17,000 Maltese workers beyond pension age

Mar 15 2021

New figures reveal that just over 16,800 Maltese workers are employed beyond their pension age. Finance Minister Clyde Caruana revealed the figures following a parliamentary question by MP Jason Azzopardi. Statistics have showed that as of September 2020, 11,886 men and 4,930 women over the age of 62 still work, with the majority being on full-time basis.

Compared to 2019, with just 13,000 people working beyond 62, a significant increase has been noticed. Reasons as to why this occurs vary according to sources, with some stating COVID-19 being one of the causes. Other could be trying to keep up with costs or people simply wanting to continue in their profession.

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Fundraiser for Sarah Everard vigil reaches over £500,000 in one day

Mar 15 2021

A fundraiser set up following Sarah Everard’s official vigil has raised more than £500,000 in a single day after the vigil itself was cancelled. The group ‘Reclaim These Streets’ set up a FaceBook page titled ‘Just Giving’ after what they called a ‘lack of constructive engagement from the Metropolitan Police’. Donations were made by those who wished to attend the vigil and all funds were sent towards women’s charity causes throughout the UK.

Reclaim These Streets organisers have stated that remaining funds to the fund, wishing initially to surpass £320,000 but having now surpassed it by much more. Messages of support have flooded along with the donations, praising Reclaim These Streets’ work and solidarity.

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Italian mafia bust with links to Maltese companies

Mar 15 2021

A Maltese company has allegedly had connections with the Sicilian Santapaola-Ercolano mafia group. The company has reportedly allowed the evasion of €30 million in taxation by Italian finance authorities. Authorities from Catania, along with the organised crime unit Scico, seized €80 million in assets from an online sports betting organisation whose branches spread into Malta, along with other European cities.

The Italian finance police (known as Guardia di Finanza) stated how the mafia clan created an unauthorised website, which had ownership by a Maltese company, and allowed it to hide its links with Italy and authorities. A total of €32 million invest were charged to the Maltese company, allowing for ‘massive tax evasion in Italy.’

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Maltese Olympic Committee granted €2.7 million from SportMalta

Mar 14 2021

In a press conference in front of the Maltese Olympic Committee, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Voluntary Organisations and Sport Clifton Grima presided of the signing of a new agreement between Sport Malta and the Maltese Olympic Committee which will secure more than €2.7 million in funds over a 4-year period.

Posted by Clifton Grima on Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Grima stated that the it is the government’s plan to assist the Olympic Committee so it is more independent and in a stronger position, going on to highlight how these funds will aid Malta in better planning of international games and in the Games of the Small States in 2023.

SportMalta head Mark Cutajar expressed his and the organisation’s enthusiasm in receiving a record financial package while Olympic Committee President Julian Pace Bonello stated that with this agreement, local elite athletes from sport organisations can be assisted further in the efforts and sacrifices to increase their successes in the next four years.

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