Times of Malta, 14 June 2010
Research engineer Nicholas Sammut, last year's winner of the Johnnie Walker Man of the Year Award, has donated his prize to the Puttinu Cares Foundation.
The cheque was presented to Victor Calvagna, consultant paediatrician and president of the foundation that cares for children with cancer, by Matthew Miceli, director of M. Demajo (Wines and Spirits) Ltd, which had originally funded the prize. Dr Sammut is vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the Council for Science and Techno-logy.
He had won the award because the judges felt he reflected the core brand essence of Johnnie Walker, that of inspiring continuous personal progress and achievement.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100614/local/man-of-the-year-donates-prize-to-charity
Monday, June 14, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
“Small country with a big heart”
Di-Ve, 09 June 2010
Malta is “a small country with a big heart”, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said in a speech detailing Malta’s assistance to developing countries.
Dr Borg was speaking at the opening of a training workshop on capacity building schemes. Within the context of development aid, capacity building is the assistance provided to entities in developing countries to help them develop necessary skills and competences.
Addressing the NGOs present at the workshop, the minister noted that until recently, with the exception of a handful of projects in Albania and Sri Lanka, few local NGOs ventured beyond Malta’s borders. However, he added, this was all changed with Malta’s accession to the EU.
The foreign ministry has set up a development directorate which manages a budget of €330,000 annually, money which is aimed at projects in the developing world.
Dr Borg said that while government has taken the role of policy planner, it embraced the involvement of civil society to implement development policy, noting that NGOs were the best at carrying it out.
“We have and will continue to partner with you in order to best represent our aspirations worldwide. You are the agents of change and we rely on you in order to translate our policy into concrete actions on the ground,” the minister told those present.
Malta’s area of focus was mainly centred on the Horn of Africa, Dr Borg said, with full recognition of the country’s limited size and resources.
“By concentrating on infrastructural projects in one area of the world we are giving our development policy a better chance of success. And by success we mean a registered improvement in the lives of those recipients of our aid,” the minister said.
He later said that the outpouring of support from Malta after any natural disaster across the world was testimony to Malta’s status as a small country with a big heart, though he noted that Malta could not simply limit itself to reacting to crises, but be consistently present overseas.
“The key to our success is most definitely sustainability. No longer are we a nation of tins and clothes so to speak. On the contrary whilst we will still appeal for necessities in times of crisis, our development policy is and should be centred on long-term, sustainable projects. We will give a man a fish but also ensure that we will give him a fishing rod in order to be able to catch the fish himself,” Dr Borg noted.
As an example, he noted that after a tsunami affected many countries bordering the Indian Ocean in 2004, SOS Malta opted to fund the purchase of fishing boats in a Sri Lankan village instead of simply purchasing food, thus ensuring the sustainability of the fishing community.
http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=73415&newscategory=31
Malta is “a small country with a big heart”, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said in a speech detailing Malta’s assistance to developing countries.
Dr Borg was speaking at the opening of a training workshop on capacity building schemes. Within the context of development aid, capacity building is the assistance provided to entities in developing countries to help them develop necessary skills and competences.
Addressing the NGOs present at the workshop, the minister noted that until recently, with the exception of a handful of projects in Albania and Sri Lanka, few local NGOs ventured beyond Malta’s borders. However, he added, this was all changed with Malta’s accession to the EU.
The foreign ministry has set up a development directorate which manages a budget of €330,000 annually, money which is aimed at projects in the developing world.
Dr Borg said that while government has taken the role of policy planner, it embraced the involvement of civil society to implement development policy, noting that NGOs were the best at carrying it out.
“We have and will continue to partner with you in order to best represent our aspirations worldwide. You are the agents of change and we rely on you in order to translate our policy into concrete actions on the ground,” the minister told those present.
Malta’s area of focus was mainly centred on the Horn of Africa, Dr Borg said, with full recognition of the country’s limited size and resources.
“By concentrating on infrastructural projects in one area of the world we are giving our development policy a better chance of success. And by success we mean a registered improvement in the lives of those recipients of our aid,” the minister said.
He later said that the outpouring of support from Malta after any natural disaster across the world was testimony to Malta’s status as a small country with a big heart, though he noted that Malta could not simply limit itself to reacting to crises, but be consistently present overseas.
“The key to our success is most definitely sustainability. No longer are we a nation of tins and clothes so to speak. On the contrary whilst we will still appeal for necessities in times of crisis, our development policy is and should be centred on long-term, sustainable projects. We will give a man a fish but also ensure that we will give him a fishing rod in order to be able to catch the fish himself,” Dr Borg noted.
As an example, he noted that after a tsunami affected many countries bordering the Indian Ocean in 2004, SOS Malta opted to fund the purchase of fishing boats in a Sri Lankan village instead of simply purchasing food, thus ensuring the sustainability of the fishing community.
http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=73415&newscategory=31
EPSCO council meeting
The Independent, 09 June 2010
Joe Cassar, Minister for Health, Elderly and Community Care, took part in the EU Council Meeting for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) in Luxembourg yesterday.
