PN flashes rainbow colours in celebration of Pride Month

Sep 10 2021

Rainbow coloured lights flashed outside the Nationalist Party’s headquarters, joining the celebrations of the much anticipated Pride Month. A post uploaded by the party was captioned ‘Id-dar taghna hija d-dar ta’ kulhadd’ (Our home is everyone’s home), a move which garnered the praise of Malta Pride.

The LGBTIQ+ Malta Pride page commented, saying; ‘Years ago, the LGBTQ community was an embarrassment or a taboo, especially when it came to policy making – to the political parties we were an invisible group. It’s positive to see that both major political parties moved on from that era and recognise the LGBTQ community as an integral part of society.’

The Oppositional party has softened its views on such matters, having lost favour with the community after its reluctance to accept civil unions and same-sex marriage after the 2013 Labour electoral victory. Lighting up the headquarters with the Pride colours is a big statement by the party, especially considering that their motto going forward is to be the change.

Even the joining with the party of new members such as Emma Portelli Bonnici and Chris Peregin, who are vocal advocates for LGBTIQ+ rights showcase this solidarity with the community.

The community has been very active in its raising awareness of the realities faced by its members. Particularly, Eman Borg, President of LGBTI+ Gozo and Queen Young Leader, was also invited earlier this year to give a powerful speech about the way forward for Malta – a way forward which acknowledges and works on the rights for the LGBTIQ+ community.

Due to COVID-19, the Malta Pride will be celebrating through several events around the island, celebrating and highlighting local and international artists who form part of the community.

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Photo Source: Partit Nazzjonalista FB, Bernard Grech FB, Christian Peregin FB, Emma Portelli Bonnici FB, Eman Borg FB

Post-secondary students are being left in the dark says Julie Zahra

Sep 9 2021

PN candidate Julie Zahra has vouched for students who she says have the right to know the protocols for the upcoming academic year. Writing on a blog for newsroom Newsbook, Zahra reveals that some time ago she spoke about the urgency for the government to publish the protocols and guidelines which students will follow during the next academic year. Despite welcoming the protocols for the reopening of schools, Zahra, along with the Nationalist party, pointed out how such minimal changes could have been announced earlier.

Zahra focuses on students in post-secondary and university education programmes, saying that it is unfair that these students are left in the dark. She reveals how there are students who have not yet stepped on University campus grounds despite having been enrolled in a course for around a year and a half. Zahra said that in a normal country, this is not right and that we should care for our students and their mental health.

Zahra asks why such protocols took so long to be issued, despite having an entire summer to discuss such matters. She asks why such confusion was forced on so many students and educators – persons who already have so much to worry about.

Zahra joins forces with the student organisations to express concerns and appeal for a publication of the strategy which will directly impact all post-secondary education. Apart from all these concerns, Zahra asks pertinent questions about social distancing, what will happen should students need quarantine due to COVID-19 and which halls/classrooms will accommodate the students at the University.

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Photo Source: Welcome Center Malta, Julie Zahra FB

LESA praised after officer helps man struggling with pushchair

Sep 9 2021

A post uploaded to Maltese Facebook group ‘Are You Being Served?’ praised a LESA officer for helping a man struggling to put a baby into a car from its pushchair. Uploaded by Darren Stivala, the post reveals how the man was on the side of traffic when a Local Enforcement System Agency (LESA) officer stopped his car to assist him. He acted as a shield against traffic so that he can place the child safely into the car.

He ended the post by addressing LESA, saying that not everyone hates the force but there are in fact people out there who notice these acts of kindness and appreciates them wholeheartedly. The post garnered a lot of praise, both for Stivala’s sharing of the generous act but mainly for the LESA officer who assisted the struggling man. Despite being unnamed, the officer’s work struck the heart of thousands who reacted to the post.

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Photo Source: LESA FB

Bouncer guilty of head butting and fracturing client’s nose

$Bouncer guilty of head butting and fracturing client’s nose$

Sep 9 2021

A man from Fgura who worked as a bouncer at a Marsascala establishment was found guilty of lifting up a client, head butting him and fracturing his nose. Gerald Gilford, 45, was accused by Inspector Oriana Spiteri of having inflicted grievous injuries on Adrian Gravina on the 1st of July 2018. The assailed reported the bouncer at Marsascala Police Station following the incident.

When police spoke to the bouncer, the latter told them that Gravina had been chatting up a girl and kept making advances despite having allegedly been warned to leave her alone. Gravina stated in court that he had been chatting with the girl when a man approached him and pushed him. Gravina alleged that he moved to another table when the bouncer committed the act of violence. Magistrate Rachel Montebello believed Gravina’s version, stating that even if he had been annoying someone, Gravina should not have assaulted him. Gravina was handed an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

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Photo Source: Kamra tal-Periti