10 years ago - The Times
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Burden sharing obviously not working
The burden-sharing principle approved by EU member states in November was “obviously not working”, European Commission Vice President Gunther Verheugen said yesterday.
Mr Verheugen added that “as a European citizen, I feel ashamed seeing that bigger and richer member states are not willing to implement the burden-sharing (principle) and really help Malta”.
Replying to questions by The Times at a press conference at the end of his whirlwind visit, Mr Verheugen insisted that Malta was not the filter for the rest of Europe and the country was right to expect other EU countries to carry their part of the burden.
Mr Verheugen said he would encourage EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot to table ambitious Commission proposals that would effectively solve the problem and ensure Malta did not have to carry the burden alone.
“If this had to happen in an average German town with 350,000 people, a revolution would start immediately. You must put it into perspective because Malta is a small, densely populated island and is the closest to Africa. I fully share the view of Mr Barrot that burden-sharing must be implemented,” he said.
25 years ago - The Times
Monday, March 28, 1994
Remaining two divers’ bodies recovered
An intensive search for two missing scuba divers produced the expected grim results yesterday when their lifeless bodies were found in a dark underwater pit cave at a depth of 37 metres.
The two young divers, Dr Franklin Polidano, 27, of Msida and 24-year-old Dockyard worker Michael Camilleri of Sliema, were in a group of five who went diving off Qawra on Saturday afternoon.
Three of them decided to go into the cave with tragic results. One of them, Dr Sandro Caruana, 25, was recovered dead from the sea late on Saturday but the search for the others was called off as darkness fell, to be resumed at first light yesterday.
Divers from the police Special Assignment Group, the AFM’s explosives ordinance disposal unit, and the St John Rescue Corps were assisted by friends of the missing divers who are familiar with the area.
The first to be located was Camilleri, trapped 15 metres inside the narrow underwater tunnel leading to the cave.
However the body could not be immediately recovered because silt stirred up by movement reduced visibility to practically zero.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Friday, March 28, 1969
Government’s policy on pensions
Dr V. Tabone, Minister of Labour, Employment and Welfare explained the government’s policy on pensions in a debate in the House of Representatives on March 16.
The debate was on a motion by the Labour member, Mr J. Baldacchino who spoke in favour of reducing pensionability age under National Insurance to 60 if a person retired from work at that age. If an employee chose to continue working after the age of 60, the pension would be payable at 63 or from the date of termination of employment, whichever came first.
Recalling that the present government had already reduced the pensionable age from 65 to 63, Dr Tabone said that Mr Baldacchino’s motion required careful consideration to see if it was desirable to see if it was desirable to allow a number of persons over 60, or over 63, to continue to work, if this meant depriving a large number of youths from finding a job.
Consideration also had to be given to those who would not be able to opt to continue working. This referred especially to government employees because there was no such rigidity in private industry. Industrials were at an advantage in relation to non-industrials.