumstances of Nicholas Azzopardi’s mysterious death. It has also cast an uncomfortable spotlight on a number of other serious
issues: among them, the very definition of the
word ‘custody’, and what it means to assume
responsibility for people entrusted into one’s
care.
It seems strange to have to even point this
out, but from the moment Nicholas Azzopardi crossed the threshold of the Floriana depot
in 2008, his safety (not to mention his life)
instantly became the sole and direct responsibility of the police force, and no one else.
This is true of all people in the same situation: which is why no serious country will
ever tolerate a situation whereby mysterious
deaths in custody are not thoroughly and
publicly investigated.
And yet, when Azzopardi first sustained
the injuries that would eventually kill
him, the police not only failed to publicly
acknowledge what had happened… but at
the time, all official communications about
the incident were limited only to the detail
(dubious, at best) that Azzopardi had ‘tried
to escape’.
It fell to the family of the deceased to publicly disclose the undeniable fact that Azzopardi had been badly injured at a time (and in
a place) where the police were morally, legally
and technically obliged to prevent precisely
that eventuality from occurring.
Even when Azzopardi succumbed to his
injuries on 23 April, the police did not immediately issue any press release to inform
the media of this event. Again, it had to be
the family, via this newspaper, to step in and
compensate for this omission.
Looking back, it seems simply unbelievable
that it had to take a full-blown family press
conference – airing video footage of a man
claiming to have been savagely beaten by the
police – to finally prompt official inquiries
into a death in police custody.
This is something that should really have
happened straight away, as a matter of routine procedure.
In a serious country, one would also have
expected the police to hold this press confer-
ence themselves – as well as to insist on the
inquiry straight away, rather than wait three
years for yet more evidence to emerge that
the main witness was all along unreliable (to
say the least).
After all, the Police Commissioner has
on various occasions taken the initiative to
organise press conferences in the past… but
only, it seems, when the aim was to publicly
defend his Police Force from criticism.
At this point it is worth reminding both
Police Commissioner John Rizzo and Home
Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici that,
in the case of Nicholas Azzopardi, their
combined failure to take the necessary action
when confronted with such a serious matter,
stands in stark contrast to the gravity with
which analogous cases are treated elsewhere.
And with very good reason, too: for if
a country’s administrative and political
authorities can be so disdainful of their
responsibilities towards one particular case…
why should anyone expect them to behave
differently in other cases? And who is to
guarantee the health and safety of all other
persons taken into police custody in future…
if not the police themselves, and the ministry
responsible for the police?
This in turn raises yet another question
that has so far eluded any clear answer. From
the two investigations concluded to date, it
seems that there is no ‘standard procedure’
in place to govern such official inquiries.
Astonishingly, the accepted practice is for
the home affairs minister to simply appoint
a magistrate or judge, and draw up the terms
of reference himself.
Is it possible that no one has ever discerned
a potential conflict of interest here? Surely,
the minister politically responsible for the
police’s actions has a vested interest in ensuring that the police are never publicly shamed
by means of a conclusive inquiry report.
So how cam he also be the one to order the
inquiry?
In this case, the anomaly is more bizarre
still: for at the time of the incident, the
minister in question – i.e., Minister Mifsud
Bonnici – was still politically responsible for
both the police AND the judiciary (a situation that was rectified, with much consequence, last January).
Incredibly, then, the same person who
appoints judges and magistrates in the first
place, also gets to choose which of his earlier
appointees should investigate a mysterious
death… in which the ‘suspect’ (so to speak)
happens to be another department which
falls under his own portfolio.
Clearly this is not a tenable or serious
situation, and one can only sympathise with
Joe Azzopardi – Nicholas’ father – when he
demands an ‘independent inquiry, or none
at all’.
12
News
Police association calls for
tougher penalties for violent
acts against officers
THE Malta Police Association has
urged home affairs minister Carm
Mifsud Bonnici to toughen penalties for acts of violence against police officers.
The Malta Police Association,
issued a statement noting the increasing number of violent incidents against police officers, which
it said “were increasing at an alarming rate.”
The association added that it had
already issued similar statements
in May and September of last year
in which it urged the minister to
introduce stiffer fines for such incidents. The statements had urged
the home affairs minister Carm
Mifsud Bonnici to toughen penalties for such crimes.
It underlined the fact that since
it issued calls to toughen penalties,
the rate of violent incidents against
police officers increased but the
amendments were not introduced.
The association asked whether “we
are waiting for a police officer to
die while on duty before toughening the penalties.”
“Members of the corps are demotivated because they did not feel
protected by the law. One could
also note that police officers were
not covered by any form of insurance.”
The association urged the home
affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici to “immediately introduce
tougher penalties that reflect the
gravity of such incidents. We also
note that as more time goes by,
members of the corps are facing
violent actions on a daily basis.”
We feel that police officers who
are also workers like anybody elst
should not risk their lives on a daily
basis without the adequate protection from the authorities,” the MPA
said.
Meanwhile, the ministry for home
affairs said that legal amendments
to toughen the penalties against
acts of violence against police officers were published in November.
The ministry added that the government was committed to enact
the amendments following Parliamentary approval.
One of the amendments proposes
that fines for anyone found guilty
of threatening or injuring police
officers to increase by two grades,
instead of one
It added that the amendments will
mean that if one or two people vio-
lently resisted arrest, the fine will
increase from between four months
and a year to between six months
and two years.
If arrest was violently resisted
by three or more people, the fine
will increase from between seven
months and two years to between
nine months and three years.
The ministry also said that the
new amendments propose that
when weapons are used against police officers, the fine will increase
from between nine months and
three years to between one and four
years.
Other proposals include the introduction of a new article prohibiting probation orders or suspended
sentences in such instances.
GWU: pay employees
double on public
holidays
Residents said that opening gaming
outlets in the locality would increase
gambling problems in the area
Bormla council opposes betting shop
JAMES DEBONO
THE Bormla local council is ob-
jecting to the change of use of a
clothes shop in the corner between Triq Santa Tereza and Triq
ir-Regatta in to a gaming parlour
Ingram
Republic Street, Valletta
Tel: 2723 3386
(next to the Courts)
due to “social and urban environmental issues” related to this development.
Residents who have spoken to
this newspaper have expressed
concern that opening gaming
outlets in the locality will increase gambling problems in the
area.
MEPA had previously rejected
a similar application, as the
proposal was not in conformity
with the policies of the Lotteries
and Gaming Authority.
But this time round the applicant was granted a “no objection
certificate” by the LGA and is
being recommended for approval by the MEPA case officer.
The case officer report states
that the development of bingo
and casino outlets can be permitted in town centres “without
any restriction”.
A decision on this application
will be taken by MEPA in two
weeks time.
In January another application was presented to develop
another gaming shop in Misrah
Gavino Gulia instead a snack
bar. This application is still at
the initial stages of processing.
The Isla local council is also
resisting a similar proposal in
Triq il-Vitorja.
In this case, MEPA’s Environment and Planning Commission
has already expressed concern
that the gaming outlet will be
located in a residential area.
[email protected]
THE General Workers Union
(GWU) expressed its agreement
with the government’s decision
to allow shops to open on public holidays; however, the union
insisted that employees working on public holidays should be
paid double as stipulated by law.
The GWU added that all workers who normally work on public
holidays get paid double pay and
the same must apply for shop
employees.
“If not our country will be consolidating the problem of miserable wages.”
The union urged the government to ensure that no employees are exploited following its
decision to allow shops to open
on public holidays.
Yesterday, the government and
the GRTU announced that shops
are free to open for business on
Freedom Day and almost every
other public holiday this year
and next year, without needing
to pay the €700 special license
fee.
The GRTU explained that the
government accepted its request
to allow shops to open without
needing to pay the special licence of €700.
Shop owners are now free to
decide whether or not to open on
8 April (Easter Sunday), 1 May, 7
June, 29 June, 8 September and
21 September.
The only exceptions are Good
Friday and Santa Marija (15 August). Shops may also open on
public holidays next year, including 10 February.
Gonzi asks MCESD to consider
raising minimum wage
PRIME Minister Lawrence Gonzi
has asked the Malta Council for
Economic and Social Development
(MCESD) to discuss a report proposal by charity organisation Caritas for the statutory minimum wage
to increase from around €150 per
week to €180 per week.
In its study, A Minimum Budget
for a Decent Living, Caritas concluded that the minimum essential
budget for a household of two adults
and two children is estimated at
€10,634, a lone parent and two children at €8,581 and for two older persons at €6,328.
The study also highlighted the
need to urgently address the financial situation of lone parent families,
who Caritas says are at the highest
risk of poverty.
Addressing the ceremony for the
appointment of councillors and
mayors, Gonzi told the councillors
that their role was important for
residents to improve their lifestyles
and to take informed decisions.
“When Caritas presented their report to the Cabinet, they highlighted the important role local councils
played to make informed decisions.
What schools are teaching right now
during home economics and personal and social development (PSD)
classes, could be spread among the
community by the local councils,”
Gonzi said.
The Prime Minister said Caritas
was proposing that local councils
could help the residents in their financial and lifestyle choices, so that
their decisions can be sustainable.
“These include simple advices on
how to reduce water and electricity
consumption without affecting negatively the residents’ standard of living,” Gonzi said, while encouraging
the councillors to seek initiatives to
help the residents.
The Prime Minister said that a government led by him would continue
to help and support local councils
by guaranteeing annual financial
investments in the councils and by
improving administrative and legal
structures so that councils would be
“public oriented”.
Gonzi also called on the councillors to work as a team and serve as a
“good example” for the residents.
FREE WITH maltatoday ON WEDNESDAY
In collaboration with:
Business Today
WEDNESDAY 28 March 2012 - SUPPLEMENT ISSUE NO. 756
www.businesstoday.com.mt
In touch with… Vodafone’s CEO
With over 20 years experience in multinational companies across India,
Balesh Sharma, Vodafone Malta’s CEO, is a proven change leader who
excels in challenging, competitive market environments. DUNCAN BARRY
speaks with the Indian-born CEO
You joined the Malta branch of
Vodafone over a year ago. How would
you describe the Maltese market when
compared to other markets you have
worked in, one year down the line?
“I can assure you that even though
the market here in Malta is much
smaller than the market in India, certain
challenges remain the same. Having said
that, in Malta, there exists an issue related
to scale due to our small market size. The
telecommunications industry requires
high-cost investment which does not
necessarily provide the return that other
operational companies in other countries
do get. Moreover, in other markets you
can grow by adding more subscribers, or
by having more usage, however in Malta’s
case the situation is different because the
market is saturated in terms of number
of subscribers, but our subscribers use
mobile differently. People today want
internet access everywhere, while they’re
out with friends or moving around
enjoying themselves. This is where we
place our emphasis: on providing the best
Smartphone experience on the islands.”
How would you describe your
experience with Vodafone Malta since
your joining the company?
“It has been a pleasant and an exciting
experience so far. I’m lucky enough to
have found an energetic team which
is willing to participate actively in
everything that the company does. I have
also found a consumer base which is
loyal to the Vodafone brand.
“Vodafone is known in Malta for
being the market leader in the provision
of mobile electronic communication
service, for innovation and for providing
the best value available on the market. It
is this position that we are working hard
to sustain. We will continue to always
place our customers’ needs as our main
focus by offering them the products and
services that they require.”
Telecom is a tightly-regulated sector.
How does IT help keep pace with
dynamic norms?
