Manuel Mallia has just been reconfirmed Chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority. He was appointed there last July having missed a post in Cabinet because he only managed to make it to Parliament after a by election. He replaced Deo Debattista who was promoted from the backbench. It's this government's policy to recruit [...]
See Matthew's post from last night. There's more to this than il-Koħħu, il-Fulu and iċ-Ċiniż. Someone out there knows more.
The last time I called out Tony Zarb the Prime Minister condemned me. So I suppose I have a guess what I'm going in for. Tony Zarb posted on Facebook the following over the last few hours: The first one translates "The Dark Forces: The first buzz word was 'political killing'. Now the new buzz [...]
This detailed article in the Nordwest Zeitung tells the story of a father unable to get answers from the Maltese authorities after his teenage son was found dead here in mysterious circumstances. The police are uncooperative and unwilling to investigate more than they feel they must. The attorney general insists on secrecy. The medical examiner [...]
While collecting in abstentia the praise for her philanthropy in Malta, she collected in praesentia a similar recognition from an NGO in the Bahamas. They heard about the good work of the Marigold Foundation the other end of the world. And Michelle Muscat flew there to get her well deserved thanks. The government of Malta [...]
Sources that appear to be eminently well informed are briefing Italian journalists well ahead of Maltese journalists who usually cover crime stories. That suggests the information is coming from political sources who are briefed by the police. But if the information is correct, and there's no reason to think it isn't, it does not really [...]
Written by Lizzie Eldridge. Read and produced by Pia Zammit. https://youtu.be/kgJPAJn9Wn4
It really is no mystery why Daphne Caruana Galizia would never join the 'Institute of Maltese Journalists'. Look at them celebrating "justice having prevailed" when three lowlifes were arraigned, accused of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. Their words: "The fact that tonight three people were arraigned in Court following their arrest and subsequent interrogation during these [...]
Statement by the Family Caruana Galizia. They are referring to a number of reports but most significantly this one in Il Messaggero. Contrary to media reports, Daphne Caruana Galizia was not investigating the ten suspects who were arrested last Monday. This can be verified by running a search for their names on www.daphnecaruanagalizia.com. The names of [...]
Since I'm not likely to win an olympic medal, here's another self-referential ironic award from earlier this year. This is President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan who eats journalists for breakfast being awarded a 'Friends of Journalists' award by some puppet functionary he controls. And as he gets it he smiles not because he does not [...]
We find out Michelle Muscat went to the Bahamas from the Facebook profile of a Trinidad and Tobago opposition politician who met her at a dinner party. The 'Women of Distinction Awards' are granted yearly by a Bahamian NGO. It doesn't look like Michelle Muscat could secure this award for herself because it appears to [...]
This morning's post about Michelle Muscat being awarded the volunteer of the year award found people saying in their reactions that Michelle Muscat should have the good manners of expressing polite embarrassment at the award, decline it and suggest someone less well known but at least equally deserving is recognised for their work. After all [...]
Martin Scicluna's piece in The Times today is perfectly in character. As a health warning let me prepare you with this quote: "The principal reason for the PN’s debacle must be laid at her (Daphne Caruana Galizia's) door and a party leadership that was committed to dancing to her tune." Truly a man who has [...]
Michelle Muscat is the volunteer of the year. She was awarded the title by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector. Yet another Peronist event in this Evita story of pursuit of adulation; of packaging the proletarian heroine royally bedecked behind the great leader. And sure enough the great leader was bursting with pride on [...]
OK so they were arraigned in court, accused of murder. We will see evidence over the next few days that will justify their trial a few years down the line. We can expect that trial to confirm our initial impression that the police are reasonably confident in the evidence that they have. It turned out [...]
Should a Minister resign if one of his canvassers is indicted for a felony? Should a Minister resign if one of his canvassers is indicted for a felony specifically connected with his job? Should a Minister resign if his main canvasser is indicted for a felony specifically connected with his job? Should a Minister resign [...]
Here's the second edition of Tales from the land of serenity. Written by Lizzie Eldridge. Podcast read and produced by Pia Zammit. The exquisite image is by Seb Tanti Burlo. https://youtu.be/9_wMt7LvPqQ
Here's Adrian Hillman of the Panama Gang being an academic and asking on Twitter "why don't people trust the news?" Perhaps because people know of him, who when running the newspaper of record in Malta and trusted to be independent of hidden influences, received 650,000 euro from Keith Schembri? Is there the possibility that might [...]
As we wait for the police to arraign the people they suspect have killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, there is plenty of scepticsm around. Obviously the only assessment that counts is a conviction, confirmed on appeal if any. That will take years. But with the courts we will see the evidence and hope for justice. We [...]
The wife of George de Giorgio, arrested yesterday on suspicion of being a part of Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination went to the offices of state broadcaster PBS yesterday night to loudly complain her husband was named in connection with the homicide. The incident happened around 21:45. Employees on duty tried to calm the woman down [...]