Suez Canal to extend double lane following Ever Given incident

May 18 2021

Following the incident last March in which a 440-meter-ling Ever Given container ship got grounded in a southern sector of the canal, Egypt has started work on the Suez Canal to extend a second lane that allows for two way traffic through the passage.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA), owned by the state, announced the extension plan last week, which will see a second canal lane opened up in 2015 extended by 10km. This will bring the lane up to 82km long, with work having started following directives from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The project will see the two way section south of the Great Bitter Lake extended and will be carried out by the largest dredger in the Middle East. The Ever Given is still being held in the Lake with thousands of containers on board following a dispute over a compensation.

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Photo Source: BBC

Voluntary foundation Wens gets €107,000 in funds

May 18 2021

Wens is a foundation committed to enhance the quality of life for disabled persons through personalised support, expertise and advocacy. The foundation will be benefiting from a whopping €107,000 in funds from the Operational Assistance Scheme announced back in June 2020. Parliament Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima stated that through this initiative the government can show how valuable voluntary organisations are to the country. The funds will go into better payments for employees and to aid in the damage caused due to COVID-19.

Wens has been operating for the last 31 years, with the Parliament Secretary stating that through the various initiatives created by these organisations, Maltese society benefits immensely and that this scheme is the biggest investment ever created in the voluntary sector. The total amounts to €5 million.

The Wens Foundation administrator Ronald Galea highlighted how the pandemic increased the organisation’s monetary pressures and decreased the amount of donations given. The service given by the foundation however was still up to level, stated Galea, and gave the residents the care they truly deserved.

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Photo Source: Clifton Grima FB

Clayton Bartolo announces first ever tourism Think Tank

May 18 2021

Tourism and Consumer Protection Minister Clayton Bartolo announced during a press conference on Monday that Malta will be getting its first tourism think tank which will foresee the tourism’s sector rich future. Bartolo stated that, through foresight, the sector will be able to offer work to not only the young generations but also the as of yet unborn upcoming generations in order to succeed in the sector. Bringing together professionals from various sectors, this new think tank will be generating opportunities from any challenged faced.

The Minister announced that the new and hard work undertaken by authorities are heralded under the slogan of Malta as a centre of touristic excellence. Bartolo acknowledged the negative effect COVID-19 had on the economy, and thus is dedicating the upcoming years to give the tourism sector the boost it needs to regain its former glory. Bartolo also announced that authorities are also currently working hard to get Malta onto the UK’s green list.

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Photo Source: Clayton Bartolo FB

Authorities hand out 1078 COVID-19 fines over the week

May 18 2021

Facebook page Covid19 Malta reported that authorities handed out a total of 1078 fines over last week (10th to 16th May). Of these 1078 fines, 809 were related to mask-wearing and another 160 to people who were in groups larger than that authorised by law.

7 catering establishments were found breaking their respective regulations, with another 13 fines handed out to regulations broken in terms of non-essential services. Finally, 3 fines were handed out concerning mass events, 10 fines handed out for quarantine breaches and 76 for household group limitations.

Despite the low daily and active cases being registered, health measures are still an effective means of mitigating COVID-19 alongside the vaccination rollout.

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Photo Source: Covid19 Malta FB, Malta Police Force FB