Further to the report “Manchè inquiry into Azzopardi death can be toothless” published in Maltatoday on Sunday, 18th May 2008 I would like to add the following for the clarity’s and completeness’s sake.
The two inquiries launched into the Nicholas Azzopardi case had different aims and are not intended to act as a “double-checking” measure.
The magisterial inquiry conducted by Magistrate Antonio Vella is intended to establish if there could be responsibilities of a criminal nature that would be answerable before a Criminal Court.
The other inquiry led by Justice Albert Manche was launched under the Inquiries Act (Chap 273 of the Laws of Malta) and is intended to establish the facts as to whether there were any administrative or operational shortcomings that could lead to disciplinary procedures and/or recommendations as to how such shortcomings could be addressed so as to avoid their repetition in the future.
Darrell Pace
Communications
Co-Ordinator
Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs
Nearly two months have passed since the election. From the very day our Leader had resigned, the national orchestra of our enemy media and the hard rock choir of the PN focused on our party.
The aims and objectives of the National Party are to confuse, divide and rule. They want to spin not in their washing machine but in the Opposition’s washing machine. Why? There is a hidden agenda: to hide their sins, make us forget about all the scandals, vows, decisions like the Parternship for Peace, taken without any consultation, the cost of living, prices increase in food-duel-medicine, banning of hunting and trapping in spring, and more things to come in the near future. That is their emblem: alienation. This is done through their biased media of their hardliner patriots. Half of our population and those who want to join us should not let themselves be manipulated or bullied by anyone. The present Nationalist government has only the backing of a relative majority to govern and therefore a half-seat majority in Parliament. All who know Parliament know well that I am trying to explain. The Nationalists are afraid; they are in deep trouble and not us. We have the best democratic weapon we can use. The same weapon they themselves had used between 1996 and 1998 and never once let it out of their hands. It’s a great democratic weapon, they know well about it, they are very afraid of it. It’s like the devil.
Today they haven’t got a five-seat majority and we are not going to hear somebody saying that they can govern comfortably without the Opposition. No, today they are not smiling. Always are seen with uptight faces, trying to offer us sneaky things and giving us a hand to elect our leader, deputies and our administration.
Hands off: we are still a strong party more than ever before. As in a football game, a team with 10 players, having had one of its players sent off, can still win against a team of 11. With unity, determination, concentration, good defending and counter attacks, our party can win as theirs had done during the 1996-1998 legislation. The game is in our hands.
Our principles now must be to elect a professional team with a moderate, energetic and enthusiastic leader, together with a deputy leader for parliament affairs who must know the Parliament laws and rules inside out, well-disciplined, with a strong hold on his colleagues where the attendance in Parliament is a must, regular and on time.
The Malta Labour Party is still a big majority party. It has a stronger and a harder grasp than the last legislation. Now is the time to remove all the circles in the party. Just one big circle which encounters unity, determination and leaves no one out without expectations. In achieving this goal everyone within and outside the party must work very hard, calmly with unity and ignore the media alienation and spinning of minds. Lay off your hands from our party. We can never be a party of Conservatives but purely a Labour Democratic Socialist one. Let’s vote to elect a right administration to win the next general election.
Salvu Dimech
Mosta
I recently sent a pdf file to MUT about my proposals for the forthcoming elections. I requested that this file be sent to MUT members as an e-mail attachment. I emphasised the fact that I did not want to have any access to members’ e-mail addresses but that this file should be sent by MUT on my behalf. A few days ago I received a letter by the MUT Election Board informing me that my request was not to be granted.
So much for a level playing field!
This state of affairs has placed on me a substantial financial burden, since to enable me to pass this information to members, I had to set up a website http://www.amicallefdebono.com and print flyers to be sent to all schools. However, I strongly believe that MUT members have a right to this information and I am gladly shouldering this burden. It is possible to down this pdf file from my website.
Anthony Micallef Debono
www.amicallefdebono.com
http://micallefdebono.blogspot.com
I read the article about storing explosives in an ordinary garage. In my opinion the person who dreamt up this storage should be locked up and the keys thrown away.
I don’t think they have any idea about safety regarding explosives. Someone mentioned the lightning protection that should have been the first thing to install.
