My daughter Janice Darmanin and her daughter Cesca with Prime Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi.
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Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, President Emeritus of Malta
Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, President Emeritus of Malta. From right: Minister George Pullicino, Minister Tonio Borg and PN Treasurer Peter Darmanin.
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Dr Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta
Dr Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta
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Germany were the better team
The Malta Independent,Wednesday, 30th, June, 2010
Editorial
Speaking of thecnology
Germany were the better team. They deserved their win and even if England’s ghost goal was allowed, Germany still would have won. The game was played very fairly. No diving, no nasty tackles. Germany humbled England, the ghost of 1966 has been buried – end of story.
Now that is out of the way (due to probable correspondence about the writer being biased) we can tackle the issue at hand – video replays. Should we? Or shouldn’t we?
Last week, this newspaper’s leading article discussed the issue of our blind addiction to technology – information technology in particular – but technology nonetheless. We spoke of the way that everything from business, to markets, to hospitals, to offices and people, of course, are absolutely and hopelessly dependent on technology.
So it poses the question… should video replays be used in football? We all know the controversy. There have been a couple of dodgy decisions in this World Cup, but how can anyone justify two such terrible calls by referees in consecutive second round games. The first, of course, is in relation to Frank Lampard’s strike, while the other is in relation to Argentina’s offside goal.
FIFA’s Sepp Blatter was vehemently opposed to the introduction of football technology, saying: “If play were to be stopped to take a decision, it would break up the rhythm of the game and possibly deny a team the opportunity to score a goal. It would also not make sense to stop play every two minutes to review a decision, as this would go against the natural dynamism of the game.”
After the England versus Germany game, Frank Lampard argued: “We had a meeting before the World Cup when we were told about a million different rule changes that hardly affect the game. The big one, the one that affects the game today, hasn’t been brought in so it is a no-brainer.” There was another recent call after the famous Henry handball that sent France to the World Cup but, still FIFA stood fast. But, perhaps as Alan Shearer puts it best: “All the managers and the stars of football are calling for it. Not everyone can be wrong, can they?” In the end, Blatter relented. He apologised to England and Mexico and has opened the discussion on goal line technology.
But aside from the technicalities, perhaps what makes football, football, is the simple fact that the whole game is down to 11 players on either side, the referee and his assistants. Perhaps if we did take away the aspect of being robbed, the human error factor, we might only be left with a pale shadow of the game. What if Grosso was adjudged not to have been fouled in the box against Australia last time round? What if the second goal against Slovakia was allowed to stand? What if Sir Geoff Hurst’s ‘goal’ had not counted in 1966? What if Maradona’s hand of God had not been allowed?
These are issues which must be taken into account and perhaps the World Cup would lose a good many of its legends. We have been talking about 1966 since it happened! And this is what FIFA does not want to lose. Granted, video replay technology works in the US and it also works in the European sport of rugby. But, do those sports have the same legends?
This is a difficult argument to put across, especially to those who feel aggrieved. And of course those who say that a goal which is a goal should stand, no matter what, are completely correct. They are also correct when they say it should be used to rule out offside goals. But aside from all this, where do you draw the line? Will we end up using video replays for everything from offsides to analysing a retort to the referee?
It’s a very big decision to take.
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Imhatra li diga` nsejt?
Il-Mument, Il-Hadd, 22 ta’ Settembru 1996
Imhatra li diga nsejt
Minn Doreen Micallef-Chritien
dwar il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin: “Imhatra li diga nsejt?”
Min jinsa l-passat mhux biss hu kundannat li jerga jghixu, imma hu imbecilli.
Peter Darmanin qalilna bil-kuragg kollu, x’garrab il-poplu Malti taht it-tmexxija tal-Gvern immexxi mill-Perit Mintoff.
Il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin “Imhatra li diga insejt” hu dokument li ghandu jkun f’idejn kulhadd.
Meta taqrah, titkexkex. Ma temminx li sar dan kollu f’Malta li ahna pajjiz zghir, bla differenzi ta’ kultura, razza jew religjon.
Thares lejn l-istampa tal-koopertina u tixxokkja ruhek. Dan gara f’Malta? U mbaghad tibda taqra u jkollok tammetti.
Min irid li Malta terga titghakkes, titghaffeg taht is-saqajn u l-poplu jitlef id-dritt ta’ demokrazija u liberta`, ghandu ma jivvotax lill-Partit Nazzjonalista.
Anki min ma johrogx jivvota jkun komplici jekk Malta titlef il-liberta`.
