Cars imported to Malta

A total of 10,000 passenger cars were imported to Malta last year, compared to 9,500 in 2002, and 11,500 in 2000, Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett told Jason Azzopardi.

4,790 have been imported to Malta until the end of July this year.

As for motorcycles, 1,400 were imported last year, far more than the 840 imported the previous year.

More than 2,100 commercial vehicles were imported last year, compared to 1400 the previous year.

MEP at Foreign Committee

For the first time ever in parliamentary history, a member of the European Parliament yesterday took full and active part in the House’s EU and Foreign Affairs Committee. The MEP in question was Dr Simon Busuttil.

The committee met under the presidency of Jason Azzopardi to listen to Foreign Minister Michael Frendo give an account of the recent visit to the UN.

Rent report

may be made public in two weeks’ time

The report by Dr Peter Grech on the rent laws in Malta may be presented to Cabinet in two or three weeks’ time after which it will be tabled in Parliament, Social Affairs Minister Dolores Cristina said in Parliament.

Ms Cristina said the report has been presented to her and is now waiting for the conclusion of another report on residents and social cases before drawing up a memorandum to present to Cabinet.

VAT takings

Government’s revenue from VAT between January and September was Lm116 million. Lm18 million were paid as refunds, Finance Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Adrian Vassallo.

79 left Air Malta

A total of 79 employees have left Air Malta from the beginning of this year: 57 were boarded out, three died, seven resigned, eight reached pension age and four took early retirement. Those who were boarded out included 32 clerical workers, 17 industrial workers and eight executives. The early retirement scheme has now become effective for Group Heads and Heads and has been taken by three and one respectively. Investments Minister Austin Gatt was replying to Adrian Vassallo’s question.

376 hunters arraigned

Between January and September, the police arraigned 376 persons and charged them with infringing the laws regulating hunting, Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg told Adrian Vassallo.

Shock SMS Matsec results

A total of 50 students who sat for their Matsec exams in September got the shock of their lives when they received an SMS giving them the same results they obtained in the June sitting, meaning they had failed.

Education Minister Louis Galea said the mix-up happened when the system operators were checking the system some days before the exam results were to be sent. Soon after, however, the 500 unfortunate candidates received another SMS telling them to ignore the first SMS and that the real results would be published in a week’s time.

Students

There are 18,000 students at primary level in government schools, 7,300 in church schools and 4,200 in independent schools.

There are 18,000 students at secondary level in government schools, 7,600 in church schools and 2,300 in independent schools.

There are 4,600 students at kindergarten level in government schools, 1,400 in church schools and 1,900 in independent schools.

A total of 5,100 attend state sixth forms, 329 attend the church sixth forms and 67 attend the independent schools’ sixth forms.

Education Minister Louis Galea was replying to Carmelo Abela.

Organic farming

Two experiments in organic farming were carried out at Ghammieri this year, Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino told Noel Farrugia.

Besides, 40 farmers (seven from Gozo) and seven government officials have been trained in organic farming, the minister said.

Hoaxes

There have been no less than 38 hoax calls for ambulances so far this year, Health Minister Louis Deguara told Adrian Vassallo.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Dr Vassallo that the Bomb Disposal section of the Army has been called out only once this year, in response to a bomb hoax. This incident took place at Qala and proved negative.

Final liquidation for BICAL

It is planned that the final liquidation of BICAL and its associated companies take place in a short time so that all interested parties can take what is rightly theirs, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

Replying to Jason Azzopardi’s question, Dr Gonzi said that once this liquidation goes through, there will be a final payment to depositors.

Dr Gonzi said that the BICAL assets held by the liquidator amount to Lm914,000 of which Lm383,000 are in Bank of Valletta accounts, Lm23,000 in an HSBC fixed account and Lm508,000 in Lombard Bank accounts.

These amounts do not include money belonging to Malta & Europe Hotels Limited that have another liquidator. Nor does it include immobile assets for which there is no current valuation.

Dr Azzopardi asked Dr Gonzi to ensure that the liquidator publishes consolidated accounts of the liquidation once a year.Dr Gonzi replied that the accounts of the company are submitted more than once a year to the Malta Financial Services Authority.

In reply to another question, Dr Gonzi said the liquidator is paid at the rate of Lm35 per hour’s work, as decided by MFSA.This led Dr Azzopardi to ask if this a fair remuneration, given the recent controversies.

Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg, who replied for Dr Gonzi, said that this is the current rate.

In reply to a question by Joe Mizzi whether any member present in the House could have had a conflict of interest in defending somebody in Court, Dr Borg replied that members must avoid any possible conflicts of interest, such as those that could arise in MEPA.

He also added he is under a lot of pressure from fellow ministers regarding the possible conflict of interest which lie behind some questions, especially when asked by employees.

Members should abstain from asking questions in these cases, and get someone else to ask the questions for them, he said.