New bill will revolutionise Malta’s court system towards more effectiveness

Minor offences to be heard by justice commissioners instead of courts

Jul 22 2021

Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis stated in a press conference on Wednesday that minor infractions will land persons a tribunal hearing rather than a court. This bill aims to widen the powers of justice commissioners to include hearing minor offences. In a bid to ease the burden of cases from the magistrate’s court, the bill will expand types of crimes which can be heard by commissioners for justice, instead of the typical tribunals that adjudicate traffic offences.

Minister Zammit Lewis added that the consultation process of de-penalisation had been ongoing for four years. This aim is to take minor crimes, which obstruct public peace or affect people or property, and create a system where low-impact cases could be heard. The Minister highlighted how in this way the courts will not face a massive burden with cases that could easily be resolved by justice commissioners. Magistrates will be freed to focus on serious criminal offences with more efficacy. The list of offences which will fall within this system has not yet been provided.

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Photo Source: Kamra tal-Periti, Edward Zammit Lewis

Biggest family park to revitalise Bengħajsa in Birżebbuġa announced

Jul 22 2021

A €4 million investment will see the creation of a new family park in Bengħajsa, Birżebbuġa. The announcement was made by Energy and Enterprise Minister Miriam Dalli and Tourism and Consumer Protection Minister Clayton Bartolo on Wednesday. Following the planting of 1,000 native trees back in January 2020 in the same area behind the Freeport, the family park will revitalise the land even more in order to welcome families as they enjoy the new greenery. Dalli stated that this will be the biggest park in the south of Malta, as well as being one of the biggest in Malta as a whole.

Covering 60,000m2, the project is planned for completion by the year 2023. This, however, is not the end for the project as the government ensured that afforestation will continue by planting more indigenous trees and public attractions. Minister Bartolo stated that the tourism ministry will be renovating all parts of Malta to make it one tourism zone. Tourists interested in adventure tourism will enjoy the park alongside the Maltese.

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Photo Source: Miriam Dalli FB, Clayton Bartolo FB

Call for second quarantine hotel issued by MTA as cases spike

Jul 22 2021

A call has been issued by the Malta Tourism Authority to find a second hotel which will take in tourists for quarantine. The Corinthia Marina hotel in St Julians, which is currently being used as the main COVID-19 quarantine hotel, is nearing full capacity. As cases continue to rise, a spokesperson for the MTA stated that the Corinthia was chosen after a call was issued.

With 200 rooms, 160 of Corinthia’s rooms are occupied with quarantined tourists. The number of quarantined tourists was not revealed, but the prompt to call to find a second hotel suggests a high number of tourists.

The call comprises various criteria for consideration such as location, access points, category and a minimum number of rooms. The MTA received four submissions the first time round, out of which Corinthia was picked. Tourists who arrive in Malta without an approved vaccine certificate must undergo PCR testing and quarantine for 14 days.

€100 per night is charged, not inclusive of food, drinks or any other services. Should tourists test positive, they must remain in quarantine until they recover. Corinthia Marina has been used as quarantine hotel since the 1st of June after closing its doors in March 2020. In late June, Times of Malta reported that 369 tourists had been sent to quarantine at the hotel since the tourism season reopened.

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Photo Source: www.marinahotel.com.mt

166 COVID-19 cases registered with 25 recoveries

Jul 22 2021

Malta has registered 166 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours from 4,302 swab tests, while 25 patients have recovered. No deaths were registered in the past 24 hours. This information was announced by the official Facebook page of Malta’s Ministry for Health.

As of Wednesday 21st July 2021, 733,736 vaccine doses were administered of which 389,025 were 1st doses. 362,923 people are currently fully vaccinated.

To date, Malta has registered 33,198 COVID-19 cases in total, of which: 30,291 have recovered, 420 died and 2,487 are still active.

Mater Dei Hospital is currently treating a total of 17 COVID-19 positive patients, one of which is in the ITU. Of yesterday’s 199 reported cases, 149 were between ages of 10 to 39. The average age of yesterday’s cases was 28.

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Photo Source: Charmaine Gauci