Malta could be getting new sports complexes and gardens

Feb 23 2022

The Ministry for Social Accommodation have just launched seven major projects in five different Maltese localities, some of which include sports complexes and environmental spaces.

One of the first projects would the see the construction of two sports complexes in Siġġiewi as well as the greening of Ħ’Attard through two new gardens.

Two Mosta gardens would be receiving restoration, followed by the infrastructural updates of an existing sports complex in Ħal Qormi. This project was brought about thanks to a €1 million investment from the Housing Development Fund, which falls under the remit of the Housing Authority.

Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes, alongside Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Communities Alex Muscat, announced the incentive during a press conference today.

The project is aiming to have better suited recreational areas for Malta’s youth, with the green incentives also pushing the government’s plan to have more gardens in Malta’s urban areas.

Roderick Galdes said that the government’s vision has motivated them to create a housing development fund. ‘A fund which is already bearing the desired fruit, because today we have announced seven much needed projects distributed over Maltese localities.’

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Photo Source: Roderick Galdes FB

“Everyone was friends with Yorgen Fenech,” Rosianne Cutajar tells all in first sit-down interview

Feb 23 2022

“God forbid that every time an allegation is made about a colleague, we stop talking to them,” these were the words of Labour MP and candidate Rosianne Cutajar in an exclusive first sit-down interview since her resignation.

Cutajar had resigned from her post as Parliamentary Secretary due to questions of ethical conduct with business tycoon Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of complicity in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. In our latest episode of ‘The Interview with Fabian Demicoli’, Cutajar highlighted that it is ironic how the individuals who have access to Fenech’s messages are using them for ‘misleading purposes’, referring to Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi.

The labour candidate highlighted how there are also messages between Nationalist Party members and Fenech, suggesting that since Jason Azzopardi is a lawyer in the case against against Yorgen Fenech, he can use them whenever he deems necessary. She went on to highlight how there is a court ban on the leaking of such chats.

Watch the video here:

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€250,000 investment into renewable energy for government buildings

Feb 23 2022

A €250,000 investment will issue the call to have around 10 governmental buildings benefiting from photovoltaic panels. With each application reaching up to a maximum of 15kWp, ministries, public entities and governmental departments interested in the incentive will have to submit an ‘Expression of Interest.’

€25,000 will be allocated for every project, with Energy, Enterprise and Sustainability Minister Miriam Dalli announcing the investment alongside Chief Executive of the Energy and Water Enterprise Manuel Sapiano.

Minister Dalli said that this initiative will continue to promote renewable energy, whilst also giving further visibility to the public sector to move forward as a country towards decarbonisation.

‘Through this initiative, it is being estimated that around 240MWh will be generated annually, with 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved annually’ she said.

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Photo Source: Miriam Dalli

Could driverless cars be Malta’s future? – Studies kick off

Feb 23 2022

University researchers have started conducting studies into the possible introduction of driverless cars in Malta by using artificial intelligence (AI).

The studies are being carried out by the Department of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure within the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta.

With the project supported by Debono Group and Infrastructure Malta, the research is being conducted on the concept of shared autonomous mobility and assessing the viability of an automated transport system in Malta form both legal and technical perspectives.

The project, called MISAM (Malta’s Introduction of Shared Autonomous Mobility) seeks to bring this technology to the island’s notoriously congested roads.

Such cars use artificial intelligence technology to sense their surroundings. The system would be operating by itself by taking decisions based on an analysis of its environment and performing the necessary functions without any human intervention.

The benefits of these technologies are environmental and social, with a particular focus on sustainability and user-friendliness for less mobile individuals such as persons with disabilities and the elderly.

The project is also exploring the feasibility of reducing dependence on private vehicles as well as quickening the move towards multimodal transport systems to address the traffic problem.

Back in May, Transport Minister Ian Borg said that a pilot project will test self-driving buses on Malta’s streets in the coming months. Project MISAM will be one of the initiatives featured at an online conference being organised by Transport Malta on Thursday.

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Photo Source: Infrastructure Malta