“Imhatra li diga nsejt” ta’ Peter Darmanin igibna wicc imb’wicc ma’ zminijiet meta kriminali u delinkwenti kellhom is-sopravvent u allahres tiftah halqek.
Proprju kien dan il-kult ta’ biza li kien igieghlek tbaxxi rasek u toqghod kwiet, tintrifes, tigi umiljat, imkasbar, imghaffeg mill-arroganza ta’ l-injoranza u tal-mibeghda bla sens ta’ min kien nesa ghal kollox li ahna nsara u civilizzati.
M’ghandix hafna xi nghid hlief li nammira l-kuragg ta’ Peter Darmanin kif nammira l-kuragg ta’ dawk li ma bezghux u ssawtu u batew kull xorta ta’ umiljazzjoni f’dawk iz-zminijiet.
Ma tistax ma ssellimx li dawk l-eroj bhal Fenech Adami, Richard Muscat, in-Nazzjonalisti kollha, sa l-inqas wiehed li ma bezghux mill-arroganza tal-poter u baqghu jirrezistu. U baqghu shah fit-twemmin u fil-principji sakemm waslu ghar-rebha. Mhux rebha Nazzjonalista biss kienet imma rebha ghal-liberta` ta’ pajjizna.
Rebha ghad-demokrazija. Rebha ghall-helsien veru tal-poplu. Helsien mill-biza. Helsien mir-ripressjoni. Helsien mill-hakma tad-delinkwenza.
Kull xorta ta’ trattament dizuman kont issofri taht Mintoff. It-theddid; it-taghjir u l-insulti; l-umiljazzjoni u l-biza. Imma l-biza kien l-aghar fost it-torturi li wiehed seta jgarrab.
Il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin idahhlek f’qoxortok. Imma jfakkrek u jiftahlek ghajnejk.
Il-biza tal-poplu Malti mhux mill-Unjoni Ewropea u mhux mill-VAT ghandu jkun. Imma ghandu jkun milli nergghu nigu fi zmien meta tista tidhol id-Depot ghall-interrogazzjoni u ma tafx jekk intix se tisfa torturat, imsawwat u forsi anqas tohrog haj ukoll.
Il-biza ghandu jkun kieku jerga jigi z-zmien meta ma tistax tiftah halqek ghad-drittijiet tieghek ghax tigi mwiegeb bl-aghajjat f’wiccek, bit-taghjir personali, biz-zeblih u l-insulti u forsi wkoll b’xi daqqa ta’ ponn jew daqqa ta’ kanna jew hadida bhalma kienu ssawtu l-istudenti fl-Universita`.
Il-biza ghandu jkun kieku Malta titregga lura ghal dak iz-zmien meta kien jinkiser kull dritt uman irrilevanti xi jkunu ċ-cirkustanzi, cioe, tista tkun marid jew ghandek xi dizabbilta` ghax xorta wahda kont tista ssib ruhek imkaxkar id-Depot u ssofri d-disprezz u t-torturi.
Kulhadd ghandu jaqrah il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin. Iz-zghazagh u l-istudenti iktar u iktar.
Il-poplu ghandu quddiemu r-responsabbilta` ta’ Malta kif se tkun fil-futur.
Jiddependi minna lkoll. Mhux mill-Unjoni Ewropea li thares u tissalvagwarda d-drittijiet individwali u umani tac-cittadini taghha ghandu jibza l-poplu. Imma minn dawk li diga garrabna tahthom iz-zmien ikrah tal-vjolenza mentali, morali u fizika.
Peter Darmanin jikteb b’mod qawwi hafna. Imma jikteb bla biza. Il-kuragg tieghu jesprimih bil-pinna u ghandu missjoni li jghallem lill-poplu biex joqghod attent.
Minix se noqghod nitkellem fuq il-valur letterarju tal-ktieb ghax valur letterarju ghandu hafna wkoll. Imma l-aqwa valur hu li jwassal il-verita` lil kull min, fosthom jien, iva nistqarr pubblikament, ma kontx naf x’kien qed jigri fir-realta` ta’ dawk iz-zminijiet.
Ghalkemm kien hemm ukoll mumenti f’hajti meta sofrejt fis-silenzju u hbejt hafna x’kont insofri mill-arroganza mintoffjana.
Dak hu l-prezz tas-sagrificcju. Kien hawn min jibza u kien hawn min ibezza. Jien ukoll ma kellix hafna kuragg f’dawk ic-cirkostanzi.
