The Pharmaceutical Services Department owed Lm11.8 million for the purchase of medicines and medical equipment at the end of April, Health Minister Louis Deguara told Labour MP Adrian Vassallo.
53 die of Aids
A total of 53 persons have died of Aids from 1986 to date. According to the Public Health Department figures, there are nine persons with Aids in Malta today, Health Minister Louis Deguara told Dr Vassallo.
From 27 January 2004, when HIV became notifiable by law, 39 cases of HIV were reported to the department, the minister added.
Homicide trials
There are nine pending trials by jury regarding wilful homicide, a further six on attempts at wilful homicide, 11 trials by jury regarding drug trafficking and two regarding receipt of bribes and the revealing of public secrets, Justice Minister Tonio Borg told Dr Vassallo.
Maghtab waste
Waste dumped at Maghtab decreased from 1.4 million tonnes in 2000 to just 250,000 last year, Environment Minister George Pullicino told Nationalist MP Joseph Cassar.
One of the reasons for this heavy decrease is that today construction waste, which used to make up around 85 per cent of all waste, is being dumped in unused quarries. A total of 2.1 million tonnes were so dumped in 2004 and a further 1.1 million tonnes last year.
105 centenarians
There are 105 persons in Malta who have turned 100, Dr Deguara told Dr Cassar. Seven are residents of St Vincent de Paule Residence.
Crash helmets
The possibility of imposing the use of crash helmets on drivers of quadricycles is being studied, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett told Labour MP Charles Buhagiar.
The minister said that so far these vehicles are not considered as motorcycles but on the same level as cars with four wheels, but one must also consider that the drivers have no protection whatsoever.
Two ministers, two replies
Two ministers gave what one may call contrasting replies when asked about the hotel that should be built on the Vittoriosa waterfront as part of the Cottonera Project.
Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech told Labour MP Chris Agius that no progress has been registered this past year on the construction of the hotel.
But Mr Mugliett told the same MP that he has recently met the directors and architects of the Vittoriosa Gaming Ltd who are obliged to develop the land next to the Casino di Venezia and the directors confirmed they have now finalised the plans for this hotel, including the investment plans. Talks have also begun with Mepa regarding an application for the hotel.
Other discussions focused on the need to have a certain synergy so that this construction work takes place in synergy with the landscaping project and others, the minister said.