IT is of paramount importance to our
industry and investing in IT is an absolute
necessity. We are currently investing €11
million to take our Customer Relationship
Management systems to an even higher
level. This investment is helping us to
work on providing all our customers the
best next-generation user experience.
How are you ensuring quality with
cost-effectiveness?
“While quality is of supreme importance
in everything we do, we always work
hard to make sure that we strike the
right balance between quality and costeffectiveness. Both are important to the
well-being of Vodafone as a business. To
achieve this balance we have embarked
on an internal drive to promote simplicity
in everything we do. Together with
all Vodafone’s team members, we are
looking at our working methods to make
life simpler to our employees and to our
customers alike.”
Success is measured in many ways,
how do you measure personal success
and the success of Vodafone Malta?
“Success is a multi-faceted issue. I
consider Vodafone Malta successful
because our customers tell us that we
provide them with the best customer
experience and they do this through
surveys which consistently place us in
the number one position – well above
our competitors. Moreover, surveys we
carry out always rate us number one
in customer satisfaction. Personally I
measure my success as a Vodafone CEO
when I see the high customer satisfaction
levels along with team satisfaction levels
which show that Vodafone Malta’s team
members have a high level of pride and
job satisfaction.
What does the future hold for
Vodafone Malta?
“Vodafone positioned itself as the home
for smartphones with smartphone sales
now making up an increasing percentage
of our handset sales. We will continue
building on this success to deliver a truly
outstanding mobile internet experience
by staying at the forefront of innovation
and by introducing new products and
services. This year we embarked on a
project which will lay the foundation
for 4th Generation network to which we
are committing our long term plans. We
want customers to continue recognising
that Vodafone has the best network, the
best devices, the best plans and a quality
customer care, all of which are critical to
enjoy a superior experience. We want to
continue creating customer admiration.
At the same time, we will continue to
Vodafone’s CEO Balesh Sharma
strive to have a level playing field in the
market so that we will be able to offer
a wide portfolio of telecommunication
services to our customers.”
How have smartphones and apps
changed people’s lives?
“There are some fantastic Apps which
have improved people’s experience while
using their smartphones. Personally, I
find the Gozo Ferry App and the Yahoo
Weather App for local weather extremely
useful. Super mobile is enabling people’s
lives in a way that we never imagined
before. Mobile technology has made
it possible for people to consume and
interact with social media anywhere
and anytime through the use of their
smartphones or tablets. Moreover,
mobile technology enables the interactive
dialogue that takes place over social
media platforms like Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, MySpace, Hi5, etc.”
Is the current crisis changing the
mobile communications industry?
“Due to the international economic
crisis both consumers and businesses alike
are focusing much more on controlling
expenses and this definitely impacts us as
a major player in the industry. This brings
along an opportunity for us since we are
in the business of bringing efficiency
and helping people to optimise better
their resources. For example, people can
avoid travel-induced costs by switching
to video conferencing for their meetings.
This will help them save both time and
money.”
As a relatively newly-appointed CEO
for Vodafone Malta, how are you leading
Vodafone through this challenging
economic transitional time?
“It is at times like these that one needs
to think of different of doing business.
It is no longer an issue of increasing
the company’s market share but of how
much existing and new clients will be
using Vodafone’s services.
“We are trying to increase revenue while
at the same time being cost-effective and
making sure that our money is invested
well. Furthermore, we are constantly
challenging the Vodafone team members
to act with simplicity, and with this aim
in mind we launched an internal initiative
to promote simplicity in everything we
do.”
What are the major challenges you
are facing?
“I would say that the major challenges
are those of regulatory nature, considering
that we are competing against two-quad
players. As a company we have been
working and focusing our efforts to
ensure that there exists the right regulatory
environment for us as a company to have
viable access to the fixed network. In this
regard, we are following very closely the
government’s plans for nationwide fibre to
the home and we are currently analysing
the expression of interest recently issued
by the Ministry of Information, Transport
and Communication.”
What can we expect from mobile
technology in the future?
“The future is exciting. We are
constantly seeing more people using more
data for their mobile devices. I see an
exciting future for Malta as well, where
mobile technology can make life easier
to the vast majority of people. Today,
the use of the sim-card is widespread,
and a sim-card is not only being used for
mobile lines but it is also used for tablets
and smartphones. Its future also lies in
other equipment such as smart meters
for electricity, kitchen equipment and
security systems.”
What is your opinion on roaming
tariffs, EU regulations?
“Irrespective of EU regulations,
Vodafone was the first mobile operator
to introduce tariffs that significantly
reduced and simplified roaming costs. A
case in point was our Vodafone Passport
product, which meant that customers
could go abroad while controlling their
mobile bills in a manner that significantly
reduced and simplified roaming costs.
“We’re constantly being innovative
when it comes to roaming products,
particularly since data penetration is
increasing.”
What is your personal opinion
about the local regulator, the Malta
Communications Authority as a whole?
“I
have
found
the
Malta
Communications Authority to be always
open to dialogue and consultation. The
MCA is an important stakeholder and
luckily for us, this Authority has always
shown its willingness to work closer to
the industry.
“Having said that, I think that there
are certain areas where true competition
and a level playing field should have
been ensured. For example, while a
lot of competition was ensured in the
mobile telephony sector, we believe
that competition has been diminished
in fixed telephony and fixed broadband
markets. I believe that access to a fixed
network for other operators is paramount
to the development of this vital economic
sector.”
MSE Index
– 27 March 2012
Number of trades
Volume Traded
Current Index
Change in Index (%)
66
4,543,419
2970.642
-0.043%
14
Business Today Supplement
Opinion
UK budget ushers in the ‘Granny’ tax
L
ast week UK Chancellor George Osborne announced his third budget
amid much fanfare that
it was not austerity driven and instead included a number
of visionary themes to enhance UK
business.
In a move seen as appeasing
junior coalition partners, the Liberal
Democrats, Osborne raised the
tax free point at which all workers
begin paying income tax – to around
£9,205 – funding it mainly by
closing tax loopholes for the wealthy
and increasing stamp duties on
property. The coalition government
is also giving a strong signal to UK
business by cutting corporation tax to
24% from 26% as from next month,
rather than to 25% as announced last
year. Unfortunately, due to the bad
finances inherited from the previous
Labour government in 2010, it was
forced to implement huge public
spending cuts and tax rises to slash
a record deficit.
Still measures have been put in
place which when fully operational
will benefit a number of sectors
such as North Sea oil companies,
infrastructure, technology, and
the creative arts and life services.
Meanwhile, the general reduction
in business taxation is expected to
improve the UK’s image as a place
to do business. A lot has been said
about the draconian personal tax of
50p imposed by the outgoing Labour
government which, at that time, the
Conservatives heavily criticised as
a method of leeching the rich and
scaring away investment. Last year
the coalition government retained
the tax but this time the Prime
Minister has come under severe
pressure to lower it.
The UK government argued that
cutting the top rate of income tax
that is levied on those earning above
£150,000 (180,000 euros) per year
was a step in the right direction
as the current level of 50% was
damaging the economy, being the
highest tax rate in the G20. The
previous Labour government had
raised the top rate from 40% to 50%
following the global financial crisis
in 2008. Aptly termed as a “budget
for millionaires”, Chancellor George
Osborne in the Budget announced
the tax is due to fall to 45p in
April 2013 for those earning above
£150,000 annually.
On average the cut in the top tax
rate would cost about £100 million
in lost revenue annually. Another
unexpected move was to close the
loophole of no stamp duty charged
on owners of luxury property in the
UK via offshore vehicles. It was
common knowledge that buyers of
expensive property held by offshore
vehicles could avoid stamp duty
by acquiring a company’s shares
rather than purchasing the property
George Mangion
directly. That practice was also seen
as beneficial to sellers, since buyers
could afford to offer higher prices in
the knowledge that no stamp duty
was due. Osborne remarked: “I have
given plenty of public warnings that
this abuse should stop. Now I’m
taking action. I am increasing the
stamp duty land tax charge applied
to residential properties – over £2m
brought into a corporate envelope.
The charge will be 15% as with
effect from today.”
Concurrently, the stamp duty paid
on UK properties sold for more than
£2m was raised from 5% to 7%.
British citizens with interests abroad
can register for non-domiciled status
with the dubious concession that
they can then avoid paying tax on
earnings made outside the UK.
Another positive move was to
cut corporation tax to 22p by 2014
although the Institute of Directors’
spokesman Simon Walker expected
it to be lowered even further to 15%.
Both tax reductions are a bold move
to shake up a sluggish economy but
the government is finding it can be
very difficult to manoeuvre in such
circumstances. As a start to reduce
abuses in state benefit claims, it has
announced a cut in some categories
of parents claiming child benefit.
The opposition Labour Party was
quick to criticise the budget policy.
It is quoted as saying taht “the
budget is giving a £40,000 tax cut to
millionaires each and every year it
is funding that by hitting pensioners
who have worked hard all their
lives and played by the rules”, said
Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.
Another big outcry was the
freezing of pensioners claims.
This policy was what earned the
budget the sick title of promoting a
Granny’s tax . It comes as no secret
that like other countries (Malta not
excluded), the UK faces increasing
pension costs over the long term
as the number of people claiming
pensions is expected to grow. One
measure taken ahead last year was
to increase the state pension age
and freeze pension allowances. The
pension-allowance freeze will save
the government about £3 billion
over four years and will affect about
4.4 million pensioners, roughly 40%
of the total. The new system means
pensioners would be on average £83
per year worse off, while those who
are about to retire would lose £285.
British citizens with interests abroad can register for non-domiciled status with the dubious concession that they can avoid
paying tax on earnings made outside the UK.
Pensioners have protested angrily by
saying it’s an “outrageous assault”
on “decent middle-class pensioners”.
But it is also an austerity measure
which the Chancellor could not
avoid even though it was hugely
unpopular.
The
Conservative
leaning paper, The Telegraph, came
out with the headline ‘Granny tax
hits 5m pensioners’. On the business
side, many applauded the move to
rebuild the country and invest in
better systems. It plans to provide
a modern infrastructure, with new
growth-friendly planning rules and
employment laws together with
the type of modern schools and
universities which befits a future
workforce, however unfortunately
the money is not there. In contrast
it is still doubtful how much longer
can the country retain its triple
A rating and still churn out high
annual deficits. This is another in
a string of austerity budgets which
stoically pledges the government’s
unwavering commitment to deal
with Britain’s record debts. Growth
is meagre at 0.8% and technically
one cannot be surprised if the UK
dips into a recession given this low
rate of growth. Party apologists say
“no pain now, no gain later” and
they cheerfully predict a revival in
2013. In fact they forecast two per
cent for 2013, and 2.7% for 2014,
and for both 2015 and 2016 three per
cent whereas inflation is forecast to
fall to 2.8% in 2012, and to 1.9% in
2013.
The Chancellor is hoping that
tax evaders in the high tax bracket
will come clean when the rate
is reduced to 45%. Others cheer
the efforts by the government to
close the loopholes especially in
VAT. There were indications that
Osborne’s assault on VAT loopholes
was having an impact on business.
To start with, presently soft drinks
and sports drinks include VAT
while sports nutrition drinks are
not. But the emphasis to assist
small businesses was translated
into action as new measures were
announced to find new alternatives
to bank lending so that small- and
medium-sized
businesses
can
grow and create jobs. One new
scheme is the proposed Business
Finance Partnership. This is a way
of matching previously untapped
private finance with demand thus
doubling the incentive under the
enterprise management scheme to
enable entrepreneurial, high-risk
companies to motivate their staff.