Illum iz-zminijiet tbiddlu. Il-klima hi tal-liberta`. Jekk lil biedem issakkru f’kastell tad-deheb u ccahddu mil-liberta`, tkun qed taghmillu aghar milli toqtlu.
Il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin jispirak tohrog minn qalbek dak li forsi ghal tant snin twal qatt ma stajt tesprimi.
Ghajta kontra l-biza. Protesta kontra r-ripressjoni. Protesta kontra l-vjolenza. Ribelljoni kontra t-trattament dizuman ta’ dawk li ma jaqblux mieghek.
Il-ktieb ta’ Peter Darmanin ghandu jinqara seww bil-kalma minn kullhadd. Jirbah is-sens komun u l-logika. Jirbah is-sens kristjan taghna lkoll li nsegwu sew il-principju tas-solidarjeta` umana u fil-mumenti difficli ngibu ruhna bil-kuragg u bid-dinjita` u npoggu bil-vot taghna lill-Partit Nazzjonalista fil-Gvern li tana prova ghal dawn id-disa snin shah li jirrispetta u jissalvagwarda d-drittijiet kollha ta’ kull Malti u Ghawdxi.
Li qatt ma jabbuza u jghakkes lill-avversarji tieghu. Li jimxi tassew bil-principji nsara li jiggarantixxu li f’Malta tirrenja l-hniena, id-demokrazija, is-solidarjeta` u li l-bniedem ikun trattat tassew bhala persuna sagra.
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Dati storici politici
Dati storici politici
1963: 28 ta’ Frar
Toni Pellegrini jirrizenja minn Segretarju Generali tal-Malta Labour Party, minn Vici President tal-Kumitat Laburista ta’ Rahal Gdid u minn membru tal-Partit, f’nifs wiehed.
1964: 21 ta’ Settembru
Jum l-Indipendenza
1966: 30 ta’ Marzu
Rebha Elettorali Nazzjonalista
1971: 16 ta’ Gunju
Rebha Elettorali Mintoffjana
1971: 22 ta’ Gunju
Jintemm strike ta’ seba’ xhur fit-Tarzna
1971: 29 ta’ Ottubru
Jirrizenja l-ex Ministru Joe Micallef Stafrace
1972: 26 ta’ Marzu
Mintoff jikri lil Malta bhala bazi lill-Inglizi ghal seba’ snin
1972: 16 ta’ Mejju
Jitwaqqfu l-Korpi tax-xoghol
1972: 22 ta’ Gunju
Jirrizenja l-Gvernatur Generali Sir Maurice Dorman
1972: 03 ta’ Lulju
Sir Anthony Mamo jinhatar l-ewwel Gvernatur Generali Malti
1972: 15 ta’ Novembru
L-ahwa Cachia Zammit liberati mill-Qorti
1973: 29 ta’ Jannar
Gheluq tat-Teachers’ Training College
1973: 15 ta’ Marzu
Il-famuz meeting tat-Tarzna
1973: 04 ta’ Dicembru
Il-Gvern Socjalista jabolixxi l-Kunsill Civiku ta’ Ghawdex
1973: 12 ta’ Dicembru
Mintoff jahtaf in-National Bank u t-Tagliaferro Bank
1974: 22 ta’ Frar
Mintoff jidhol l-isptar wara waqa’ minn fuq iz-ziemel
1974: 13 ta’ Dicembru
Malta ssir Repubblika
1974: 13 ta’ Dicembru
Sir Anthony Mamo jinhatar l-ewwel President ta’ Malta
1975: 01 ta’ Jannar
Mintoff jahtaf il-Cable and Wireless
1975: 25 ta’ Frar
Mintoff jahtaf ir-Rediffusion
1975: 03 ta’ Marzu
Jitwaqqaf il-Korp Dirghajn il-Maltin
1976: 16 ta’ April
Harba ta’ 22 habsi, f’Jum il-Gimgha Kbira
1976: 21 ta’ Settembru
Rebha Elettorali Mintoffjana
1976: 27 ta’ Dicembru
Anton Buttigieg jinhatar it-tieni President ta’ Malta
1977: 11 ta’ April
Eddie Fenech Adami elett Kap tal-PN u Kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni
1977: 03 ta’ Gunju
Il-lock-out tat-Tobba
1977: 05 ta’ Ottubru
Studenti jintrabtu mal-hadid ta’ Katilja
1977: 28 ta’ Dicembru
Qtil ta’ Karen Grech
1978: 16 ta’ Jannar
Kalcidon Agius elett Speaker tal-Parlament Malti
1978: 02 ta’ Frar