Do they have any idea about the lights inside the garage? They too have to be kept off at all times, to prevent any sparks out of the light fittings and switches.
I think whoever is in charge has no idea about anything. I wish them luck and I pity the people who live close by.
A. Storace
Australia
I was surprised to read Mona's review of China White in Qawra. We are repeat visitors and have always enjoyed our dinners there. My impression is that Mona was prejudiced and I confirm this by looking at the picture of the restaurant in her article. China White has a discrete, elegant environment and the picture is a distorted one taken from an awkward angle.
The one time I took Mona's advice regarding a restaurant was a very disappointing one – she praised Tal-Landrijiet, limits of Rabat (not sure of the name) to high heavens. It turned out that the seafood there was frozen and cheap; the lamb was overcooked and dry. I do not remember much else of this very bad experience.
Mona, keep writing – I will know which places I will not go to – they will be the ones that you praise.
As regards China White, I will definitely be going back there.
Petrina Jones
Via email
As a law student myself, I would like to point out that, out of all the lecturers who are employed with our faculty, Prof De Marco is the least that should be criticized about for lecture attendance (“Not Everything Is Possible For Net Head”, Wednesday 14 May).
One might want to add that, notwithstanding the fact that more often than not our lectures are cancelled, for this year’s criminal law exam we were supposed to have certain lectures with Dr Tonna Lowell, only to discover just two weeks ago that he was not going to turn up for lectures because he was no longer employed with the University of Malta.
After this so called “unfortunate news” we were furthermore told by our faculty that the topics which were supposed to be taught to us by Dr Tonna Lowell will NOT be assessed in the coming exams. Little did we know that the day after getting this “relieving” piece of news, that Dr Silvio Camilleri (Malta’s AG) addressed our class in his usual Criminal Law lecture and informed us that we would be having a substitute lecturer to replace Dr Tonna Lowell’s missed lectures and therefore we would still have the said topics for the exam.
He then added that even if this so-called substitute lecturer decides not to turn up, we will still have the topics for the exam, but we will have to study them on our own from the “oh-so-famous” Mamo Notes (which haven’t been updated since my grandfather was at school, I think).
Now I find myself thinking: what on earth are lecturers there for, if Dr Camilleri himself told us that if the lecturer out of his own courtesy decides not to come for the lectures we still have to study them… on our own?!?!?!
In my opinion it was as though he was indirectly telling us that we do not need lectures and lecturers, just give us the notes and we can not bother going to University at all. This is the real problem that the University administration should be trying to solve, and not on how to make exams and admission criterion harder for students to fail or not even have the possibility to enter their preferred course.
Ursula Farrugia
Via email
I wish to refer to your feature in the issue of Malta Today of 18 May entitled “Promoted Villains”. Yet again you have referred to me in very disparaging terms and this is immediately evident from the feature. You state that “officers had testified that they had seen Mangion carrying Debono on his shoulders and throwing him in the luggage booth of the car of the former commissioner.”
You refer to “officers who had testified” but you do not mention the principal witness who stated this, was the one who, under oath, described how he beat Nardu Debono severely together with one or two of his colleagues. You also fail to mention that this witness was contradicted in most of his testimony by a large number of other witnesses some even calling him liar in open court. The other witness who involved me had serious doubts regarding the identity of what he testified about who carried Nardu Debono, at the stage of the compilation of evidence against the former commissioner. It was only during trial, years afterwards, that his mind seemed to have become clearer and specified me as the person. Who knows what took place in the meantime? You seem to be very selective when involving me in your articles and features from time to time.
I denied in open court what was stated by these two witnesses and still strongly deny it today. I was never prosecuted for anything and never charged disciplinarily before any disciplanary board. You mention that I am still employed with the police “even against the Poilce Commissioner’s own recommendation for his (my) removal in the public interest three years ago”. I do not think that if the public interest would have been served by my removal from the police force there was anything that could stop my removal from the service. If such action materialized it would have given rise to immediate constitutional proceedings on my part.
I wonder why and how you have never featured, nor commented on the three main persons who, under oath, either testified that they had beaten Nardu Debono to death or that they had lied under oath on another occasion. The last one was promoted to Superintendent way back in 1988 just after admitting his false oath, whilst the others were left occupying their very senior positions, one with the Inland Revnue Department and the other with the Police Force until they, voluntarily and at their leisure and pleasure, decided it was time to take their pension and retire to start a business or other work.
