Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1517916
BUS users can track their ride live via the Tal-Lin- ja app starting Monday, Transport Minister Chris Bonett says in an interview with MaltaToday. The change will make it possible for users to know where the bus has arrived in a radical trans- formation of the public transport system. "Malta Public Transport will be updating their app so that people will be able to see where the bus they are waiting for has arrived, similar to certain apps we use when ordering food," Bonett says. Malta Public Transport is a private company that operates the bus service, which is heavily subsidised by the government. Buses are free for Tal-Linja card holders. Bonett says that buses witnessed an increase of 17 million passenger trips last year. He adds that a review of the route network will take place fol- lowing broad consultation to ensure the bus ser- vice meets today's demands. EQUALITY FROM THE HEART WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2024 • ISSUE 1272 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY → direct Sign up today! My card, digital, global & free. 2557 4400 medirect.com.mt MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc, company registration number C34125, is licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority under the Banking Act (Cap. 371). Who are the men behind the disability racket scandal? PAGES 12 - 13 Neutrality 'adequately safeguarded' at EU Council PAGE 2 Defence Benefits Transport woes maltatoday €1.95 Mi Minister Chris Bonett nister Chris Bonett on traffic congestion, on traffic congestion, the bus service and the bus service and Transport Malta Transport Malta INTERVIEW MT2 Be sure to get your free copy of UNITY with this edition of MaltaToday Free with MT Live tracking of buses from Monday KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Labour deputy leader race could be a four- horse race PAGE 6 Rosianne Cutajar fumes after Abela moves goalposts with apology demand ROSIANNE Cutajar was left fuming after Robert Abela "moved the goal- posts" and publicly demanded an apology from her to be admitted back to the Labour Party. The Prime Minister's latest con- dition has angered the independent MP, who was hoping to return to the PL after Abela opened the door last January. But sources close to the Qormi MP say that after being left in the dark for more than two months, Cutajar was angered by the demand for an apology, which was never on the cards. In comments to journalists last week, Abela said that to be read- mitted into the Labour par- liamentary group, Cutajar must apologise. PAGE 6 KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt Matthew Vella MaltaToday STRESS in life comes aplen- ty. But how long does it take for us to realise that the deci- sions that conditioned so many of life's turns might have been conditioned by past, unresolved traumas? In a far-reaching survey of the different traumas that can affect human beings, the Fac- ulty for Social Wellbeing has tracked a host of life events that caused stress at childhood or in adulthood, and asked respond- ents to which degree this had affected their lives. The study provides data on stressful life events that con- cern schooling, problems at work, troublesome relation- ships, death, addictions, abuse, abortion, miscarriages, experi- ences in Court and imprison- ment, to mention just a few. The survey for example finds shocking statistics for bullying, evidence of a pervasive issue that continues to plague com- munities. 13.8% said they had experience bullying "that led to making an official complaint or changing schools", of which one in two respondents sustained such stressful events well over three times. Stress levels were rated high (5) for 30%, with 45% adding these events caused psychological problems in their present-day life. "While physical scars may fade over time, the social and particularly the psychologi- cal effects of bullying can lin- ger, leaving deep emotional wounds," said Prof. Ruth Falzon (Department of Counselling). "The findings are a stark re- minder of the prevalence of bul- lying in our society and how, as a community, we do not seem to be able to stop it. Whether in schools, workplaces, and in our new reality online, bullying re- mains a persistent problem that demands urgent attention." Unity PRINTED WITH MALTATODAY 24 MARCH 2024 EDITION 3 A SPECIAL EDITION FROM THE FACULTY FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING UNIVERSITY OF MALTA PAGE 6 Faculty for Social Wellbeing's latest data on the stressful events that can define our life shows how our future decisions can be conditioned by traumatic moments experienced from an early age The stress of the past, lives on Inside... Saga Broderson Groomed into sex exploitation as a child, now campaigns for women's safe exit from prostitution INTERVIEW PAGES 14-15 From retirement dreams to corporate schemes The business of ageing and public funding PAGE 18 THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY, SALVADOR DALÍ, 1931 Rosianne Cutajar