Electoral reform has to be an open public debate says PL president

Government still indecisive on type of electoral reform

Nov 2 2021

The Labour Party remains non-committal on the type of electoral reform it wishes to implement. PL President Ramona Attard insisted during an interview on Xtra, that the public debate has to happen without imposition and without dictating the direction. This comes after Prime Minister Robert Abela spoke about the need for an electoral reform, but no details were issued as of yet. Responding to ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, who welcomed the PM’s commitment but questioned the timing of the proposal, Attard remained non-committal, insisting on a public debate.

Cacopardo also noted how electoral reform was not a new idea but has never become realiy. Michael Piccinino, the Nationalist Party’s general secretary, said the party was in favor of a debate as well but stated that this has to be open to the rest of society. Attard said the PL will have a mixed candidature with experienced politicians and new faces, with Piccinino stating that he will continue chasing new candidates until the very last moment. Attard emphasized the LEAD program, which will see more women politicians trained, whereas Piccinino also said that the PN is prepared for a general election and will use the breathing space of a few months to bolster its financial war chest.

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Photo Source: Ramona Attard FB, Charles Mercieca

Shaquille O’Neal’s kids can’t understand why he won’t share his $400M fortune

Nov 2 2021

49-year-old former professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal has revealed that he does not want to share his $400 million fortune with his children, but they cannot seem to understand why. The star has expressed how he wishes to see his kids work hard to be successful, wanting to instead invest in his offspring rather than just handing them the money. O’Neal is a father of six, and is rumored to have a net worth of around $400 million and does not seem to be willing to giving his kids money long term.

Speaking on ‘Earn Your Leisure’ podcast, the former basketball player said ‘My kids are older now. They kinda upset with me – not really upset – but they don’t understand. Because i tell them all the time. ‘We ain’t rich. I’m rich.’ He went on to say how he wants his kids to have a bachelor’s or master’s degrees, starting their own businesses, becoming pharmacists, lawyers or doctors. Anything that gets them working and earning the money. He also strikingly denounced his ‘celebrity-ness’, saying that many celebrities are going crazy with status and money.

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Photo Source: Stutteringhelp.org, New York Post

Sexist uniform regulations changed by International Handball Federation

Nov 2 2021

The International Handball Federation changed it’s much criticized uniform regulations for beach handball. This will see female players being able to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms following years of pushback. This also comes after the Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts during a match against Spain in early 2021. The federation stated that the shorts were ‘improper clothing’, in a statement which announced the $1,735 fine ($173 per player). The team’s coach at the time, Eskil Berg Andreassen, spoke to CNN, saying that the uniform regulations could discourage potential players of the sport from going ahead with their wish.

Singer and songwriter Pink also slammed the regulations as sexist, and offered to pay the fine on behalf of the Norwegian team. The new uniform regulations (dated October 3rd) state that female athletes must wear short tight pants with a close fit, with tank tops for women rather than the crop tops stipulated in the old regulations. With male players also instructed to wear tank tops and shorts, a change.org petition also called for the fine to be dropped and for women to be allowed to compete in shorts. It gained more than 60,000 signatures, with the change finally coming into effect.

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Photo Source: CNN, The Economic Times

Only a few classes without a fixed teacher says Education Minister

Nov 2 2021

Following news of student teachers being assigned classes to fill in for lack of teachers, Education Minister Justyne Caruana spoke out to say that there are very few primary classes with no fixed teachers. The situation is being addressed, the Minister told newsroom Times of Malta, following the comments and expression of frustration by many working in the teaching profession or simply undergoing training to become educators themselves. Reports raised by parents in a Facebook group alleged how at least 18 classrooms in primary state schools had no fixed teacher, with kids being taught by peripatetic teachers in rotation.

Minister Caruana said that the amount of classes without fixed teachers is in fact less than 18 and declining every day, but did not specify how many classes are still affected. With COVID-19 measures socially distancing students and bubbles, the amount of kids able to occupy a classroom is less than pre-pandemic contexts. The scholastic year kicked off with a shortage of teachers in around 80 state primary schools, with education authorities calling upon peripatetic and support teachers to fill in.

The situation escalated to objections made by the Malta Union of Teachers, which Caruana said should be coming to a close in a matter of days. Student teachers who had their schedule switched up with only a week’s notice were also frustrated, exclaiming how they had to prepare a lot of material before they started their training and now being forced to create the same amount of work within a short period of time. With 189 teacher warrants allegedly signed by the Minister, the ministry, she said, is always open for dialogue and finding the best solutions possible with the children’s education as top priority.

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Photo Source: District Administration, Justyne Caruana FB