Weekly News highlights

A group of 53 illegal immigrants arrived in Malta last Sunday, landing at Hondoq ir-Rummien and Marsaxlokk. The immigrants claimed that they were Palestinians, Egyptians, Sudanese, Eritreans and Iraqis.

Another group of 29 immigrants, including five children, were taken ashore aboard an AFM patrol boat at Hay Wharf on Tuesday. Their boat was spotted drifting some 50 nautical miles off Delimara. The immigrants claimed they were Somalian.

Airport employees claim discrimination

Two airport employees filed a judicial protest against government and Malta International Airport plc on Tuesday calling on them to implement two judgments delivered by the Tribunal for the Investigation of Injustices.

Frederick Attard and Joseph Cassar declared the tribunal had found in their favour and had ruled that they had sustained an injustice when they were not promoted to executive grades following their applications in 1991.

Attard was a shop steward and a member of the executive of the Port and Transport Workers' Section of the General Workers' Union. Cassar had a post in a political party and was also a GWU member.

In Cassar's case, the tribunal recommended he be promoted to safety and security executive with effect in 1991. The tribunal had recommended that Attard be awarded backdated promotion to the post of air terminal executive with effect from 1992. These recommendations were not implemented and both men claimed they suffered discrimination.

University forced to withdraw Lm10 fee

A decision by the university's administration to charge a lm10 fee to students who will graduate in November was withdrawn by the university rector after the intervention of Education Minister Louis Galea. University Rector Roger Ellul Micallef was asked to withdraw the fee on Wednesday.

The fee would have cost the students collectively more than Lm25,000 - between 2,500 and 3,000 will graduate this year.

Dr Galea said neither he nor Government had been consulted over the decision to introduce the new fee. He had only been informed about it by representatives of the University Students Council.

Senglea wins Regatta

Senglea won the Victory Day Regatta shield for the third successive year and for the 18th time in the club's history on Wednesday, and Cospicua won the shield for the reserves.

Regatta races have been held for over 100 years. Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea, Kalkara, Marsa and Marsamxett took part in this year's event.

The presentation ceremony this year was held amid tight security after the violent incidents that marred last year's event.

MEPA throws out golf course proposal

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority threw out the proposal for the construction of a golf course in Rabat on Thursday, putting the seal on one of the most controversial development proposals in recent years.

MEPA's Planning Directorate had already given the thumbs down to the 18-hole Verdala golf course on Monday, arguing that the proposed golf course was located within an area of agricultural value and that the re-modification of the site would affect the water supplies, soil profile and landscape within the site.

The decision will be appealed by developer Angelo Xuereb of AX Holdings.

Maltese desalination researchers to work on Israel-Jordan water project

A Middle East project, which aims to propose ways in which Israel will supply Jordan with 50 million cubic metres of water a year, will involve Maltese researchers from the Malta Desalination Services Corporation.

The researchers were asked to find methods to treat the water surging from the Bet Shean springs on the Israeli-Jordanian border.

For their research work, the researchers have designed and built a pilot unit in Gozo. They were also working with a leading manufacturer of ultrafiltration systems to determine the requirements and cost-effectiveness of the systems.

Tests with different operating conditions, chemical additives and membranes will be carried out at Ta' Cenc next year as well.

Authority considers raising yacht berthing fees

Proposals were made by the Malta Maritime Authority to bring berthing fees at yacht marinas in line with other marinas in the Mediterranean, a move which, would enable the authority to meet its rising costs better, Communications Minister Censu Galea said during a press conference on Friday to announce plans by the authority to develop a new yacht marina in Xemxija Bay due to a strong demand for berths.

However, the ultimate aim of the MMA was to act as a regulator and the plan was to eventually privatise all marinas.