The council meeting discussed several important topics including a proposal for a new directive on the application of patients’ rights for cross-border care, changes to current regulations on the provision of food information to consumers and the adoption of two council conclusions relating to equity and health in all policies and to the action to reduce the intake of salt by people.
Of particular relevance was Malta’s support for a political agreement to be reached on the new draft directive on patients’ rights for cross-border care, which would create a common legal framework across the EU for the treatment of patients across the European Union. The Minister said that “this directive will provide clearer rights and legal assurance for the patients who wish to pursue treatment across the borders.”
This would facilitate access to safe, quality care across the EU while governing the mechanism for the reimbursement of costs and the exchange of medical information, including information through electronic means. This draft directive will now require the ratification of the European Parliament.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107359
Joe Cassar, Minister for Health, Elderly and Community Care, took part in the EU Council Meeting for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) in Luxembourg yesterday.
The council meeting discussed several important topics including a proposal for a new directive on the application of patients’ rights for cross-border care, changes to current regulations on the provision of food information to consumers and the adoption of two council conclusions relating to equity and health in all policies and to the action to reduce the intake of salt by people.
Of particular relevance was Malta’s support for a political agreement to be reached on the new draft directive on patients’ rights for cross-border care, which would create a common legal framework across the EU for the treatment of patients across the European Union. The Minister said that “this directive will provide clearer rights and legal assurance for the patients who wish to pursue treatment across the borders.”
This would facilitate access to safe, quality care across the EU while governing the mechanism for the reimbursement of costs and the exchange of medical information, including information through electronic means. This draft directive will now require the ratification of the European Parliament.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107359
Friday, June 4, 2010
Cana Movement evaluating state policies on family structure
Times of Malta, 04 June 2010
The point of departure of the government's family-related policies was the principle of a permanent, indissoluble marriage between a man and woman, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi stressed yesterday.
Speaking during a visit to the Cana Movement, a voluntary organisation within the Church which helps couples prepare for marriage, Dr Gonzi said his was not a courtesy call but a "strong message in favour of strengthening the family".
"Despite divergent opinions, no one doubts that the traditional family structure is the nucleus of the Maltese society, a precious diamond we should guard with all our might," he said.
His comments come in the wake of a set of proposals by Parliament's Social Affairs Committee to regulate cohabitation and which also consider a form of civil union between same-sex couples.
Lawyer Robert Tufigno, on behalf of Cana, warned Dr Gonzi that the recognition of non-traditional relationships was "detrimental to society".
"The recognition of any other relationship (not between a man and a woman) is detrimental to society and goes directly against the principle of the family. This does not mean we should not show compassion and solidarity with these people but we cannot say yes to every request," he said.
Dr Gonzi praised the representatives of the Cana Movement for their sterling work preparing couples for marriage and guiding them through married life. He said the preparation phase was the most important aspect because of the challenges the modern world presented newly-wed couples with.
Dr Tufigno said the Cana Movement was studying government policies to see which of them were strengthening the family structure and which were destabilising it.
He called on the government to launch measures to discourage the birth of children outside wedlock. This did not mean giving out condoms but more education focusing on the importance of children being born within the structure of a family, set up by a man and a woman who became one through the sacrament of marriage.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100604/local/cana-movement-evaluating-state-policies-on-family-structure
The point of departure of the government's family-related policies was the principle of a permanent, indissoluble marriage between a man and woman, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi stressed yesterday.
Speaking during a visit to the Cana Movement, a voluntary organisation within the Church which helps couples prepare for marriage, Dr Gonzi said his was not a courtesy call but a "strong message in favour of strengthening the family".
"Despite divergent opinions, no one doubts that the traditional family structure is the nucleus of the Maltese society, a precious diamond we should guard with all our might," he said.
His comments come in the wake of a set of proposals by Parliament's Social Affairs Committee to regulate cohabitation and which also consider a form of civil union between same-sex couples.
Lawyer Robert Tufigno, on behalf of Cana, warned Dr Gonzi that the recognition of non-traditional relationships was "detrimental to society".
"The recognition of any other relationship (not between a man and a woman) is detrimental to society and goes directly against the principle of the family. This does not mean we should not show compassion and solidarity with these people but we cannot say yes to every request," he said.
Dr Gonzi praised the representatives of the Cana Movement for their sterling work preparing couples for marriage and guiding them through married life. He said the preparation phase was the most important aspect because of the challenges the modern world presented newly-wed couples with.
Dr Tufigno said the Cana Movement was studying government policies to see which of them were strengthening the family structure and which were destabilising it.
