Jose’ Herrera returns to court as defence lawyer after failing reelection

Mar 30 2022

Following a hiatus of nine years due to serving as a minister, Jose Herrera returned to court on Wednesday to appear as defence counsel for an alleged arsonist.

Magistrate Victor Axiak welcomed the former minister back in court three days after the election results were announced. Herrera, alongside lawyer Matthew Xuereb were representing Jonathan Lee Borg, a 38-year-old from Hamrun after he was charged with setting a car on fire in Marsa back in March.

Police inspector Jeffrey Scicluna explained police investigations began after the receipt of an arson report, saying that CCTV footage enabled the police to trace the accused’s movement before the arson.

The footage had shown him arriving in Marsa by bus from his home in Hamrun. He was later arrested outside the Detox Centre in Guardamangia on Tuesday.

The inspector said a search at his residence uncovered shoes, tracksuit and trousers he was wearing when the arson was carried out. The accused pleaded not guilty, with Herrera requesting bail.

The prosecution objected and said that the victims who had another car destroyed by arson at the beginning of the year still had to testify. Inspector Scicluna said that evidence the police had in hand showed that the accused was commissioned to carry out the crime.

Referring to the January arson, he said two suspects were currently in jail. Herrera said he observed more reluctance by the court to grant bail during his time away from court. The accused was remanded in custody.

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Here’s who could get into Parliament through casual election or the gender corrective mechanism

Mar 30 2022

As news of Robert Abela’s cabinet continues to make waves on Maltese media, other politicians are looking at alternative means of getting into Parliament. Be it through the gender corrective mechanism or casual election as a result of their party colleagues performing well on both of their electoral districts, here’s who could get into Parliament despite not being elected directly last weekend.

The Casual Elections

Earlier today, news started making the rounds of PL candidate Rebecca Buttigieg getting elected to Parliament via casual election while editor of Labour’s English language website ‘The Journal’ Randolph Debattista will be co-opted. These two new entries came as a result of Clifton Grima and Michael Falzon giving up their seats on the 9th district and keeping the 10th, being elected on both.

In the second district, Labour MPs Oliver Scicluna, Joe Mizzi and former government whip Glenn Bedingfield all await a green light from Abela, as is former BOV director James Grech, who performed better than all three last weekend. Meanwhile, in the third district, the Nationalist Party’s Janice Chetcuti, John Baptist Camilleri, Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Mary Muscat all aspire for Stephen Spiteri’s now-vacated seat after he performed well on the 2nd. Labour’s Alicia Bugeja Said, Ray Abela and Jean Claude Micallef could occupy Chris Fearne’s spot.

In the fourth district, Oliver Scicluna seems likely to secure a seat in parliament whilst Katya De Giovanni, Glenn Bedingfield and Amanda Spiteri Grech remain credible competition for the previously co-opted MP. The fifth district is set to welcome as many as four new MPs. With Bernard Grech giving up his seat, Stanley Zammit is reportedly almost-certainly set to occupy it. On the Labour side, Omar Farrugia, Jean Claude Micallef and Joe Sammut could all be likely candidates to fill Robert Abela, Miriam Dalli and Owen Bonnici’s potentially vacated seats.

Labour’s Rosianne Cutajar may be set on the sixth district, with formidable opponents in Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Omar Farrugia and Katya De Giovanni whilst four seats could be up for grabs on District 7. Front-runners include Malcolm Paul Agius Galea and Naomi Cachia on the Labour side whilst candidates like Rebekah Cilia, Edwin Vassallo or Charles Azzopardi could occupy one of Ryan Callus and Adrian Delia’s vacated seats from the PN ticket.

The eighth district remains somewhat of a gray-area, with Labour contenders like Oliver De Gaetano and Felix Busuttil Galea looking to secure a spot. With four seats up for grabs on District 9, potential entries include Eve Borg Bonello, Jason Azzopardi, Albert Buttigieg, Noel Muscat and Emma Portelli Bonnici on the PN side.

