Kyle Micallef Impresses at 2024 Paris Olympics

Aug 1 2024

Maltese-Australian swimmer Kyle Micallef has done Malta proud, representing the island at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and impressing many finishing in second place in his 50m heat.

Unfortunately his time was not enough to the next round of the competition, but it was still very impressive with Micallef coming close to beating his personal best.

Competing against another 7 swimmers, Micallef finished in second place with a time of 22.89 seconds at the Paris La Defence Arena. In first place came David Young for Fiji with a time of 22.71 seconds.

The fastest man overall of the round was Australian Cameron McEvoy with a time of 21.32 seconds, coming first in Heat 10.

The next athlete to represent Malta will be sprinter Beppe Grillo next Saturday the 3rd of August.

A big well done goes to Kyle Micallef who performed to his best whilst representing Malta at the grandest stage of them all.

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Unique Stingray Found At Ġnejna Bay

Aug 1 2024

A unique stingray has been spotted at Ġnejna Bay by local Nathaniel Camilleri, who managed to catch the beautiful fish at it’s perfect habitat wondering around the bay, posting it on his story for everybody to see.

It must be said that Stingrays should always be given their own space and peace as they easily could jolt or sting a person, leaving that person with grave pain.

The story also highlights Malta’s marine diversity and the responsibility everyone has to protect it.

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Inmate Died After Found In Pool Of Blood In Mater Dei Forensics

Aug 1 2024

Jesmond Gatt, a 54-year-old man detained at Mount Carmel Hospital’s forensic ward while awaiting bail, died after being found with head injuries in a pool of blood on July 13.

Gatt was housed with two other inmates and was discovered on the ground in his room.

He succumbed to his injuries and died at Mater Dei Hospital on Thursday. Gatt had a long criminal history, including a recent charge of arson after allegedly setting fire to a door in Ħamrun.

Although Gatt was granted bail on July 9, he was waiting for his family to pay a €500 bail bond and fulfill other conditions. The circumstances surrounding his injuries remain unclear, and a police investigation and magisterial inquiry are ongoing.

Prison director Chris Siegersma stated that Gatt may have slipped and hit his head but did not comment further due to the active investigation.

The forensic unit at Mount Carmel, managed by prison authorities, has protocols for patient safety, though questions have been raised about the safety of housing mentally ill patients together.

The government has faced criticism for the hospital’s deteriorating conditions and has pledged to close it within four years, beginning with the relocation of some patients.

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First National Strategy Against Human Trafficking Officially Launched

Aug 1 2024

At a press conference, the Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms, Rebecca Buttigieg, launched the first national strategy against human trafficking.

This strategy was developed in close collaboration with experts from the Council of Europe and the European Union, within a program co-financed by European funds.

Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg stated that the strategy, along with the action plan, is based on five pillars. These pillars aim to strengthen the fight against human trafficking, prevent human trafficking, and support victims of this organized crime by criminal rings.

She explained that over the past three years, the Directorate of Human Rights within the Parliamentary Secretariat has undertaken several capacity-building initiatives, including training programs for public officials and public awareness campaigns, which can also help combat this crime.

She also mentioned that in the past five years, around 50 victims of human trafficking have been identified, including three Maltese nationals. The most common cases in Malta are associated with trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and labor market exploitation.

The Parliamentary Secretary emphasized that the government has demonstrated its determination to combat this crime by amending the law in 2018 to increase the penalties from a minimum of four years to six years imprisonment for those found guilty of trafficking. There have already been court sentences reflecting this change.

The Parliamentary Secretary reiterated that the government’s commitment to this fight against human traffickers will continue to grow with this strategy, through legislative and administrative actions to be implemented over the next seven years. For this purpose, an inter-ministerial committee has been established to carry out the necessary actions, monitor the implementation of the strategy, and ensure that the country adopts the best practices in this field, both to ensure justice for traffickers and to provide the necessary support to victims of trafficking.

#MaltaDaily