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13,500 objections against ‘monstrous’ Comino Village amassed

13,500 objections against ‘monstrous’ Comino Village amassed
Jan 27 2023 Share

Moviment Graffiti revealed that a whopping 13,500 objections have been amassed against the ‘monstrous’ Comino Village development proposal.

Strong opposition has been raised against the plans which aim to create a complex of villas which will disfigure Santa Marija Bay on the island of Comino.

This forms part of the proposed Comino Hotel redevelopment plan, to which many environmental groups are objecting. The Planning Authority is still processing the 13,500 individual objections received from citizens. 

The objections mainly came through a custom online form. This is a record number of objections which were submitted for a project proposal within a single representation period. 

‘This level of public anger makes it difficult to see how the PA could possibly approve this destructive scheme being proposed by Hili Group’ Moviment Graffiti wrote. 

‘If the PA grants permission for this project, it would come at the detriment of a public seeking a peaceful escape – a necessity under serious threat on the Maltese Islands – and the health of our natural environment’ the statement continued. 

The activists continue their appeals backed by the resounding public outrage. The abandonment of the idea of sale of ay part of the complex to third parties is also being proposed. 

‘The project would destroy intact garigue to push the facility farther from the coast and erect buildings further into the bay in the place of abandoned sports courts.’

‘The visual impact is evident from the renders, also produced by the developers themselves. In addition, it takes very little imagination to foresee the greater congestion and disturbance expected, both on land and at sea, if the bay is effectively transformed into a high-end holiday resort, complete with pontoon’ the statement explained. 

What do you make of this? 

#MaltaDaily

Andrea ‘Batman’ Calleja continues to push on road to recovery

Andrea ‘Batman’ Calleja continues to push on road to recovery
Jan 27 2023 Share

Following a serious incident during an obstacle course, Andrea Calleja, known as Batman by his loved ones due to his love for the character, has been pushing on his road to recovery. 

Currently in Karen Grech Hospital recovering from his spinal injury, videos uploaded to social media show him working closely with his physiotherapists. 

A fundraiser aimed at collecting €70,000 to support his physical therapy and recovery has so far gather well over €56,000. 

With so little left to collect, the family members continue to share snippets of his journey. 

‘With this type of injury, the amount of recovery is an unknown and depends on the individual patient. The first two years are crucial and when most of the improvement happens’ it was explained. 

‘These next years will cost a lot. Once he is in a position to leave Karen Grech, he will need a lot of help which, as you can imagine, is expensive.

He also needs equipment to help him become more independent.. there is a lot of technology available now for patient like Andrea.’ 

People can help contribute by visit the Andrea Calleja Fundraising page to help Batman get back into action down the line! 

#MaltaDaily

Official rules for clubs applying to sell cannabis revealed

Official rules for clubs applying to sell cannabis revealed
Jan 27 2023 Share

As of February 28th, cannabis clubs, dubbed Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations, can apply to sell home-grown marijuana and must abide by a list of regulations which were outlined on Friday to do so. 

The drug was legalised December 2021, and the clubs can apply for licensing through a non-profit model set up by the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis. 

The associations must be non-profit and must sell their own product. This means that only seeds can be imported from abroad and that cannabis legally sold in Malta has to be grown in the country.

Under the new regulations, cannabis clubs must have a maximum of 500 members and cannot be within 250 metres of a school or youth centre. The association also cannot advertise itself, with the word cannabis not allowed in the name of the association. 

Two founders with no history of money laundering, an administrator who has lived in Malta for at least 5 years and a legal representative need to apply to create an association. They must also provide a location to grow cannabis and another to sell. 

Applicants must pay a registration fee of €1,000 and the license fee starts at €8,750 for the first 50 members. Cannabis sold must also include a label discouraging the use and also provide details. 

Plants must be hidden away from plain sight such as in a greenhouse and the seed must be cultivated at any location that is compliant with planning regulations. Anyone over the age of 18 can join a club, but only a single one. 

#MaltaDaily

MEP Cyrus Engerer slams war on drugs as a failure

MEP Cyrus Engerer slams war on drugs as a failure
Jan 27 2023 Share

Maltese Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Cyrus Engerer took to Twitter to address recent comments made on ‘the war on drugs’ and following the recent killing of 30-year-old Pelin Kaya.

Engerer said that a war on drugs will always fail and that ‘no country can arrest its way out of drugs – it is much more complex.’ 

‘This matter is not for sensationalism and populist statements. We must attack trafficking, while at the same time work on addiction knowledge and well-being. Science not ideology’ he wrote. 

Pelin Kaya was killed by a cocaine-intoxicated Jeremie Camilleri, who drove his car into the woman and then into a KFC in Gżira. 

The incident prompted Nationalist MP Jerome Caruana Cilia to call for a revitalisation in the war against drugs to counter a spike in drug trafficking. He stated that the war should focus on traffickers and not drug users, who need rehabilitation, instead of prison sentences. 

#MaltaDaily