Gato’s Pastizzi: Keeping Maltese Cuisine Alive In Sydney

Feb 6 2025

Philip, the owner of the Maltese shop ‘Gatos Pastizzi’, is keeping local foods alive all the way in Sydney, Australia.

The shop’s main attraction is of course the crunchy pastizzi, which Philip serves up with both some traditional and innovative twists to his customers.

The shop however also sells other iconic Maltese snacks – like Ħelwa tat-Tork, Twistees and Qagħaq tal-Għasel.

The shop attracts both local Australians as well as the Maltese community in the country, which is quite sizeable, as they trigger their tastebuds with some nostalgia.

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Source: Maltese People in Malta all by Lillian Chetcuti Riolo

Average Age Of Police Officers In Malta 36, Minister Reveals

Feb 6 2025

A parliamentary question posed by PN MP Graziella Attard Previ to Minister for Home Affairs, Security, and Employment Byron Camilleri revealed that the average age of police officers in Malta is 36.07.

The Minister also revealed that the average age of male officers is 36.3 years, while the average age of female officers is 35.4 years.

This includes recruits trying out for the Malta Police Force.

Late last January during a recruitment ceremony of 50 recruits, Police commissioner Angelo Gafa highlighted that one-third of the graduating group were women.

This percentage was higher than the current female representation within the force. The top three positions in the order of merit were also secured by female recruits.

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Loneliness In Malta Increased To 54.6% In 2022

Feb 6 2025

A study comparing loneliness levels in Malta before and after the pandemic found a rise in emotional isolation, despite a slight decrease in social disconnection.

This indicates that while people maintained social interactions, their emotional needs remained unmet.

The study analysed data from 2019 and July 2022, three months after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

Overall loneliness increased significantly, with 54.6% of respondents in 2022 classified as moderately lonely compared to 41.3% in 2019. Severe or very severe loneliness more than doubled, rising from 2.1% to 5.2%.

Emotional loneliness scores increased from 1.42 in 2019 to 2.1 in 2022 (on a scale of 0-6), showing that more people struggled with feelings of deep isolation.

In contrast, social loneliness saw a slight decline, with scores dropping from 1.23 to 1.16 (on a scale of 0-5), suggesting that opportunities for social interaction improved but did not alleviate emotional disconnection.

Certain groups experienced higher levels of loneliness, including young people under 19, older adults over 55, and widowed or retired individuals. People with lower income, lower education levels, poor health, or a weak sense of neighbourhood belonging were also more affected.

The study recommended policies to address affordable housing, rising living costs, and investment in community spaces such as parks and social hubs.

Other proposals included establishing a parliamentary secretary for loneliness and a national task force to assess its societal impact. A follow-up study is planned to monitor future trends.

Read the full study here.

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Omar Farrugia Addresses Public Concerns Over BCRS

Feb 6 2025

Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works Omar Farrugia has raised concerns about the efficiency and financial viability of Malta’s Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS), particularly following recent fee increases imposed on beverage producers and importers.

While the scheme has successfully achieved environmental targets—collecting 230 million plastic containers in 2023 – Farrugia questioned whether it meets public expectations.

Citing widespread complaints, he pointed to persistent issues such as malfunctioning machines, insufficient collection points, poor maintenance, and slow processing times.

While sustainability goals are being met, the system’s economic model appears fragile.

The private operator behind BCRS recently raised administration fees, citing financial losses of €1.31 million in 2023 due to the scheme’s success in exceeding collection targets. These higher fees, some of which increased by over 100%, have reportedly already led to price hikes for consumers.

Farrugia expressed concerns that consumers, despite doing their part, may ultimately bear the financial burden of inefficiencies within the system. He called for urgent improvements to make the scheme more user-friendly rather than discouraging participation.

Farrugia said that the government remains committed to sustainability, with initiatives such as waste management reforms and incentives for home water filtration systems.

Farrugia also dismissed Opposition claims of new taxes, emphasising that the administration prioritises incentives over financial burdens, ensuring the recycling scheme works for both the environment and the people.

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