€500 yearly grant for parents keeping kids in post-secondary school

Feb 28 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Monday that the government would be giving parents of children who continue to study full time beyond the obligatory age €500 a year for three years.

The Prime Minister said that all parents who manage to do this would thus be given €1,500 in three years if the children study beyond the age of 16. Should the Labour Party be elected to government, Abela said that this measure would help sustain families together with other pledges.

The other pledges include the increase of children’s allowance by €90 a year, which amounts to €450 by the end of the legislature. ‘Parents of two children will be receiving €900 by the end of the legislature’ said Abela.

Free childcare services would also be made available to parents, whether or not they are employed. Apart from this, the one tablet per child scheme will be extended to secondary schools, with seventh-year students receiving a laptop.

Secondary school students will also be receiving a set of books each year to encourage reading through a pledge which will cost €145 million over five years.

Abela then went on to highlight IVF, saying that services would be widened to include more couples, even those who want more than one child. ‘It hurts us to see young couples seeking medical service beyond our shores’ he said.

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Alexia Debono second Volt Malta election candidate

Feb 28 2022

Volt Malta have just announced the second candidate for the upcoming general election – co-president Alexia Debono.

Debono will be contesting on the 8th and 9th districts, running under the slogan ‘Vote Better, Vote Volt.’ She said that she believes that voters need to be given more choice with candidates ‘which are truly socially progressive and part of socially progressive parties which amplifies their voice’.

Debono, who was exposed to politics in 2014 through Euroscola, became involved in Volt as one of the first two members of the party which now has around 65 members and volunteers. She is one of the party’s co-founders, where she was initially elected as Vice-President in 2020 and then appointed co-president in 2021 after the party was registered.

She is currently joined by Kass Mallia, who will be contesting the 10th and 11th district.

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Photo Source: Alexia Debono, Volt Malta FB

Entertainment industry calls on COVID rule removal as election rallies kick off

Feb 28 2022

The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) called for the removal of all COVID-19 restrictions on the entertainment industry following the political rallies being organised in lieu of the election in March.

The association questioned why the sector is being continuously discriminated against while political actives are given the go ahead.

On Thursday, Health Minister Chris Fearne revealed that standing events outdoors would be given the green light to operate without restrictions as of 11th April. However, indoor events require vaccine certificates for entry.

The health minister reiterated his appeal for people to be responsible during the press conference, saying that it is not fair that there is a free for all situation. Fearne said that the protocols by the PL are being observed, with people attending asked to register beforehand to be organised into clusters.

However, MEIA president Howard Keith Debono criticised the authorities who continue to apply what he deemed a two-tier system. Whereas political activities are being allowed, the entertainment industry continued to be burdened by restrictions.

Debono told newsroom MaltaToday that the sector is confused and that all restrictions must be removed as the latest announcement by Fearne fails to a address the ongoing discrimination and the urgency to remove all restrictions.

The health authorities had pointed out that the restrictions will be removed as part of a COVID exit roadmap thanks to the low hospitalisation numbers and the high vaccination rate. This comes as political rallies kick off in full force, with a week of events already gone by.

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Franco Debono will not be contesting the general election despite support

Feb 28 2022

Posting to Facebook, Lawyer Franco Debono revealed that he will not be contesting the general election, despite the positive reaction he received at the prospect of him actually running.

Posting to Facebook, Debono said that the declaration by Opposition leader Bernard Grech that he does not exclude his candidature with the Nationalist Party brought a lot of positive reactions. It also showed the considerable support from public and private individuals and entities on national and district levels.

The declaration came as a surprise for Debono, he revealed, and thanked Grech for the statement. ‘It is not my style to rush with declarations and therefore, after several days of reflection, I feel as though I need to exclude the possibility given the current circumstances.’

‘I don’t feel that this is the moment to do this step’ he said. ‘I am making this declaration with total respect towards those persons who, in the past few days, communicated with me to encourage me to contest. I assure you that I heard and read every message and I thank you. I was sincerely surprised by the wave of support.’

He went on to wish the best of luck to Bernard Grech, and said that he does not completely exclude future participation with more activism.

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Photo Source: Partit Nazzjonalista, Franco Debono