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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 14 MAY 2014 News 5 PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PISANI "It is the Labour Party and politics which need Marlene Mizzi; it is not Marlene Mizzi who needs the Labour Party and politics. In this last year Marlene has proved herself. I hope that the electorate appreciates this in the coming elections" - Prime Minister, Dr. Joseph Muscat "Just as the fate of immigrants cannot be ignored, nor can the feelings and sentiment of the Maltese. Giving us funds from the EU is not enough. As an MEP, I will continue insisting that the promises made by the Commission in the aftermath of the Lampedusa tragedy are kept. I will continue insisting on equal burden sharing between the member states. I have been doing so since my election to the European parliament. Enough words , we want action. I will continue insisting on this. As your MEP, I am there for you". - Marlene Mizzi, MEP "As an MEP I will continue working towards the goal of absolute equality for all citizens, and speak on behalf of those members of society who belong to the so called minority groups. I will work towards eradicating discrimination in our society." - Marlene Mizzi, MEP Tel. no.: 2122 6845 email: info@mizzimarlene.com www.mizzimarlene.com "It is the Labour Party and politics which need Marlene Mizzi; New bill proposes harsher fines against animal cruelty JAMES J. PISCOPO AN animal welfare act, which will be tabled in parliament in the com- ing days, will propose harsher fines against perpetrators of animal cru- elty. Under the proposed bill, the maximum fine will be increased to €80,000 from the actual €50,000. Parliamentary Secretary for Ani- mal Rights Roderick Galdes yes- terday announced that the animal welfare council will be strength- ened through the increase of NGO representatives. The bill also defines the role of animal welfare officers who will be given more powers – such as the faculty to enter into any property through a 24-hour notice – and will now be responsible for docu- mentation, among other responsi- bilities. Addressing the media from Fun- ny Farm in the limits of Siggiewi, the junior minister said that after the publishing of the white paper on animal welfare, the government intends to go ahead with the prohi- bition of animal circuses. "Not only will such circuses be prohibited in Malta – the promo- tion of such events will also be pro- hibited," Galdes said. Galdes was visiting the new premises of Funny Farm, a volun- tary organisation which takes in retired horses. "In the past, Funny Farm oper- ated from Bidnija on a private land. They asked the government for help, and since it was a just cause we decided to cooperate by con- verting this piece of land which was previously abandoned," Galdes explained. The junior minister underlined the government's commitment to empower and collaborate with rel- evant stakeholders in the field. "The input of such NGOs is enor- mous. If it wasn't for such organisa- tions the government would not be able to address all these challenges of animal welfare," he added. Another bomb threat at the law courts JOHN PISANI YESTERDAY morning an anony- mous caller made a phone call warning that there was a bomb placed somewhere in the law courts building in Valletta. The police managed to trace the call and lifted fingerprints, in the hope that they may belong to the culprit. The call was made from a tel- ephone booth in Triq id-Duluri at Tal-Pietá. As soon as the call was traced, the Rapid Intervention Unit arrived on site, but the caller was long gone when they arrived. Po- lice from the Forensic Unit dusted the handset and other parts of the booth, and lifted fingerprints from the set. They are now being exam- ined by the police in the hope of matching it with a person in their records. Most of the sittings that where ongoing were stopped and the building was evacuated until the members from the Explosive Ordi- nance Disposal of the Armed Forc- es and the Police made a search. No bomb or any explosive material was found. While the search was going on, Judge Lawrence Quintano did not stop the hearing of the trial by jury of Kenneth Ellul, also known as 'il-Lula', 39, of Marsaskala, which entered its second day. Ellul is charged with the robbery and as- sault on former Labour member of Parliament Anthony Zammit in 2008. He is charged with holding Zam- mit against his will, aggravated theft, carrying an unlicensed weap- on, assaulting the MP and causing him grievous injuries. He is also accused of stealing a Kia Avella. The telephone booth at Triq id-Duluri, Tal-Pietá.

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