LOCAL NEWS
Update by Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci
During today’s press briefing, Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci said that for the second day running Malta registered only one new case of coronavirus. However, swabbing has almost halved when compared to most days last week, as 803 were carried out. Malta has now reached a total of 611 positive cases.
Nine persons have recovered yesterday, taking this particular total to 485. The number of active cases stands at 120.
The weekend’s cases included a resident and a healthcare worker at Karin Grech hospital.
Gauci said that there are currently 22 persons requiring hospitalisation, 11 at Boffa Hospital, seven at St. Thomas’ Hospital and four at Mater Dei.
#MALTA-24: LOCAL NEWS
Maltatoday
Childcare centres, SkolaSajf expected to reopen when next set of COVID-19 restrictions lifted – PM
Childcare centres and SkolaSajf will be amongst the facilities which will reopen when it comes for the next set of COVID-19 restrictions to be lifted, Robert Abela said. The Prime Minister emphasised that children’s routines had to be put back in place, and people had to return to work for the country to really return to normality.
Abela, who was speaking during an interview on One TV on Sunday, said the medical figures backed the government’s approach of lifting restrictions.
“In the next set of measures, we will reopen childcare centres and SkolaSajf. This will mean more parents, to whom we gave wage supplements to stay at home with their children [during the coronavirus lockdown] can return to work,” he said.
Independent
Decision to open airports must not be rushed – MEPs
Both European Parliament members Josianne Cutajar and Alex Agius Saliba said that the decision of re-opening airports and ports is not one to be taken lightly and should be up to individual member states, not the EU.
Cutajar and Agius Saliba were contacted by The Malta Independent as they are about to celebrate their first year as MEPs, having been elected in the last week of May last year.
Malta closed its ports and airport in March to contain the spread of Coronavirus, effectively shutting down the tourism industry. A date for their reopening has not been set.
Currently, the Maltese government is looking into the idea of having safe travel corridors, but of course must come with the blessing of the health authorities, Cutajar said. “Travel is an essential part of people’s lives, especially for islanders as a means to stay connected to the outside world, but we must take into consideration the medical aspect and why we have kept such a positive track record in the first place.”
Printed
The Times reveals that Malta’s supply of Liquified Natural Gas costs seven times the price of the current European average as the coronavirus emergency continues to drive prices down in most countries. Malta has a fixed price agreement with Azeri company Socar until 2022.
The Malta Independent says that there was a significant drop in dwelling applications in April, coinciding with a decision by the Planning Authority to suspend scheduled meetings because of the pandemic.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who declared Malta a ‘Covid-safe country’ and said that things are returning to normal. Abela indicated that the government is ready to announce the relaxation of more restrictive measures.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the coronavirus outbreak exposed the flaws of the economic model adopted by the government. Delia insisted that reliance on population and consumption growth is not sustainable.
The Times quotes a Planning Authority report which says that around 1,500 building applications were submitted between March and April, indicating a sudden slowdown in the construction industry which was filing an average of 1,000 applications monthly.
L-Orizzont speaks to a Maltese doctor who works in the Covid Assessment Centre in Detroit, Michigan. The paper describes the situation in the US and features a woman who lost both parents to the virus, 18 days apart.
Editorials
The Times of Malta focuses on the recent issue cropping up around the lack of nominations by Malta for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Editorial urges Government to find a solution, as part of the countries efforts to restore its reputation on compliance with the highest standards on the constitution and the rule of law. In this context, the Editor acknowledges that Malta has taken a significant step forward in its recently announced plans on judicial and other senior appointments in a bid to come in line with the Venice Commission’s recommendations.
The Independent refers to the recent discovery of Punic tombs in Tarxien, a timely reminder for the need to preserve our cultural heritage. While welcoming efforts made in the previous years to increase awareness, such as the creation of the heritage passport, the Editor calls for sustained efforts to introduce such awareness in the educational curriculum.
L-Orizzont notes how under a Labour administration the number of persons considered as living in material poverty has declined, but still over 25,000 people are living in sub-standard conditions. To make things worse, the Editor notes that the plight of many of these people is silent – their cases are hard to identify. The Editorial therefore called for efforts to identify these situations to improve the living conditions of all.
In-Nazzjon adds to the tally the number of persons at risk of poverty, saying that these have reached almost 90,000. The Editor also notes the hundreds of families having to make use of foodbanks to be able to eat on a daily basis, arguing how an increased cost of living has made their lives harder. The paper also quotes a recent report y Caritas which notes how the increased rental charges have dented the spending power of lower-income families.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Coronavirus is for China what Chernobyl was for Russia – Whitehouse official
A top White House official on Sunday likened China’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak to the Soviet Union’s cover-up of the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien said Beijing knew what was happening with the virus, which originated in Wuhan, from November but lied to the World Health Organization and prevented outside experts from accessing information.
“They unleashed a virus on the world that’s destroyed trillions of dollars in American economic wealth that we’re having to spend to keep our economy alive, to keep Americans afloat during this virus,” O’Brien said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“The cover-up that they did of the virus is going to go down in history, along with Chernobyl. We’ll see an HBO special about it ten or 15 years from now,” he added, referring to a television miniseries.
The disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine, released radioactive nuclear material that killed dozens of people within weeks and forced tens of thousands to flee. Moscow delayed revealing the extent of what is regarded as the worst nuclear accident in history.
EU Corner – by Comuniq.EU
Eurogroup chief calls Franco-German 500 bln euro recovery fund a step towards EU fiscal union
Eurogroup chief Mario Centeno said plans by Germany and France to set up a 500 billion euro ($545 billion) recovery fund to cope with the coronavirus pandemic would be a step towards a fiscal union of the bloc.
“This initiative is a brave step in the right direction to overcome this crisis,” Centeno told German weekly Welt am Sonntag.
“The German-Franco proposal would be a great step towards a fiscal union and a properly functioning currency union, even if the recovery fund is only temporary,” said Centeno, who is also Portugal’s finance minister.
The two biggest EU countries had unveiled the proposal on Monday, aimed at offering grants to European Union regions and sectors hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.
It is not yet clear, though, the way the Commission will share the cash:. “Before we talk about the distribution of money, we need to know how much each country needs. The money from the reconstruction fund must go to the countries most affected by the crisis,” he said.
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This daily update bulletin is being compiled for the Chamber of Advocates by CI Consulta from Corporate ID Group. CI Consulta delivers policy research and analysis, evaluations and impact assessments up to policy implementation and integration.