You are sheilding yourself behind evidence given at a trial in order to use the most disparaging and denigrating words in my regard. Today’s article is the latest instance both in its titles and in calling me “disgraced officer”. Now that I have once again denied what these two offiicers stated in their testimony, I wish to inform you that if there is a repetition of this campaign against me, the purpose of which is beyond me to understand, I shall seek legal advice as to how to proceed in your regard.
Joseph Mangion
(PS 710)
There is only one comment to make: this country has the government that our bird-brained, corrupt-minded, self-serving majority deserves.
Now folks and Christians all, enjoy… and I hope it will get as worse as the country merits! The Germans have a very apt word describing how many of us feel about the state we are in: “Schadenfreude”, roughly translated as something like malicious pleasure at someone’s self induced suffering.
This goes especially to those shooters who kept on swallowing false promises time and again. Too late to push and heave now, Lino my friend, the rope is frayed and split into a hundred pieces, no chance of winning the tug of war left.
I offer no apologies if this letter has wounded anyone. I just do not care anymore and am sorry to not be young enough to leave these shores behind once again.
Keep up the good work Salv!
Marianne Gruppetta
Via email
Like many people in Europe, I expected that when Malta joined the EU the abysmal treatment of animals there would improve. At first, with the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2002 the situation looked promising. Time has passed however and there has sadly been little change.
Cruelty to animals is rarely punished and strays are poisoned in the streets with seeming impunity. The training of officials in recognising breaches of the Act is highly suspect, as is their will to prosecute offenders. When offenders are successfully prosecuted, the penalties handed down to them are woefully inadequate.
The Animal Welfare Council, so pivotal to the success of the Act, is ineffectual and lacking in commitment. Any proposals it has managed to create have so far been shelved.
I respectfully ask you to carry out an urgent revision of the Animal Welfare Act in consultation with the Partnership for Active Animal Welfare Societies (PAAWS) and ensure that representatives of these groups comprise half of the Animal Welfare Council. Since your judiciary tends to apply the minimum penalties for infractions of the Act, I would also ask you to increase these, with higher minimum fines and mandatory prison sentences for repeat offenders. Many thousands of Lira change hands at dog fights and to fine the offenders a few hundred Lira is derogatory and no deterrent.
I also urge you to open an aggressive investigation into the disappearance of street cats and the ongoing widespread poisonings. Maltese NGOs are doing considerable neuter and release work using their own limited resources. Please allocate funds to the collective “SOS Animals Malta Animal Welfare Fund” to enable them to continue this vital work, thus controlling the numbers of strays and reducing the risk of their unauthorised and sadistic killing.
Meanwhile your Government refuses to ban the spring shooting of migratory birds in blatant breach of the EU Bird Directive. The EU is a democratic institution, membership of which carries a responsibility to abide by its rules. No member country can pick and choose over which ones it will follow. If the rules are inappropriate for Malta perhaps its membership is as well.
Please send a clear message that Malta will not tolerate cruelty to animals. Until such time as you do, I will regretfully be taking my holidays in countries that do more than pay lip-service to animal welfare.
Danielle Harvey
Australia
This local warden illegally entered a one way road and parked in Balzan, got out of the car, and started his daily job by giving fines to cars parked in the area illegally. Maybe he should have started with his own car! Way to go!
Lorraine Falzon
Via email
I am a private taxi driver (with a y-plate car). Most jobs I get are nearly always on call. Last Saturday I had an on-call taxi ride at around 1am to St Julian’s. As I entered St Julian’s, three Malta Transport Authority (ADT) officers stopped me while I was carrying my passengers. I showed them my tag but they fined because I was not wearing a uniform. Surely enough, I was wearing a blue pair of trousers, a white pinstriped shirt, and brown shoes.
Can you please let me know what the reason was for fining me, because I have travelled to many countries in Europe and beyond, having used many different taxis and never having seen such nonsense. This is bad for tourism because my passengers were amazed at this sort of nonsense.
I hope this reaches someone because the ADT never replies to emails.
