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News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 JULY 2014 JAMES J PISCOPO THE kitchen where some 3,000 meals are prepared every day for the elderly residents at St Vincent de Paul home is in a disastrous and ap- palling state. It is to be demolished. There are some 1,100 residents at the St Vincent de Paul home for the elderly. Yesterday, journalists toured the kitchen at the invitation of the Par- liamentary Secretariat for the Eld- erly, prior to a conference in which junior minister Justyne Caruana announced that the kitchen is to be knocked down and re-built. While journalists were invited to tour the kitchen "at their own risk" kitchen employees were asked to remain outside. An appallingly foul smell was the first immediate indication that things were not as they should be, but those present also found out they had to be care- ful where to put their foot because the f loor was awash with stew and other spillages. There are tiles which are mis- placed, and f lies were buzzing around old cauldrons and pans which stored the day's food. We even could see a skip that was full and placed in the middle of the kitchen. Caruana said the only so- lution was to demolish the kitchen and rebuild it. The replacement will be a new, state-of-the-art facility. "This situation is the result of decades of neglect. We acted when a May 12 report by the food and health safety department graded the kitchen 'F', with a 61.3% risk fac- tor. This is totally unacceptable on a government premises," Caruana said. She said that the kitchen will be closed immediately and in the meantime, the government will award a direct order for food provi- sion for a definite period. After the construction of the new kitchen a tender for its operation will be is- sued. "No employees will lose their job and we received full cooperation from unions and employees." After the conference the junior minister met informally with some of the kitchen staff. She insisted that the project would give a safer working environment with the ap- propriate equipment. Appalling St Vincent de Paul kitchen to be demolished JOHN PISANI TWENTYTHREEYEAROLD Maximilian Ciantar – who in 2010 was sentenced to jail after running over twin girls in his car – was yes- terday arrested for again driving in breach of a court ban. Ciantar was allegedly involved in yet another traffic accident in Mar- sa yesterday afternoon, and was only arrested some hours later in Qormi after fleeing the scene. The incident happened in Triq Stefano Zerafa, Marsa, where eye- witnesses saw Ciantar crashing his vehicle into another car driven by a woman. He was then seen threatening and insulting the other driver before fleeing. An intensive district police search led to Ciantar's arrest, at his grand- mother's residence in Qormi. On being found, the man felt unwell and was taken to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment. Police are still looking for the ve- hicle Ciantar was driving. Inspector Robert Vella is leading investiga- tions. Ciantar earlier this year had his driving licence suspended for 12 months up to March 2015 and is to be charged with driving a vehicle il- legally. He served a 16-month jail term after running over the twin sisters in Attard but subsequently had his 10-year driving ban reduced to 16 months. One month later he was found driving in breach of that ban. In 2011 he was jailed for a month after a magistrate found him guilty of threatening journalists who were reporting a court hearing which found Ciantar guilty of violating a court driving ban. In 2012 he was fined €800 after he was found in possession of heroin at Mater Dei Hospital. Serial offender Ciantar found hiding at grandmother's house Junior minister Justyne Caruana (left) said the only solution for the kitchen would be to demolish and re-build Journalists were invited to the St Vincent de Paul kitchen "at their own risk" PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD

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