Better pensions and doubling of VAT-exempt threshold proposed by PN

Sep 17 2021

The Nationalist Party has come out with a couple of new proposals should it be elected to government. Kicking off the Opposition Party’s proposals is guaranteeing a sustainable pension system which will address the alarming poverty rate amongst the elderly. A self-sustainable pension system and good quality jobs are being proposed by the party, along with ways to incentivise current and future generations to explore additional pension income sources.

Deputy leader David Agius stated that the proposals reflect forecasts for Maltese demographics in the next 50 years. Another proposition will see to provide and incentivise diverse solutions for the pensioners of tomorrow in order to help them save up and invest during their working years.

Continuing with their proposals, opposition leader Bernard Grech proposed doubling the current VAT-exempt threshold from €30,000 to €60,000 in order to simplify bureaucracy at the source. During an Msida Q&A session, the party leader said that with him as future Prime Minister, people will carry less of a burden because there won’t be VAT to collect and pay.

The current threshold racks at €30,000, which means that anyone who earns below that amount per year his exempt from having to collect and pay VAT. Grech’s proposal would see professionals and SME’s registering income at above the aforementioned amount but less than €60,000 will be exempt from collecting VAT.

Grech stated that this measure would serve to tackle rising living coasts as it seeks to help people move forward to grow businesses, invest more and earn more.

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Photo Source: Bernard Grech FB, The Independent

Beloved Maltese gelateria Sottozero opening in Birgu

Sep 17 2021

One of Malta’s most beloved gelaterias ‘Sottozero’ will be opening a new branch in the south of Malta in Birgu. The opening was first teased without the location reveal, amping up excitement for the lovers of Sottozero’s fresh and cool ice-creams.

Now, Birgu locals and all those on the hunt for some delicious scoops or cones can make their way to their new outlet. Birgu will be joining Bugibba and Sliema in serving up the range of around 120 flavours on constant rotation.

The store will also be packing all the lactose-free, vegan and fat-free ice cream choices, as well as the fresh fruit granitas. There’s something for everyone, and its not just ice cream as the gelato factory offers everything from croissants to mouth watering crepes!

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New Schumacher documentary reveals his insomnia problems and more

Sep 17 2021

The documentary, which was released on the 15th of September, has been making the rounds on social media, revealing many aspects of Michael’s life that fans never knew. The part of the documentary that shocked many fans was when it was revealed that Michael was scared for his life driving and that he was passing through insomnia weeks after Ayrton Senna’s death in Imola 1994.

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Senna died at the age of 34 whilst going around the Tamburello corner at 130 mph. Michael was exactly behind his title challenger and didn’t think much of the incident until 2 hours after the race when his engineering director Tom Walkinshaw told him that its looking bad. In an interview captured after the crash Michael had this to say ‘It was two hours after the race where (engineering director) Mr (Tom) Walkinshaw came up to me after the race and said it’s looking very bad. I said “no he’s in a coma but a coma doesn’t mean anything bad”. He said “no it doesn’t look too good”. And then someone came to me later and said “he’s dead”. and ‘I still didn’t believe he’d be dead, I couldn’t think of that. That point I was like “no, he’s going to be the champion”. He maybe misses one or two races and then comes back again. The worst was really the two weeks after this as I had to accept he was dead.’

When Michael was asked whether after the death of Senna, it was easy for him to drive he said ‘Silverstone, I went there (afterwards) and suddenly you see things with different eyes.’ ‘I went through Silverstone in a road car and just thought “this is a point you could be dead, this is another point you could be dead”. Michael also admitted that after the death, he was suffering from insomnia ‘I wake up during the night and I’d sleep maybe three hours a night things like this.’ . Schumacher did continue on and won the his first ever championship that year after a dramatic final race where he crashed into Senna’s teammate Damon Hill.

His feelings about Senna’s death were made clear when in a press conference in 2000, he was asked how he felt after catching Senna’s 41 wins. Schumacher didn’t respond with words but instead started crying, which caused the press conference to halt after Mika Hakkinen’s request.

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More tools will help us do more say family doctors in proposal

Sep 17 2021

The Association of Private Family Doctors and the Malta College of Family Doctors stated in their budget proposals that family doctors can do much more if they were provided with more tools. Decision-makers were encouraged through a joint statement to fully rollout the national electronic patient health records for primary care.

They also urged to improve communication between primary and secondary care through the investing of digital interfaces needed to put all patient information from different medical branches online. Patient experience would be greatly improved if, apart from this, a route for all family doctors to be able to apply for free medication on behalf of their patients were provided. They also asked to make more investigations available to all family doctors and to make permanent the shortcuts to bureaucratic triangulations which worked well during the past months.

All these improvements would decrease the number of stops needed and days taken off work to access health services. Decision makers were also encouraged to invest in the participation of family doctors in cancer prevention. This would complement the massive investment made in the past years in screening, early diagnosis, treatment and hospital management. A research fund is also be called for, which includes research into cancer prevention in its broadest sense.

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Photo Source: Cowichan Valley Citizen