Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1190498
JAMES DEBONO THE middleman in the Caruana Galizia assassination had a fancy for animals. In November, Melvin Theuma – now turned State's evidence against accused mastermind Yorgen Fenech and the Prime Minister's former chief-of-staff Keith Schembri – was granted a planning permit for a menag- erie that included dwarf goats, pheasants, peacocks, chickens, rabbits, and even weasels, on his land in Triq il-Kuccard, Safi. Originally, he got a permit from the Planning Authority's planning commission to build an agricultural store instead of the smaller rural structures on the site. He also planned to have a reservoir, gate and boundary walls, but these additions were objected to by both the Environ- ment and Resources Authority and the Agricultural Advisory Committee. As it happens, the PA commis- sion was chaired by architect Elizabeth Ellul, who is also list- ed as one of the non-executive directors on the government's Housing Maintenance and Em- bellishment Company (HPMU) where Theuma was granted a no-show job by order of Keith Schembri himself. T h e u - ma was not reg- istered as a farmer when in 2016 the ERA and AAC said his plans for a reservoir were not motivated by a "genuine agricultural need". And when he registered as a farmer in July 2016, the AAC still refused clearance in view "of the absence of proof of arable farming as defined in the Rural Policy and Design Guidance." For this reason even the case officer had recommended a re- fusal. But the permit was still issued by Ellul's planning commission, after Thuema submitted "evi- dence of agricultural activity" – evidence consisting of photos "showing the tools owned by the applicant used for the current agricultural activity". The case officer had how- ever pointed out that this did not amount to "proof of arable farming as defined in the Rural Policy and Design Guidance". In June 2018 he applied for the construction of horse stables and paddock area. The initial proposal also included a visi- tors' attraction centre, which Theuma later withdrew. In 2019 he applied to develop of six animal enclosures with an area of approximately 56sq.m, which was approved in Sep- tember. The enclosures would host four dwarf goats, six pheasants, one male peacock and three female peacocks, eight fancy chickens, 12 show rabbits and four Maltese weasels. The application was deemed to be in line with the rural policy which identifies the keeping of animals intended for research, educational, sport, leisure and exhibition purposes, as one of the acceptable rural activities outside development zones, provided that the animal enclo- sures are lightweight, visually permeable and of a high-quality rural design. The purchase of the 1,790sq.m landholding was financed through a €70,000 bank loan is- sued by the Bank of Valletta. 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 DECEMBER 2019 NEWS "On completion of my Masters in Surgery - I have submitted the thesis titled "The Role of Serotonin 2C Receptors in Comorbid Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Absence Epilepsy". Through this research on rats we explored the effects of a lorcaserin, a drug that has already been approved by the FDA as a treatment for obesity. We sought to establish the psychiatric effects of this medication on depression and anxiety in these rat models that were genetically modified to experience absence seizures. After injection of lorcaserin, the rats underwent a series of behavioral tests. It was established that the medication showed depressogenic & anxiety inducing features in these genetically modified rats, whilst also inducing depression & anxiety in a strain of non-epileptic control rats. I would like to thank the ENDEAVOUR Scholarship Scheme Program for providing me with financial support. This scholarship was part financed by the European Union – European Social Fund (ESF) under Operational Program II – Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020, "investing in human capital to create more opportunities and promote the wellbeing of society". No 12. Roberta Metsola Refuses To Shake Hands With Joseph Muscat What are we skinning? The soon- to-be-iconic image of MEP Roberta Metsola refusing to shake hands with soon-to-be former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Why are we skinning it? Cometh the hour, cometh the image, and this snap certainly captures a lot about our current political crisis in a caustic nutshell. You've said it yourself – caustic. Isn't it all a little bit rude – if not downright mean – to blatantly disrespect our Prime Minister in this way? Who does Metsola think she is? True, it may appear indecorous to some. Even, in a strange way, a case of 'punching down', given how Metsola is coming over with the EU retinue to chastise Muscat and his government. But an iconic image exists for the annals of time, and time tends to be merciless. But what makes the image iconic? Are you just saying this because it became an online meme? No, not exactly. Though one could argue that memes are like a prefiguring of icons to come; a first-draft idea of what a culture finds significant... Leave that to the media studies professors and get back to the question at hand, please. Okay, okay... So I think it's iconic because it illustrates just how the mighty have fallen. Joseph Muscat has never been more embattled, and the image of him being unquestionably rebuffed by a fresher, younger counterpart as if his very touch is poison, strikes to the quick. But it makes me feel sorry for Muscat. Oh, that doesn't take away from its iconic status. The memes make it out to be a mocking thing, but I think it's poignancy lies in how it documents a change in attitude, if not quite a changing of the guard. You couldn't have imagined Muscat being in that position a few weeks ago. And now, it's likely to be one of the key images we associate with his entire run as Prime Minister of Malta. Do say: "The photo makes Muscat look vulnerable and Metsola look a bit arrogant. Either way, it gives us a glimpse of the human side of politics, where the PR-friendly avatars crack to let in that hint of squishy humanity." Don't say: "OMG JM got owned! Yas queen, Metzzzi!" The Skinny Malta, shrunk down How PA 'helped' middleman become an animal keeper Despite the refusal of the case officer, the Planning Authority's planning commission still green-lit newly registered 'farmer' Melvin Theuma's request for a reservoir