Worker believed trapped in collapse
A 27-year-old Latvian construction worker is believed to have been trapped beneath the rubble when a newly-built structure at the Seabank Hotel in Għadira Bay collapsed yesterday morning. Construction works on what is set to become a nightclub with an underlying car park were finished, and the wooden dome topping the concrete structure had already been placed. But two workers, including the Latvian national, were dismantling scaffolding inside when the concrete structure caved in at around 10.45am, and one of them remained unaccounted for. The car park itself appears to have collapsed, bringing down the nightclub and the dome with it: The cause of the collapse remains unknown. A head count was carried out by each of the contractors involved in the project to ensure that no other workers were trapped beneath the rubble. Rescuers from the Civil Protection Department rushed to the scene, as did medical teams and police officers, who cordoned off the immediate area. Some rescuers had even received training overseas in rescue operations of the sort, including in earthquakes. All other works on site stopped and the workers were sent home, although many stayed on for a while and some even volunteered to help clear the rubble. Two search and rescue dogs brought to the site pinpointed the same location, suggesting that the worker had been trapped there, although he had not been located at the time of going to print.(independeent.com.mt) This is fortunate to have such a small number of potential victims. It is also a great misfortune that this collapse.
Joanna Gonzi suspects manipulation of recording
Outgoing Sliema Mayor Joanna Gonzi said this evening that she did not recall making the sort of statements about councillor Martin DeBono's mother which the Labour media said today that she had uttered. Such statements, Dr Gonzi said, were not in her character and she could not recall ever having said anything of this nature about a person whom she had never even met.(timesofmalta.com) We can talk about the people that we do not know, I have never seen the Queen of England but I talk a lot about her.
Bribery claims: Privatisation Unit chairman says former Mimco CEO had acted correctly
The chairman of the government's privatisation unit today exonerated the former CEO of Malta Investment Management Company Ltd, Mario Mizzi, who stands charged with requesting a bribe. He said that although he had previously told police he thought Mr Mizzi's behaviour was incriminating, he now believed the opposite. In May 2010, the Prime Minister had asked the Commissioner of Police to investigate claims made to an official of the Office of the Prime Minister in September that somebody involved in the adjudication of a call for tenders had requested money. Speaking during a two-and-half-hour court sitting, Privatisation Unit chairman Emanuel Ellul claimed that during the investigation of Mr Mizzi, he was treated as a common criminal. Mr Mizzi was taken to court and investigated by the police following an alleged private conversation with one of the directors of a company, bidding for a superyachts repair contract. Mr Mizzi sat on the adjudication board and had an alleged conversation with Paul Cardona, saying "if you take care of me, I am in a position to help you". One of the two companies which made it to the final stages had also been downgraded and eliminated from the bidding process after Mr Mizzi spoke to foreign technical consultant Sue Hall.(timesofmalta.com) Corruption is an evil that must be eradicated because it destroys society.
A 27-year-old Latvian construction worker is believed to have been trapped beneath the rubble when a newly-built structure at the Seabank Hotel in Għadira Bay collapsed yesterday morning. Construction works on what is set to become a nightclub with an underlying car park were finished, and the wooden dome topping the concrete structure had already been placed. But two workers, including the Latvian national, were dismantling scaffolding inside when the concrete structure caved in at around 10.45am, and one of them remained unaccounted for. The car park itself appears to have collapsed, bringing down the nightclub and the dome with it: The cause of the collapse remains unknown. A head count was carried out by each of the contractors involved in the project to ensure that no other workers were trapped beneath the rubble. Rescuers from the Civil Protection Department rushed to the scene, as did medical teams and police officers, who cordoned off the immediate area. Some rescuers had even received training overseas in rescue operations of the sort, including in earthquakes. All other works on site stopped and the workers were sent home, although many stayed on for a while and some even volunteered to help clear the rubble. Two search and rescue dogs brought to the site pinpointed the same location, suggesting that the worker had been trapped there, although he had not been located at the time of going to print.(independeent.com.mt) This is fortunate to have such a small number of potential victims. It is also a great misfortune that this collapse.
Joanna Gonzi suspects manipulation of recording
Outgoing Sliema Mayor Joanna Gonzi said this evening that she did not recall making the sort of statements about councillor Martin DeBono's mother which the Labour media said today that she had uttered. Such statements, Dr Gonzi said, were not in her character and she could not recall ever having said anything of this nature about a person whom she had never even met.(timesofmalta.com) We can talk about the people that we do not know, I have never seen the Queen of England but I talk a lot about her.
Bribery claims: Privatisation Unit chairman says former Mimco CEO had acted correctly
The chairman of the government's privatisation unit today exonerated the former CEO of Malta Investment Management Company Ltd, Mario Mizzi, who stands charged with requesting a bribe. He said that although he had previously told police he thought Mr Mizzi's behaviour was incriminating, he now believed the opposite. In May 2010, the Prime Minister had asked the Commissioner of Police to investigate claims made to an official of the Office of the Prime Minister in September that somebody involved in the adjudication of a call for tenders had requested money. Speaking during a two-and-half-hour court sitting, Privatisation Unit chairman Emanuel Ellul claimed that during the investigation of Mr Mizzi, he was treated as a common criminal. Mr Mizzi was taken to court and investigated by the police following an alleged private conversation with one of the directors of a company, bidding for a superyachts repair contract. Mr Mizzi sat on the adjudication board and had an alleged conversation with Paul Cardona, saying "if you take care of me, I am in a position to help you". One of the two companies which made it to the final stages had also been downgraded and eliminated from the bidding process after Mr Mizzi spoke to foreign technical consultant Sue Hall.(timesofmalta.com) Corruption is an evil that must be eradicated because it destroys society.