One hopes that by increasing the
government’s risk sharing under
the Enterprise Finance Guarantee it
will make banks more able to boost
small business lending. The setting
up of new Enterprise Zones to help
support greater economic activity
right across the UK was also
announced in the budget. These new
zones will encourage investment and
give business a strong incentive to
expand activity by creating jobs in
parts of the country that are mostly
in need. Further incentives by way
of tax credits were added to help
encourage TV drama, animation
and computer game industries.
One hopes that a revival in such
mobile companies which operate
on a global stage will result in
higher generation of exports and of
course create much-needed wealth
and jobs. This has been proven by
the recent success proclaimed by
Osborne who confirmed GSK’s
Osborne proudly
exclaimed his
Budget had
“changed the view
of Great Britain”
– the giant pharmaceutical firm –
plans to invest more than £500m in
manufacturing and the creation of a
new factory in Cumbria.
Osborne proudly exclaimed his
Budget had “changed the view
of Great Britain”. It is true that
government’s issuing austerity
budgets do not get much acclamation
from constituents but if the long
term policy is to trim the annual
deficit to a reasonable figure, than
the UK Chancellor needs nerves of
steel. Likewise in Malta we have
seen that during the period post2008, the finance minister laboured
hard to avoid dipping his hands into
the depleted national coffers and
restrained himself from redeploying
the dole queues in the public sector.
Let’s hope that the UK economy
revives in 2013 and as an item of
first priority, the Chancellor repeals
the notorious Granny tax.
The author is a partner at PKF
– an audit and business advisory
firm.
15
Business Today Supplement
News
Money market report for week
ended March 23
ECB monetary operations
On Monday, March 19, the
ECB announced its weekly Main
Refinancing Operation. The auction
was conducted on Tuesday, March
20, and attracted bids from euro area
eligible counterparties of €59.54
billion, €17.36 billion higher than the
amount bid for in the previous week.
The bid amount was allotted in full at a
fixed rate equivalent to the prevailing
main refinancing rate of 1.00%, in
accordance with current ECB policy.
On Tuesday, March 20, the ECB
conducted an auction for a seven-
day fixed-term deposit intended to
absorb €218 billion. This operation
is designed to sterilise the effect of
purchases made under the Securities
Markets Programme that were settled
but had not yet matured by the previous
Friday, March 16.
The auction was carried out at a
variable rate, with euro area eligible
counterparties allowed to place up
to four bids at a maximum rate of
1.00%. It attracted bids amounting
to €429.70 billion, with the ECB
allotting €218 billion, or 50.73%, of
the total amount bid for. The marginal
rate on the auction was set at 0.26%,
with the weighted average rate also at
0.26%.
On Wednesday, March 21, the
ECB conducted a seven-day US
dollar funding operation through
collateralised lending in conjunction
with the US Federal Reserve. This
operation attracted bids of $1.80
billion, which were allotted in full at
a fixed rate of 0.65%.
Domestic Treasury Bill market
In the domestic primary market for
Treasury bills the Treasury invited
tenders for 91-day and 181-day
bills maturing on June 22, 2012 and
September 20, 2012, respectively.
Bids of €4.25 million were submitted
for the 91-day bills, with the Treasury
accepting €2.25 million, while bids
of €3 million were submitted for
the 181-day bills, with the Treasury
accepting the full amount. Since €4.7
million worth of bills matured during
the week, the outstanding balance of
Treasury bills increased by €0.55
million, to stand at €213.81 million.
The yield from the 91-day bill
auction was 0.847%, i.e. 0.1 basis
points lower than that on bills with
a similar tenor issued on March 16,
2012, representing a bid price of
99.7864 per 100 nominal. The yield
from the 181-day bill auction was
1.05%, i.e. 5 basis points higher than
on bills with a similar tenor issued on
February 24, 2012, representing a bid
price of 99.4749 per 100 nominal.
During the week under review, there
was no trading on the Malta Stock
Exchange.
On Tuesday, the Treasury invited
tenders for 90-day bills maturing on
June 28, 2012.
Regular Market closed - 27/03/2012
▼
●
▲
●
▼
▲
●
▼
●
●
●
▲
●
▼
▲
●
●
●
▼
●
▼
▼
▲
▼
▲
▼
▼
▼
▼
▲
Symbol Code
BOV
FIM
HSB
IHI
MIA
MTP
RS2
B.BOV48B
B.FIM7
B.FIM7USD
B.GAP7EUR
B.HSB46EUR
B.HSB59
B.MDI7
B.MED625
B.MLT715
B.TUM625
G36.13D
G425.17C
G43.22BR
G46.20B
G5.21A
G51.14C
G52.31A
G525.30A
G61.15A
G645.14B
G66.14A
G665.16A
G78.18A
Volume Traded
7232
50000
5000
200
6000
400
23592
4000
16200
10000
48500
26000
20000
3000
25000
43000
2000
2400
100000
6000
500000
500000
560000
461400
20000
1000000
500000
300000
300000
3495
Value Traded
15978.400
42500.000
12517.617
150.000
10200.000
376.000
12975.600
4116.000
16684.380
10250.000
48535.000
26519.000
21130.000
3030.600
24964.000
44096.500
2060.000
2453.760
103870.000
6045.000
520500.000
530350.000
591640.000
465105.400
20297.600
1103700.000
551250.000
325920.000
341340.000
4308.986
Trades
6
2
3
1
2
2
1
1
2
1
3
4
1
1
4
6
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
7
3
2
2
1
1
1
High Price
2.220
0.850
2.520
0.750
1.700
0.940
0.550
102.900
102.990
102.500
101.000
102.000
105.650
101.020
100.000
102.550
103.000
102.240
103.870
100.750
104.100
106.070
105.650
101.730
101.500
110.370
110.250
108.640
113.780
123.290
Low Price
2.200
0.850
2.502
0.750
1.700
0.940
0.550
102.900
102.990
102.500
100.000
101.990
105.650
101.020
99.100
102.550
103.000
102.240
103.870
100.750
104.100
106.070
105.650
100.700
101.380
110.370
110.250
108.640
113.780
123.290
Open Price
2.200
0.850
2.503
0.750
1.700
0.940
0.550
102.900
102.990
102.500
100.000
101.990
105.650
101.020
99.100
102.550
103.000
102.240
103.870
100.750
104.100
106.070
105.650
101.730
101.380
110.370
110.250
108.640
113.780
123.290
Close Price
2.200
0.850
2.520
0.750
1.700
0.940
0.550
102.900
102.990
102.500
100.000
102.000
105.650
101.020
100.000
102.550
103.000
102.240
103.870
100.750
104.100
106.070
105.650
100.700
101.500
110.370
110.250
108.640
113.780
123.290
Change
-0.019
0.000
0.018
0.000
-0.019
0.010
0.000
-0.350
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.490
0.000
-0.980
1.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
-0.170
0.000
-0.220
-0.140
0.060
-0.790
0.120
-0.110
-0.320
-0.870
-0.270
0.190
Twap
2.209
0.850
2.503
0.750
1.700
0.940
0.550
102.900
102.990
102.500
100.070
102.000
105.650
101.020
99.860
102.550
103.000
102.240
103.870
100.750
104.100
106.070
105.650
100.800
101.490
110.370
110.250
108.640
113.780
123.290
The rates quoted above are against the EURO.
16
THIS WEEK
WHAT’S ON
NIGHTLIFE
SUNDAYS
Salsa Sundays
Introducing Salsa Sundays at BJ’s
Live Music Club, Paceville from
20:30. A night of salsa, rueda,
bacata-merengue spun by DJs
Edward, Eman and Billy. For more
information call: 99 493534.
MARCH 30
Kizum Klof & Cherrywood
Acoustic gig by the two bands at
Coach and Horses, Valley Road,
Msida, 21:00. Entrance is at €3.
MARCH 31
Rewind 90s
90s music DJ party at the Main
Room of Gianpula, limits of Rabat.
Featuring DJs Ryan Spiteri and
Pierre Cordina. Doors open from
22:30 onwards. Tickets are at: €7
(€10 at the door). VIP Tickets: €15.
Ticket outlets: PC Zone, Hamrun;
Square Bar, Mellieha; Xik’s, Paola
and Zebbug; St Canteen (ask for
Luana). Ticket hotline: 79 229090.
Coryse Borg will be
performing in Kjaroskur
at St James Cavalier next
weekend
MARCH 31
Stalko live
The indie band will be playing at
Msida, 21:00. Entrance is at €3.
APRIL 1
Fastidyew and YEWS
The two electronic solo artists will
be playing some of their favourite
tracks at Coach and Horses, Valley
Road, Msida. Doors open at 20:00.
Entrance is free.
APRIL 5
Bintang!
Fundraising concert organised
by Youth For The Environment at
Msida. Featuring a live set by
Relikc. Entrance is at €2. Doors
open at 20:30.
APRIL 6
ShawnJon’s Good Friday
A night of hip-hop music at Coach
and Horses, Valley Road, Msida.
Featuring DJs Shawn James and
Jon Moore. Doors open at 21:30.
Entrance is free.
APRIL 7
The Masquerade Mafia
Lights Out party at Gianpula,
limits of Rabat. Featuring DJs
Pillu, Luc Adams and Ziggy.
Tickets are at €10. Ticket outlet:
Pull & Bear (Sliema, Valletta,
B’kara, Paola). Online bookings:
www.yoyo.com.mt.
APRIL 7
Knockout Events Easter
Special feat. Jonathan
Mendelsohn
Berlin-based dance DJ Jonathan
Mendelsohn will headline a
party at KU Club, Gozo. He was
joined by local DJs Ruby, Filetti,
JJoy, Terra, Ms Amira, Felix and
a live set by Lost Emotions. The
‘Underground Area’ will feature
Neil Pantos, The Element, Roltek
and Aaron. Ticket hotline: 79
966390.
YEWS will be spinning a DJ set
alongside Fastidjew at Coach and
Horses, Valley Road, Msida on April 1
Featuring Malcolm Galea and
Joseph Zammit. Tickets may be
booked online from www.sjcav.org
or by calling 21 223200. Tickets
for children are at €8, €10 for
adults. Family tickets (for four) are
at €30.
MARCH 29, APRIL 15, MAY 5
She Stoops to Conquer
NT Live production of the Oliver
Goldsmith play, beamed live
from London to St James Cavalier
cinema, Valletta. Live show and
encores at 20:00. Tickets are at
€12 for the live show, €10 for the
encore, with €8 concessions and
€5 tickets for children. Bookings:
21 223200, [email protected].
THEATRE
EXHIBITIONS
MARCH 31
The Comedy of Errors
ENDS TODAY
Unni Askeland – Friezed...
continued
Modern-day adaptation of the
William Shakespeare comedy,
beamed from London to St James
Cavalier cinema, Valletta. Starts
at 20:00. Bookings: 21 223200,
[email protected].
MARCH 30; APRIL 1
Kjaroskur
Du Theatre production of an
original play by Simone Spiteri,
held at St James Cavalier, Valletta
at 20:00. Directed by Chris Gatt.
Cast includes: Coryse Borg, Peter
Galea, Stefan Farrugia and Simone
Spiteri. Bookings: 21 223200,
[email protected].