41 haddiem tat-Telemalta lura ghax-xoghol wara sospensjoni ta’ tmien xhur
1978: 21 ta’ Mejju
Zwieg bejn il-MLP u l-GWU
1978: 08 ta’ Gunju
Ralph Dahrendolf jirrizenja minn Chairman tal-Malta Commission for Higher Education
1979: 31 ta’ Marzu
Jum il-Helsien – Ghalaq il-kuntratt ta seba snin, ta Malta bhala bazi lill-Inglizi, li kien ghamel Mintoff fil-1972
1979: 01 ta’ Mejju
Il-PN japplika ghal-licenzja tar-radju. Mintoff jittrattha bhala cajta
1979: 18 ta’ Gunju
Jirrizenja l-ex Ministru Guze Abela
1979: 15 ta’ Ottubru
Black Monday. Hruq tat-Times
1979: 15 ta’ Ottubru
Black Monday. Tkissir tad-Dar ta’ Eddie Fenech Adami
1980: 30 ta’ Lulju
Qtil ta’ Nardu Debono fid-Depot tal-Pulizija
1980: 23 ta’ Awissu
Il-Libja twaqqaf bil-forza t-thaffit taz-zejt mill-Gvern Malti
1980: 09 ta’ Ottubru
Il-Blue Sisters tilfu kull dritt bil-Qorti li jmexxu l-Isptar taghhom
1980: 29 ta’ Ottubru
Mewt ta’ Gorg Borg Olivier – Missier Malta Indipendenti
1980: 20 ta’ Dicembru
Tkeccija tas-Sorijiet tal-Blue Sisters minn Malta
1981: 03 ta’ Jannar
Il-Gvern ta’ Mintoff jissospendi l-Imhallfin ghal hames gimghat
1981: 10 ta’ Marzu
The Times of London ibbanjata milli tidhol f’Malta
1981: 03 ta’ Gunju
Il-Qorti ta l-Appell thassar decizzjoni tal-Qorti Civili. Il-Blue Sisters rebhu l-appell – L-Isptar Zammit Clapp irid jitmexxa mill-Blue Sisters.
1981: 05 ta’ Gunju
150 Haddiem tal-Public Works Detartment sospizi mix-xoghol
1981: 22 ta’ Ottubru
Il-Gvern Socjalista dikjarat tliet darbiet li kiser il-Kostituzzjoni ta’ Malta
1981: 30 ta’ Gunju
Il-Kazin Nazzjonalista tal-Furjana jerga jigi attakkat minn vandali socjalisti.
1981: 30 ta’ Gunju
Attentat biex jinghata n-nar lill-Kazin Nazzjonalista ta San Pawl il-Bahar ma rnexxiex
1981: 06 ta’ Lulju
Karozza tal-Manager ta’ l-Istamperija Indipendenza mitfughha minn fuq l-irdum ta’ Had-Dingli
1981: 15 ta’ Lulju
Bomba ghamlet hsara fGhassa, fTeatru u fil-Qorti, fil-Belt Valletta… kuntistabbli wegga u tifel helisha hafif
1981: 26 ta’ Lulju
Wara ittra anonima ta theddid lil partitarju Nazzjonalista… serqulu l-karrozza u ippruvaw jitfghuha minn fuq irdum ta’ Ghar Lapsi
1981: 03 ta’ Awissu
Ftuh tad-Dar Centrali tal-PN f’Ghawdex
1981: 06 ta’ Awissu
Il-MUBE ftilwiema ma tliet Banek. Strajk fil-Banek
1981: 07 ta’ Awissu
Numru kbir ta’ Ferghat tal-Banek baqghu maghluqa
1981: 12 ta’ Novembru
Il-Perit Mintoff jaqla’ hasla papali waqt udjenza fil-Vatikan
1981: 22 ta’ Novembru
Il-kaz tal-balavostri f’Haz-Zebbug
1981: 27 ta’ Novembru
Il-PN ixandar minn Sqallija
1981: 15 ta’ Dicembru
Rebha Elettorali Socjalista b’rizultat ta’ tbaghbis fid-distretti. Il-Partit Nazzjonalista jikseb il-maggoranza assoluta tal-voti
1982: 16 ta’ Frar
Agata Barbara mahtuta t-tielet President ta’ Malta
1982: 26 ta’ April
l-Ispeaker Dr Daniel Micallef jiddikjara li d-Deputati Nazzjonalisti tilfu posthom fil-Parlament
1982: 29 ta’ Gunju
Il-Protesta ta’ l-Imnarja
1982: 23 ta’ Awissu
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mad-Dar Centrali tal-PN
1982: 06 ta’ Settembru
Tghaddi l-Ligi infami ta’ l-Indhil Barrani. L-emigranti gew meqjusa daqs li kieku barranin
1983: 29 ta’ Gunju
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mad-dar ta’ Albert Mizzi
1983: 02 ta’ Settembru
