Bernard Grech calls to remove ‘discriminatory’ vaccine rules for culture and sports

Jan 27 2022

Opposition leader Bernard Grech urged the government to scrap the COVID-19 vaccine certificate requirements for sports and cultural events along with those authorities announced will be retracted.

Grech described the current rules as ‘discriminatory’, saying that measures keep getting introduced and scrapped.

‘Now that the PN has spoken in favour of freedoms and against discrimination, the people have risen up against you and the election is approaching, the government has suddenly realised that the rules introduced on the 17th of January had to be removed’ said the PN leader in Parliament yesterday.

He said that the PN speak out of conviction and the Labour government speak out of convenience. ‘This is the main difference between us’ said Grech.

Grech brought up a discussion he had with a mother who welcomed the news of easing measures but was worried due to her unvaccinated daughter not being able to go to training yet. He said that he told her to ‘have faith’ because the Opposition will speak on her behalf. ‘In [the PN’s] eyes, you and your daughter are both important.’

Grech went on to accuse the government of displaying a complete lack of empathy for people who are concerned about the booster for medical reasons and urged it to provide a sense of certainty as to whether village feasts will be allowed in summer.

This comes as Health Minister Chris Fearne announced, ten days after vaccine entry rules came into force, that there are plans to ease them in the coming weeks. The Deputy Prime Minister argued this was possible because some 75% of the population has been boosted with hospitalisations remaining low.

Jab certificates will no longer be obligatory to enter restaurants, snack bars, or każini as of 7th February, and they will not be obligatory for bars, gyms and pools as of the 14th. However, the rules will remain obligatory for casinos, nightclubs, travel, sports and events.

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Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna immortalised in bronze LA statue

Jan 27 2022

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were immortalised through a bronze statue placed at the crash sit on the two year anniversary of the helicopter collision which killed nine people.The statue of the hall-of-fame star and his 13-year-old daughter was placed at the site in a mountainous area of Calabasas in LA. The sculptor, Dan Medina, said ‘heroes come and go but legends are forever.’

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A plaque honours the other seven victims with their names on a plaque at the base. The piece depict Kobe looking down at Gianna, who was just 13-years-old at the time of her death. With her father’s left arm on her shoulder, Gianna is depicted carrying a basketball whilst looking up to her father. Both are wearing their respective basketball uniform, with Kobe in his Lakers No. 24 uniform.

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Medina placed the statue on the morning of the anniversary where it will only stay for the remainder of the day. However, he plans to continue to display it every anniversary of the tragedy and on Bryant’s birthday. With dozens paying their respects, Medina revealed he is working on a life-size version of the same statue which is 90% complete.

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‘I think we need something like this to be installed on a permanent basis. It hasn’t been done yet and this is maybe a catalyst for that. But I’m willing to donate whatever’s here at no cost. That’s the hope, to find a way to have it permanently installed.’

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Calls to suspend breeding and importation of bully dog breeds by MSPCA

Jan 27 2022

Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina has called for the breeding and importation of bully dog breeds to halt. This is until the present situation which sees Malta’s animal sanctuaries struggling to cope with numbers is addressed.

Such breeds and crosses with them account for the majority of dogs homed in animal sanctuaries. The commissioner emphasised that the minister responsible for animal welfare – Anton Refalo – is empowered to strictly control, if not permanently ban, such breeding and importation of the breeds.

She recommended this be done with immediate effect, with her end of year report for 2021 stating that this recommendation is in the process of being implemented.

The Malta Society for the Protection and Care of Animals backed the call, noting that such dogs not only accounted for the lion’s share of dogs in animal shelters but also faced very slim chances for finding a new home. Many are either confiscated due to abuse or neglect or simply abandoned by owners.

Many of these dogs were not good with other dogs and cats, the MSPCA noted, whilst also being large strong dogs which require space and exercise which not everyone could offer.

The MSPCA did emphasise that it was not against these breeds, saying that they love and care for all breeds equally. However, they said, the present situation necessitated action, not least because such dogs were the ones which were suffering most abuse, mostly though irresponsible breeding. This should be done by licensed breeds with the proper experience and knowledge.

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Change in electricity billing to allow users to benefit from cheaper benefits

Jan 27 2022

A new utility billing system was announced by Energy Minister Miriam Dalli, through which consumers will make use of all cheap units allocated for a year. An anomaly in the current billing system saw some consumers paying more despite a yearly allocation of cheap units. The change is set to correct for this anomaly, with Dalli revealing in parliament how further details will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

‘We will be announcing details on how anomalies that a PN government introduced in a 2009 legal notice will be repealed. The system will apply to consumption from the beginning of January 2022. Work is already underway, stated Dalli. The system will allow families to make us of all allocated units in each band. The Minister mentioned how the system is being developed and tested and that the necessary changes to the 2009 legal notice will be made.

The minister contrasted to the PN government back in 2008, whom their only solution, she said, was to increase utility bills. The labour government under Robert Abela she said is up to the challenges. ‘We have a different mentality and we are up to the challenges.’

‘Yesterday the Eurostat figures showed how energy prices increased by around 10% but locally they increased by 0%’ said Dalli. ‘We will not do as the PN Government, deduct eco contribution and increase utility bills for businesses, jeopardising jobs in the process. Our strategy is to promote responsible consumption as per the national decarbonisation and sustainability plans.’

Dalli also explained how during 2021, Malta Enterprise approved 113 projects with foreign and local investment. The total investment €175 million and generated 1,700 jobs. ‘The figures are provisional but I can confirm that the investment in our country for 2021, during a pandemic year, was more than that in 2020.’

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