Gozo-Malta tunnel proposal progresses from preliminary study to feasibility stage
The idea of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo is now one notch up from simply an idea, seen by some as an electoral gimmick. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday announced to a conference organised by Meusac that the first study on the idea, a preliminary study, has now been completed and has been delivered to the government. The government had charged Transport Malta to commission experts to do a preliminary study on the possibility of a tunnel. The study focused on various aspects of the concept including technical, financial and environmental ones. That study has now been completed: It could have concluded that the tunnel idea was just a dream. This was not its conclusion, so the study has now progressed to the next stage: That of a feasibility study which will examine various possibilities of an undersea tunnel. When that is finished, Malta will know what the tunnel will involve, the Prime Minister remarked. The deliberations will be done in public, Dr Gonzi said, and the government will be looking at the national impact of such a project.(independent.com.mt) A tunnel entry Malta and Gozo would be great.
Gozo Channel blames passengers for ferry ramp incident
Updated 7.20 p.m. Gozo Channel this evening blamed passengers for an incident where a ferry's ramp was reportedly raised while there were passengers on it. timesofmalta.com reported earlier this afternoon that a number of passengers rushed to get on or off the ramp of the MV Malita as it started being raised while they were walking on it. The incident happened at Cirkewwa at 1.45 p.m. One passenger described the scene as 'akin to what happens in a third world country'. He said that arguments broke out, with passengers protesting to crew and Gozo Channel staff on the quay who, he said, acted like nothing out of the ordinary had taken place. No one was injured. Gozo Channel could not immediately comment on the incident. However in a press statement in the evening, the ferry company said that from its initial enquiries it appeared that some passengers attempted to stop the MV Malita from departing by getting on the ramp just as it started being raised, apparently in order to delay the trip so that other passengers could board. "The passengers were directed to clear the ramp and it was raised after the passengers did so This does not appear to have been a case of the ramp being raised while passengers were still on it, but one where passengers attempted to access the ramp after it started being raised, which, had the appropriate steps not been taken, would have resulted in danger to said passengers," Gozo Channel said. (timesofmalta.Com) Accidents are always unfortunate.
You're going to starve my family to death, victim told during attack
A man was stabbed at least 15 times in his neck and upper body with a 10 centimetre blade in a Gozitan courtroom, a court heard yesterday. Both the alleged attacker - Pasqualino Cefai, 37, and his victim Joseph Portelli, 54, of Zebbug, are well known to the police and have a number of pending cases between them. Mr Cefai is pleading not guilty to stabbing and grievously injuring Mr Portelli at around noon on June 6. The attack took place in a Gozo court room in front of Magistrate Josette Demicoli. Mr Cefai is also pleading not guilty to slightly injuring lawyer Kevin Mompalao and causing more than €1,400 worth of damage inside the courtroom, being in possession of a penknife without a police licence, breaching bail conditions, committing a crime during a suspended sentence and relapsing. Prior to the attack, the magistrate had been presiding over a civil court case between the two men and ordered Mr Cefai out of the courtroom after he kept on interrupting her and making a number of rude remarks. The court had seized two of Mr Cefai's trucks to be sold off for Mr Portelli to get compensation. He kept repeating that he had a wife and two children to feed and the vehicles were needed for his family's livelihood. He threatened Mr Portelli that he would "pay him back". Mr Cefai returned seconds after leaving the courtroom, and attacked Mr Portelli, stabbing him repeatedly in a downward motion. Lawyer Kevin Mompalao testified before Magistrate Neville Camilleri this morning that he heard the doors bang open soon after Mr Cefai was thrown out.(timesofmalta.com) Kill someone before a magistrate is not very intelligent.
The idea of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo is now one notch up from simply an idea, seen by some as an electoral gimmick. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday announced to a conference organised by Meusac that the first study on the idea, a preliminary study, has now been completed and has been delivered to the government. The government had charged Transport Malta to commission experts to do a preliminary study on the possibility of a tunnel. The study focused on various aspects of the concept including technical, financial and environmental ones. That study has now been completed: It could have concluded that the tunnel idea was just a dream. This was not its conclusion, so the study has now progressed to the next stage: That of a feasibility study which will examine various possibilities of an undersea tunnel. When that is finished, Malta will know what the tunnel will involve, the Prime Minister remarked. The deliberations will be done in public, Dr Gonzi said, and the government will be looking at the national impact of such a project.(independent.com.mt) A tunnel entry Malta and Gozo would be great.
Gozo Channel blames passengers for ferry ramp incident
Updated 7.20 p.m. Gozo Channel this evening blamed passengers for an incident where a ferry's ramp was reportedly raised while there were passengers on it. timesofmalta.com reported earlier this afternoon that a number of passengers rushed to get on or off the ramp of the MV Malita as it started being raised while they were walking on it. The incident happened at Cirkewwa at 1.45 p.m. One passenger described the scene as 'akin to what happens in a third world country'. He said that arguments broke out, with passengers protesting to crew and Gozo Channel staff on the quay who, he said, acted like nothing out of the ordinary had taken place. No one was injured. Gozo Channel could not immediately comment on the incident. However in a press statement in the evening, the ferry company said that from its initial enquiries it appeared that some passengers attempted to stop the MV Malita from departing by getting on the ramp just as it started being raised, apparently in order to delay the trip so that other passengers could board. "The passengers were directed to clear the ramp and it was raised after the passengers did so This does not appear to have been a case of the ramp being raised while passengers were still on it, but one where passengers attempted to access the ramp after it started being raised, which, had the appropriate steps not been taken, would have resulted in danger to said passengers," Gozo Channel said. (timesofmalta.Com) Accidents are always unfortunate.
You're going to starve my family to death, victim told during attack
A man was stabbed at least 15 times in his neck and upper body with a 10 centimetre blade in a Gozitan courtroom, a court heard yesterday. Both the alleged attacker - Pasqualino Cefai, 37, and his victim Joseph Portelli, 54, of Zebbug, are well known to the police and have a number of pending cases between them. Mr Cefai is pleading not guilty to stabbing and grievously injuring Mr Portelli at around noon on June 6. The attack took place in a Gozo court room in front of Magistrate Josette Demicoli. Mr Cefai is also pleading not guilty to slightly injuring lawyer Kevin Mompalao and causing more than €1,400 worth of damage inside the courtroom, being in possession of a penknife without a police licence, breaching bail conditions, committing a crime during a suspended sentence and relapsing. Prior to the attack, the magistrate had been presiding over a civil court case between the two men and ordered Mr Cefai out of the courtroom after he kept on interrupting her and making a number of rude remarks. The court had seized two of Mr Cefai's trucks to be sold off for Mr Portelli to get compensation. He kept repeating that he had a wife and two children to feed and the vehicles were needed for his family's livelihood. He threatened Mr Portelli that he would "pay him back". Mr Cefai returned seconds after leaving the courtroom, and attacked Mr Portelli, stabbing him repeatedly in a downward motion. Lawyer Kevin Mompalao testified before Magistrate Neville Camilleri this morning that he heard the doors bang open soon after Mr Cefai was thrown out.(timesofmalta.com) Kill someone before a magistrate is not very intelligent.