Floriana PL green project to extend to Castille

Feb 28 2022

The proposal for a green project in Castille are set to include the pedestrianisation of part of Glormu Cassar Avenue which runs up to Castille in Valletta. As a ground-penetrating radar investigation is being carried out along the whole stretch of St Anne Street, the Floriana garden city project are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Greenserv, the new governmental agency responsible for urban greening projects, has confirmed that the preparations for the project have been going on for months. The project was first conceived by DHI Periti in 2014 and was promised by the Labour Party.

However, scepticism has arisen about how doable the project actually is. The project forms part of Labour’s pledge to convert five large urban spaces into parks and gardens. Underground tunnels will be diverting traffic, with some existing buildings even being knocked down to make way for cars.

Times of Malta was informed by Greenserv CEO Richard Bilocca that works to date on the Floriana project include on-site geotechnical investigations, a detailed survey, a feasibility study and preliminary designs and renderings. The works will be complemented by a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) investigation along the whole stretch which will allow the team or architects and engineers to proceed into the next steps he revealed.

The government engaged Ian Camilleri Cassar, from DHI Periti, as the lead architect behind the project. He stated that it would take another two years just to conclude the studies on how to carry it out and is confident it will happen.

Camilleri Cassar said that he ‘never felt so strongly this level of energy that it has to be done, even saying that it is coming along even better than originally proposed. The proposal is for Glormu Cassar Avenue, leading to Castille, to become one lane, with cars only driving up and the parking spaces on the side removed to create a wide promenade all the way to Valletta.

The underpass will be starting at the Lion Fountain in Floriana for cars to emerge at the War memorial, chasing the traffic flow just minimally.

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Photo Source: Times of Malta

No one injured in late night San Pawl il-Baħar holdup

Feb 28 2022

This morning, at around 0045hrs, Police were informed of a hold up in a shop in Triq Efesu, San Pawl il-Baħar.

Police convened on the scene, with preliminary investigations revealing that two men wearing masks and armed with a knife between them infiltrated the shop and demanded money.

The cashier was a 55-year-old Englishman, and the robbers escaped the scene off the crime with an amount of money in cash. No one was injured during the hold-up, with the police still searching for the perpetrators. Investigations are still ongoing.

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Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to win Carabao Cup

Feb 27 2022

Liverpool have beaten rivals Chelsea in a dramatic penalty shootout to win the 2022 Carabao Cup. This is a record breaking 9th Carabao Cup for the Reds, after title rivals Manchester City equalized the number of Carabao Cups won. The final was once again hosted in the historic Wembley Stadium.

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The first half was dominated by the two teams, with both Liverpool and Chelsea dominating stretches of the half. Chelsea started the match on the right foot creating multiple chances but not being clinical enough. Chelsea had more clear cut chances to score than Liverpool, but the Reds didn’t disappoint with their flexible front line of Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz hurting the Chelsea defence on multiple occasion.

The second half like the first didn’t lack chances but unfortunately lacked clinical finishing from the two sets of players. The highlight of the half came in the 69th minute when the referee controversially ruled out a Liverpool goal for an offside interference from towering defender Virgil Van Dijk. The half also saw Chelsea player Kai Havertz score an offside header.

Another offside goal was present in extra time, this time with a nice Romelu Lukaku run and finish. The removal of the goal was again highly contested with only Lukaku’s arm being in an offside position. Both teams looked very tired come extra time and that led to another 30 minutes without any goals resulting in a penalty shootout. Before the final whistle blew Chelsea managed to substitute keeper Edouard Mendy for penalty specialist keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

What the match lacked in goals scored, the penalty shootout certainly didn’t. Both set of keepers couldn’t save one penalty from all the outfield players with result being decided on the keepers’ penalties. Liverpool second keeper Caoimhin Kelleher handled the pressure of his first final incredibly scoring his penalty. Kepa on the other hand couldn’t handle the pressure missing the penalty in incredible fashion placing the ball way over the bar.

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A brief recap of Robert Abela’s political rally speech

Feb 27 2022

Here are the main points made by Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Robert Abela during the rally in Naxxar this evening.

Robert Abela highlighted Ukraine conflict and how we live in such uncertain times within Europe. He however went on to encourage the Maltese people to stay strong and show solidarity with the Ukrainians.
Robert Abela teased the 1000 proposals of their electoral manifest which will be unveiled in the coming days. He said that the party focused on starting strong but will keep revealing new and exciting proposals for the Maltese islands.
Abela highlighted the already announced proposals which include everything from the environmental proposals give a green space within walking distance for everyone and the first time home buyers proposal which will seek to help families, couples and even singles seeking a new home.
The prime minister said that workers are the true strength of Malta and that new proposals will seek to strengthen their work.
He also forecasted the best 5 years for pensioners due to increases in pensions if they are trusted and elected into government once again.
The prime minister said that the government will not promise everything to everyone as all proposals must be sustainable in order not to remove the ones already established. This shows that they are a government of prudence and plan everything ahead.
Instead of a recession, which was brought, according to Abela, by the Nationalist party, Malta is emerging out of a pandemic with the least amount of debt in history and a thriving economy.
Parents will play a massive role in the PL’s upcoming proposals, said Abela, saying that he wishes to strengthen them in their daily lives. He also said that despite not being perfect, the government took decisions, and will continue to do so, on several issues such as equality between men and women, the LGBTIQ+ community and other such issues.
Abela ended the speech with the motto of ‘Team Malta’ – likening the country to a football team where everyone must be part of the team with a vital role to play.
The results of the election are not a determined decision, said Robert Abela, echoing the speeches of the previous speakers at the rally. – not a day has to be lost to convince more people to join he said. As of today, the campaign starts at ground zero to work towards ensuring a better future for Malta under a Labour Party.

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