ADPD’s Cacopardo to contest St Julian’s local council seat

Nov 9 2022

Green Party chairperson Carmel Cacopardo has submitted his nomination for the casual election after the St Julian’s local council seat was left vacant by new PN MP Albert Buttigieg.

There are currently non more unelected Nationalist candidates to contest the election, meaning the opposition will nominate the councillor of their choice if Cacopardo does not acquire the necessary votes.

Cacopardo filed his nomination on Wednesday, with candidates having until today to submit their candidature. Addressing the press outside the Electoral Commission, the ADPD chairperson said that each vote carries more weight than that imposed by the main political parties.

Buttigieg was elected in the casual election to fill the vacant seat of late Robert Arrigo, who passed away a week before.

The full quota for the seat consists of 390 votes and Cacopardo needs half the quota to be elected.

#MaltaDaily

4062 traffic accidents reported during 2022 third quarter

Nov 9 2022

According to the National Statistics Office, road traffic accidents and casualties increased during the 3rd quarter of 2022 when compared to the same quarter in 2021.

The number of reported traffic accidents during the third quarter reached 4,062, which is up by 2.1% over the same period in 2021.

The Northern harbour district registered the most accidents at 1,388 cases (34.2% of all accidents).

Road traffic casualties, meanwhile, increased by 4.4% to 449 over the same period in 2021. There were 116 grievously injured persons. 61 of these were drivers, 17 passengers and 38 pedestrians, cyclists or other.

One passenger and five pedestrians’ injuries were fatal. Four more fatalities occurred during this period when compared to 2021’s same period.

71.6%, a majority, of those grievously injured were males. 5 of the fatalities during this quarter were also male, with the other fatality involving a female. 34.7% of the casualties involved persons aged between 26 and 40 years.

#MaltaDaily

The 5 stages of receiving stipend every student in Malta experiences

Nov 9 2022

Now that the scholastic year is in full swing ahead of the Christmas holidays, one very important date approaches – the first stipend of the year. Like something out of the movies, the word ‘stipendju‘ begins to echo across the walls of post-secondary institutions around Malta and Gozo and let’s face it, few scholastic experiences are as sweet as the first stipend of the year. That being said, here are the 5 stages of receiving stipend every student experiences.

“Daħal l-istipendju”

When the very first person receives word that stipends are in, news travels faster than the speed of light and the halls of educational institutions across Malta & Gozo begin to reverberate with the sounds of excited students.

“Let me check just in case”

Whilst hopeful that your €100-or-so stipend payment has entered your bank account on stipend day, a little bit of doubt still remains so you decide to head on down to the ATM to check for yourself.

“Just notes”

Every student does this. Especially on the day of stipend number one, each and every student attempts to convince themselves that they will not burn their newly-received finances on frivolous things and dedicate them solely to books and notes. Yeah, right.

“Ok maybe just €10”

Few banknotes are as crisp as the very first €10 withdrawn from the first stipend of the year. Whether it’s spent on a slice of pizza or can of Red Bull, students can’t help but feel a bit of Elon Musk vibes on stipend day.

“Vodka Woo Woo please”

This is the moment all logic and reason go out the window and you find yourself in a very familiar Paceville street with a bright red drink in hand, part-financed by your newly-received stipend.

Have you ever been through these five stages?

#MaltaDaily

Former PN parliamentary secretary Tony Abela passes away

Nov 9 2022

Former Nationalist Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela has sadly passed away at the age of 66.

Abela, son of former MP Sammy Abela, was Parliamentary Secretary in the office of the prime minister between 2003 and 2008.

Responsible for national defence, he was first elected back in 1987, then in 1996, 1998 and 2003. Making it into parliament in a 2015 casual election, Abela did not contest the last general election.

Tributes poured in for Tony by many political figures including EP President Roberta Metsola, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech and President George Vella.

Former PN leader Simon Busuttil praised his role as a PN member in Rabat, as well as the Rabat Ajax football club after having led it in the 1980s.

#MaltaDaily