Increase In Visits To Heritage Malta Sites & Museums

Aug 12 2023

Heritage Malta registered encouraging statistics on the number of visitors at Heritage Malta sites and museums during the first six months of 2023.

Records for the first six months of this year show that from January until June, 631,406 paying visitors entered Heritage Malta’s museums and sites. This indicates an increase of 16,366 visitors over the first six months of 2019 – the year preceding the start of the pandemic – when a total of 615,040 paying visitors were registered. Figures for the first six months of the current year exclude sites that are temporarily closed because of major restoration works and which were still open in 2019.

From January until June 2023, there were also 62,856 non-paying visitors, including those who accessed sites and museums by making use of their student or senior passport.

Compared to 2019, there was an increase in visitors’ spending per capita, including the purchase of merchandise from the gift shops located at Heritage Malta museums and sites. While average spending per capita in the first six months of 2019 totalled €4.41, the figure stood at €5.51 between January and June of the current year.

Total revenue from ticket sales and gift shop purchases amounted to €3,443,275.05 in the first half of 2019, rising to €3,504,741.71 in the first six months of 2023. This means an increase of €61,466.66.

The five Heritage Malta sites that attracted the most visitors from January until June this year were Ġgantija, Ħaġar Qim, Fort St Elmo, St Paul’s Catacombs, and Mnajdra.

Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici praised these positive results and underlined the crucial role of the staff at Heritage Malta. He said that Heritage Malta is not only strengthening Malta’s tourism product but also safeguarding our country’s rich and diverse history.

Noel Zammit, Heritage Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, expressed his satisfaction at these positive results, which reflect a collective effort by the agency’s employees. He said that this numerical data provides further proof that the pandemic’s experience made Heritage Malta more conscious of its own resources and resilience, spurring the agency to move forward with more optimism and determination than ever before.

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Distressed Turtle Rescued Near Filfla

Aug 12 2023

Wildlife Rescue Team Malta issued a post thanking Environment and Resources Authority officials who managed to rescue a turtle in distress in the area of Filfla.

The juvenile loggerhead turtle was found not diving, and has now been passed over to Nature Trust – Wildlife Rehab for further monitoring.

The turtle was called Daniel after one of the ERA’s enforcement officers who rescued the distressed marine animal.

Well done to those involved!

For Wildlife Rescue Calls please call our Rescue Line ±356 9999 9505.

For donations please email [email protected].

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Maui Death Toll Rises To 67: Hawaii’s Deadliest To Date

Aug 12 2023

The death toll resulting from the destructive wildfires that have swept through Maui escalated to 67 on Friday.

The ongoing firefight against Hawaii’s deadliest natural catastrophe led to the confirmation of 12 additional fatalities, surpassing the 61 deaths from the 1960 Hilo tsunami.

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Hawaii governor Josh Green acknowledged the likelihood of more fatalities, emphasising the uncertainty of the final count.

Efforts to recover victims were hindered by hazardous conditions within buildings, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was expected to assist in this process. Residents of Lahaina were permitted to return to assess the devastation, revealing the profound destruction on Front Street, a central part of the island’s economy.

The disaster’s swift onset shocked survivors, prompting reflections on the absence of effective warnings. While Hawaii boasts an extensive all-hazard public safety warning system, it appears that the emergency management records show no activation of public warning sirens. Instead, alerts were disseminated through mobile phones, TVs, and radios, but connectivity disruptions might have limited their reach.

The disaster response has raised questions, with concerns about access to vital supplies for those trapped or in need. West Maui continued to face water and power shortages, and hazardous conditions hindered search and rescue operations in certain areas.

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Bail For Two Teens Who Assaulted Courier With Hammer

Aug 12 2023

Two 16-year-olds have been granted bail while awaiting sentencing after confessing to assaulting a food courier with a hammer, seizing his motorbike and cellphone.

The incident transpired as the victim delivered an order near the Marsaxlokk football ground, prompting him to report the assault and robbery at the Birżebbuġa police station.

Apparently dissatisfied with the food, the recipients purportedly initiated an altercation with the courier. Allegedly, one of the defendants punched him, while the other employed a hammer, resulting in damage to the courier’s teeth.

Subsequently, the assailants fled on the stolen motorbike, taking the victim’s phone.

The teenagers’ identity was uncovered through their booking records. Initially claiming homelessness, one teenager, accompanied by his mother and legal counsel, later confessed during interrogation.

He guided the police to an abandoned alleyway residence where the stolen bike was concealed, already repainted to obfuscate evidence.

The prosecution posited that the premeditated act was evident due to the bike’s alteration. Both teens admitted guilt to multiple charges, including theft, wrongful detainment, assault, and attempted bodily harm. They were also accused of concealing evidence and trespassing.

While one defendant’s counsel suggested supervision, the other’s attorney cited cooperation and youthful misjudgment, advocating for probation. Pending their sentencing next week, they were released on bail, obligated to sign a bail register biweekly, secured by a €200 deposit and a €10,000 personal guarantee. To preserve their anonymity, the court imposed a name disclosure ban.

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