No planning fees for all proposed sports infrastructure projects

Feb 18 2022

All proposed sports infrastructural projects will be exempted from needing to pay the Planning Authority’s (PA) Development Planning Fee (DPF) and an Environment Fee.

Minister for Education and Sport Clifton Grima and Minister for the Environment, Climate Channing and Planning Aaron Farrugia announced the measure during a conference.

The exemption will be applying to projects submitted and/or validated as of the 1st of January 2021. As it stands, all planning applications for projects proposed by Sports Malta or an entity registered with the Sports Council pay €4.12 per m2.

Minister Farrugia said that this is another electoral promise fulfilled. ‘Our aim is to continue helping and incentivising registered sports organisations by exempting them from Planning Authority tariffs and fees for sports projects.’

‘We believe that we should promote the development of sports in Malta, and encourage sports entities through this measure in order to invest in their facilities and make them more accessible. We are helping sports entities by financing projects through the DPF’ he said.

Minister Clifton Grima spoke about the government’s commitment to a better quality of life for all, emphasising that this can be achieved through two important links – sport and education. ‘Our aim is to give the best possible education to every child in our country, but also that every child has the opportunity to practice the sport of their choice.’

‘We are helping to encourage sports associations so that they can continue to invest in their sports facilities. Another opportunity with which we are supporting them so that they will be able to invest back in sports, our athletes and the community’ he said.

Martin Saliba, Executive Chairperson of the Planning Authority, said that they strongly believe that ‘we carry a social responsibility to promote, incentivise and support the development of sports in Malta.’

‘This not only to be more competitive on an international level, but more importantly because sports has the unique ability to bring people together in such great numbers, and with so much passion and enjoyment.’

#MaltaDaily

Parents of boy filmed hitting girl to be arraigned in court

Feb 18 2022

The parents of the young boy who was filmed hitting another girl in a bullying case will be arraigned in court in the coming days.

This was revealed by Inspector Gabria Gatt in an interview with ONE News, with the same newsroom also being informed that the boy formed part of a group who terrorised Qawra residents with knives.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)

The inspector revealed that work to arraign the parents in court began the moment the footage made its run on social media as authorities started to investigate.

‘After we sent for all the parents and children involved, more cases were reported whilst speaking to the children who, turns out, were victims themselves. We found out about more minors and children, and we sent for them as well to speak about emerging incidents’ she said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Malta Daily (@maltadaily.mt)

Prevention measures are being implemented in an attempt to deal with bullying said the Inspector. She said that NGOs and stakeholders are engaging through meetings with authorities and going on to visit schools to speak with the youth.

Aġenzija Zgħazagħ and FSWS are being consulted on such issues in order to find a common solution for all schools in Malta. She also said that if these problems are not targeted at a young age, there will be larger consequences for when they grow up.

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: Lovin Malta IG, ONE News

More increases to consumer prices in 2022 says Central Bank

Feb 18 2022

The Central Bank of Malta revealed that inflation is expected to rise to 2.7% this year, which is up from 0.7% n 2021.

Unveiling the statistics in its Outlook for the Maltese Economy 2021-2024, the inflation will largely reflect the impact of import price pressures on all subcomponents of inflation except energy.

Import price pressures are however then forecasted to ease somewhat, with inflation set to decelerate to 1.8% by 2024. Malta’s gross domestic products are expected to grow by 6.0% in 2022, by 5.3% in 2023 and by 3.8% in 2024.

When compared to the Bank’s earlier projections, the level of GDP ‘is being revised upwards due to an estimated 1.2 percentage point higher growth in 2021. Pre-pandemic economic activity levels would thus have been attained earlier than projected in the Bank’s previous projections exercise.’

‘Consequently, the GDP growth rate for 2022 is being revised down by 0.5 percentage points. The domestic demand is expected to be the main driver of growth in 2022. This reflects strong growth in private and government consumption.

Employment growth is set to accelerate to 2.6% in 2022 in view of the continued growth in economic activity. It is then set to slow down in the following two years, with the unemployment rate set to stand at 3.5% by 2022. It will then return to 3.6% in 2023 and 2024.

General government deficit is expected to narrow over the remainder as COVID-19 measures unwind and macroeconomic conditions improve further. By 2024, it is expected to narrow to 3.3% of GDP. On its part, the general government debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to stand at 60.9% of GDP in 2024.

#MaltaDaily

Government to add IVF medication to formulary by summer

Feb 18 2022

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne revealed that medications for couples who undergo IVF treatment will be added to the government’s formulary by summer 2022.

Refunds will also be given for treatment received since January 1st, with the measure having been first announced last year. Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated last Sunday that the refund scheme will be launching shortly.

As of this week, a designated official at the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Clinic in Mater Dei will be overseeing the process as well as helping people fill out their forms. This was revealed by Chief Medical Officer Walter Busuttil.

The forms must be collected on site, with patients having to indicate whether they have undergone intrauterine insemination, embryo transfer or stimulation cycle. The form includes a section wherein patients can leave bank details and IBAN number so that payments can be made directly.

Patients will be entitled to receive a €500 refund for intrauterine insemination, €1,000 for an embryo transfer or €2.500 for a stimulated cycle. Busuttil also added that patients who spent more than these amounts for their medication will be refunded the difference provided that receipts and prescriptions are presented with their application.

252 ‘little miracles’, as described by the Health Minister, were born to Maltese parents ever since the government started offering IVF services on the national health services. There are currently 24 pregnant women who are carrying children thanks to IVF treatment, with 27 babies expected in total as some are expecting twins.

In 2021, ART clinic in Mater Dei had a ‘take-home baby’ rate of around 21.5%, which is good and comparable to clinics overseas. ‘We want to continue giving courage to those couples who want to start a family and see more new lives and more happy mums, dads and even grandparents for the years to come’ said Fearne.

#MaltaDaily