Bernard Grech defends the traffic fine freeze proposal by PN

Feb 24 2022

After promising to introduce a system which will give a second chance to drivers who get a traffic fine yesterday, Bernard Grech came to the party proposal’s defence on Thursday.

The contravention would be suspended for six months, and the fine would drop if the person who got the fine does not relapse. When challenged on whether he thinks the proposal would lead to the desired outcome or not, Grech said that the incentive would work at removing the ‘uwijja’ attitude from drivers.

The leader insisted that the initiative was of the positive reinforcement type, set to drive down the sense of impunity among law-abiding citizens. The ‘u iva mhux xorta (couldn’t care less) attitude is exactly what we don’t want. If one parks incorrectly once and repeats the contravention the following day, they will end up paying that traffic fine.’

He said that law-abiding citizens fined for parking incorrectly while buying something, or while unloading a pushchair from a car, would feel incentivised not to repeat the unintentional mistake.’

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Malta Teacher’s Union issues 60 proposals ahead of March election

Feb 24 2022

The Malta Union of Teachers has issued a list of 60 proposals to present the political parties contesting the general election.

Among these proposals, the MUT is proposing to start discussions to transform the current state education service to a public sector entity. The MUT is expecting education to be raised in the respective agenda of all political parties and to be a central theme of the election.

The proposals, the union said, reflect its continuous analysis of the sector as well as presenting solutions to current challenges. MUT president Marco Bonnici told a news conference that through its document, the union is encouraging discussion ‘so that together with those who will be entrusted with the administration of the country and the education sector after the next general election, we would start getting things done immediately.’

Some of the proposals include identifying the main reasons why the sector is not attracting enough young people to education professions and take action to rectify the situation; holding regular campaigns to promote the profession; as well as reviewing the number of students in each class for more individual attention.

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Photo Source: Collins Dictionary, Malta Union of Teachers FB

PL’s metro plan is not feasible says Bernard Grech

Feb 24 2022

Speaking on Thursday, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said that the government’s metro proposal is not feasible and will not be carried out.

‘Their €6.25 billion proposal is not even doable and in fact, after a grand show for the metro, they hid it away quickly’ he said. This comes after the PN proposed a metro-system and high-speed rail in its electoral program in 2017.

Last October, government had proposed a €6.25 billion three-line metro system for national discussion. However, the PN leader said the party’s plan for a mass transport system will maximise government’s €700 million infrastructural spending.

Grech called his party’s more realistic, saying it incorporates the infrastructural projects the country has invested in. ‘We will keep on building on this and keep on incentivising people to ditch their car and use a mass public transport system.’

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Photo Source: Malta Metro, Bernard Grech FB

Malta has the largest amount of people vaccinated with booster

Feb 24 2022

Health Minister Chris Fearne revealed today that Malta has the highest rate of vaccinations when it comes to the COVID-19 booster shot.

Fearne highlighted how the number of cases in the community remained relatively low, with 733 positive cases in the community and 44 hospitalised at Mater Dei. With 3 people in the ITU, this indicates that the numbers are not increasing too much as measures are being eased.

‘Our politics is not one that aims for zero COVID but to see that enough services and resources in hospital are available so as to avoid any situations where we are overwhelmed’ said Fearne.

The Minister revealed that around one million and a quarter vaccine doses were administered, with 342,000 people vaccinated with the booster jab. This gives Malta the highest amount of boosted individuals, standing at 80%. When it comes to children aged between 5 to 11, 26,000 doses were administered.

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