LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent (2nd April 1230 hrs)
Health Superintendent Prof Gauci said that 738 swabs were taken in the past 24 hours, resulting in seven new cases. Six related to local transmission and one case is travel- related. There are two patients in ITU, one in critical condition.
Malta now registers a total of 195 positive cases.
The travel case relates to another positive patient which had travelled to Morocco.
Of the locally transmitted cases, a number had reported to work despite experiencing symptoms. A number of persons are being quarantined as a result.
The patients infected from local transmission also include a healthcare worker who had last reported to work the day before experiencing symptoms. Consequently, a number of colleagues being placed in quarantine.
Video Press Conference by Minister Carmelo Abela (1st April, 1700 hrs)
The Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) is the regulator ensuring that wages and work conditions are being safeguarded. Prior to implementing changes, the Department needs to grant permission to all those companies which find themselves in a position where they cannot retain the usual wages and normal conditions for their employees.
The Minister responsible for the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER), Carmelo Abela, announced this during a virtual conference. The first 800 euro for affected industries will be covered by Government, but the entity is expected to fork out the rest.
During a video conference, Minister Abela announced a new helpline managed by the Department which will assist all those employees and employers with their queries about work conditions and mandatory quarantine leave in Covid-19 times.
The helpline numbers are as follows: 1575 for employees and 1576 for employers.
Minister Abela explained that through this helpline one may seek advice about a number of different issues such as work conditions, quarantine leave, payment rates, reduced hours, unpaid leave, forced leave and collective redundancies.
These helplines will be available from Monday to Friday, between 08:00 and 16:00. Anyone needing to clarify issues may also do so via email on info.dier@gov.mt. The helplines will be operated by a team of 16 professionals with 8 people per line.
The Minister also provided an overview of the work which the Department has been doing in relation to this situation and stated that as from the 9th of March 2020, it has received a total average of 6,000 calls and emails with questions about work conditions in these times.
Opposition Press Conference (2nd April, 1330 hrs)
Opposition Leader Adrian Delia insisted that Government should take over the three hospitals sold off to “criminals”, which has resulted in these hospitals being abandoned for six whole years. Delia recalled that Government had signed a secret deal with Vitals Global Healthcare, which then sold off the hospitals at a massive profit to Steward Healthcare.
The Opposition insisted that the country has to resort to pre-fabricated hospitals because it cannot use the existent infrastructure (St. Luke’s, Karin Grech and Gozo Hospital) which has been sold off to third parties in a very shady manner.
Opposition MP Stephen Spiteri insisted that Government should be proactive in its approach. Malta had the benefit whereby the virus was first diagnosed locally later than other countries, allowing us the opportunity to study and improve on decisions taken elsewhere.
Former PN Deputy Leader and Finance Shadow Minister Mario De Marco insisted that there is no one in the country who doubts that the Vitals deal was a case of daylight robbery. He called on Minister Edward Scicluna to shoulder responsibility. De Marco added that the Minister abdicated from his responsibilities – had he done his work properly, he would never have allowed a contract worth billions to a startup company which had no prior experience in healthcare.
Neither Vitals nor Steward would have been paid for work which they have not done. Edward Scicluna allowed former Minister Konrad Mizzi to enter another clause imposing a 100 million euro fine should the State cancel out the contract – even if Vitals or Steward fail to deliver on their commitments.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Timesofmalta.com
COVID-19: 6 fined €3,000 for breaching mandatory quarantine
Thirteen persons were fined €100 each during police patrols to ensure that there are no groups of four people or more in public places.
Meanwhile, six persons were found breaching mandatory quarantine during the 521 inspections carried out by the police together with the Department of Health and the Civil Protection Department. They were fined €3,000 each.
A total of 188 persons have tested positive for the virus in Malta so far.
Since inspections started, 55 fines for breaches of mandatory quarantine were issued.