APRIL 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11
The Complete History of Malta
(More or Less)
Children’s play depicting key
events from Maltese history at St
James Cavalier, Valletta, 11:00.
Malcolm Galea (left) and Joseph
Zammit will be presenting their own
spin on Maltese history at St James
Chris Briffa’s proposal to turn
Valletta’s Covered Market into a
contemporary art museum is on
display at Lily Agius Gallery, Sliema
Exhibition of paintings by
Norwegian artist Unni Askeland
at The Museum of Fine Arts,
South Street, Valletta. Curated
by Christine X of X Art, Tigne,
Sliema. Open from Monday
to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00.
More information: christine@
christinexart.com.
UNTIL APRIL 29
Metal Magic – Spanish
Treasures from the Khalili
Collections
Exhibition at the Salon of the
National Museum of Archaeology,
Valletta. Admission to the
exhibition will be included in the
admission price to the Museum:
Adults €5; Students (12 years
upwards) and Seniors €3.50;
Children (six to 11 years) €2.50.
(Heritage Malta members enter
YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY
for free). More information: www.
khalili.org.
LITERATURE
MARCH 29, 30
Desire, Literature and Culture
The annual literature and theory
symposium organised by The
Department of English of the
University of Malta, held at the
University of Malta Valletta
Campus, St Paul’s Street,
Valletta. Papers by both local and
international postgraduates will
look into the theme of ‘desire’ in
literature and culture. Registration
fee is at €50 for both days or €30
for one day. The registration fee
for undergraduates is at €25 for
both days or €15 for one day. To
register log on to: http://www.
um.edu.mt/events/dlc2012/
registration.
FILM
SCREENING
APRIL 6
Dead Man’s Shoes
Screening of the Shawn Meadows
film at 60A, Strait Street, Valletta.
Organised by Ir-Realta’ Magazine.
Entrance is at €2.50 – all proceeds
go towards the next print issue
of the magazine. Doors open at
19:00.
EDUCATION
UNTIL APRIL 7
Storytelling Sessions
Storytelling sessions organised
with the aim to serve as an aid to
language acquisition for three- to
six-year-olds. Held every Saturday
at 193, St Angelo Street, Zejtun.
Priced at €10 for four sessions.
Booking: 99 226186, 21 667001,
[email protected].
17
THIS WEEK
TV/CINEMA
AT CINEMAS
TODAY
TVM
20:00 L-Aħbarijiet 20:40 Bijografiji – Strada Stretta
21:45 Harbourlife 22:15 Mixage 23:00 Madwarna
23:15 L-Aħbarijiet 23:30 Style Watch (repeat)
TVM2
19:30 Documentary 19:45 Madwarna 20:00 Ahbarijiet 20:45 Champions League: Milan – Barcelona 22:45 Planet Earth
NET TV
19:45 Net News 20:30 Simpatici 21:30 Net News
21:32 Iswed fuq l-Abjad 23:00 Net News 23:30
Bejni u Bejnek
20:20 – C.S.I. Miami – Italia 1
ONE
19:30 One News 20:30 TX 22:30 Fresh & Funky
23:15 One News 23:40 Minuta Wahda 23:45 Kalamita
CANALE 5
20:00 Tg5 – Meteo 5 20:30 Striscia la notizia 21:10
Vite in ostaggio 23:20 Matrix
01:30 Tg5 Notte – Meteo 5 02:00 Striscia la notizia
02:30 Mediashopping
ITALIA 1
20:30 – Walker Texas Ranger – Rete 4
01:10 – The Shield – Italia 1
18:30 Studio Aperto – Meteo 19:00 Studio Sport
19:20 Tutto in famiglia 19:50 I Simpson 20:20
C.S.I. Miami 21:10 17 Again – Ritorno al liceo 23:15
Films released by KRS Distributors
The Best Exotic
Marigold Hotel
British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less
luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected
ways. Starring: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton.
Showing soon
The Cold Light
Of Day
Story of Will Shaw, a young Wall Street trader whose family is kidnapped on a vacation to Spain. He’s
left with only hours to find them, uncover a government conspiracy and the connection between their
disappearance and his father’s secrets. Starring: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver.
Showing soon
Cake – Ti amo, ti mollo... ti sposo 01:10 The Shield
02:10 Studio Aperto – La giornata
RETE 4
18:55 Tg4 – Meteo 4 19:35 Tempesta d’amore
20:30 Walker Texas Ranger 21:10 Uno sceriffo
extraterrestre... poco extra e molto terrestre
23:15 I Bellissimi di Rete 423:20 American
Gangster 02:05 Tg4 Night News 02:30 Ferie
d’agosto
RAI UNO
20:00 Tg1 20:30 Affari tuoi 21:10 Sanremo
2011 – 61° Festival della Canzone 00:45 Tg1
Notte – Tg1 Focus 01:15 Sottovoce
RAI DUE
18:15 Tg2 18:45 Squadra Speciale Cobra 11
19:35 L’Isola dei Famosi 20:30 Tg2 20:45 UEFA
Champions League 22:45 90° minuto Champions 23:20 Tg2 23:40 Close to Home 00:25 La
Storia siamo noi 01:15 Tg Parlamento
RAI TRE
19:00 Tg3 19:30 Tg Regione – Tg Regione Meteo 20:00 Blob 20:10 Seconde Chance 20:35
Un posto al Sole 21:05 Chi l’ha visto? 23:15
Parla con me 00:00 Tg3 Linea Notte 00:10 Tg
Regione 00:55 Meteo 3
St James Cavalier
Valletta
Tel. 21 223200
Anonymous (12)
18:45
Hugo (U)
21:00
Embassy Cinemas
Valletta
Tel. 21 227436, 21 245818
John Carter (3D) (PG)
11:00, 14:20, 17:45, 20:50
Pirates: An Adventure with
Scientists (U)
14:00, 16:00, 18:10, 20:55
Safe House (14)
10:30, 16:05, 18:30, 21:00
We Bought a Zoo (U)
10:30, 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00
Intruders (16)
14:10, 16:20, 18:40, 21:10
This Means War (14)
14:20, 16:30, 18:40, 20:50
Eden Cinemas
St Julian’s
Tel. 23 710400
Project X (18)
14:25, 16:35, 18:50, 21:15, 23:25
Man on a Ledge (12)
14:25, 16:35, 18:50, 21:15, 23:25
This Means War (14)
14:20, 16:30, 18:40, 21:10, 23:15
Black Gold (12)
14:30, 18:25, 21:05, 23:40
The Artist (U)
14:15, 16:25, 18:35, 21:05, 23:15
The Pirates! (3D) (U)
14:15, 16:15, 18:30, 21:00, 23:00
Young Adult (16)
14:10, 16:25, 18:45, 20:50, 23:00
The Iron Lady (PG)
14:10, 16:25, 18:45, 20:55, 23:10
Shame (18)
14:10, 16:20, 18:35, 20:50, 23:10
Jack and Jill (PG)
14:10, 16:20, 18:35, 20:55, 23:00
Dear Dom (U)
14:00, 15:25, 16:50, 18:20, 19:45,
21:15, 22:50
The Vow (12)
14:05, 16:15, 18:30, 21:00, 23:10
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
(U)
14:20, 16:30, 18:40, 20:45, 22:45
We Need to Talk About Kevin (18)
14:05, 16:30, 18:50, 21:10, 23:30
We Bought A Zoo (U)
14:25, 18:15, 20:45, 23:30
14:30, 18:15, 21:00, 23:45
Empire Cinemas
Bugibba
Tel. 21 581787, 21 581909
The Pirates! (3D) (U)
14:00, 16:05, 18:20, 20:45
14:30, 18:00, 21:00
This Means War (14)
14:00, 16:20, 18:35, 20:55
Black Gold (12)
14:15, 17:45, 20:45
We Bought a Zoo (U)
13:30, 16:10, 18:50, 21:25
Man on a Ledge (12)
13:50, 16:15, 18:40, 21:00
Safe House (14)
13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:05
18
Events
HSBC Malta supports Earth Hour
On Saturday at 8.30pm, major cities and world landmarks across the
globe will be turning their lights off
for 60 minutes in support of Earth
Hour.
Set up by the World Wild Life
Fund (WWF) in 2007, Earth Hour
is an annual global event which encourages business and households
to unite in turning off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances as a symbolic energy-saving
exercise.
HSBC is once again supporting
this event, with participation in
over 59 countries around the HSBC
Group, including Malta, in order
to raise awareness and help avert
potentially devastating climate
change.
Global warming is generally accepted by scientist to be the greatest threat facing our planet today.
A warming planet alters weather
patterns, water supplies, seasonal
growth for plants and a sustainable
way of life.
HSBC Malta estimates that its
own “Earth Hour” initiatives will
this year save 78 kgs of greenhouse
gas emissions, which is equivalent to
emissions of 89 households. This is
over and above other savings made
by HSBC staff personally, who will
be participating in this worthwhile
initiative. This year, HSBC will also
be increasing the number of properties that will be participating in
Earth Hour.
“As a long term supporter of
WWF’s Earth Hour, HSBC Malta
values this campaign as a resounding reminder of the serious threats
posed by climate change,” said
Mark Watkinson, CEO of HSBC
Bank Malta. “This world-wide activity also passes the powerful message that every individual, every
business, and every community can
coordinate its resources in response
to the climate challenges our planet
is facing.”
Participation in Earth Hour has
been growing steadily and last year
saw hundreds of millions of people
across 135 countries switching off
for an hour.
HSBC will again
be participating
in Earth Hour
which will
be held this
Saturday
MIDAS: A new type of MAPFRE Asistencia and Middlesea
financial investment Insurance plc launch Middlesea
Assist
from HSBC
Recently the official launch event
for Middlesea Assist was held at
Westin Dragonara Resort Hotel.
The event was attended by senior
officials from MAPFRE Asistencia,
Middlesea Insurance and MAPFRE
Internacional together with intermediaries of Middlesea, employees
and other distinguished guests.
Middlesea Assist is a joint venture
between the leading local insurer
Middlesea Insurance and MAPFRE Asistencia. Mapfre Asistencia, the Assistance Company of
Mapfre Group with presence in
43 countries and business in over
80, owns 51% of the company with
Middlesea Insurance plc holding
a 49% shareholding. This synergy
was made possible once Middlesea
Insurance plc became a member of
the MAPFRE Group, a leading global insurance player present in all
five continents. Middlesea Assist
started operations in mid-January
2012 offering roadside assistance
and home assistance services to
Middlesea Insurance home and
motor policy holders 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, through
its call centre, its own new trucks
and through a network of service
providers.
Over the first weeks of operations
services were very well received
and registering excellent service
response times and customer experience feedback.
This joint venture is another step
forward in Middlesea Insurance’s
strategy focus on innovation and
quality customer service offering,
which is facilitated through the
synergies and backing provided by
its majority shareholder MAPFRE.
Middlesea
Insurance
p.l.c.
(C-5553) is authorised by the Malta Financial Services Authority to
carry on both Long Term and General Business under the Insurance
Business Act, 1998.
With MIDAS, HSBC is offering a highly
diversified and innovative investment
for the balanced investor
HSBC Bank Malta has launched
an innovative type of financial investment: the Mixed Investment
Deposit Account Solution (MIDAS).
What makes MIDAS unique is that
it combines an investment in the
highly diversified World Selection
Portfolio Options with the additional benefit of a one year Term Deposit
Account that offers an exclusive interest rate.
