“Everyone was friends with Yorgen Fenech,” Rosianne Cutajar tells all in first sit-down interview

Feb 23 2022

“God forbid that every time an allegation is made about a colleague, we stop talking to them,” these were the words of Labour MP and candidate Rosianne Cutajar in an exclusive first sit-down interview since her resignation.

Cutajar had resigned from her post as Parliamentary Secretary due to questions of ethical conduct with business tycoon Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of complicity in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. In our latest episode of ‘The Interview with Fabian Demicoli’, Cutajar highlighted that it is ironic how the individuals who have access to Fenech’s messages are using them for ‘misleading purposes’, referring to Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi.

The labour candidate highlighted how there are also messages between Nationalist Party members and Fenech, suggesting that since Jason Azzopardi is a lawyer in the case against against Yorgen Fenech, he can use them whenever he deems necessary. She went on to highlight how there is a court ban on the leaking of such chats.

Watch the video here:

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€250,000 investment into renewable energy for government buildings

Feb 23 2022

A €250,000 investment will issue the call to have around 10 governmental buildings benefiting from photovoltaic panels. With each application reaching up to a maximum of 15kWp, ministries, public entities and governmental departments interested in the incentive will have to submit an ‘Expression of Interest.’

€25,000 will be allocated for every project, with Energy, Enterprise and Sustainability Minister Miriam Dalli announcing the investment alongside Chief Executive of the Energy and Water Enterprise Manuel Sapiano.

Minister Dalli said that this initiative will continue to promote renewable energy, whilst also giving further visibility to the public sector to move forward as a country towards decarbonisation.

‘Through this initiative, it is being estimated that around 240MWh will be generated annually, with 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved annually’ she said.

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Photo Source: Miriam Dalli

Could driverless cars be Malta’s future? – Studies kick off

Feb 23 2022

University researchers have started conducting studies into the possible introduction of driverless cars in Malta by using artificial intelligence (AI).

The studies are being carried out by the Department of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure within the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta.

With the project supported by Debono Group and Infrastructure Malta, the research is being conducted on the concept of shared autonomous mobility and assessing the viability of an automated transport system in Malta form both legal and technical perspectives.

The project, called MISAM (Malta’s Introduction of Shared Autonomous Mobility) seeks to bring this technology to the island’s notoriously congested roads.

Such cars use artificial intelligence technology to sense their surroundings. The system would be operating by itself by taking decisions based on an analysis of its environment and performing the necessary functions without any human intervention.

The benefits of these technologies are environmental and social, with a particular focus on sustainability and user-friendliness for less mobile individuals such as persons with disabilities and the elderly.

The project is also exploring the feasibility of reducing dependence on private vehicles as well as quickening the move towards multimodal transport systems to address the traffic problem.

Back in May, Transport Minister Ian Borg said that a pilot project will test self-driving buses on Malta’s streets in the coming months. Project MISAM will be one of the initiatives featured at an online conference being organised by Transport Malta on Thursday.

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Photo Source: Infrastructure Malta

Plans for Marsascala marina will be scrapped completely & immediately, says Ian Borg

Feb 23 2022

When asked whether or not there will be alternative plans for the Marsascala yacht marina and if they would be discussed with the residents, Transport Minister Borg echoed Prime Minister Robert Abela’s statements that any plans will be scrapped completely and immediately.

During yesterday’s political rally in Marsascala, the Prime Minister revealed that after discussions with Borg, plans for the yacht marina will be halted.

Borg told Malta Daily that he not only confirms that such plans will be halted but that they had been discussing and monitoring the situation for the past few weeks. The Minister went on to state that despite detailed explanation from the government, the people of Marsascala and beyond did not warm up to the yacht marina plans, which triggered the government to take such a decision.

Borg went on to reveal that he met with the Marsascala local council to discuss certain issues they had brought forward, highlighting that he knows what it means to be a councillor.

Watch the video here:

Do you welcome such plans?

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Photo Source (left): Moviment Graffitti