Activist calls for ban of single-use BBQs due to waste

Feb 7 2022

Activist Cami Appelgren took to social media to call for a ban of single use BBQs, calling upon Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia to take action.

Appelgren stated that Malta should follow in the footsteps of other countries which actually banned them. Listing off several reasons, the activist said that due to them being single use, they always end up as landfill waste.

She also said that people do not know how to dispose of them, and are prone to getting scared of them starting fires in bins. This leads them to leave them behind in usually natural areas.

She also pointed out how they pose a fire hazard, claiming that she has stopped counting the times she had to put out fires spread due to these BBQs as a patrolling ranger. Appelgren also highlighted how burning charcoal releases more particle pollutants and 2-3 times the amount of carbon dioxide as burning gas will.

‘I can’t find even ONE reason NOT to ban the sale of these […] Invest in a good portable gas BBQ, the camping shops have them at a very good price. And if you use a metal tray, buy quality charcoal which hasn’t been sourced unethically’ she said.

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Photo Source: Cami Appelgren FB

French military jet makes emergency landing in Malta for refuelling

Feb 7 2022

Many heard it during the early hours of Monday morning – a French navy military jet had to make a sudden emergency landing in Malta after it encountered problems with refuelling mid-air. Speaking to newsroom The Malta Independent, a Malta International Airport spokesperson confirmed that a French Dassault Rafale M ’41’ military jet landed safely at the airport at around 19:30 on Sunday.

The jet did not have enough fuel to continue with its journey, resulting from a malfunction which occurred with the aircraft’s mid-air refuelling system. Stationing itself on Apron 2, it awaited French technicians to be flown in by helicopter for a quick re-fuel and repair of the issue. They arrived via NH-90 ’24’, with both aircrafts departing at around 00:16 the same night.

The jet was heard by many on the island, some exclaiming how the aircraft was, according to the intensity of the sound, flying really low. The Dassault Rafale is a twin-engine fighter jet capable of reaching a top speed of 1,912 km/h.

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Virtu Ferries maintains price on freight costs despite rising trend

Feb 7 2022

Malta’s leading commercial undertakings and economists are forecasting an increase in the price of most commodities, food and daily needs included, largely due to the worldwide increase in freight charges and other factors, including COVID. Food has been particularly affected, raising at the highest rate in the last four years and not likely to start falling before October 2022, with supermarkets estimating a 15% increase across the board. In one case it was reported that the freight costs of a container, previously at between Euro 2,000 to 3,000, has now shot up to Euro 17,000 resulting in a 500% increase in the price of certain commodities.

Virtu Ferries, firmly against the world trend, has maintained freight costs at pre-COVID levels. Furthermore, in order to assist SME, Virtu has actually lowered freight cost for small and medium sized commercial vehicles by introduced favourable schemes to assist emerging enterprises.

Importers, sourcing products from Italy and in particular Sicily, have not seen an increase in freight charges. Retailers are taking full advantage of the Virtu offers switching to stocking up from Sicily to reduce their cost of carriage. Hotels and restaurants are resorting to importation from Sicily to counter the local increase in prices of food products.

Virtu Ferries are now operating two vessels with daily voyages at convenient timing, multiple times in the week. Voyage frequency is of particular importance to importers, it allows for warehousing, at no cost in Sicily, and importation of frequent minimum orders reducing financial costs. Cutting costs in the current situation is essential for repositioning post COVID.

Have you noticed an increase in freight costs over the past few years?

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Gozo heliport consultation process to kick off in coming months

Feb 7 2022

The Gozo Ministry has confirmed that the consultation process on the project to transform the heliport in Xewkija, Gozo, into a regional airport will kick off in the coming months.

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri said that the extension of the runway will be done within the parameters of the existing site so that no new land is taken up because of the project.

The Ministry for Gozo will be submitting an application to the Planning Authority in the coming weeks to extend the runway of the Xewkija heliport by 271 meters, extending the runway to 450 meters.

If approved, Gozo will have, for the first time, the space to land small passenger planes. Up until the now, the only means of air travel was by helicopter. Minister Camilleri said that the project is expected to further improve the connectivity of Gozo without taking up agricultural land.

The Ministry also confirmed that while the Government will be providing the infrastructure for the project, the service will be provided by the private sector. A public consultation on the project is set to be released by the Ministry.

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