Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/385963
Newspaper post WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 • ISSUE 383 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY FIMBank p.l.c. is a licensed credit institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. The Bank is a participant in the Depositor Compensation Scheme in Malta. Terms and conditions apply. 2132 2102 helpdesk@easisave.com www.easisave.com 2132 2102 2132 2102 No Hidden Fees or Bank Charges Individual or Joint Account Option Easy, Flexible and Secure Visit our website, open your online bank account and start beneting from superior interest rates on your savings and xed term deposit accounts. US Dollar Fixed Term Deposit 3 month: 0.90% 6 month: 1.50% 9 month: 1.75% 1 year: 2.25% 2 year: 2.65% 3 year: 2.85% 3 month: 2.20% 6 month: 2.30% 9 month: 2.40% 1 year: 2.50% 2 year: 2.85% 3 year: 3.00% Euro Fixed Term Deposit Minimum Deposit €1,000 Minimum Deposit $1,000 Rates of interest are on a gross per annum basis Rates of interest are on a gross per annum basis Euro Savings Account Minimum Deposit €50 US Dollar Savings Account Minimum Deposit $50 1.75 % 0.50 % €0.90 Editorial - PAGE 9 Gozo runway in planning pipeline Ten hunters remanded in custody over illegal Valletta protest 'Forced' to sign Café Premier bailout JAMES DEBONO THE Gozo Ministry is presently preparing a plan- ning application to develop a runway on agricultural land at Ta' Lambert in Xewkija. This emerges from a planning document present- ed by the Water Services Corporation proposing a pipe connecting the Gozo sewage treatment plant to Mgarr road to enable farmers to use the treated sew- age. The Project Development Statement reveals that the route of the proposed underground pipe was cho- sen so as to cross the proposed runway perpendicu- larly, so the least possible length of pipe would pass below the runway. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority had asked the Water Services Corporation to locate the pipe under the present road to minimise the im- pact on agricultural land but the WSC argues that this is not technically feasible because of a sharp bend in the road. TIM DIACONO THE resignation of Lands Commissioner Joe Bugeja was linked to his having been forced to accept a €4.2 million 'bailout' for the Café Premier owners, Opposition MP Ryan Callus said yesterday. He told a news conference on the aftermath of Bugeja's departure from the Lands De- partment, that Bugeja "had to accept the Café Premier bail- out" decided by the former Lands Commissioner, today a consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister, John Sciber- ras. Sciberras negotiated the multi-million settlement with Cities Entertainment Ltd, for the government to buy back the 65-year government lease of the Café Premier in Val- letta. "Bugeja's resignation is a sign of unacceptable political interference," Callus said. "He is a very qualified civil servant... his resignation re- flects an ugly political lead- ership that raises doubts on Joseph Muscat's talk about rewarding the government's best workers. It also shows a Lands Department in crisis." DANIEL MIZZI TEN hunters were yesterday remand- ed in custody after being charged with involvement in the illegal protest held on Sunday in Valletta against the gov- ernment's decision to suspend the au- tumn hunting season. The proceedings were not taken lightly by the accused – one of them reacted to the end of proceedings by shouting and taking off his jacket, which is mandatory wear in the court- room. He was removed by the police. Tensions continued to flare out- side the courtroom, when relatives of the accused began to hurl insults and threaten members of the media who were covering the hearing. One of the relatives threatened a PBS cameraman by shouting, "I know where you live!" Journalists and camerapersons were asked by the police to keep back while the hunters were being escorted to the prison van but two MaltaToday re- porters had to be escorted by the po- lice to their cars as relatives continued to threaten them. The hunters, all men, whose age ranged from 19 to 44, were charged with forming part of an illegal protest during which they showed disrespect to the government, with conspiring with others to commit a crime and break the law, and with insulting the Prime Minister and the government of Malta. MaltaToday journalists escorted by police after threats by hunters' relatives CONTINUES PAGE 4 Gozo Heliport CONTINUES PAGE 3 CONTINUES PAGE 5 Runway to be developed at Ta' Lambert, Xewkija