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Sharing is Caring campaign raises €20,000 through governmental vouchers

Sharing is Caring campaign raises €20,000 through governmental vouchers
Jul 22 2021 Share

The Sharing is Caring campaign is still going strong after it has already collected €20,000 for 10 charities through governmental COVID-19 vouchers. Set up by the Sigma Foundation, Forestals and RUBS, the project has managed to draw in €2,000  worth of vouchers for each of the charities. The aim is to raise yet another €10,000, with Sigma Foundation CPO Keith Marshall expressing how the campaign was approached by too many charities. 

Inspire, Foodbank Malta, Dar Hosea, the Missionary Movement and RMJ Horse Rescue have joined the project. Marshall appealed to the public understanding, being empathetic and generous. The first attempt at raising €20,000 was made in January, the original date for the vouchers’ release. 

A spike in cases resulted in the delay of the scheme when businesses were ordered to close their doors. The government subsequently boosted €45 million into the new round, racking up a total value of €100 being distributed to all over-16 residents. The initiate also took a planned approach second-time around as they asked voucher recipients to donate them before they even received them.This is because, Marshall pointed out, the first initiative was late. Many had already used their vouchers by the time they were approached.

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€500 in damages to ambulance by drunk Sudanese youth

€500 in damages to ambulance by drunk Sudanese youth
Jul 22 2021 Share

A 19-year-old Sudanese has been ordered to pay €500 in damages cause to an ambulance after he reacted aggressively to medics whilst drunk. He was conditionally discharged and ordered to pay the hefty price after an incident that occurred on Tuesday evening. The Sudanese national living at the Hal Far Tent village lost consciousness after being intoxicated with alcohol. 

He allegedly, however, reacted aggressively when an ambulance team arrived at around 10pm to assist him. Threatening a male nurse and damaging the medical vehicle, the youth admitted wilfully to damaging third party property, threatening the health worker, breaching the peace and being drunk in public. 

The youth was, in light of his early admission, conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay €507 for the damages. He was warned to steer clear of trouble in the future.

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Photo Source: erccmalta.com

Corradino Facility admits to blocking prisoner’s phone landline to Peppi Azzopardi

Corradino Facility admits to blocking prisoner’s phone landline to Peppi Azzopardi
Jul 22 2021 Share

In order to prohibit prisoners from calling the Xarabank host, the Corradino Correctional Facility has shockingly admitted that it has blocked a landline and mobile number to Peppi Azzopardi. The prisons operations director had acted swiftly to restore the service, after an official complaint was submitted. The famous Xarabank broadcaster complained that the prison management blocked access to the landline number of the TV programme as well as his personal mobile number. 

Prisoners could call anyone – friends, family, lawyers and other journalists – but were blocked from calling Azzopardi himself, who is known to campaign for prisoner’s rights. Azzopardi stated that all calls were recorded for security reasons, so there really were no reasons as to why the numbers should be blocked. Randolph Spiteri, head of administration and operations at the prison, admitted that verifications indicate the numbers were blocked several years ago. 

The original block was recorded back in 2008, whilst the personal mobile number block occurred on August 4th 2017. Spiteri stated that since the decision was taken before the current leadership was in place, the current authorities in question cannot give sufficient reasons as to the block. 

Spiteri has since informed IGM that the numbers had been unblocked. The institute, whilst acknowledging the immediate action taken to remedy the block, condemned the prison authorities for preventing prisoners from contacting Azzopardi. The IGM emphasised that this is outright censorship and it deprives inmates from access to a journalist who was reporting on conditions of the prison. The IGM expressed its hope that no such incidents will occur in the future. 

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Photo Source: Peppi Azzopardi FB, NJ Spotlight News, Wikipedia

500,000 COVID-19 voucher transactions and €16 million spent

500,000 COVID-19 voucher transactions and €16 million spent
Jul 22 2021 Share

Minister for Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri revealed that around €16 million in COVID-19 vouchers have been spent in the first six weeks since the second batch was introduced. This is a third of the recently released €50 million batch, with most used at retail outlets, eateries and accommodations amongst other services. 37,851 people are still to collect them from their respective post branches after the second round of €100 vouchers were released for everyone aged over 16 in June. 

S'issa intużaw total ta' €16-il miljun f'vawċers tal-Gvern 🎫 permezz ta' 500,000 transazzjoni.Waqt aġġornament fuq…

Posted by Silvio Schembri on Thursday, 22 July 2021

The minister also revealed how if one sees the multiplier effect of the first round of vouchers last year, it would mean that for every €1 spent in vouchers, an additional €1 was spent. Of the €16 million spent in these six weeks, which occurred through around 500,000 transactions, €6 million were digital vouchers, whilst €10 were physical vouchers. The average daily transaction value stands at €390,000 whereas average weekend daily transaction (Friday to Sunday) racks up to €624,000. 

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Photo Source: Silvio Schembri FB