2,118 New Dwellings & 453 Permits Approved Between April & June

Aug 21 2024

In the second quarter of 2024, a total of 2,118 new dwellings were approved in Malta, marking a 13.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.

Building permits, which indicate future construction activity, showed a decline, with 453 permits issued, representing an 8.3% drop from the previous year. On average, each permit accounted for 4.7 new dwellings.

Apartments made up the majority of new dwellings approved, with 1,491 units (70.4% of the total). These were followed by penthouses (333), maisonettes (205), terraced houses (66), and other residential units (23).

When compared to the same quarter in 2023, the number of approved new dwellings in Malta decreased by 17.5%, while Gozo and Comino saw an 8.4% increase.

Regionally, the Northern Harbour district recorded the highest number of approved dwellings, totaling 542, while the Western district saw the fewest approvals with 191.

Among individual localities, San Pawl Il-Baħar had the most approvals with 130 new dwellings, followed by Ħaż-Żabbar (128), Il-Mosta (124), Birkirkara (114), and Ta’ Sannat (111).

These statistics reflect a cooling in the construction sector in Malta during this period, particularly on the main island, while Gozo and Comino experienced modest growth.

#MaltaDaily

Source: NSO

7 Victoria Scout Group Members Complete 180km Hike In Europe

Aug 21 2024

Seven members of the Victoria Scout Group’s Rover crew have just wrapped up their Explorer Belt challenge – a demanding 17-day trek through France, Spain, and Andorra. The crew, aged 20-22, covered over 200km, starting from Toulouse and passing through villages in the Pyrenees, before finishing in the microstate of Andorra. Along the way, they hiked through gorges, tunnels, and across streams.

As part of the project, the team interacted with locals, learnt about their customs, and investigated the fusion of Spanish and French traditions in the Pic Carlit region. Along with these duties, they observed cultural differences between France, Andorra, and Catalonia and sampled local cuisine.

Camping in nature for several nights, the scouts followed the “Leave No Trace” ethos, making sure to leave each spot better than they found it. The trip, supported by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ’s BeActive Scheme, relied on sustainable transport such as trains and buses.

After completing their trek, the group took a few days to rest and explore Barcelona, reflecting on the experience and the challenges they overcame while testing their endurance and survival skills.

#MaltaDaily

Over 1,000 Calls Made to 138 Hotline in First Two Weeks

Aug 21 2024

A new helpline for reporting construction site issues has received over 1,000 calls in its first two weeks, Times of Malta reports. Launched on August 5 by Servizz.gov, the 138 helpline deals with a variety of concerns, including construction site abuse and health and safety inquiries.

According to figures revealed to Times of Malta, the helpline, operated by six to eight agents, has forwarded more than 700 calls to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and over 200 to the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA). The BCA oversees construction site standards, while the OHSA addresses worker safety.

Massimo Vella, CEO of Servizz.gov, spoke to Times of Malta about the helpline’s unexpected high volume of calls. He emphasized that the response reflects a significant demand for such a service. The helpline is named in memory of Jean Paul Sofia, a construction site accident victim.

Vella highlighted that common issues reported include dust emissions, non-compliance with BCA protocols, and safety breaches like the lack of protective gear. The helpline operates 24/7, with calls typically handled within five minutes.

#MaltaDaily

Local Linguist Goes Viral Finding Maltese Version Of ‘Demure’

Aug 21 2024

Taking to social media, linguist Kurt Rumbajsa went viral attempting to find the Maltese versions of currently trending phrases ‘demure’, ‘mindful’ and ‘cutesy’.

The phrase “very mindful, very demure” has gone viral, thanks to TikTok user Jools Lebron, who popularized it in a series of videos. The TikToker uses these words to describe the appropriateness of makeup and fashion choices for different settings.

@rumbajsa

kif tkun demure b’mod Mediterran u meħud mix-xemx 🫶🏼💖💋🌸🍰✨🩰🎀 #demure #fyp #fypmalta #fypage #foryou #foryoupage #tiktokmalta #maltatiktok #maltafyp #malti #🇲🇹 #malta #maltese #malteselanguage #language #linguistics

♬ original sound – Kurt Rumbajsa

Kurt concluded that ‘dekoruż/a’ or ‘għandha d-dekor’ can be the best version of demure in Maltese (whilst also commending a commenter who shared a photo of Freddie Portelli as someone with demure).

Meanwhile, Kurt suggested we use the phrase ’nkun nies’ (literally ‘to be people’) as the alternative for mindful.

As for cutesy, while quite simple, Kurt urged us to bring back the diminutive forms of adjectives and thus recommends ‘ħlejju’.

What do you think of Kurt’s suggestions?

#MaltaDaily