Rizenja (tkeccija) ta’ Reno Calleja
1983: 25 ta’ Settembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Palazz ta’ l-Arcisqof, fl-Imdina
1983: 28 ta’ Settembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Kazin PN, San Giljan
1983: 27 ta’ Novembru
Raid faxxista mill-Pulizija fuq id-Dar Central tal-Partit Nazzjonalista
1984: 18 ta’ Mejju
Qtil ta’ Wilfred Cardona
1984: 20 ta’ Gunju
Imkeccija 29 haddiem tal-Casino
1984: 08 ta’ Awissu
Tal-Gakketta Blu liberati mill-Qorti
1984: 19 ta’ Settembru
Il-famuz strike tat-teachers
1984: 25 ta’ Settembru
Attakk faxxista Mintoffjan fil-Headquarters tal-MUT
1984: 28 ta’ Settembru
Tkissir tal-Kurja ta’ l-Arcisqof mill-haddiema tat-Tarzna, immexxija minn Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici
1984: 28 ta’ Settembru
Attakk u hruq tal-Qorti mill-haddiema tat-Tarzna, immexxija minn Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici
1984: 10 ta’ Ottubru
Strajk Generali mis-CMTU, b’simpatija ma’ l-MUT
1984: 13 ta’ Ottubru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Computer Centre ta’ Had-Dingli
1984: 14 ta’ Ottubru
Bomba mal-bini tal-MUSEUM, fil-Blata l-Bajda
1984: 06 ta’ Novembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Kazin PN, Victoria, Ghawdex
1984: 12 ta’ Novembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Kazin PN, Attard
1984: 17 ta’ Novembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Kazin PN, Birkirkara
1984: 22 ta’ Dicembru
Jirrizenja l-Prim Ministru Dom Mintoff
1984: 22 ta’ Dicembru
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici mahtur Prim Ministru u Kap tal-Malta Labour Party
1984: 28 ta’ Dicembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mal-Kazin PN, San Giljan
1985: 24 ta’ Ottubru
850 haddiem fuq il-progett ta’ Marsaxlokk sospizi minn Mintoff
1985: 15 ta’ Novembru
Qtil ta’ Lino Cauchi (Accountant)
1985: 18 ta’ Dicembru
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mall-ghassa tal-Pulizija ta’ Tas-Sliema
1986: 30 ta’ Novembru
Il-famuz Meeting f’Tal-Barrani
1986: 05 ta’ Dicembru
Qtil ta’ Raymond Caruana – Il-Martri tal-Liberta
1986: 13 ta’ Dicembru
Frame-up ta’ Pietru Pawl Busuttil
1987: 05 ta’ April
Sparar mill-Pulizija tar-Regim fuq partitarji Nazzjonalisti fir-Rabat, Malta
1987: 12 ta’ Mejju
Rebha Elettorali Nazzjonalista
1987: 29 ta’ Gunju
Tqeghid ta’ bomba mar-Reverse Osmosis f’Ghar Lapsi
1988: 25 ta’ Gunju
L-Imblokk tal-Port il-Kbir (Ark Royal)
1989: 04 ta’ April
Censu Tabone mahtur ir-raba’ President ta’ Malta
1989: 06 ta’ April
Jirrizenjaw Wenzu Mintoff u Toni Abela mill-MLP
1990: 09 ta’ Frar
Taghlaq il-Lukanda Phoenicia
1990: 20 ta’ Marzu
Lorry Sant sospiz mill-MLP
1992: 25 ta’ Frar
Rebha Elettorali kbira Nazzjonalista – tkaxkira bi-13,000 vot
1992: 05 ta’ Marzu
Jirrizenja KMB minn Kap tal-MLP
1992: 17 ta’ Marzu
Jinhall iz-zwieg bejn il-MLP u l-GWU
1992: 26 ta’ Marzu
Alfred Sant Elett Kap tal-MLP b’suspetti ta’ tbaghbis fil-voti
1993: 10 ta’ Marzu
L-ex Kummissarju tal-Pulizija Lawrence Pullicino kundannat 15-il sena habs, wara li nstab hati ta’ komplicit fil-qtil ta’ Nardu Debono, fid-Depot tal-Pulizija
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Who said football is not a business venture?