Josef Bonavia
Josef Taxi Service & Car Hire
Hereunder is a letter sent to MEPA, Enemalta, OPM and EU Commisioner Stavros Dimas. After years of frustration I’m trying the “fejn laqat laqat” (“left, right and centre”) approach.
The safety, health and environmental issues which threaten the lives of residents of and visitors to Qajjenza, due to the presence of the gas bottling plant in this area, were addressed several times in the media and are well known to the competent authorities.
With the change of season we get a change of winds, or a lack thereof, and the result is a longer-lingering and persistent smell of ethanol. This does not mean there was no gas/ethanol in the air in winter, but it was a little more bearable. Now whether this is sensed before or after it has been used to dose the LPG is not the question. If it has, it is lethal; if not yet mixed with the LPG, it is annoying to say the least.
Before the EU referendum on accession we were promised swift action by this government. Nothing happened since then and the situation is only getting worse as demand for LPG increases.
On 17 April 2008 I called 22980457 to report a very bad case of LPG/ethanol in the air. We do not live right behind the bottling plant but some way off, so it must have been more intensive closer by. I spoke to a certain Mr Micallef. He called me back and suggested I write to a Mrs Mifsud Zahra. He also said that if it was due to winds, then there was nothing that could be done and the Director would probably say the same, as this was a case of “Act of God”. I didn’t write then, but do we call the govenrment’s insensitivity to safety, health and environmental issues, an Act of God too? Enlighten me.
I tried to swallow my frustration every time there was another similar case and hoped that Mepa would soon approve the application for the new site in Benghajsa. Then last night, 29 April, at 10pm the smell was suffocating. I called 21651394 and when I asked about the smell the person answering asked where I was! Having learnt that I live in Qajjenza he said that it was obvious I would smell it. He refused to give his name so I asked where else I could report it. The smell had pervaded my home entirely. He said this wasn’t going to be reported. For a while I insisted then my husband took over from me and got a number. It was a personal mobile number. Mr Michael Grech answered. To cut it short, Mr Grech said people had been calling, nothing could be done, and when asked why this was not going to be reported he asked for our details, and said he would call the police and report us (for wanting to report an excessive smell of gas!?)
So here I am asking anyone considered to have clout on the issue: what is this attitude of Enemalta employees? An apology is expected. Doesn’t a suffering citizen have the right to complain? We need action. We need to know when the construction of the new plant will commence. We need to know when the Qajjenza bottling plant will be dismantled. Is the process dangerous to residents? Should we pack and leave for some time? Will the government provide us with temporary residences? Are we really being asked to grin and bear it? Why have we been deluded into believing this government for such a long, long time?
GonziPN is now GonziMEPA too, so please stop killing us softly and stand by your people, even the lowly southerners.
Glorianne Pace
Qajjenza, Birzebbuga
My uncle Jim Thornton died on Friday and I am trying to trace his children that moved to Malta many years ago with their mother Silvia. I know that my cousin Christopher Thornton has since joined the Maltese police force. His sister Nina Thornton has since married and I do not know her new married name. Is there any way I can trace them via the police or your organisation so that I can let them know that their father has died and when the funeral will be please? Thank you very much for reading this.
Tony Thornton
Via Email
In the throes of its electoral defeat, the Malta Labour Party should seriously reconsider its stance as a middle-class party. It should not forsake its working class orientation, especially those citizens living below the poverty line. Social justice is a right for all.
Anthony Fabri
Valletta
Quote: “The Nationalists won an election they should have lost were it not for an inept Labour campaign.” Lino Spiteri, The Times, 5 May 2008.
Obseravtion: as a corollary the Nationalist campaign was not “inept” because it won the elections by 1,580 votes. Is Mr Lino Spiteri a Labour or Nationalist thinker? Perhaps he pretends to be independent now and is awaiting the result of the election of a new leader to decide on his allegiance.
Had the Malta Labour Party won the elections with 1,580 votes instead of losing it by that amount, would Mr Spiteri still describe the Labour campaign as inept? Curious to know whether he is consistent in his reasoning.
Perhaps if he were somewhat less negative when referring to the MLP during the election campaign the result could have been reversed.
Francis Farrugia
Ta’ Xbiex
