Robert Abela wants Gozo to get Climate Neutrality before Malta; pledges electric fleet

Mar 13 2022

During a Q&A event held by the Labour Party in Gozo on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Robert Abela discussed a number of plans relating to the sister island’s environment sustainability.

Abela highlighted that a total of €3.3 billion would be spent on projects over a period of five years, creating a better Gozo where projects ‘are costed and planned out’. Amongst other objectives, the Labour Party leader expressed his goals to minimise traffic in Rabat, prioritise green plans and ensure that Gozo gets to climate neutrality “even before Malta”.

Abela went on to state that the island will get more electric ships and an air strip, which may ultimately get Gozo closer to the goal of climate neutrality, telling the Gozitan people that they have his word that Labour will be doing all of the environmental projects.

He called for the creation of more open spaces, rather than the building of properties, going on to shine a light on other Gozo projects such as a further push for the Citadella to be recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage list and the conversion of private residences and gardens into public spaces.

What do you make of these projects?

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€100,000 for Puttinu Cares to help Ukrainian children with cancer

Mar 12 2022

Newsroom Talk.mt was informed that an investment of €100,000 was given to Puttinu Cares by the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF) to help Ukrainian children suffering with cancer.

The NDSF is a governmental agency which works to administer contributions which are made through the citizenship scheme. As hundreds of refugees make their way to other countries during the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, some refugees will be finding shelter in the Maltese islands.

The Maltese government had revealed that it had already started talks with Puttinu Cares to give medical assistance to Ukrainian children suffering with cancer.

Sources who spoke to Talk.mt revealed that at this point in time, it was deemed necessary that funds from the NDSF are given to Puttinu Cares to help these children. The same sources also revealed that a scheme of accommodation by Puttinu Cares in London is also under way, which wills see Ukrainian patients relocated to London.

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Decriminalise abortion and prioritise mental health say ADPD

Mar 12 2022

Malta’s Green Party ADPD called for an emphasis on mental health as well as the decriminalisation of abortion in Malta.

ADPD candidate for the 1st and 10th districts as well as medical doctor Anthony Buttigieg called for mental health to be given new priority with an increase in investment for better service within the community.

Buttigieg highlighted how a mental health pandemic was unfolding throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing an exponential increase in mental health conditions. He also emphasised an urgent need for Mount Carmel to be replaced by a new hospital with modern facilities.

Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD chairperson, said that the party’s sexual and reproductive health proposals are two-fold. There must be decriminalisation of abortion, he said. No woman that undertakes the process should be treated as a criminal. They instead need support, he said.

However, Cacopardo said that empathy alone is not enough. It must be translated into specific action. ‘Removing from the criminal code the threat of criminal action by the state’ would be of help to all those women who face such difficulties.

‘It gets increasingly more urgent to place more emphasis on education relative to sexual and reproductive health at all levels of our educational system. This should lead to instilling a greater sense of responsibility in one and all’ he said.

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Some good was gained from Labour’s corruption says Debono Grech

Mar 12 2022

Speaking during a political rally, Labour Party veteran MP Joe Debono Grech stated that something was gained out of Labour’s corruption.

The remarks, which were made during a rally in Xewkija, were bizarrely met with applause by Labour supporters as well as Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri.

Debono Grech stated how someone told him both sides were corrupt. To this, Debono Grech replied by saying that the statement was true, but that at least Labour’s corruption yielded some good whereas the Nationalists’ corruption didn’t.

The ex-politician revealed that someone compared the parties to thieves. Debono Grech responded by saying that Christ was crucified with two thieves, one good and one bad. ‘We’re (Labour) with the good thief.’

Debono Grech served as a minister from 1983 to 1987 and again from 1996 to 1998. He was also the PL’s deputy leader for party affairs before getting elected to parliament.

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