An End To The Vitals-Steward Hospital Controversy?

Oct 23 2023

The Vitals hospitals privatisation deal saw its final chapter close as a civil court’s annulment was upheld by an appellate court on Monday.

Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti, along with two other judges, concluded the appeal process in July. In a decisive morning session, Chief Justice Chetcuti confirmed expenses related to the case but dismissed Steward Health Care’s appeal on its merits.

In February, Judge Francesco Depasquale accused Steward of seeking unjust enrichment at the expense of the government and the people of Malta and Gozo when assuming control of St Luke’s, Karin Grech, and Gozo hospitals.

This legal battle was initiated by then-Opposition leader, now PN MP Adrian Delia, who took to Facebook to say, “We will retain ownership of the three hospitals. Malta has won.”

Steward contended in its appeal that it was itself deceived by the Maltese government, which failed to fulfill promises made. Following a dispute with Steward, the government has since assumed control of the three hospitals, a move that Steward claimed was opportunistic in light of the February judgment.

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Visually Impaired Athlete Completes 10km Caritas Run For Life

Oct 23 2023

Jesper Mathiesen, a visually impaired athlete, just completed the 10km Caritas Run For Life as part of team Fabio Spiteri and paced by team mate Miguel Mifsud Mifsud.

‘Yes together we can’, wrote Miguel. ‘Finishing the week with a 10km Caritas race, pacing my team mate visually impaired Jesper Mathiesen from Team Fabio. What an inspiration you are my dear friend. We did it in 51 minutes… Thank you for the trust.’

Caritas Malta commended the youth’s unbreakable spirit, calling him and Miguel an inspiration for everyone.

This isn’t the first time Jesper has completed such a feat, after having running a half marathon back in 2022, paced by Tommy Wallbank and even hiking Africa’s tallest mountain peak in 2019.

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Maltese Man Recalls His 4 Years Living In Gaza

Oct 23 2023

Karl Schembri, a Maltese man who spent four years living in Gaza, took to social media to share images he had taken from his time living in the currently besieged land.

‘Gaza City, Al Rimal, Omar Al Mukhtar Street, The Square of the Unknown Soldier, as I photographed it in May 2011.’

Schembri recalled his time walking, living, buying his groceries and meeting new friends there, with ‘people of all classes’ going there ‘for a stroll.’

‘Families having ice cream, doing their shopping, enjoying little freedoms. The tiny corner shop underneath me had all the essentials I needed – bread, coffee, cigarettes, toothpaste, and its owner’s old, warm, beautiful smile.’

‘The owner of a flower shop greeted me every morning on my walk to work. He’d insist on me taking a flower or two so I’d leave him a few shekels to give flowers to his next customer.

A coffee shop called Mazaj was the meeting place for countless hours of discussions with my friends. Pizza Land was my refuge for fast food.’

‘Al Waha is where I’d have a sheesha and a coffee and write down poems or whatever came to mind on my Gaza notebooks.’

‘The view from my bedroom of the city and the Mediterranean sea was my daily spiritual nutrient, as it is for many Palestinians who look at the horizon and dream of freedom,’ he concluded.

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Tufty Is All Healed Up And Released Back Into Nature

Oct 23 2023

The story of Tufty has come to a positive return to nature after Wildlife Rescue Team Malta updated the public of the hedgehog scurrying back into the foliage.

After being found injured and with her spines lost on the 27th of August, Tufty was given care and rehabilitation by the wonderful souls at the rescue team.

Slowly regaining her spines, she was finally able to return to nature this weekend with a snowy white coat of fresh spines.

‘She took her time sniffing her new surroundings, and once she deemed the location was suitable, she went off exploring.’

‘When she came to us, it was very touch & go on whether she would make it. Seeing her run off in such a beautiful setting was all the thank you our volunteers need’, wrote the rescue team.

All the animals rescued by the team are protected species and it is illegal to keep them as pets in Malta.

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