Who said football is not a business venture? Only God knows what goes on behind closed doors. One can understand certain decisions.
By STEVE HAWKES
Business Editor
ENGLAND’S World Cup losers could cost our economy more than £1BILLION, experts claimed last night.
If they had beaten Germany, each extra game played would have brought up to £400million in extra consumer and advertising spending, the Centre for Economics and Business Research said.
This could have added up to £1.2billion if England had reached the final, Now fans are likely to cut back on nights out and new TVs – and advertisers will shelve football promotions.
But the CEBR’s Douglas McWilliams said: “As fans become less interested in the Cup, work productivity may go up.”
Moviment gdid… fuq kolonni tal-qedem
Il-Mument, Il-Hadd, 27 ta’ Gunju, 2010
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Missing Children hotline… When?
Missing children hotline… When?
Sixteen EU member states, including Malta, are still without a missing children emergency hotline service.
The European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding stated recently that: “Every missing child is a tragedy and we must do everything we can to prevent such tragedies. The Commission devised the European 116 000 hotline to report missing children and offer guidance and support to their families, everywhere in Europe. I regret to see that the hotline works only in 11 member states,”
She continued: “It is hard to come to terms with the fact that measures that could help are not yet fully operational across the Union. It would be a double tragedy to imagine a missing child trying to call the 116 000 hotline only to hear an answering machine playing a pre-recorded message announcing that the service will be operational soon. I call on member states to put in every effort to change this.”
Missing children’s hotlines are operational in Belgium, Denmark, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.
Member states have another year to activate this EU-wide service on the number 116 000, according to an EU directive. However, on the occasion of International Missing Children’s Day, marked on 26th May, 2010, the Commission urged member states to start providing this service as soon as possible and not wait until the last minute to fulfill their obligations.
It must be stated that with the adoption of new EU telecoms rules last year, all member states are obliged to make every effort to ensure that the 116 000 hotline is activated by May 2011.
Some member states have already gone further than providing this basic service and introduced cross-border child alert systems that help in the search of abducted children by enabling the public to provide the relevant authorities with real-time information. These systems are available in the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Greece, Germany and the UK.
What is keeping the introduction of this service in Malta? Do we have to wait for the Commission to bring us in line with the rest?
What is the opinion of the new Children’s Commissioner? What is she going to do in this regard?
Posted in Welfare
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Bir Miftuh Chapel
The Mediaeval chapel of the Assumption of Our Lady, Bir Miftuħ.
Through the medieval chapel of Santa Marija of Bir Miftuħ placed in its trust, Din l-Art Ħelwa is embarking on a greener energy solution with the installation of Smart Light Systems LED lighting to reduce carbon emissions, electricity consumption and recurrent financial expenditure on lighting the interiors of this historic chapel.
Din l-Art Ħelwa and Smart Light Systems kicked off the energy saving programme at Bir Miftuħ as a pilot project.
This will be the first historic site held in trust by the heritage NGO to benefit from the installation of these Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which are the most advanced form of this type of technology and which offer an increased light output that maintains efficiency and reliability to an acceptable level while being one of the most eco-friendly lighting solutions available. Smart Light Systems are offering the LED system as a donation.
The medieval church of Santa Marija of Bir Miftuħ dates to 1435 and contains unique medieval fresco fragments of the Last Judgement. The condition of these wall paintings requires that atmospheric conditions within the chapel are as stable as possible – the new lighting system will further the stability required for their conservation.
The pilot project will be monitored by Din l-Art Ħelwa together with the Department of the Built Heritage of the University of Malta, which launched a long term air temperature and relative humidity monitoring programme earlier this year.
Thanks to this project, the heritage not-for-profit NGO expects to reduce carbon emissions and electricity consumption on lighting at the Bir Miftuħ site by 93 per cent on each LED through the installation of eight 7.5 Watt LED solutions to replace the 100Watt metal lights that were previously installed.
There are plans to extend the project to other historic properties held in trust by Din l-Art Ħelwa after results from this pilot project are evaluated.
The Times online, Friday, 4th June 2010 – 16:54CET
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