Denominated in Euros, MIDAS is
available to all eligible Maltese and
foreign investors. The minimum investment is set at €10,000, half of the
investment goes towards the World
Selection Portfolio Options of the
client’s choosing and the other half
is deposited into a Term Deposit Account.
The World Selection Portfolios
are open ended investments offering five different profiles - ranging
from very cautious to very adventurous - to suit the investor’s particular
investment needs and risk profile.
With MIDAS, the World Selection investment works alongside a
Term Deposit Account that runs for
one year, offering an exclusive rate
of 2.75% per annum, with an additional 0.25% per annum for HSBC
Premier clients. These rates are
valid for all accounts opened before
1 September 2012. At the end of the
first year, the Term Deposit Account
will close and the initial investment
in the Term Deposit as well as the
interest will be credited to a current
or savings account of the client’s
choice. There is an initial charge
of 3.5% (3.25% for HSBC Premier
Customers) on the part of the capital invested in the World Selection
Portfolios.
For a full description of MIDAS
visit any of HSBC’s branches in
Malta and Gozo for assistance from
a Financial Planning Officer. More
information about MIDAS is also
available online at www.hsbc.com.
mt/midas.
From left: The board of directors of Middlesea Assist: Joao
Paulo Santos, Christopher Borg, Nikos Antimisaris, Hernan
Untermann, Anne Marie Tabone, Alfredo Munoz
New blood analysers at National Blood Transfusion Service
A project involving the installation of specialized laboratory
equipment by Vivian Corporation,
on behalf of Sysmex Corporation,
at the National Blood Transfusion Service earlier this month led
to Sysmex scheduling one of their
European distributor meetings
in Malta this coming September
2012.
The announcement was made by
Mr. Patrick Baars, Area Manager
at Sysmex Europe GmbH, during a
special application training session
for analysts and employees at the
National Blood Transfusion Service to help them familiarize themselves with the new equipment. The
training session was conducted by
Dr. Bjoern Neubacher, Product
YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY
Manager Haematology also from
Sysmex Europe GmbH.
Vivian Corporation, which has
been the exclusive distributor for
the Sysmex brand in the Maltese
islands for more than 12 years, has
just finished installing two Sysmex
XS-1000i analysers at the National
Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS)
laboratories following a successful bid for a Government tender.
The XS-1000i is a high quality
haematology analyser dedicated to
measuring complete blood counts
(CBCs) and 5 types of white blood
cells in just a few minutes. This fast
analysis makes blood more readily
available to patients, and is of par-
ticular value especially to those patients who need blood quickly.
“We are delighted with our recent collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Service
and with how all stages proceeded
smoothly throughout the whole
process,” said Gordon Zammit,
Sales and Marketing Manager from
Vivian Corporation. “We take pride
in our professional attitude and
this reflects itself in our projects
with companies and institutions
who trust our specialized healthcare products and services. In fact,
in order to ensure that all the staff
at the NBTS are fully proficient in
the application of this new equip-
ment, Vivian Corporation sent its
own technicians for specialised
training at the Sysmex Academy in
Hamburg, Germany so as to be fully prepared prior to the installation
of the XS-1000i analysers.”
Alex Aquilina, Medical Director
and Responsible Person for NBTS
praised the level of service and
the smooth proceedings throughout the entire installation process.
“All the analysts at the NBTS have
acknowledged the professional attitude and the commitment employed by Vivian Corporation and
Sysmex, as well as by the level of the
training given to them by Dr Neubacher.”
19
Classifieds
ALUMIUM WORKS
MANUFACTURERS of aluminium security roller shutters for windows and
doors. Aluminium shutters for garages
(roller or ceiling systems). All types of
aluminium, apertures, aluminium thermal
insulation, PVC apertures, security main
doors, aluminium railings for stairs and
balconies (chrome/stainless steel finish).
A45 Industrial Estate, Marsa. Call on
21226320, 99891899. Email: horvin@
waldonet.net.mt. Visit www.horvin.eu
VIN Aluminium (ex-Joevin), manufacturers of doors, windows, insect screens,
etc. We also make repairs. Call on
21898999, 99465666
ANTIQUES
Upgrades and technical assistance. Call
Josef on 99460939, 21227614 - www.
computech.com.mt.
FIGOLLI
BOOKINGS for delicious home-meda figolli are being accepted to support Equal
Partners Foundation. Book early to avoid
disappointment on 21250400 or info@
equalpartners.org.mt
FOR HIRE
CHAIRS AND TABLES for all occasions
including children’s parties, weddings,
Gala dinners, etc.Variation of chairs and
tables of any colours and sizes. Call
Gino ta’ Hal Qormi on 99492732, 7949
2732, 21472838. Facebook: Gino ta
Hal-Qormi
ment at favourable prices. Special offers
on student packages. Ask for the special
offer of the month. Smart cards accepted. Call on 21440424
NEW beauty Spa ‘Honey Girl’ is now
open from Monday to Saturday, offering
oriental massage, nail art, etc. Slimming
treatments also available. New Chinese
masseuse available. 37, Valley Road,
Balzan. Contact Ms Lin on 99210180,
27556688
NEW Chinese masseuse available in
Huaxia Chinese massage centre in Pitkali
Road, Attard. Call on 79800298
HOLIDAY ACCOMODATION
GOZO, XLENDI new furnished apartments. Call on 21555026, 79592764
BARBER chair. Call on 77633663
BARGAIN Prices: For sale large gild
ormolu mirror, Maltese mahogany desk,
marble dressing table, chiffonier, biscuttin table, marble chest of drawers with
grotesque lions, pair Victorian chairs,
glass domes, clocks under domes, lusters, opalin and ceramic vases, figurines, Persian carpets and more. Call on
21415949, 99420241, 77415949.
WE BUY ANY ANTIQUES such as clocks,
mirrors, figurines, paintings, furniture
and silver in any condition. Very good
prices paid in cash. Call on 21237597,
21470128, 99869519
AUTO-AIRCONDITIONING
TECNOPLUS LTD, for auto air-conditioning. Check and prepare your air-conditioning now, repairs, servicing and parts.
Avoid summer rush. Call on 21468402,
79468402, 99468402, 99498371
BOATS
3 blade marine propellor, bronze 20.5
inches high shaft, 2 inches minus
two lines perect. Price €150. Call on
79031640, 21464096
MERCURY, 225HP, 30litre, offshore,
2 motors for sale. In very good condition and serviced annually. Price €3,500
each. Mercury 200HP Optimax €5,800.
Call on 99227507
TO view the full range of Sea Ray Boats
call at BJ Marine at Grand Harbour Marina
St Lawrence St. Birgu. 2012 Brochures
just arrived. Call on 27019356
CAKES
GENUINE, mouthwatering home-made
cakes. Visit Facebook page: Cake
Designs by Rachel and benefit from a
5% discount on cakes on menu when
selecting like. Call on 99869826
CAR WASH
GERMAN MAKE EHRLE TOUCHLESS
CARWASH operated round the clock
at Galea General Services Ltd, Mgarr
Road, Xewkija, Gozo. Self-service with no
brushes and hence spotless wash and
no scratches. Other washing equipment
available. For trade enquiries call on
21561122, 99494618; fax 21554277;
www.ggs.com.mt
CLEANING SERVICES
TOTAL CLEANING AND RESTORATION
SERVICES LTD, cleaning of all kinds of
carpets, upholstery and curtains (on site)
and fire places. Insurance claims for fire
and water damage accepted. Call on
99455152 or email [email protected]
COMPUTERS
ALL kinds of computer repairs at your
Home. FREE USB Pendrive with every
Format. Wireless setup, Virus cleaning.
TRAILERS FOR HIRE - Box trailers length
1.44m or 2.04m with lockable plastic
cover and soft plastic cover respectively.
EC approved for EU countries.Towbars
also available for sale. Apply Acheck
VRT station, Mosta. Call on 21432656,
99441297. ww.acheckgarage.com
CLOVER (silla), a stock of 65 bales
at the price of €5 per bale. Call on
79031640
COLOUR bulbs or clear 15w filament.
See-through or matt light bulbs, ideal for
feasts, festoons, holders, LEDs, etc. Call
on 99497336
FOR SALE
SNOOKER and Pool tables, foreign,
made in solid mahogany. Complete with
accessories. Professional and commercial cues, soccer tables and air hockey
tables. Maintenance and recovering of
all types of tables. Call on 21227209,
99475092 or email on mr.snooker147@
yahoo.com. Visit us on http://houseofsnooker.wordpress.com or 25, Market
Street, Floriana
FURNITURE
FAIR DEAL FURNITURE where you
will find bedroom prices starting from
€1,375. Leather sofas at unbelievable
prices. Fair Deal Furniture, Mdina Road,
Zebbug. Call on 27282828 or visit www.
fairdealfurniture.com.m
FXB three-piece sofa and coffee table,
carpets, wooden shelves, wall lights and
more home items. Call on 99228967
SITTING room suites for sale at moderate prices. Part exchange accepted. Also
second hand ones and re-upholstery. Call
21374823, 99824139
GENERAL
BAZAAR in aid of Equal Partners
Foundation to support persons with disability. It will be held from the 30th of
March till the 1st of April from 9am till
6pm. Join us at 184A, Valley Road,
Msida near Ghajn tal-Hasselin. More information on 21250400 or [email protected]
MEMORIAL Works. Memory slabs (marble or granite), ceramic plaques and
photos, additional inscriptions on graves
and monument cleaning on site. Starting
from €130. Call Austin Muscat on
21449909, 79449909. www.austinmarbles.info
TV 28 inch, in very good condition, silver
grey. Price €100. Call on 21373606
HEALTH & BEAUTY
BEAUTY Culture Centre, in Santa
Venera, offers professional waxing,
beauty kits, couches and equipment
including pressotherapy lymphatic and
slimming machines. Sale of portable
couches, steamers and beauty equip-
TA’ Rummiena Holiday Accommodations
- If you are looking for a premium holiday on the Island of Gozo, staying in
an authentic Gozitan farmhouse rented
directly from owners, this is the right
place for you. We can guarantee you a
memorable holiday in style in one of our
luxury yet traditional farmhouses in Gozo
at the most competitive of prices. Call
on 21554466, 99821550, 79821550.
Email: [email protected],
Website: www.farmhouseingozo.com
ALL kinds of works of spray, brush
painting and works on antique furniture.
We also do works on spray painting for
other carpenters. Moderate prices. Call
on 27406731, 99406731
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
DEO’S Interiors: turnkey contractors,
gypsum works, importers/suppliers and
installers of Italian material, including
coving, ceiling roses and interior decorations. Showroom at Testaferrata Street,
Ta’ Xbiex. Call on 21334323, 99475239
or email on [email protected]
W.P. LTD Specialists in waterproofing
membrane. Ten-year guarantee. For free
estimates and professional advice call
on 21438326, 99445527, 99493840;
email: [email protected]; www.wpmalta.
com
HYPNOTHERAPY
HYPNOTHERAPY, qualified help to quit
smoking, self-esteem, phobias, panic
attacks, depression, impotency, jealousy, anger management, weight control, positive thinking, social interaction
and stuttering. Phone C. Barlow MAPHP,
MNRPC on 27339320, 99881165
LETTING
4,457 Properties To Rent on Malta’s
Best Rated Property Website: www.
simonestates.com CHECK IT OUT! Call
on 23880034, 79861510
GARAGE, corner with main road,
50x21ft. Call on 21375728, 99899177
MGARR - excellent location: furnished
apartment with three bedrooms, fitted
kitchen, sitting, two bathrooms with
views. Must be seen. Price €300 monthly. Call on 21570123, 99428930
MGARR - new penthouse, two bedrooms, fitted kitchen, unfurnished. Must
be seen. Price €380 monthly. Call on
21570123, 99428930
MGARR - new penthouse, unfurnished
with two bedrooms, large open plan,
two bathroom, very large front, terrace
surrounded with panoramic views. Worth
viewing. Price €380 monthly. Call on
21570123, 99428930
MGARR, new luxuriously superbly finished penthouse, apartments and shops.
