School attendance will remain obligatory despite COVID spike

Jan 8 2022

Despite the new wave of COVID-19 infections, school attendance will be remaining obligatory during the new term which starts on Friday with online lessons.

Students will however be returning to their physical desks on Monday, and kids will not be allowed to miss school unless a valid medical reason backed up by a doctor’s certificate is provided.

Parents who do not send their children to school will still face a fine for every single day missed. An education ministry spokesperson told newsroom Times of Malta that school attendance is obligatory as this is a crucial part of children’s educational experience.

School attendance was not mandatory during the 2020/21 scholastic year after the first wave of the pandemic hit. Parents and guardians were free to decide whether or not their children would attend.

This resulted in soaring absenteeism, wherein attendance dropped from 90% to 75%. However, just ahead of the 2021/22 scholastic year, the policy was reversed due to a good number of teachers and students being vaccinated.

The spokesperson also confirmed, along with the teacher’s union, that plans to reopen schools on Monday were still in place. Education authorities alongside unions and representatives announced Monday’s reopening on New Year’s Eve.

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Photo Source: Clifton Grima FB

River of Love head pastor warns activist and journalist of eternal torment

Jan 8 2022

Speaking during a prayer meeting on Wednesday, River of Love head pastor Gordon Manche warned a group of people that they will be terrorised for eternity for spreading lies about him and his community.

Manche singled out Times of Malta journalist Ivan Martin, activist Gabi Calleja, ONE media head Jason Micallef and the entirety of MGRM. Despite ‘thanking them’ for the publicity, he warned them of eternal torment for spreading the alleged lies.

He went on to say that they were attacking him because they had not yet experienced the love of God. This comes after Manche and the Evangelist movement hit headlines after police questioned them in regards to murder suspect Abner Aquilina’s links to the group.

Manche distanced himself from Aquilina after a video showed him alongside a member of the River of Love movement who described the former as a ‘brother’ just two days before the murder of Paulina Dembska.

Addressing those he deemed were spreading lies about him, Manche said that he ‘understands’ why they all attempt to spread lies about him. He said that they do like their ‘father’, going on to say that there are two fathers: God and the devil. ‘Like father like son’ he added.

Manche also shared images of Ivan Martin on his TV show, repeating his claim. He told his viewers that the journalist ‘does not have God in his heart.’ The news was met with backlash by those mentioned and even others, such as Equality Minister Owen Bonnici.

Full solidarity with #JasonMicallef, @gabicall and @IvanMartin89. On our part we will keep working hard to keep winning over hearts and minds in favour of more equality for the LGBTIQ community in our country. 🌈 https://t.co/132Pedj1tH

— •Owen Bonnici (@OwenBonnici) January 7, 2022

Times of Malta editor in chief Herman Grech later stated that Manche ‘has every right to continue with his self-anointed mission, but has no right to attack and vilify journalists ‘who will continue to ask uncomfortable questions and report the facts.’

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Photo Source: MGRM FB, Jason Micallef FB, River of Love YouTube

BOV’s Fleur-de-Lys branch permanently shut down – five others temporarily closed

Jan 8 2022

In a statement on Friday, Bank of Valletta (BOV) revealed that it’s Fleur-de-Lys branch will be closing permanently.

It also revealed that its Balluta, Birzebbuga, Floriana, Marsa and St Paul’s Bay branches will be temporarily closed as of Monday 10th January.

ATMs and night safe deposit facilities at these branches will still continue to operate normally. The bank revealed that the move was linked to the ongoing pandemic situation.

Facing staff shortages caused by COVID, the bank faced restricted services at several branches late in December, prompting the move.

Chief Retail Banking Officer Kenneth Farrugia stated that the decisions being taken are backed by their responsibility to protect customers and employees whilst ensuring that Human Resources at branches are utilised in the most efficient manner.

For customers wishing to access safe deposit lockers within temporarily closed branches, they are to call the bank’s customer service centre to set an appointment. BOV apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked them for their cooperation.

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Malta among EU’s highest COVID concerns by end of 2021

Jan 8 2022

Malta did not end 2021 on an epidemiologically positive note as it was deemed among the most worrying in Europe due to the rise in COVID cases.

Classified as being ‘very high concern’, Malta ended the year with a score of nine out of 10 according to a weekly review done by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as it assessed 2021’s last week.

Only France and Estonia scored higher than Malta, landing a 9.3 out of 10 score. The EU average by 2021’s end stood at 8.8, especially following the spike due to the Omicron variant.

The score is worked out on five different indicators which are case notification rates, testing rates and test positivity, rates of hospitalisation and intensive care admission, occupancy and mortality.

During this same week, Malta’s health authorities landed on an average of about 1,000 new cases daily as they reviewed the 7 days. This meant many had to quarantine, up to tens of thousands, and spend new year locked in.

With Omicron being considered the main culprit of this increase, almost 70% of all new cases are now attributed to this South Africa discovered variant. Despite Malta’s infection rate spiking to a record 2,443 cases per 100,000, the death rate remained among the lowest at just over 15 deaths per 100,000.

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Photo Source: Chris Fearne FB