10 years ago - The Sunday Times
Sunday, September 21, 2008
‘I was an idiot’ over VAT issue – Lino Spiteri
Former minister Lino Spiteri says he was “an idiot” for not having resigned at once in 1994 when Alfred Sant decided, without consulting anybody, to commit Labour to replace VAT once it was returned to power.
Mr Spiteri, who was shadow finance minister at the time, tells The Sunday Times in a frank interview that he learnt of Dr Sant’s decision from friends over dinner.
“It was news to me. I felt like an idiot. On the morrow I confronted Dr Sant about it and told him: ‘How could you have said something like that?’ He told me: ‘I know you disagree with it, I wanted to commit you’.”
Frontex chief admits failure
The EU’s increased patrols off Malta and Lampedusa might be one of the main reasons why the two islands received a record number of illegal immigrants, according to the Frontex chief.
The anti-immigration patrols being carried out in the centre of the Mediterranean are not achieving the desired results, Illka Laitinen, the executive director of the EU’s Border Control Agency, has admitted.
25 years ago - The Times
Tuesday, September 21, 1993
Magistrates express surprise at government policy
A statement by the magistrates yesterday showed the astonishing depth to which relations have sunk between them and the Minister of Justice.
The magistrates’ statement, issued after a meeting the College of Magistrates held yesterday to discuss reported remarks by the minister last Saturday, contained an unmistakable jibe about the minister’s name.
It was made in reference to a report about comments by the minister, Joe Fenech, who reportedly said the government would no longer appoint magistrates as judges.
The comments were explained by a statement by the Department of Information last night as the minister’s personal views, not government policy.
The magistrates said in their statement they were very surprised at the declared policy of the government excluding magistrates from being appointed as judges.
They expressed offence at the minister’s declaration that there could be magistrates who could let the temptation of a future appointment as judge overcome what their conscience, wisdom and responsibility indicated.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Saturday, September 21, 1968
Couple rescued off Sliema
Three sailors from the USS Forrestal, anchored off Grand Harbour, yesterday morning rescued a newly-married Maltese couple from their slowly sinking water-logged boat about 100 yards from the aircraft carrier.
A sailor on the Forrestal signal bridge spotted the couple waving their oars in distress. He immediately contacted the deck officer who quickly sent a boat to help the couple.
The soaked couple were helped aboard the Forrestal’s liberty boat and taken to Sliema. Their eight-foot boat was also towed to Sliema.
The young couple explained that a big wave stopped the engine and the boat was taking water. They were very grateful that the Forrestal sailors had gone to their rescue.
Malta delegates for Council of Europe meeting
Albert Borg Olivier de Puget, Guido DeMarco, Patrick Holland and Maurice Gregory leave Malta tomorrow to Strasbourg to attend a second part of the 20th ordinary session of the Council of Europe which will be held between September 23 and 28.