Fully furnished. At affordable rent rates.
Call on 21570123, 99428930
MGARR, terraced house, unfurnished.
Consists of three bedrooms, sitting
room, full fitted kitchen, two bathrooms,
two spare toilets, two roofs, front terrace
and front balcony. Price €480 monthly.
Call on 21570123, 99428930
MRIEHEL - garage in industrial zone,
700m2. Call on 21375728, 99899177
MSIDA - 3 car garage in Johnny Catania
Street with water and electricity. Price
€1,100 annually. Call on 99422358
MSIDA - fully furnished 2 bedroom apartment, close to University. Price €350
monthly. Call owner on 99422358
QRENDI - Fully furnished 2 bedroom
house of character. Tastefully converted,
with courtyard and country views. €500
monthly. Call: 79936690
SLIEMA - apartment with three bedrooms, just off thestrand. Price €750
monthly. Call on 77633663
SLIEMA - two-car garage in upper G.
Bencini Street. Call on 99833950
ZEBBUG - 2 or 3 bedroom apartments
in Vjal il-Helsien. Shop in Birkirkara in Old
Church area. Call owner on 99486496
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
MUSIC LINK - We stock a huge range
of musical instruments such as Acoustic
and Electric Drum Kits, Cymbals,
Percussion, Digital Pianos, Baby Grand
Pianos, Digital Sound Mixers and Sound
Cards, DJ equipment, Sound Systems,
Electric, Acoustic and Classical Guitars,
Bass Guitars, Brass Instruments, Wood
Winds, Violins, spare parts and loads of
accessories. We also stock Music Tuition
Books: ABRSM, LCM and Trinity. Kindly
call at Music Link, 262, Fleur De Lys
Road, Birkirkara. Call on 21482796
PIANOS Upright/Grand: Hyundai, Kohler
& Campbell, Seiler, Schulze Pollmann.
For hire and for sale at easy monthly
payment terms. Keyboards, synthesizers, digital pianos: Farfisa, Viscount.
Jazz organs: Hammond. Church organs:
Viscount, Ahlborn. Drum kits: Ludwig,
Tamburo. Cymbals, gongs: Ufip, Istanbul,
Wuhan. Acoustic guitars: Alhambra,
Strunal. Electric guitars: G&L, Burns.
Trumpets, clarinets, saxophones: Selmer
Paris. Strings: Pirastro Other musical
instruments and accessories: concert
harps, hand held percussions, Latin percussion, violins, violas, mouth organs,
piano accordions, recorders, melodicas,
amplifiers and sound systems. Apply
Barbara Music Shop, Triq Misrah il-Barrieri, Santa Venera. Call on 21484151,
21485343. Email: barbara.trading@
go.net.mt
NAUTICAL LICENCE
INTERNATIONAL Marine Licence for
small crafts. RYA Day Skipper licence
courses that gives you the possibility of
sailing beyond our territorial waters. This
licence satisfies the requirements of the
Italian, Greek and French Coast Guard.
Contact us on 79432526, [email protected], www.maltasailingacademy.com
NAUTICAL Licence courses, costing
€120 + €35 exam fee + €23.18 Licence
for a total of €178.18. Alternatively join
us for a two day RYA Powerboat Level2,
course fee €300. Exam done on second
day. Contact us on 79432526, info@
maltasailingacademy.com, www.maltasailingacademy.com
NURSING
CARE AND CURE GROUP LTD - Trained
nurses, caring assistants, nannies, companions, home help and night sitters.
24-hour service. Wheelchairs, hoists,
commodes, walking frames and Hospital
beds for hire. Call on 21376946,
99470178
OPTICIANS
SPECTACLE FRAMES, contact lenses and solutions, sunglasses, with
eye specialists in attendance. Prop.
Mario Cassar and Annabelle Cassar,
Shop 3, Regent Place, Tumas Fenech
Street, Birkirkara. Call on 21494198,
27494198, 99884445; fax: 21677916;
email: [email protected]
THE CATHEDRAL OPTICAL one-hour service, frames start from €27.96. Attard:
21418315; Guardamangia: 21226020:
Fgura: 2167 3332; Zebbug: 21465768;
Birkirkara:
21490213;
Naxxar:
21431152; Rabat: 21450845; Luqa:
21895248; Pinto Opticians (Qormi):
21488950; San Gwann: 21383947. We
are now open in Birzebbuga: 21421976.
Polar and Cebe sunglasses.
PETS
LABRADOR puppies with pedigree. Call
on 99893118, 79465164
PROPERTY FOR SALE
18,437 Properties for Sale on Malta’s
Best Rated Property Website: www.
simonestates.com CHECK IT OUT! Call
on 23880034, 79861510
A quality property site backed up by
personal service: www.property-maltaproperty.com. Call on 79429400
ATTARD - Very spacious 130m² and
highly finished three bedroom apartments situated very close to everyday needs. Two bedroom penthouses
also available. Each unit finished with
Satariano bathrooms and tiles with double glazing throughout. Lock up garages
optional. Price €151,000. Call owner on
21387082, 99473354
BAHAR IC-CAGHAQ - 7 garages semi
basement (2 filati only) €185,000 or
near offers. Call owner on 99267747
BAHAR IC-CAGHAQ - basement level
(only 2 filati); 7 garages: 4 two car and 3
one car altogether
BAHAR IC-CAGHAQ - one tumolo development site, 140 facadecorner and
dislevelled. Price on request. Call owner
on 99267747
BAHAR IC-CAGHAQ - penthouse, 4
bedroom, 2 showers, extra big sitting/
dining/ living, large verandah and 2 car
garage. Breath-taking sea and country
views. Price €375,000 or near offers.
Call owner on 99267747
BALZAN - a traditional detached bungalow having a huge underlying garage
(6 cars) and semi basement making it
ideal for a young family as well as for
anyone who needs lots of storage (or
recreational) space! Main accommodation comprises hall, sitting/dining room,
fitted kitchen, 3 double bedrooms, 2
bathrooms (1 ensuite), laundry, car port,
driveway (with easy level access to the
kitchen) and a second garage/utility area
at street level! Great property offering
practical living, not to be missed! Price
€542,000. Call on 79429400
BARGAIN: terraced house with six
rooms, airspace, all services available,
centrally situated, freehold. Vacant possession. Cash or vendors terms sale
considered. Asking price €110,000. Call
on 21436801, 21685188, 99490332
to view for definite sale
IBRAG - an enchanting detached bungalow situated on high grounds and skillfully
constructed on a plot measuring approximately 1200m2! Spacious hall, formal
sitting-dining room, good sized TV lounge
with fireplace, study, fully fitted kitchen-
20
Classifieds
breakfast room, 3 bedrooms, (all with en
suite facilities), guest toilet and laundry
room, amazing landscaped surrounding
garden with a good sized pool and deck
area. The property also has an interconnected annex and a 5-car garage. Price
€1,116,000. Call on 79429400.
beautiful fitted kitchen with new stainless
steel appliances, 3 double bedrooms,
study, bathroom, spare toilet, laundry (at
roof level), pretty back yard and a large
underlying garage with workshop area
and shower room. Offered at €307,000.
Call on 79429400
IKLIN - Beautiful semi-detached villa situated on high grounds, having a spacious and practical layout. Welcoming
and bright entrance hall, TV-lounge area
with functional fire place (overlooking
pool deck), fully fitted kitchen/dining, formal sitting and dining room, spare toilet,
3 double bedrooms, bathroom, en-suite,
a large back terrace, study and a basement with a games room. This property
also enjoys a surrounding garden with
swimming pool sun-deck and BBQ area,
fantastic views, and a double car port!
Price €799,000. Call on 79429400
SAN PAWL TAT- TARGA - situated in a
quiet street yet close to most amenities
is this quaint and comfortable top floor
semi detached apartment having a practical bright layout and ready to move into!
Hall, sitting/dining room with large balcony, fitted kitchen, 2 double bedrooms, TV
lounge/3rd bedroom, bathroom and utility/ store room. Full ownership of a large
roof, enjoying panoramic views and ideal
for summer entertaining! Must be seen!
Price €184,000. Call on 79429400
MQABBA, townhouse in core village,
with three bedrooms with yard, own airspace, immediate vacant possession. In
need of refurbishment. Freehold. Bargain
price €99,500 or nearest offer. First to
inspect will buy. Call on 79436801 for
inspection
QAWRA - a modern, superbly finished
and presented apartment just a stone’s
throw from the popular and picturesque
Qawra promenade. Served with lift and
intercom, this attractive property offers
a hallway, open plan, state of the art
kitchen with dining and lounge areas, a
study, 2 double and 1 single bedroom,
family bathroom and en suite shower
and a utility/laundry. Included in the sale
are the fitted kitchen, suspended ceilings
with light fittings, air-conditioning units,
curtains and blinds. A great bargain! Price
€175,000. Call on 79429400
QRENDI - Beautifully-converted house
of character featuring an arched living
room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, study, good-sized entertaining
area. 30 seconds from countryside. Fully
furnished. €192,000 (Lm82,425). No
agents please. Call 79936690
SAN GWANN - a pristine, owner-built terraced house, in a tranquil street close to
bus route and main amenities. Hall, open
plan reception area (sitting and dining),
SAN PAWL TAT TARGA - situated in
this desirable residential location and
enjoying open country views, this semi
detached bungalow built on a plot measuring approximately 400m2 offers great
value for money! Comprises a welcoming entrance hall, lounge, fitted kitchen/
dining, 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, laundry at roof level with potential for further expansion! An underlying
garage having space for 4 cars and a
large workshop and store room together
with a surrounding garden having ample
space for a swimming pool further complements this desirable property. Highly
recommended! Price €620,000. Call on
99429400
SAN PAWL TAT-TARGA - a superb fully
detached bungalow on 1,124 square
metres of land, sitting elevated on a
hillside and commanding fantastic far
stretching views! This luxuriously finished
home features a wonderful split level
design separating the reception and living areas from the sleeping quarters.
Hall, sitting room, dining room, large living room with fireplace, beautiful fitted
kitchen/breakfast, 4 bedrooms (master
with luxury marble en suite shower), family bathroom and guest toilet. Outside
areas include mature gardens, terraces,
driveway, large swimming pool, sun deck
and BBQ area. Underlying is an independent apartment with own entrance. Price
€1,164,000. Call on 79429200
=
€3
SAN PAWL TAT-TARGA - Ground / first
floor three bedroom apartment each
with its own private roof, situated close
to the Chapel in St Paul’s Street. Price
€149,000. Call owner on 21387082,
99473354
SAN PAWL TAT-TARGA - Well kept,
bright and nicely finished semi-detached
villa offering comfortable living in tranquil
seclusion. Accommodation comprises
a welcoming entrance hall with a lovely
open plan kitchen, breakfast and TV
lounge area on one side and a smart,
formal sitting and dining room on the
other! This charming home also boasts
4 double bedrooms, family bathroom
and en suite shower. At basement level
there is a 3 car garage and 4 storage
rooms with independent entrance. Plenty
of outdoor area surrounds this home with
a wonderful pool with ample deck area
and pool facilities! Highly recommended!
