Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1468033
NEWS 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 MAY 2022 INFORMATIVE SESSION FOR PERITI Date: Monday 23rd May 2022 Time: 4:30pm Venue: Project House, Floriana AGENDA BCA's Mission, Vision and Road Map • Update on the National Building Codes • Contractors' Licensing • Minimum Skill Requirements • Building 'Passport' Concept • 4-year plan • Networking SPEAKERS BCA CEO Karl Azzopardi • BICC Perit Martin de Bono REGISTRATION Kindly register on www.bca.org.mt to attend. BCA Building Performance Perit Matthew Degiorgio • BCA COO Antione Bartolo info@bca.org.mt +356 2095 5000 Horn Works Ditch, Triq Emvin Cremona, il-Furjana, FRN1280, Malta. KARL AZZOPARDI ENVIRONMENT minister Mir- iam Dalli has said government will focus its efforts on electric vehicles, rather than hybrids af- ter the grant scheme for the lat- ter was taken up. "If we truly believe we want to reduce pollution stemming from transport, the vehicles which truly reduce pollution are zero emission vehicles," she said when asked on govern- ment policy regarding plug-in hybrids. Plug-in hybrids have a nor- mal combustion engine but also have batteries that can be charged through the mains, giving the vehicle some auton- omy on battery power. Govern- ment offered generous grants for the purchase of new electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles but Transport Malta announced recently it will be closing the scheme for hybrid vehicles af- ter it was fully taken up. The scheme will end in May. The Nationalist Party on Monday called for the scheme to be retained and extended. But Dalli said government should focus on zero-emission vehicles. "When we are speaking about plug-in hybrids, we are speak- ing about cars which give you a certain distance on the electric motor, which is quite low," she said. "The moment the car no longer has electric power, users switch to internal combustion engines, and that is counter- productive." She said this pattern among plug-in hybrid drivers has been observed across Europe not only Malta. "European Union legislation shows the technology that is currently preferred is zero emission technology," she said. #ClimateOn campaign The minister spoke to jour- nalists after launching the #ClimateOn campaign to raise awareness for a more sustain- able living. Dalli said the campaign should serve as a platform for awareness for companies, busi- nesses, families, young people and students to adopt climate friendly practices. "Timely action is needed to reduce and adapt to the im- pacts climate change is hav- ing," she said. Environment minister says focus will shift to electric cars not plug-in hybrids TWO men were arrested in Qormi after weapons and drugs were found in their car when they were stopped for driving without a valid licence and insur- ance policy. Police said that on Monday at around 6:30pm, it received infor- mation that a Hyundai was being driven without a valid licence in Triq il-Kanun, Qormi. District police spotted the car at Triq il- Belt Valletta, where they blocked it and asked the driver and pas- senger to get out. The licence attached to the car belonged to another vehicle and the car was not covered by an in- surance policy. The men were arrested after a police sergeant noticed a fire arm under the seat of the driver. Po- lice said they also found a pouch with a considerable amount of cash and a container with around 60 sachets of suspected cocaine and heroin. The passenger was also found to be carrying a knife. The men are being held in lock- up at the police headquarters in Floriana. The inquiry is being led by Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zam- mit and more police investiga- tions will follow. Two men arrested in possession of weapons and drugs