May was the month where the Malta Independent were officially made partners with the International Consortium of International Journalists, with access to the Panama Papers.

It also marked the month of the Barracuda restaurant balcony collapse along the St Julian’s resulting in a number of injuries.

1 May

Documents leaked to the Malta Independent on Sunday revealed that Bank of Valletta been accepting business from Libyan nationals without carrying out the necessary customer due diligence.

Later in the month, the Malta Independent revealed that the bank authorised the opening of accounts for two Libyan security guards supposedly working for the Tobruk embassy in Malta, despite the individuals being unable to meet the bank’s regular due diligence requirements.

BOV said that it follows normal due diligence procedures as required by law and financial regulations. BOV denied any due diligence breaches.

2 May

While being grilled before the Public Accounts Committee, PL MP Michael Falzon labelled the report by the National Audit’s Office regarding the Gaffarena situation as a political witch hunt, and said that he never spoke to Marco Gaffarena on the value of the property.

The NAO had, in their report, said that investigation into the Gaffarena/Old Mint Street expropriation deal had found that there was collusion noted between the GPD and Gaffarena.

4 May

The motion of no confidence in Minister Konrad Mizzi over the Panama Papers, put forward by MP Marlene Farrugia, did not pass.

5 May

The Church Safeguarding Commission received 27 abuse complaints in 2015, however only one was substantiated. The Commission also inherited four other cases. In addition, 24 risk assessments were concluded while the other seven were ongoing by the end of the year.

7 May

A 97-year-old man passed away after being hit by a Toyota Townace driven by a 48-year-old man on Vjal il-Haddiem, Rabat

9 May

Italian police unveiled a wide network of illegal online betting operated by criminal organisations whose gaming platform was based in Malta. Italian media reported that the investigation severely damaged the criminal organisations involved.

On the same day, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published the second round of the Panama Papers data, which included the mention of former PN Minister Ninu Zammit and businessman Pierre Sladden among others.

10 May

Ira Losco made it to the final of the European Song contest with her wong’Walk on Water’. But she placed on 12th in the final.

In another incident, a 50-year-old Australian native died whilst cycling after colliding with a car on San Pawl tal-Qliejgha Street, Mosta. The cyclist was riding along San Pawl tal-Qlejgha Street when he was hit by a Toyota Vitz driven by a 29-year-old from Zebbug at 2.45pm.

 

Photo Dunstan Crockford

16 May

The balcony at the Barracuda restaurant along St Julian’s promenade collapsed, and a number of people were injured.

In a separate article, Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil said, during the closing of the PN General Council conference, that the PN’s mission is to clean up Malta’s political system and said that such a task would require “honest politics”.

17 May

Documents shown to the Malta Independent that certain applications to place persons who purchased Maltese citizenships on the electoral register were hurriedly processed despite not meeting constitutional requirements.

On the same day, Caritas Malta presented its conclusions through a study titled “A minimum essential budget for a decent living” – a research study focusing on three low-income household categories. The document is not a study about the minimum wage, but was rather conducted with the aim of establishing a minimum essential budget for a decent living. The focus of Caritas was on low income families.

20 May 2016

Partially through information available in the Panama Papers, and through further investigation, OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, Businessman Pierre Sladden and former Managing Director of the Times of Malta Adrian Hillman were all found to be shareholders in the same Cypriot company, A2Z Consulta, through their BVI based companies. They however denied transferring funds.

 

26 May

The Constitutional Court ruled that the PN should have two more seats in Parliament after shortcomings in the electoral process and the vote counting in the 2013 general elections.

 

29 May

The Malta Independent on Sunday revealed the plans for the Mercury House project which, back then, included a 40-storey skyscraper. It was the fourth mega project in the area that was revealed.

In another incident, a man from Vittoriosa, Manuel Micallef, known as DJ Lito, died after a traffic accident involving three cars in Dom Mintoff Road, Cospicua. The accident happened at 6.50pm in a three car collision involving Manuel Micallef’s Toyota Aygo, a Ford Fusion driven by a 53-year-old man, and a Toyota Vitz driven by a 41-year-old.