Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462882
NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 5 Election frontrunners PAGES 6-12 T hroughout the election campaign, MaltaToday has continuously polled people to understand how they will vote. We also asked those who indicated a voting preference for either of the two major parties to indicate who their first-choice candidate on the district is. The results are broken down into front runners – those who scored a double-digit share on their respec- tive district – and the rest, ranked according to polling data. No percentages are given for those who are not front runners because the numbers are so low they could be subject to significant change. Candidates that received less than 1% of consensus were not included. On each district, a significant por- tion of voters were still undecided who to give their number one vote. However, the results do give an indication of popularity on the dis- tricts and possibly open a window on how Malta's next parliament could shape up. MaltaToday's rolling survey has been polling people on their first-choice candidates on each of the districts. Kurt Sansone takes a look at the numbers JAMES DEBONO AN online survey of 75 medical stu- dents has revealed that one in three students would not inform their fac- ulty of serious misconduct, accord- ing to a study of attitudes on aca- demic misconduct. 41% said they were unsure wheth- er they would report misconduct. 8% also admitted to copying an- swers in a final exam, even if the vast majority (95%) agreed this was wrong. 32% admitted lending their work to others to copy, but just half felt this was wrong wrong. And almost a quarter of students admitted to having forged a col- league's signature on an official University record. Just over half of participants felt it was wrong not to inform the faculty of a previous conviction of theft; and 7% admitted having not informed the faculty of a physical or mental condition that might in- terfere with their ability to practice safely, while 5% admitted to falsely taking a patient history or perform- ing a clinical examination. The results of the study by Alex- ia Grech, Hackenbruch Sophie and Prof. Isabel Stabile were published on science journal Xjenza. The au- thors said medical students at the University of Malta behave simi- larly to those in other countries in terms of academic dishonesty. The survey also found that less than 20% of medical students think that writing a piece of work for an- other student or lending their own work to be copied, were serious of- fences. The vast majority still consider forging signatures, cheating dur- ing exams, damaging property, ly- ing about their CV and threatening others as serious offences. They also note that traditional courses that assess knowledge to determine academic progression, may not adequately equip medical students with characteristics that would be expected of them as jun- ior professionals in the workplace. The study recommends improved teaching methods which emphasise learning over grades, and which value honesty and integrity, some- thing which should be "embraced by any University committed to minimizing academic misconduct among their students." jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Omertà: 1 in 3 medical students would not report 'serious misconduct' Go Exchange to make way for 127 apartments and 11 shops JAMES DEBONO EXCEL Investments, the compa- ny owned by Gozitan developer Joe Portelli, has presented its plans for a replacement residential and commer- cial development on the site of the Go Exchange building in Birkirkara. A separate application for its dem- olition was presented a few days ago without any details on the replace- ment building. As proposed the development will consist of 11 retail shops at ground floor level, 14 maisonettes, 96 apartments and 17 penthouses with pools, as well as two levels of underground parking consisting of 174 spaces. The application includes plans for a public, pedestrianised piazza and a new access from Psaila Street for ambulances and fire vehicles, which will bisect the site and enable de- velopment around it. A zoning ap- plication for this aim has also been submitted. The GO Exchange Building fronts Psaila Street and two other residen- tial roads in the vicinity of the local secondary school which are char- acterised by low density residential development. The site does not enjoy any level of protection apart and lies outside the historical core of the locality. But MaltaToday is informed that parts of the build- ing including a switch room, which may be of interest as part of Malta's communication history.