Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527639
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt NORMA Saliba, the former Television Malta head of news, will be the Labour Party's new Head of Communications, the party has announced. Saliba, who has resigned from her post as head of the Centre for Maltese language, lost out by a ra- zor-thin margin against Alex Sciberras in the race for Labour President. Alex Sciberras won the contest for the post of Labour Party president with 51% of the vote, edg- ing out Prime Minister Robert Abela's handpicked candidate, Norma Saliba, by the slimmest of mar- gins - just 14 votes. In 2023, Saliba resigned from head of news at the national TV station, citing a "deceitful character assassination campaign" against her as reason for the decision. Saliba was appointed head of news in 2020, tak- ing over from Reno Bugeja. In a pointed Facebook post Saliba insisted that she never took advantage of her position to "bene- fit or destroy" anyone. "Despite this, over the past few weeks I ended up being a victim of a deceitful character assassination campaign… silence was my reply but more effort is needed to protect jour- nalists and show more respect to women in top posts," she added cryptically. Saliba said her resignation was motivated by "personal reasons" even though she still had more to give the profession. "I've taken the decision with serenity," she had said, thanking those who worked with her and showed her respect and loyalty. Saliba holds a Bachelor's degree in Mediterrane- an Contemporary Studies and a Master's in Euro- pean Studies. Saliba has over 25 years of experience in the me- dia, both as a journalist and as a presenter and producer of various programmes on the national station and private stations. She also worked as a public relations officer at the Office of the Presi- dent, with MEUSAC, and in the field of European funds. In 2023, she became the first Chief Executive Of- ficer of the Centre for the Maltese Language. She was the first woman to lead the Institute of Mal- tese Journalists (IGM), and while a university stu- dent, she was elected as the first Chairperson of the media organisation Insite. "The Labour Party wishes Norma Saliba every success in her new role, while also thanking Ron- ald Vassallo for his work in recent years with the Labour Party," a party statement read. Former TVM head of news Norma Saliba appointed PL head of communications Norma Saliba (Photo: MaltaToday/James Bianchi) THE government will abolish suc- cession tax on heirs of agricultural land that is rented to farmers. Heirs of these agricultural plots will be exempt from inheritance taxes when they work the land themselves and are considered "professional farmers". Crop farmers and herdsmen earn- ing more than €16,000 from farm- ing are classified as professionals under new regulations published in the summer, which categorised farmers. "Agricultural land in Malta is scarce, and it's important that what little land remains is preserved and used," agricultural minister Anton Refalo said, describing the meas- ure as a way of promoting the use of Malta's scarce agricultural land and to improve the country's food security. Inheritance tax for agricultural land stood at 5% of the proper- ty value. Landowners often com- plained they were barred from rais- ing rents, but since 2022 it will be the Rural Leases Control Board to mediate with farmers on any pro- posed rental rates with published guidelines on how to value agricul- tural land for agricultural use. Heirs of agricultural land rented to farmers will no longer have to pay inheritance tax