€799,000. Call on 79429400.
SLIEMA, apartment with three bedrooms,
just off thestrand. Call on 77633663
ST ANDREWS -designed and built by its
present owner, this superb semi detached
bungalow (complete with independent 2
bedroomed guest flat-let) enjoys sea and
country views from all its reception areas
and terraces. A welcoming entrance hall
with an enchanting skylight! Fully fitted
kitchen overlooking a split level reception area (sitting/dining) with functional
fireplace and wide veranda! Further complimenting this great home are 3 double bedrooms, main with en-suite and
a family bathroom. A beautifully crafted
wooden staircase leads up to a second
living area and laundry enjoying large terraces on either side (with potential for
further expansion at this level), enjoying
panoramic views! Price €620,000. Call
on 79429400
ST PAUL’S BAY, corner from seafront
fully furnished apartment, with three or
four bedrooms. Includes ensuite, double
glazing, gypsum finish, internal doors,
etc. Block of four, common parts ready.
Circa 195sqm. Price €155,000. Call on
99439605
SWIEQI - semi detached villa set on a
plot measuring approximately 35x120ft,
in a very central and convenient location.
Welcoming hall, sitting room, separate
dining, study and guests’ toilet. A good
sized kitchen/breakfast room overlooking a spacious garden with ample space
for a swimming pool! The first floor
comprises 3 bedrooms, bathroom and
spare toilet, terraces and balconies. A
laundry at roof level. This property also
enjoys a 2 car garage and a driveway
that can accommodate another 5 cars!
Must be seen. Price €534,000. Call on
79429400.
ZEBBUG, 2 or 3 bedroom apartments in
Vjal il-Helsien. Call owner on 99486496
SERVICES
COUNSELING service: child, youth or
family related problems, Fibromyalgia,
bullying, bedwetting, relationships,
addictions, grieve and abuse among
other issues. You are not alone. Service
offered 24/7 Call on 99666663
EXPRESS WATCH REPAIRS on all types
of watches and clocks specialising in
grandfather clocks. Also selling all types
of watches and clocks. 110, Eucharistic
Congress Road, Mosta. Call 21417235,
99840431.
MINICABS 24/7, minicabs and
mini buses. Competitive rates. Call
Wembley’s on 21374141, 27374141,
79374141
PRIVATE investigations Malta, fully licensed. Separation, divorce, civic, commercial, DNA and other cases.
Locally and abroad. Call on 79590000.
Visit www.privateinvestigationmalta.com
PROFESSIONAL proofreading service for university students. Reasonable
rates. Call on 99262222
VISIT Glassfibre Industries for all your
boating needs including resins and fiberglass, rubber fenders, made to measure canopies and a large variety of
boat accessories being sold at discounted prices. Glassfibre Industries,
San Gwakkin Road, Mriehel. Call on
21470282
CALIGARI Spray Painting and Pane
2 CLASSIFIEDS
FOR 3 WEEKS
Choose category. Fill in the boxes provided. Write in block letters. Your advert will appear for three weeks in both MaltaToday, MaltaToday Wednesday, and www.maltatoday.com.mt.
This offer does not apply to Real Estate agents. Send your form to:
MaltaToday Classifieds, Media Today, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016.
Together with a €3 cheque payable to MediaToday Co. Ltd.
Name: ________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________ Tel: ___________________ email: _________________________________
ANTIQUES
BOATS
FURNITURE
GENERAL
LETTING
PETS
PROPERTY
SITUATIONS WANTED
SITUATIONS VACANT
SERVICE
TUITION
VEHICLES / PARTS
WANTED
ANTIQUES
BOATS
FURNITURE
GENERAL
LETTING
PETS
PROPERTY
SITUATIONS WANTED
SITUATIONS VACANT
SERVICE
TUITION
VEHICLES / PARTS
WANTED
Beating specialising in 2K, metallic and
water-based paints. Low back booth
and computerised mixing room. MSA
insurance approved. De La Rue Avenue,
Gzira. Call on 27333879, 99426198 or
email on [email protected]
MICHELLE Colombo, daughter of Victor
Galea, funeral director, St Gregory’s
Sacristan; 24-hour service. Apply 43,
Blanche Huber Street, Sliema. Call on
21339579, 99490846
STONE WORKS
J. Vella Stone Works (Ta’ Comba), for all
types of stoneworks (lavur), columns,
troughs (hwat), balustrades, fireplaces,
fountaines, etc. More than 30 types of
stone cladding, old building stone and
imported stone. Also flagstone (cangatura), stone slabs (xorok) and doors
for farmhouses. Open from 7am till
4pm at Triq ir-Razzett l-Ahmar, Iklin.
Showroom: 19, Main Street, Mosta. Call
on 21432352, 21412216, 99477167
TUITION
MARKETING at Advanced and
Postgraduate level. Call on 79681030
PIANO and theory lessons for all ages
and levels up to grade 8. Small groups
with individual attention. Experienced
teacher. For more information call on
79377429 or email joannaellul@gmail.
com
WE aim to provide a stimulating environment in which our children can thrive
to their full potential while providing a
home away from home. Registration for
October 2012 and summer school now
open. Visit www.noddyskindergarten.
com, Facebook: Noddys Kindergarten,
email: [email protected]. Call on
21339655, 99441863
VEHICLES/ PARTS
A.G.R. Auto Japanes Parts, wholesaler & retailer. Supplies for Japanese
& Korean parts such as Kia, Toyota,
Isuzu, Daewoo, Mitsubishi, Honda and
Subaru. Importers of oil/ air filters,
shock absorbers, brake pads, clutches,
etc. Genuine parts. We also do servicing & repairs on all types of cars.
Call on 21446839, 99474504, fax
21470295. Visit us at Triq in-Nassab,
Qormi. Email on [email protected]
ATTENTION ALL ROVER AND JAGUAR
OWNERS: we supply new and secondhand Rover and Jaguar parts. We also
carry out service and repairs on all
types of Rover and Jaguar. We also have
close to manufacture diagnostic tool for
Jaguar. Apply at British Car Specialist.
Call on 21483024, 99425122
RENAULT front bumper, 5 campus. Call
on 79031640, 21464096
TOYOTA engine, 18 VVTL-i (190BMP)
and gearbox with 6th gear. Team sport.
Works perfectly. Call on 99227507
TWO hydraulic piston motors at €465.
Call on 79031640
WANTED
ALTO Saxophone in good condition. Call
on 21821559, 99892496
COLLECTIBLE items such panini
albums and loose stickers, old postcards and posted envelopes, medals, militaria, coins and paper money,
books, toys, stamps, badges, etc. Call
on 21310238, 99246632
FLATS and houses to buy or rent. Call
on 77633663
ALL PRICES INDICATED FOR YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE MUST BE IN EURO
PA system not less than 300watts output. Call on 21821559, 99892496
21
Sport
SPORTTODAY
FOOTBALL
Chelsea’s Fernando Torres takes a shot on goal
Precious away victories for
Real Madrid and Chelsea
SECOND half goals, two from Karim
Benzema and one from Kaka, gave
Real Madrid a priceless away win as
they beat APOEL Nicosia 3-0 at GSP
Stadium.
A diving header from the Frenchman, cool side-footed finish from the
Brazilian and another easy finish for
the former Lyon striker banished any
Cypriot hopes of a famous draw, as
the Spanish side’s quality eventually
shone through.
With APOEL playing the biggest
game in their history, it was perhaps
no surprise that they came out of the
blocks at full pelt, and really tried to
put Jose Mourinho’s side under extreme pressure early on.
It didn’t take long though before
Madrid were re-establishing the
natural order of things, and started
to dominate possession and create
chances. Within the space of three
minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut
Ozil and Benzema all had halfchances, but it wasn’t until the 15th
minute where they had their first real
opportunity to open the scoring. A
ball from Ozil played in Fabio Coentrao, but the Portuguese full-back
snatched at his shot and fired wide
from inside the area.
The Cypriot champions were coping exceptionally well with the relentless wave of Madrid attacks, but
they very nearly found themselves a
goal down on 33 minutes. A beautiful
ball across the six yard box from Nuri
Sahin evaded the APOEL keeper Dionisios Chiotis, found Benzema unmarked at the far post, but the French
international somehow managed to
miss the target and slice his shot over
the bar.
The remainder of the half fizzled
out, as APOEL failed to offer support
to the increasingly isolated Ailton up
front, and the nine-time European
champions just couldn’t find a way
past the resolute Cypriot backline.
The teams re-emerged for the second half, and whatever Mourinho
said to his side at the break, it seemed
to work, as Los Blancos increased
their intensity and attacking impetus
during the opening exchanges. Ozil,
Sahin and Sami Khedira were creating some wonderful midfield triangles, but as with the first 45, Ivan
Jovanovic’s side were defending at
their very best to block any attempts
at their goal.
With an hour gone, the Spanish
side had completed 416 passes compared to APOEL’s 94; but it took until the 74th minute for the Spanish
side’s class to truly show. Kaka put in
a dangerous ball from the left, found
the head of Benzema, who got down
low, and slotted the ball into the back
of the net from six yards.
The tiring APOEL legs were starting to show, and seven minutes later,
it was two. Again down the left,
Marcelo this time got to the byline,
played it back, and there was Kaka
to coolly pass it in, and really sink all
Cypriot hopes.
And right on 90 minutes, Madrid
took the game out if sight. A burst
from midfield by Ronaldo took him
to the edge of the area, he played it
square to Ozil, who passed it first
time across the six yard box, for Benzema to tap in.
The Spanish giants looked for four,
but had to settle for just the three
away goals, as the they go into the
second leg next Wednesday at Santiago Bernabeu.
In the other match of the evening,
Chelsea found an important away
goal from Salomon Kalou as they de-
feated Benfica 1-0 to take a vital lead
from the first leg of their Champions
League quarter-final.
The first half started very slowly
but things heated up after the break,
Jardel coming close with a free header
before Fernando Torres’ impressive
assist from the right wing opened up
space for Kalou to tap home untroubled with 15 minutes to go.
The home side lined up with reported Manchester United targets
Nicolas Gaitan and Javi Garcia included in midfield alongside experienced Argentine Pablo Aimar, with
Oscar Cardozo leading the line.
Roberto Di Matteo, however, opt-
ed to leave veterans Didier Drogba,
Frank Lampard and Michael Essien
on the bench, with Torres starting up
front and David Luiz at centre-back
in place of Gary Cahill, while Paulo
Ferreira made a shock start, his first
of 2012.
Chelsea, found the vital away goal
on 75 minutes. Ramires fought hard
on the right of midfield, supplying
Torres further forward on the wing.
The Spaniard did most of the work,
closing in with purpose before feeding Kalou in the middle. With Artur
taken out of the picture, the forward
needed only to poke home simply to
take the lead.
Tonight’s UEFA
Champions League
matches
20:45 Marseille - Bayern Munich
20:45 AC Milan - Barcelona
22
Sport
MOTORSPORTS
New Hal Far track record
for Chris Polidano
THE Malta Drag Racing Association has organised the first Drag
Racing event of the year.