Maltatoday
PN proposes 50% cut in electricity price to mitigate coronavirus crisis
Government can reduce the price of electricity by half, David Agius says as the Nationalist Party makes proposals to alleviate the burden on consumers at a time of crisis.
Agius said a 50% reduction was possible because the price of oil had decreased to just
$12 per barrel. He said this low price would have allowed the government to save some
€86 million every year, had it not signed up to an 18-year deal with Electrogas.
“We must again pay the price for the Labour government’s corruption. Had the government been careful and not made deals like these, we would not be in this position today,” he said at a press conference together with MPs Robert Cutajar and Edwin Vassallo.
The second, related, proposal was to reduce diesel and petrol prices as had been done in Europe. This could be reduced by 30c per litre in the case of both fuels, Agius said. The only country where this was not done is Malta, he added.
Newsbook
Scam emails are targeting people in Malta – MFSA
The Malta Financial Services Authority said it became aware of emails which appear to be scam emails targeting people in Malta.
In a statement, the MFSA said that an individual, going by the name of Mr Andrew Yaku and claiming to work in the financial services industry outside of Malta, is contacting prospective clients via email stating to represent a high profile client who has some funds he wants to invest outside his home country.
The MFSA is cautioning the public against replying to such emails and to refrain from providing personal details as information available to the MFSA suggests that these emails are likely to be a scheme of dubious nature with a high risk of loss of money.
Printed
Business Today speaks to a Malta Gaming Authority representative who said that some companies in the gaming sector are facing severe challenges following the closure of land-based casinos and suspension of sporting events. The business paper quotes a report by the Magellan Robotech department of robotics which predicts that Covid-19 cases in Italy will drop to zero by the first week of May.
The Independent reports that 19 new Covid-19 cases were registered on Wednesday, the joint-highest number with March 25. There have now been 188 cases, two patients have recovered while another two are in intensive care.
L-Orizzont says that prices for meat products have increased by almost seven percent in the wake of the pandemic. The paper says that new international pressures on producers are driving expenses upwards. It says that Minister Carmelo Abela launched separate helplines for employers and employees seeking information about conditions of work. Abela said that questions about industrial relations have tripled in the last weeks.
In-Nazzjon follows a PN press conference presenting new proposals on the reduction of water and energy bills during the coronavirus crisis. Deputy Leader David Agius said that the recommendations support families and businesses.
The Malta Business Weekly says that the Spanish government declared that the country is in “stabilisation phase” as the virus spread slows down. The country recorded more than 102,000 cases leading to more than 9,000 deaths.
Editorials
The Times of Malta looks at what it describes as the other vulnerabilities, highighting the repercussions of social distancing on groups at risk. The Editor notes that isolation is leading domestic violence victims to spend more time sharing limited space with their abusers, people engaged in substance abuse are no longer receiving regular face-to-face follow-ups and support, more of those on the brink of destitution could slip through the social welfare net and food bank initiatives need to think on their feet to find new ways of delivering supplies.
The Editor calls on social care professionals to be given urgent training to deliver the support through non-conventional methods, but authorities must also think on how to introduce longer-term changes to increase preparedness for such situations.
The Independent focuses on the now-habitual daily pressers by Prof Charmaine Gauci, with journalists and the public at home awaiting the daily numbers. The editor recalls an important message by the Health czar, that neither small numbers should mean a cause to rejoice nor significant increases should lead us to alarm.
What strikes the editor most is the length of time being taken for people to recover, with only two patients having been given the all-clear so far. Our task remains rather simple in consideration of the big battle beign fought: to obey instructions and reduce contact with others – only in this manner will this crisis whittle out sooner.
The Business Weekly describes the current administration’s approach as a wobbly hand on the steering refering to the slow-taking of decisions at the onset of the crisis as well as the u-turn on lockdown last week, after pressure from employers. Even in terms of economic remedies, Government has come up with three different packages, and those who have tried seeking support, have so far only found busy phone lines.