Labour’s Felix Busuttil Galea, Damian Spiteri and Dario Vella could steal an MP spot in District 10 whilst anyone from Eve Borg Bonello, Emma Portelli Bonnici, Albert Buttigieg, Noel Muscat, Graziella Attard Previ and Karol Aquilina could look to contest Mark Anthony Sammut’s vacated seat. Meanwhile, Anthony Agius Decelis and Mosta Mayor Romilda Baldacchino Zarbcould occupy a seat on District 11.

The Gender Corrective Mechanism

With only four woman getting elected in this election’s initial count, Malta’s recently-approved gender corrective mechanism could welcome as many as 12 new seats into parliament to ensure that 40% of parliamentary seats are occupied by woman. Unelected candidates will receive a rank based on the number of votes by the time they exited the electoral race.

In order of vote count (highest to lowest), female candidates who could make use of the gender corrective mechanism are Labour’s Rosianne Cutajar, Alicia Bugeja Said, Rebecca Buttigieg, Cressida Galea, Abigail Camilleri, Katya De Giovanni, Romilda Baldacchino Zarb, Amanda Spiteri Grech, Naomi Cachia and Davina Sammut Hili.

On the PN side, eligible candidates include Janice Chetcuti, Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Julie Zahra, Bernice Bonello, Rebekah Cilia, Claudette Buttigieg, Eve Borg Bonello, Emma Portelli Bonnici, Alessia Psaila Zammit and Maria Deguara.

Who do you want to see in Parliament?

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‘We can change everything’; Jon Mallia addresses 69,000 votes against PL/PN

Mar 30 2022

Commenting about the results of Malta’s latest general election, local podcaster Jon Mallia said that what happened last Sunday gives us the opportunity to change everything.

In a Facebook post, Mallia highlighted how 69,000 voters decided to vote against the two main parties in one way or another.

8,300 voters corrupted their vote, meaning that this doubled from the previous election. ‘These are people who don’t want to break off ties from anyone, but deep down feel exhausted and as conflicted as us.’

Third parties and independent candidates also managed to double votes, standing at 9,000. Jon said that this came despite the narrative which sees votes for third parties as a waste. ‘This narrative will change soon. I have already abandoned it.’

51,500 people did not even go to vote, bringing up the total of votes not in favour of Labour or Nationalist up to 69,000. He acknowledged how not all of these voters are ‘moral heroes’ and some of them simply voted against PL/PN due to not having any favours done for them.

‘But not all of them’ he said, pointing to anecdotal evidence as indicating that these ‘egotistical’ voters are a minority. ‘They are done living under a political class which thinks lowly of us.’

Jon revealed that he and his team are preparing the data to pass it over to a group of scientists to give them a more accurate reading. ‘The genesis of the future which many of you are wishing for began last Sunday. Wake up. How we exploit this golden opportunity will define us forever.’

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UPDATED: National Regatta to be broadcast on national TV after reaching agreement with PBS

Mar 30 2022

Speaking to Malta Daily, the National Regatta Association has revealed that after reaching an agreement with PBS, the national sporting event on March 31st will be broadcast on the national TV station.

The Regatta organisation thanked Prime Minister Robert Abela and Hon. Clifton Grima, together with Mark Cutajar from Sports Malta who intervened after a decision had already been taken by PBS.

Earlier today, Malta Daily was informed that the Malta National Regatta’s organisation is considering legal action and cancellation after being refused broadcasting by national broadcaster PBS. The Regatta organisation quoted 2008 Maltese Law Number 951 Chap. 350 (10) which gives the March and September Regatta events the right and power to be broadcasted directly on Malta’s national station.

“When one considers the importance of the Regatta related to sports, traditional and culture as a national activity, it is definitely not beneficial for the Regatta to find such obstacles from governmental departments who are supposed to do everything in their power to provide the event the necessary support,” the statement had said.

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