Robert Abela and Bernard Grech visits Strasbourg to bid farewell to Sassoli and support Metsola

Robert Abela visits Strasbourg to bid farewell to Sassoli and support Metsola

Jan 17 2022

Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela is currently in Strasbourg for an official visit following the unfortunate passing of EP President David Sassoli and Roberta Metsola’s appointment as Acting President.

Metsola is also the European People’s Party candidate for the role of EP President and a near-certain election winner ahead of Tuesday morning’s official election. Three other candidates will be contesting for the role and while nothing is set in stone, her recent successes in the European Parliament and appointment as Acting President make her a favourite.

Abela gave Metsola his well-wishes upon arriving in Strasbourg, stating that while ‘there were episodes in the past’, they belong in the past and today is a day in which we look to the future.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech also made his way to Strasbourg in order to show his support for Roberta Metsola.

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Volt Malta propose increasing minimum wage to €1,100 monthly

Jan 17 2022

Political party Volt has expressed its belief that every worker has the right to a living minimum wage. The party proposed the minimum wage to increase to €1,100 a month, with the aim of achieving it within 3 years.

In a statement, Volt revealed that it reached this figure by calculating 60% of the median wage, based on recommendations of the European Commission for a decent minimum wage.

‘Latest Eurostat data shows Malta’s minimum wage is 43% of the median wage, so 60% of the median wage (€1824.84) would be €1094.90.’

The party also called for the establishment of a Living Wage Directorate within the NSO that is responsible for regularly calculating the living wage. The NSO would also provide regular public figures on the median wage within the regular Labour Force survey.

Kassandra Mallia, Volt Malta Candidate and Vice-President said that ‘In Volt Malta we believe having good food and water, clothing, safe housing, efficient transportation and affording emergency expenses is a human right. A living wage is a stepping stone we are pushing for to make sure everyone has this right.’

Commending the efforts of Foodbank Lifeline and urging people to donate to them, the party acknowledged that current rising prices on essential items such as bread and dairy are worrisome and are impacting the working poor among us.

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Adrian Delia suggests Air Malta should scrap in-flight magazine to cut costs

Jan 17 2022

PN MP and former leader Adrian Delia proposed Air Malta should cut its in-flight magazine il-Bizzilla in order to reduce costs.

Taking to Facebook, Delia said; ‘So AirMalta is planning to remove hundreds of workers in order to cut its costs. A small idea to reduce costs would be to stop throwing away money in the production and printing of magazines when restaurants have to cut off paper menus or find digital alternatives.’

He also argued that the removal of the magazine, which is produced monthly in collaboration with marketing agency TBWA\ANG, will also reduce the amount of infections due to COVID-19.

This follows after last week, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced that the airline company will have to halve its workforce in order to survive. The company’s executive chairperson David Curmi also revealed that the airline had registered an operating profit in two out of 16 years.

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Photo Source: Adrian Delia FB

Vaccinated people have less chance of infecting others says Charmaine Gauci

Jan 17 2022

Pointing out the high rate of infectivity of the Omicron variant which now makes up most of Malta’s new cases, Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci reiterated how fully vaccinated people have less of a chance of getting infected or spreading it to others.

She explained how this is the main reason why people who are positive who have taken the booster jab can spend 10 days in isolation whereas others need to adhere to 14 days.

She went on to say that in the same way, people who live in the same home with someone who is positive need to spend 10 days in quarantine if they are completely vaccinated.

People who took the booster and were in direct contact with a positive case can leave quarantine on the 8th day after the last contact they had with the person, provided they have a negative PCR or rapid test. If they do not take the test but were boosted, they can go out after 10 days.

Asked whether the quarantine period will continuously be reduced, Gauci said that this is being discussed within the EU’s committee for public health. It will go down when the situation is stable and the science shows it can be done, she said.

This comes as Malta introduces the new pandemic restrictions, with people needing vaccine certificates to enter places like bars and restaurants. The rules were critiqued by several people and groups, but officials praised the rules’ effectiveness.

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