The Business Today delves into the discussion of what is best for Europe, the (in)famous coronabond or debt mutualisation. The latter would mean Malta f becomes jointly and severally liable to debts of another country. The Editor seems to share a preference for a substantive Eurobond which would go far in helping member states afflicted by austerity.
As the nine member states said, a coronabond would strengthen the EU and the Economic and Monetary Union and provide the strongest message to European citizens about European determined cooperation and resolve to provide an effective and united response.
L-Orizzont also calls for the public to assume great responsibility. The Editor expresses his disappointment that despite repeated calls by the authorities, people still congregate and get on with their lives, acting in a careless manner in front of such a worrying situation.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Joint statement on the principles of the rule of law in times of Covid-19
Thirteen EU countries on Wednesday issued a joint statement calling for coronavirus emergency measures to be temporary and in line with rule of law principles.
The move comes after Hungary’s parliament on Monday voted by a two-thirds majority to allow the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to rule by decree without a set time limit. Under the new law, individuals who publicize what are viewed as untrue or distorted facts face several years in jail.
Security increased after threats for American infectious disease expert Dr Fauci
Security for Dr Anthony Fauci, the 79-year-old infectious disease expert who has become a calm, reassuring foil to Donald Trump at coronavirus briefings, has been expanded, according to multiple reports.
While Fauci’s straight talk and willingness to gently correct the president’s outrageous exaggerations has drawn wide-spread admiration, the doctor has received threats and unwelcome communications from both critics and fervent admirers. The Washington Post first reported the news.
At a coronavirus taskforce briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Fauci declined to comment on whether he was receiving security protection, deferring to the health department’s inspector general.
Trump interjected, saying that Fauci “doesn’t need security, everybody loves him”. If anyone were to attack Fauci, Trump added, “they’d be in big trouble”, touting the disease expert’s high school athletic career.
EU Corner
European Commission eyes markets to fund €100bn pandemic jobs scheme
The European Commission will propose to borrow €100bn against EU governments’ guarantees to finance a short-term work scheme to protect jobs impacted by the coronavirus epidemic.
The commission will propose on Thursday to increase cash advances to farmers under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and provide more time for applications for support and for claims to be processed.
Reports indicate that the commission will also propose to remove any national co- financing normally needed when countries get EU money to build infrastructure projects such as motorways, sewage plants or bridges, making the projects fully paid for by the bloc.
Eurogroup to discuss EU-wide unemployment reinsurance scheme
The European Commission is planning to present to EU finance ministers next week its pan-European unemployment reinsurance scheme proposal to support the countries most affected by the coronavirus.
The Commission and EU finance ministers are considering all options in their arsenal to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus COVID-19. After years of debate, the European unemployment insurance scheme could see the light of day in the not-so- distant future.
The EU executive plans to present to the Eurogroup on 7 April a proposal to create a mechanism to top up national unemployment benefits, as EU sources confirmed to EURACTIV.
More News:
For a Fact-Checked Aggregated Service of CoVid-19 related information, please visit: https://corporatedispatch.com/category/coronavirus/
Additional info
Helplines
111 – For those who feel symptoms of COVID-19 or who wish further information
21411 411 – For those in mandatory quarantine who require provisions of food and medicine
1772 – For those who are feeling lonely.
153 – For those who require information about the financial measures administered by the Department for Social Security.
144 – For those who require information about the financial measures administered by Malta Enterprise.
2204 2200 – For Maltese residents who were caught in one of the high-risk countries and wish to return to Malta
25981000 – For those who have questions about the educational sector and the impact of the coronavirus
21692447– For hoteliers and tourists who have questions about the announced measures.
5903030 – For elderly persons bereft of support who need medicines, ready-made meals or food products (fruit and vegetables).
25469111 – For those who work in the gaming industry.
This daily update bulletin is being compiled for the Chamber of Advocates by CI Consulta from Corporate ID Group. CI Consulta delivers policy research and analysis, evaluations and impact assessments up to policy implementation and integration.
