Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/853507
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 26 JULY 2017 News 6 TIM DIACONO PN candidate and popular radio host David Thake has shut down his personal online radio station in anger at people who "have tried to shut me up". "This week, I will be shutting down Switch Ra- dio," he said in a tweet. "That experience was a les- son. People will try and shut you up…" Thake set up Switch Radio last year after the Nationalist Party stopped his political drive-time show 'Taghna Lkoll' from being aired on Radio 101 as part of its policy not to have its election candi- dates on air in the run-up to an election. The PN later made a U-turn and allowed Thake and other candidates back on air in the wake of widespread protests by Radio 101 listeners. During last month's general election, Thake ran a close race in both the 12th and the 8th districts, but narrowly failed to get elected to Parliament at his first time of trying. When the PN came to strat- egise on which seats to put up for a casual election, Thake found himself with three possible routes into Parliament – if leader Simon Busuttil decided to give up the 12th district or if either deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami or PN Whip David Agius de- cided to give up the eighth. However, all three MPs decided to keep those seats, blocking Thake's pos- sible route to Parliament. Thake subsequently cancelled his Radio 101 show 'Taghna Lkoll', which was well-liked for his on-air telephone calls to Labour officials and supporters. His tweet announcing the shutting down of Switch Radio was derided by Neville Gafa, a health ministry official who has been accused of master- minding a racket involving the issuance of medical visas to Libyans. "You won't be missed at all. Hiding behind the microphone. Get a hobby," Gafa tweeted. Thake responded by bringing up the medical scandal, prompting Gafa to mockingly suggest that the PN candidate might have been able to get the votes of the Libyans. Government continues to hand out positions and consultancies to its backbenchers CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Asked whether the engage- ment was in compensation for the fact that he had not retained his cabinet position, Zammit Lewis insisted that cabinet appointments were the prerogative of the Prime Minister and that given that he had no ministerial duties he was once again working within his profession. "Before I entered politics I was a law yer and I had a cer- tain reputation," said Zam- mit Lewis, adding that he had decided to enter politics to work for people. He said that it wasn't "a matter of compensation" and that since he had no cabinet position, he was free to offer his services to potential cli- ents. The former minister was also asked to confirm wheth- er he had an office at Cas- tille, a suggestion he laughed off while insisting that legal work for the agency was car- ried out by his own office. Former minister Manuel Mallia to be made OHSA chairman Former home affairs min- ister Manuel Mallia will be appointed as chairperson of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA). The Labour MP confirmed this impending appointment with MaltaToday, a move that will see him replace Deo Debattista, who was recently promoted to parliamentary secretary for consumer pro- tection. Mallia was appointed home affairs minister upon Labour's election to gov- ernment in 2013, but was sacked a year later following a shooting incident involving his personal chauffeur. He returned to Cabinet in 2016, this time as competi- tiveness and digital economy minister. He failed to get elected to Parliament in last month's general election, but was elected in the subsequent casual election after social policy minister Michael Fal- zon vacated his seat on the ninth district. The appointment will see Mallia pocket an additional €14,000 a year from public funds, over and above his €20,064 salary as MP and his €26,785 salary for his role as chairperson of Parliament's economic and financial af- fairs committee. It indicates that the cur- rent Labour government in- tends to continue its trend of handing out public sector positions and consultancies to its backbenchers. In the past legislature, these notably included Sil- vio Schembri, who was paid €39,000 for chairing the newly set-up Responsible Gaming Foundation, and Silvio Parnis, who was paid €22,000 for chairing the Consultative Council for the South. A study conducted by Mal- taToday in 2014 showed that Labour's 39 MPs were cost- ing the taxpayer over €1.6 million a year, a substantial increase of €472,439 when compared to the previous Nationalist parliamentary group in 2012. In the past legislature, Silvio Schembri was paid €39,000 for chairing the newly set-up Responsible Gaming Foundation David's final Thake-down: Radio station shut down Man admits to attacking date for turning out to be transgender MATTHEW AGIUS A man from Floriana has been handed a suspended sentence for slightly injuring his date af- ter he discovered that she was in the process of transitioning from the male gender. The 35-year-old, who cannot be identified by order of the court, is understood to have been invited to the woman's Marsaskala home and had con- sumed wine with her. He had reacted violently to finding out that his date had not informed him of the situation, after the encounter had taken an intimate turn. The man was charged with slightly injuring the woman and causing damage estimated at over €2,500 to the house. He was also charged with insulting and threatening po- lice officers who had been dis- patched to intervene in the disturbance, with glass and a wooden rod. Other charges of breaching the peace and swear- ing in public were also made against the accused. The man pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, sus- pended for two years. Magistrate Antonio Vella pre- sided. Lawyer Joe Giglio was de- fence counsel. Legal procurator Peter Paul Zammit appeared on behalf of the victim. David Thake