Selling Malta in the UK
Selling Malta as a destination for tourists and businesses alike is the purpose of an official visit to London by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this week. The visit ostensibly focused on an unusual promotional event at renowned department store Harrods, which is promoting Malta extensively – and flying the Maltese flag – this month. The store was visited by Dr Gonzi yesterday afternoon, when he was given a tour by its managing director Michael Ward. But the Prime Minister’s agenda for this short visit also involves a number of meetings with economic operators in various sectors which Malta can attract, including tourism and financial services. This morning, he is hosting a presentation and a question and answer session for a number of business representatives, and later in the day he will formally launch the Malta Business Network, which primarily targets businessmen and professionals of Maltese origin or with a connection to Malta. The Harrods event, however, is easily the most significant promotional initiative taking place at the moment.(independent.com) It is normal for a first minister to promote his country.
Man jailed for setting boat on fire
A man was this morning jailed three years and three months after he admitted to setting fire to a boat - the 'Mermaid'. The boat was berthed at the Bugibba Jetty in St Paul's Bay. Joswil Galea, 34, of Pieta, admitted to boarding the boat, which belonged to Paul Zammit, on September 26, 2007 at around 4 a.m. Mr Galea threw two 2-litre containers full of petrol on the boat's bow near the engine and set the boat on fire. The fire spread and there was an explosion which damaged the boat. The police and the Civil Protection Department put out the fire in a short time avoiding the boat's total destruction. Mr Galea also admitted to relapsing. He had previously been jailed three months for falsifying documents and six months for seriously injuring a person.(timesofmalta.com) Why try to set fire to a boat?
BirdLife angered by spring season extension proposal
BirdLife Malta has called for the resignation of Louis Cilia, chairman of the Malta Ornis Committee, following what it described as his 'surprise' submission of a proposal for the opening of an extended spring hunting season as well as a trapping season. "Only two days before today's scheduled meeting of the Ornis committee, Mr. Cilia sent his recommendations to the committee members, giving scant time for consideration of the document," BirdLife said. In a letter to Mr Cilia, BirdLife said: "You, as the Ornis Chairman, in your current capacity to draft recommendations for a spring hunting and trapping derogation in 2012, lack a basic realization of the facts and understanding of conservation science and EU legislation concerning the conservation of wild birds." Mr Cilia recommended the opening of a spring hunting season even though the Carnet De Chasse figures for last autumn have not yet been published, BirdLife said. Under the government's legal notice 113 of 2011, which sets out the general framework for spring hunting, the opening of a spring hunting season for Turtle Dove and Quail is dependent on the number of birds of these species killed during the preceding autumn season.(timsofmalta.com) If we kill too many birds in a season, next season there will inevitably fewer birds.
Selling Malta as a destination for tourists and businesses alike is the purpose of an official visit to London by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this week. The visit ostensibly focused on an unusual promotional event at renowned department store Harrods, which is promoting Malta extensively – and flying the Maltese flag – this month. The store was visited by Dr Gonzi yesterday afternoon, when he was given a tour by its managing director Michael Ward. But the Prime Minister’s agenda for this short visit also involves a number of meetings with economic operators in various sectors which Malta can attract, including tourism and financial services. This morning, he is hosting a presentation and a question and answer session for a number of business representatives, and later in the day he will formally launch the Malta Business Network, which primarily targets businessmen and professionals of Maltese origin or with a connection to Malta. The Harrods event, however, is easily the most significant promotional initiative taking place at the moment.(independent.com) It is normal for a first minister to promote his country.
Man jailed for setting boat on fire
A man was this morning jailed three years and three months after he admitted to setting fire to a boat - the 'Mermaid'. The boat was berthed at the Bugibba Jetty in St Paul's Bay. Joswil Galea, 34, of Pieta, admitted to boarding the boat, which belonged to Paul Zammit, on September 26, 2007 at around 4 a.m. Mr Galea threw two 2-litre containers full of petrol on the boat's bow near the engine and set the boat on fire. The fire spread and there was an explosion which damaged the boat. The police and the Civil Protection Department put out the fire in a short time avoiding the boat's total destruction. Mr Galea also admitted to relapsing. He had previously been jailed three months for falsifying documents and six months for seriously injuring a person.(timesofmalta.com) Why try to set fire to a boat?
BirdLife angered by spring season extension proposal
BirdLife Malta has called for the resignation of Louis Cilia, chairman of the Malta Ornis Committee, following what it described as his 'surprise' submission of a proposal for the opening of an extended spring hunting season as well as a trapping season. "Only two days before today's scheduled meeting of the Ornis committee, Mr. Cilia sent his recommendations to the committee members, giving scant time for consideration of the document," BirdLife said. In a letter to Mr Cilia, BirdLife said: "You, as the Ornis Chairman, in your current capacity to draft recommendations for a spring hunting and trapping derogation in 2012, lack a basic realization of the facts and understanding of conservation science and EU legislation concerning the conservation of wild birds." Mr Cilia recommended the opening of a spring hunting season even though the Carnet De Chasse figures for last autumn have not yet been published, BirdLife said. Under the government's legal notice 113 of 2011, which sets out the general framework for spring hunting, the opening of a spring hunting season for Turtle Dove and Quail is dependent on the number of birds of these species killed during the preceding autumn season.(timsofmalta.com) If we kill too many birds in a season, next season there will inevitably fewer birds.