Hunting portfolio to be retained by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri

Apr 1 2022

The responsibility for hunting will be retained by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, despite appeals by conservationists for it to be given to the environment ministry.

Government sources confirmed to Times of Malta that Camilleri, who is himself a trapper and in favour of hunting, would be responsible for government policy on the practice in the new cabinet.

This will make Camilleri responsible for the government’s Wild Birds Regulation Unit, which oversees hunting in Malta. The government first transferred responsibility for hunting from the Ministry for the Environment to the Gozo Ministry in 2020.

Conservationists described this move as diabolical and as serving purely electoral interests. The transfer of responsibilities had meanwhile been welcomed by the hunting lobby, with Camilleri first given responsibility for the sector when he was a parliamentary secretary within the Environment Ministry during the Joseph Muscat administration.

With Gozo having a high proportion of hunters, they tipped the balance in favour of the yes vote when the electorate voted in a spring hunting referendum in 2015.

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Chris Rock shuts down audience member chanting ‘F*** Will Smith’ during show

Apr 1 2022

The main event at the Oscars was Will Smith slapping comedian and presenter Chris Rock in the face after the latter made a joke about his wife’s hair loss.

But of course you already know that given the iconic meme format which took the internet by storm. However, it seems as though all is well with the two stars after Rock defended Smith during a live show.

The comedian returned to the Wilbur in Boston on April 30th, breaking his silence on the incident. He said that he had written a whole show before the weekend and is still processing what happened at the Oscars.

‘At some point I’ll talk about it. It’ll be serious. It’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes’ he started. However, during a show on the 31st, an audience member shouted out ‘F*** Will Smith!’

Rock quickly shut down the remark, replying ‘No, no, no, no…’, signifying no bad blood between the two actors and a sense of respect and forgiveness.

This follows a public apology published by Will Smith after the Oscars, saying that he was wrong to hit Chris Rock and that violence ‘in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive.’

‘Jokes at my expense are part of the job but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally’ said Smith. He went on to say that he is a work in progress and that there is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

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Average age of 43 makes this youngest cabinet in history

Apr 1 2022

With 6 brand new faces being elected and sworn into parliament this week, the average age of this new cabinet of ministers and parliamentary secretaries was calculated to be 43.

This makes it likely to be the youngest cabinet in Maltese history, with most of the members being lawyers. The rest of the members are either health, finance or education experts.

Six of the 23 cabinet members contested the general election for the first time and were given a position. Two of them were appointed ministers: Jonathan Attard given the Ministry of Justice and Jo Etienne Abela given the Ministry for Active Ageing.

As per the other new faces, they were given parliamentary secretary positions. Chris Bonett was given European Funds, Andy Ellul Social Dialogue, Alison Zerafa Civelli given Local Government and Keith Azzopardi Tanti given Youth, Research and Innovation.

The oldest Cabinet member is Dr Anton Refalo, who is 65-years-old. He is followed by Michael Falzon, 60, and Chris Fearne, 59.

Meanwhile, the youngest members of Cabinet are 34-years-old, comprised of Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo. The members were sworn in by President George Vella last Wednesday, 30th March 2022.

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12,000 people sign up for Papal mass at Granaries

Apr 1 2022

Asked by TVMNews if people could attend without registering for Sunday Mass on the Floriana granaries by Pope Francis, Bishop Galea Curmi revealed that around 12,000 people registered to sit down.

He went on to say that all those who did not register could attend in other areas, but stressed the importance of everyone following the measures imposed by health authorities.

He also stated that up to 300 foreign journalists are estimated to arrive in Malta to report on the arrival of Pope Francis, 80 of them journalists who always accompany the Pope on apostolic visits.

The Pope will be touring some Maltese roads in his official vehicle, using the two popemobles on certain roads when travelling from one locality to another. When in his official car, the Pope will slowly make his way through the streets to greet the crowds who are expected to welcome him.

The Chairman of the Organising Committee responsible for the visit, Aaron Zahra, revealed that in the last few hours, 3 vehicles arrived in Malta.

Galea Curmi said that the message given by Pope Francis in the general audience on Wednesday is an occasion to return to the source of Gospel broadcasting.

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Photo Source: Times of Malta