Three decades since their inception, Malta’s local councils face significant scrutiny regarding their relevance and effectiveness. Originally designed to decentralise administrative power, these councils are now plagued by diminished responsibilities, reduced funding, and lack of personnel. Local councils in Malta were established in 1993, with a vision to bring government closer to the citizens. This decentralisation sought to enhance community...
The Magisterial Inquiry – Presenting the two sides of the story
Why was its fairness questioned? Should courts ever be criticized? Should this issue be the main focus of the MEP election? Malta’s former prime minister and more individuals will be charged with money laundering, corruption and bribery. The charges relate to a deal to privatise three state hospitals that was negotiated and managed by Muscat’s government. If found guilty, the...
The effects of pornography
Texas passed a law making it mandatory for porn websites to verify the age of consumers. If breached, porn websites could face penalties of up to $250,000. Pornhub later disabled its website for users in Texas. Although this law can be circumvented by VPN, it is interesting to see what prompted Texas to carry through this law. Mainstream use The...
How does President Spiteri Debono fit in Malta’s political Landscape
Born in Victoria, Gozo, in 1952, President Spiteri Debono is a notary and will become the first female Gozitan appointed President. Her political career includes stints in the Labour Party’s National Executive. Myriam had unsuccessful attempts as a candidate in the general elections. However, in 1996 she was appointed as the first woman speaker of the House. Faced with a...
The history of women’s right to vote in Malta
The journey of the women’s right to vote start from their contributions in WW1. Maltese women indirectly contributed to winning World War I by taking care of up to 80,000 soldiers and prisoners of war while food was running out and death rates were going up. After World War I, the Sette Giugno riots in 1919 showed how class and...
The Sofia Inquiry summarized and explained.
In a thorough examination, the Sofia inquiry has shed light on the lapses in due diligence and oversight by several government entities, without implicating these entities in corruption or bribery. The detailed examination of the failures identified by the public inquiry reveals a multifaceted breakdown in regulatory compliance, oversight, and enforcement mechanisms across several entities and stages of the project...
Għaliex qed jipprotestaw il-bdiewa Ewropej?
Madwar l-Ewropa, il-bdiewa qed jipprotestaw kontra diversi deċiżjonijiet mehudin fuq livell Ewropew, li skonthom qed jheddu l-għajxien tagħhom u l-vijabbiltà tal-agrikoltura. Fl-Olanda, l-enfasi kienet fuq miżuri ta’ tnaqqis tal emissjonijiet ta’ Nitroġenu, liem miżuri jinkludu tnaqqis tal-popolazzjonijiet tal-bhejjem. Il-bdiewa Ġermaniżi qed jilmentaw kontra pjanijiet biex jitnaqqsu s-sussidji tad-diżil, għax iħossu li din qed tkompli żżid pressjoni fuq l-industrija, li diġà...
What is the farmers protest about?
Malta like the rest of Europe, has experienced another farmers protest against a range of European Union policies, which they claim pose a threat to their livelihoods and the sustainability of agriculture. In the Netherlands, the focus has been on opposing nitrogen emission reduction measures, including mandates to reduce livestock populations. German farmers are rallying against plans to cut diesel...
Stabbilta – The inflation control scheme analysed
The government declared that, in an effort to counteract growing inflation and support social welfare, it has launched a bold economic initiative called “Stabbilta”: a voluntary price limiting program. The government has taken a unique cooperative approach by encouraging businesses to voluntarily lower the cost of necessities to 85% of their Recommended Retail Price index in October. This effort, which...
What is the new process of electing Malta’s next President?
The selection of Malta’s President has historically been a parliamentary decision, requiring only a simple majority to support the nomination put forward by the Prime Minister. Put simply, the party in government could choose whoever it deemed appropriate with little input required from the opposition. However, significant changes were introduced in 2020, altering the procedure. According to Article 48 (1)...