The event commenced on Friday
with a test and tune day, which
was something new for this season as in the previous season we
had two-day events but this year
we decided to extend our events;
80 competitors took part and battled their way in 21 different categories. The track was prepared
to a highly professional level by
Lee Child, which the MDRA has
contracted for the 2012 season
Lots of racers registered personal best times once again but
this event was notable for the new
track record from the Kalanc Racing team. Chris Polidano in his A
Fuel Dragster registered an impressive 5.64 seconds making the
Kalanc Racing ream the fastest in
Malta, winning the DTA 6 Class
in style.
The Open 6 Class was won by
Jason Grixti driving Emanuel
Mangion’s Ford Cosworth-powered dragster with a 7.33 sec run
and Ruben Scicluna won the D6
Class in his Cosworth-powered
Dragster with a 7.65 sec run.
Mark Farrugia in his Pinto Turbo-powered Ford Escort managed
to clock a personal best of 8.8 sec,
winning the Open 2 Class. Paul
Ciantar won the PS2 Class with
yet another Escort Punto Turbo
and a personal best of 9.9 sec.
In the SS2 Class and Escort Class
the battle was as always very exciting with eight vehicles within
milliseconds in qualifying. In the
end Chris Borg won the SS2 class
in 11.18 sec and Gordon Micallef
won the Escort Class and also the
SM2 class running consistently
in 11.30 secs.
The Motorcycles Open class
was won by Franklin Borg with a
9.17 sec run and the SS1 Motorcycle category saw Glenn Borg as
the winner with another personal
best of 7.91 sec.
The most closely contested motorcycle category was the SS2A
Class in which John Cutajar took
first place with an 8.80 secs run,
Melanie Schembri came in second and Simon Bonello third.
The Diesel-powered Fiesta was
among the long list of Personal
Bests with an impressive 10.47 sec
run. This car is driven and owned
by Jason Grixti, which won the
Bracket Racing Category between
10.00 and 10.50 secs.
The next event will be the
MDRA FOR CHARITY on 31
March. Any vehicle can take part
in this annual charity show and
race event.
Paul Ciantar
Chris Polidano
Further more information, results and photos can be found
on www.maltadragracing.com
or join us on our Facebook page,
Malta Drag Racing Halfar.
Mark Farrugia
Maltese MiniMoto excels in Sicily Championship
ON Sunday 11th March 3 Maltese
MiniMoto drivers, Dylan Cauchi,
Glenn Schembri and Ryan Faenza,
took part in the first event of the
‘Campionato FMI Regionale di Sicilia’,
where they did an excellent performance and finished 2nd and 3rd place
on the podium.
The team encountered a lot of
problems to arrive for this success.
For the last 6 months, they had no
proper track where to set up the bike
and nowhere to train, but with the
help of their mechanic Frans Schembri of Motoland Garage, their dream
was made possible.
Another obstacle was to obtain FMI
license to participate in the championship. Till the last day nothing was
confirmed but the team parted just
the same for Triscina, Sicily. Frans
Deguara (ASM President) and Johan
Pace were a great asset for the acquisition of this license.
Arriving at the track, the Maltese
team was welcomed from all the other
official teams with great enthusiasm
and friendliness.
Friday and Saturday were intense
days of setting up the bikes and practice. The weather also was an opponent, since till the last minute, they
were not sure whether to set for wet
or dry track.
Sunday morning started with scrutineering by FMI officials and later
the pole position. Dylan Cauchi did
the best lap time, Glenn Schembri the
5th best time while Ryan Faenza the
7th best time on the grid.
The Senior Open A Minimoto Race
started in the afternoon. There was
a continuous fight for the first place
between Dylan and the Sicilian driver
Danilo Sapienza, with Dylan in the
first place for most of the race, until
the last corner before the checked
flag, when Dylan had gone wide and
Danilo took advantage of the situation. Glenn Schembri also performed
a great race, advantaging of 2 positions, finishing in the 3rd place. Unfortunately Ryan Faenza had to abandon the race after 5 laps because of
engine problems.
The day after all the team was invited by Coni official Franco Bucchieri
at the CONI Centre in Ragusa, where
they were greeted by the President
himself.
23
Sport
OPINION
The magic number
self in the window to be selected
for the Euro’s but I would be lying.
England are still without a manger, and still without a clue.
What contributes to United’s
lift off in form at this time is their
squad’s balance. Yes they still rely
heavily on the older generation of
Rio, Scholsey and Giggs, but that
is just wha the club needs. Relying on old players is the best thing
the club as a whole could do, just
imagine the impact its having on
the youth team and reserves. The
longer they stay on, the better for
the long term future of this great
club. If it were up to Sir Alex he
would drag Neville out of a commentary box, doing all of us a favour, and sticking him where he
belongs.
MARK STRIJBOSCH
THEY might have bored us at
times, and they might not have the
most attractive squad in the world,
and that’s even with a hairy Wazza
upfront, but Manchester United
have somehow clawed their way
to the summit, and three points
now separate them and their noisy
neighbours.
It has not been pretty, and it has
not been fun at times for United. A
weak, young squad that sometimes
lacks a spark, but what it lacks in
entertainment it more than makes
up for in efficiency. Top scorers
in the league with the most clean
sheets, that is the stuff of champion’s and to think City were seven
points clear with a far superior
goal difference but two months
ago, its now a three point gap,
with City’s difference being only
chopped to only three goals.
United typically hit form at this
end of the season, spurred on by Sir
Alex’s “squeaky bum time” agenda.
Was it complacency that led to
City’s sudden slide in form? They
used to entertain and destroy, but
now even Stoke managed to make
them look mediocre, and that is
saying something. Mind you with
a goal of Crouch’s quality Barcelona would have looked average as
the England forward lashed a full
volley home from the corner of the
box. I would say he is putting him-
Mind power
Efficiency is the key for United
this season, but what lubricates
this well oiled machine are some
choice words from Sir Alex who
dusted his old book of tricks off to
fire some classic old timers Mancini’s way. Instead of laying into the
opposition as many would, Ferguson’s method is to praise them, in
an slightly over patronising tone,
one enough to deceive many, but
one not insulting enough to evoke
a harsh reaction from anyone. He
simply said that City have done
well, but it reads like poetry at this
time of the season. It is naturally
just the truth. City “have done”
well, please note the grammatical
layout of those two words. City
have done well. Long Pause.
… Manchester United, on the
other hand, are in the right place,
at the right time. Nothing but the
truth from Sir Alex, and the old
cliché saying goes, the truth always hurts.
No one in the world, not even Jose
Mourinho could stand up to Sir
Alex’s silver tongue.Patrick Vieira
tried, but embarrassed no one but
himself as he labelled United’s
move to re sign Paul Scholes as
desperate. Many find it hard to
rely on the old guard, but I would
sooner rely on him than fresh from
a five month holiday Carlos Tevez,
who not only refused to play for
his club, but also vowed never to
represent them again. Great timing Vieira, look whose red face
now. The United fans chant that
they do what they want, and nothing can possibly be more apt for
Carlos Tevez.
Roberto Mancini initially received praise for the way he handled the situation, however this
time he showed that the players
have far more power than the
managers do, and that is a dangerous world to live in. United proved
that they were never afraid to let
talent leave Old Trafford, even
when it was on good terms, but
City flopped over in this case due
to fear and desperation. One positive is that Tevez now acts like a
Wayne Rooney celebrates his goal with Jonny Evans
new signing, permitting that he
didn’t bend his back out of shape
on a deck chair while on holiday
someplace. Here Mancini focused
on the short term development of
his club, but my fear is that he may
have set a trend. What happens to
the next player who kicks up a fuss
at the club? Is their dummy simply
picked up and cleaned after a good
cry, or will they be punished for a
tantrum? Its your call Roberto.
Pursuits
Across
1. Ate
6. Easy stride
8. Filter
9. Jail
10. Shifted
11. Charged with a crime
13. Pungent condiment
15. Shove
17. Pilot
19. Third letter of the Greek
alphabet
22. Welsh valley town
23. Calculate
24. Let it stand
25. 13 through 19 years of age
Sudoku
Sudoku rules are
extremely easy: Fill all empty
squares so that the numbers 1
to 9 appear once in each row,
column and 9x9 box.
Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday
Last week’s solution
Chess
Today’s Weather
8
8
WEATHER: Fine
7
6
7
VISIBILITY: Good
5
4
6
3
5
WIND:
Variable force 2 to
3 becoming West
Northwest
SEA:
Slight
SWELL:
Negligible
2
1
4
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
3
gxf6
Ke6
e8=Q+ Kd6
Qd7# (Qe7#, Qe5#)
2
1
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
White to play and mate in three moves
PARTLY CLOUDY
19ºC / 09ºC
UV INDEX: 4
SEA TEMP: 15°c
Down
2. End result
3. Phase
4. Religious recluse
5. Fragile
6. Varnish
7. Dried plum
12. Imperious
14. Person who plays the piano
16. Somebody
18. Male servant
20. Capital of Ghana
21. Gratis
News
The new works will include the addition of
a laboratory to the existing herbarium and
a new glass conservatory
Argotti
gardens
set for
upgrade
JAMES DEBONO
THE Malta Environment and Planning Authority is set to approve a
project to enhance educational facilities in Malta’s sole research botanical
garden: the Argotti Gardens in Floriana.
The new works will include the addition of a laboratory to the existing
herbarium and a new glass conservatory at roof level. The existing pathways within the garden will also be
upgraded.
The aim of the project is to enhance
the educational facilities offered by
the Argotti Gardens, the inner section of which is administered by the
University of Malta.
Argotti owes its origins to a private
garden laid out in the 18th century by
Grand Master Pinto. It was the British who transformed Argotti into
Malta’s first and only botanical garden in 1805.
The gardens are endowed with a
rich collection of trees and shrubs
from oaks to oleanders and potted
plants, especially cacti.
Photomontages have established
that the new development will have
no impact upon the overall scenic
value of the Argotti Gardens and
their surroundings.
But the most delicate aspect of the
proposed development was posed by
the extension of the Herbarium to a
short distance from the Nympheum
fountain.
Due to fears that this would increase dampness within the Nympheum (thus endangering the surviving decorations), a one-metre buffer
zone is to be kept.
The present application does not
include the restoration of the Nymphaeum.
The Superintendence for Cultural
also approved the development after
the distance between the proposed
extension and the Nymphaeum was
increased.
Argotti’s role
According to the University of
Malta’s website, the roles of the Argotti Botanic Gardens include that
of maintaining indigenous and exotic
collections of plants mainly adapted
to Mediterranean-type biseasonal
climate as well as cacti and succulents.
The gardens are also involved in
collecting, preserving and cataloguing specimens for the herbarium and
seeds for the seed bank.
Conservation projects are also carried out, focusing on the propagation of rare and endangered species
including a number of endemics.
One long term conservation project
concentrates on the Maltese national
tree, Tetraclinis articulata.
Several undergraduate and postgraduate research projects are undertaken on a yearly basis, which focus
on different aspects of plant biology,
including: the study of phytochemical components and their bioactivity
against cancer cells and microbes;
microbial dynamics in compost; phytochemical profiles and karyotypes
of related plant species and in vitro
propagation of rare Maltese plant
species.
[email protected]

258 Midweek 28th Mar 2012

Transcription

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