Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/998504
NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 JUNE 2018 MARIA PACE EARLIER this week, a loggerhead turtle laid eggs at Gnejna Bay, prompting au- thorities to close the zone to the public. Nature Trust was alerted on Monday morning by an eyewitness who spotted the turtle make its way onto the sandy beach. According to the eyewitness, the turtle spent roughly 30 minutes on the sand before returning to the sea. Nature Trust officials visited the bay to look for potential nests, and soon discovered one. An Emergency Conservation Order was soon issued for the nesting area. In a statement, the Environment Minis- try expressed concern that sands in the area, which are very rich in clay, might end up waterlogged following rains, leading to breathing issues for the un- hatched turtles inside the eggs. Nature Trust CEO Vince Attard said that it is important to protect the en- dangered animals. "It is nice to see that turtles are return- ing to our islands," Attard said. "We should protect any turtle eggs that we find, as the turtle is a 200-million-year- old species which has become endan- gered." Because of this, an enclosure was erected around the site, which is being monitored by Nature Trust Malta as well as other government authorities. Nature Trust is also looking for 24/7 volunteers for three hour shifts to guard the nest for the next 60 days. Attard said the eggs are expected to hatch around August. The volunteers are required to guard the nest from any trespassers, and look out for animals during the night. Attard said that they have already been contacted by a number of volunteers. In 2012, a turtle had laid eggs in Gne- jna but they failed to hatch. The phe- nomenon was later repeated two years ago at Golden Bay with 66 turtles suc- cessfully hatching and making their way to the sea, in what was described as a first-in-a-generation event. Loggerhead turtle lays eggs in Gnejna MATTHEW AGIUS TWO young musicians have pleaded guilty to damaging nine cars while drunk after playing a gig. Ivan Arapov and Lucas Wan- derley Dos Santos, 24 and 22 re- spectively, were in Malta to per- form at an event at Rootz bar in Valletta. The two musicians got drunk after their performance and went on a destructive spree, breaking the wing mirrors off nine cars in Triq ix-Xatt, Pieta. Luckily for the owners, the de- linquents' actions were caught on CCTV from which they were readily identifiable. After the footage made the rounds on so- cial media, several members of the public recognised them. The men turned themselves in to po- lice shortly afterwards. Dos Santos, from Brazil, living in Sliema and Arapov from Cro- atia, who resides in Birzebbuga, were charged with nine counts of criminal damage before Mag- istrate Neville Camilleri. Inspector Lara Butters ex- plained how the men had been identified from CCTV footage thanks to the input of the public. Both accused pleaded guilty to the charges. Lawyer Yanika Camilleri, appearing as legal aid to the men, was allowed to approach the bench, together with the inspector to discuss the punishment out of earshot of the public. When the sitting resumed, the court asked the men to confirm their plea, warning them that they could face prison time for their actions. "We are guilty" they said, casting a nervous look towards their lawyer. The prosecution and the de- fence recommended to the court to hand the men a sus- pended sentence. The court handed down a sentence of two years imprisonment suspended for four years and ordered them to pay a total of €2,982 in restor- ative damages between them- selves within three months. The pub where the two were playing on Sunday, The Rootz, posted on the Facebook event, saying that they were shocked at the men's behaviour. The bar stated that they would never re- turn to their bar. "It goes to show how, some- times, people are not what they seem, and it is a pity to see this behaviour," The Rootz said. Two musicians plead guilty to damaging nine cars while drunk TIA RELJIC IT is not possible to know the amount of massage parlours currently operating in Malta af- ter 2016 amendments removed the need for registration be- yond the generic nomenclature of health and beauty. Information tabled in Parlia- ment showed that there was no longer a need for a specific licence to operate a massage parlour after December 2016, after Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo asked for the number of massage parlours registered in 11 localities during the years 2015, 2016, 2017, and up to May 2018. But the paper tabled by Econ- omy Minister Chris Cardona only included information for 2015 and 2016 due to the amendments. A total of 196 massage par- lours were licensed in Malta and Gozo by the end of 2016, the paper revealed. Mosta was at the top of this list, as it had 33 such outlets. Paceville and St Julian's were a close second, with a total of 31 massage parlours. Sliema had 30, while Birkirkara and Gozo had 27 and 25 respectively. The paper also stated that it could be that some of the out- lets had closed without cancel- ling their licence. There were 188 licences for massage par- lours in 2015. Number of massage parlours unknown Above and left: The enclosure which was erected at Gnejna Bay to protect the turtle's nest from trespassers and animals