Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1446843
PAGE 10 TRUTH IS OF NO COLOUR WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT/COVID19 SUNDAY • 30 JANUARY 2022 • ISSUE 1161 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday JAMES DEBONO THE government has identi- fied a 900sq.km zone of shal- low waters around Hurd's Bank, and a 6,500sq.km belt around the island as two areas where it intends issuing con- cessions to private companies for the production of renew- able energy, the production and storage of hydrogen, fish farms and the establishment of "artificial islands". The government is al- so committed to fast-track planning permits for such projects to a maximum du- ration of three months from the submission of all required documents. Apart from Hurd's Bank, which is designated as Area 1 of Malta's Exclusive Econom- ic Zone, the entire offshore belt extending between 12 nautical miles to 25 nauti- cal miles, which spans over 6,500sq.km, is designated as Area 2. MARK SULTANA Up for grabs: Malta seabed identified for concessions Comeback tour starts with Facebook livestream PAGE 2 KIDS' SELF-DEFENCE Concessions to be awarded to private companies in tendering procedure with planning and environmental permits awarded within three months after submission of all documentation ELECTION RUMOURS Get up to speed with our political math PAGES 4-5 Young victims of violence are being thought the art of fighting back PAGES 14-15 Govt's 2019 deal considered sale of Gozo campus to separate company STEWARD M.O.U. €1.95 Birdlife at 60: "We are products of nature; and we have to be in nature" INTERVIEW MT2 MATTHEW VELLA THE Muscat administration considered allowing Steward, the private hospitals concessionaire, to sell off the Barts medical and nursing school in Gozo to a property investment company and lease it back. A key demand by Steward, the 2019 memorandum of understanding was nev- er signed given the December political crisis that foreshadowed the departures of Joseph Muscat and Konrad Mizzi PAGE 12 The finance ministry presented industry stakeholders with its plans to commercialise Hurd's Bank into an economic zone for energy projects and for the aquaculture industry MUSCAT DOES MEDIA COVID & DRUGS COVID lockdown closed off drug routes to OCGs PAGE 6