Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533434
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 19 MARCH 2025 • ISSUE 932 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Akin to 'what Labour did in the 80s' - New PN secretary general on government motion on Karol Aquilina PAGE 7 AFM heist: Soldier was watching a movie instead of monitoring security A soldier tasked with monitoring securi- ty cameras at the Armed Forces of Mal- ta (AFM) barracks failed to perform his duty during a major drug heist, opting instead to watch a two-hour movie on his tablet with earphones, an inquiry in- to the heist has revealed. The theft, which resulted in a sig- nificant quantity of drugs being sto- len from what was supposed to be a high-security location, was only pos- sible due to serious lapses in surveil- lance. Instead of maintaining constant monitoring, the soldier also spent about 15 minutes chatting with his girlfriend on his phone, cooked and ate in the kitchenette, and failed to conduct any patrols or check the con- tainer between 11:25am and 2:50am. PAGE 3 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 22 JANUARY 2025 • ISSUE 924 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY Variable interest rate of 2.80% * Low contribution Low collateral requirements *Business Lending Bank Base Rate presently at 2.15%, Interest Margin and EIF Guarantee Fee. The BOV SME Grow and the BOV SME Grow Green are funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund with the financial backing of the Republic of Malta under the InvestEU Member State Compartment for Malta. All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, il-Belt Valletta, VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licenced to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the laws of Malta). Grow green BOV SME Supporting Your Vision CONTACT US JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Staircase, ramp and bathing platform in latest Vecca plans Veċċa project aimed at protecting cave and overlying road from collapse PAGE 5 Court rules that law allowing conversion of court expenses into jail, breaches human rights THE Constitutional Court has ruled that a legal provision giving the Court Reg- istrar unfettered discretion to convert court expenses into jail term breaches human rights. The landmark judgment was deliv- ered by Mr Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey in a case instituted by a prison inmate, who is serving a four-year jail term. Fernando Gonzalo-Noel Sanchez had filed proceedings in front of the First Hall of the Civil Court in its con- stitutional jurisdiction in 2023, chal- lenging the legal provision that allows unpaid court expenses to be translated into jail time. Sanchez had been sentenced to four years in prison in October 2022 after admitting to injuring several people and resisting arrest when under the influence of drugs. He had also been ordered to pay court expenses, which totalled €23,000 according to a bill drawn up by the Court Registrar. PAGE 5 A bathing platform, a staircase, and a ramp have been added to plans for the shoring up of the cliff-face at Għar Tal-Veċċa in St Paul's Bay. The project includes a revetment composed of boulders to protect the friable cliff-face from further coastal erosion and prevent the col- lapse of Triq Stella Maris. St Paul's Bay PL councillor turns independent hours after casual election PAGE 4 Charles Bonello A soldier on duty failed to monitor security cameras while a major drug heist took place at the Armed Forces of Malta • Brigadier Clinton O'Neill reinstated as commander of the armed forces