December 1
The Malta Independent reported that Malta had become the first ever EU Member State which was not on track to achieve its targets in all three areas of the EU’s Climate and Energy 2020 directive, namely on greenhouse gas emission reductions, renewables and energy efficiency.
December 5
Malta became the first country to ban gay conversion therapy in 2016.
The Bill, which had been presented by the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, received universal praise across a number of well respected news outlets such as The Guardian.
The legislation effectively criminalises any practice which aims to change, repress or eliminate a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, by imposing fines and jail terms on offenders.
The discussion surrounding the LNG Tanker in Marsaxlokk, which had dominated public discourse for the months prior, came to halt when the Environment and Resources Authority public hearing regarding the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control permit for the Electrogas plant took place, with eight board members voting in favour, and one against.
Environment and Resources Authority Board Member Professor Alan Deidun told the Malta Independent that the improvement in air quality was an overriding factor in his decision to vote in favour of granting the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control permit for the Delimara site
There was no counter-environmental argument strong enough, professor Deidun said. “The impact of, for example, the anchors is there, but it is not significant enough to warrant not going for the improvement in air quality”.
December 10
The child sex abuse scandal plaguing British Football reached Malta when it was revealed that Bob Higgins, a former Southampton coach between 1985 and 1989, was taken on by the Malta FA just months after leaving the Saints amid concerns over his behaviour.
President Emeritus George Abela, who was the President of the Maltese Football association at the time, said that Higgins, who was acquitted of six counts of sex offences against boys in the UK in 1992, denied the allegations and described them as "unfounded" to Dr Abela when he was confronted
Dr Abela eventually decided to suspend the "popular" coach in 1990.
While Abela stepped down from his role in 1992, Higgins was re-employed by Malta the same year after being cleared at court.
Higgins eventually departed the Malta FA in 1994, going on to work at Peterborough United in the mid 1990s.
14 December
Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli and Faith Schools went head to head when the Equality Bill, which will effectively ban Church schools from choosing not to hire teachers based on their religious beliefs or lack their of, was presented in Parliament
“Political parties should be prepared to practice what they preach and offer high positions within their ranks to qualified persons who sympathize with the opposing party!” St Aloysius Rector Fr Jimmy Bartolo told The Malta Independent.
Archbishop’s Seminary Rector Fr Jimmy Bonnici also said that faith schools would have no problem employing teachers who have different religious affiliations or no affiliation whatsoever, provided that they upheld the ethos and mission statement of the establishment.
14 December
After months of debate, The Morning After Pill (MAP) became available in certain pharmacies and could be ordered upon request.
16 December
Another traffic fatality of 2016, which brought up the years total to 23 victims, occurred in the early hours of the morning when a 20-year-old Dutch national was killed in a hit-and-run accident in St Andrews.
This meant that there had been an average of roughly one death every two weeks on Maltese roads, nine of which were motorcyclists.
16 December
A norovirus outbreak hit Mater Dei Hospital and Karin Grech Hospital when a number of patients in different wards were diagnosed with sudden onset gastritis.
The virus, which is the commonest cause of winter vomiting or gastric flu, presented its symptoms on patients within a couple of hours of each other and hence a point source was being suspected, the ministry said.
It added that a Public Health investigation was underway to establish the primary source of the infection. An inspection at the hospitals’ catering supplier was carried out and a number of samples are being analyzed.
December 23
The country stood still as Saled Ali Ahmed Lano and Soko Moussa Shaha Ali, both in their 20s, hijacked an internal Libyan flight and diverted to Malta International Airport at 11:32am.
After hours of tense negotiations, led by Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, the two men who had threatened to blow up the plane, surrendered peacefully, allowing 118 passengers and crew to leave the plane before walking out themselves with the last of the crew and giving themselves up.
One of the hijackers waved the former flag of Gaddafi’s regime. The pilot, Ali Milad, said the men were seeking political asylum in Europe and wanted to set up a political party called "the New Fateh." Fateh is a reference to Gadhafi, who led the Fateh revolution after his coup in 1969.
Afriqiyah Airways A320 had originally departed from deeply divided Sabha, in the deep south of Libya, at 10:10am and was on its way to Tripoli when the two men brandished two pistols and a hand grenade.
It was eventually revealed that the weapons were in fact replicas.
December 25
The two hijackers entered the law courts handcuffed and escorted by soldiers wearing bullet proof vests and helmets, and carrying automatic weapons on Christmas Day at noon.
The men, who appeared before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, pleaded not guilty on variety of charges which include committing acts of terrorism, terrorist activity, and hijacking an aircraft.
Represented by, the men were also charged with the possession of imitation weapons, using violence against a person on board a flight, holding people against their will, making threats of violence and attempting to cause financial or economic instability to a government.
No request for political asylum was made and no request for extradition was filed.
December 26
This year’s edition of L-Istrina fundraising telethon reached a record-breaking €5,514,307 donations in over 12 hours.
President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca called the result a festival of solidarity, saying that "we were truly united tonight."
"I cannot find a better word than thank you. Thank you to every single person who contributed to this phenomenal sum."the President said.
December 28
A quadbike rider became the 24th road fatality of the year.