He called on the government to launch measures to discourage the birth of children outside wedlock. This did not mean giving out condoms but more education focusing on the importance of children being born within the structure of a family, set up by a man and a woman who became one through the sacrament of marriage.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100604/local/cana-movement-evaluating-state-policies-on-family-structure
Funds could be suspended for several more months
Times of Malta, 04 June 2010
It may take at least five more months for the European Commission to lift its suspension of education programmes funding to Malta.
"If we take Cyprus's example, which also passed through the same unfortunate experience two years ago, the suspension was only lifted after a year," Commission sources said.
"Although we don't think it will take Malta a year to put its house in order, and recent developments have shown that the island is now responding quickly to our demands, we still think it will take a while to lift the suspension, at least five more months," the sources said.
The Education Ministry said that, following contacts with other member states, it had found placements for about 140 of the students who would otherwise miss out on the opportunity to study abroad due to the suspension.
The Commission is not committing itself on any target dates for resumption of the funding. Its official spokesman for education and culture said: "The suspension of both Youth in Action and Lifelong Learning Programmes will be lifted once the Commission has reasonable assurance on the management by the Maltese national agency of EU funds for decentralised actions of the programmes and the supervision thereof by the Maltese national authority."
Brussels has already acted on a letter sent by Education Minister Dolores Cristina last week detailing the measures taken so that the programmes may resume as soon as possible.
"The Commission has now issued a letter further detailing all the requirements to be addressed by the Maltese authorities and the national agency. The Commission will also provide a detailed feedback on the additional documentation received recently from the Maltese authorities (including the minister's letter), as soon as their analysis is finalised," the spokesman said.
Funding was suspended for the Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programmes, administered by the European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA) within the Ministry of Education, after warnings were issued to the Maltese authorities on the need to put the management of these programmes on a sounder basis and in line with EU rules.
It is estimated that about €4 million were earmarked for Malta for use this year in projects financed through the programmes. Brussels said it had no other option but to temporarily suspend them after it concluded that the issues it highlighted had been ignored.
The Prime Minister ordered an inquiry into the issue on May 20 and the report was released on Wednesday. It was found that one of the main reasons for the lack of action by Malta was that the officials directly responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds had persistently failed to inform Malta's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels, the EU Secretariat at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Education Minister about the ongoing issue with the Commission.
The inquiry put the blame on three officials at the ministry, including the permanent secretary, saying the situation could have been avoided. The position of the three officials was described as untenable.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100604/local/funds-could-be-suspended-for-several-more-months
It may take at least five more months for the European Commission to lift its suspension of education programmes funding to Malta.
"If we take Cyprus's example, which also passed through the same unfortunate experience two years ago, the suspension was only lifted after a year," Commission sources said.
"Although we don't think it will take Malta a year to put its house in order, and recent developments have shown that the island is now responding quickly to our demands, we still think it will take a while to lift the suspension, at least five more months," the sources said.
The Education Ministry said that, following contacts with other member states, it had found placements for about 140 of the students who would otherwise miss out on the opportunity to study abroad due to the suspension.
The Commission is not committing itself on any target dates for resumption of the funding. Its official spokesman for education and culture said: "The suspension of both Youth in Action and Lifelong Learning Programmes will be lifted once the Commission has reasonable assurance on the management by the Maltese national agency of EU funds for decentralised actions of the programmes and the supervision thereof by the Maltese national authority."
Brussels has already acted on a letter sent by Education Minister Dolores Cristina last week detailing the measures taken so that the programmes may resume as soon as possible.
"The Commission has now issued a letter further detailing all the requirements to be addressed by the Maltese authorities and the national agency. The Commission will also provide a detailed feedback on the additional documentation received recently from the Maltese authorities (including the minister's letter), as soon as their analysis is finalised," the spokesman said.
Funding was suspended for the Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programmes, administered by the European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA) within the Ministry of Education, after warnings were issued to the Maltese authorities on the need to put the management of these programmes on a sounder basis and in line with EU rules.
It is estimated that about €4 million were earmarked for Malta for use this year in projects financed through the programmes. Brussels said it had no other option but to temporarily suspend them after it concluded that the issues it highlighted had been ignored.
The Prime Minister ordered an inquiry into the issue on May 20 and the report was released on Wednesday. It was found that one of the main reasons for the lack of action by Malta was that the officials directly responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds had persistently failed to inform Malta's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels, the EU Secretariat at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Education Minister about the ongoing issue with the Commission.
The inquiry put the blame on three officials at the ministry, including the permanent secretary, saying the situation could have been avoided. The position of the three officials was described as untenable.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100604/local/funds-could-be-suspended-for-several-more-months
Public seminar: TeachingagainstIslamophobia
The Independent, 04June 2010
The University of Malta’s Work in Progress Seminar Series (WIPSS) is hosting a special seminar in Gateway Building, Hall E on Wednesday from 6 to 7 pm, to be followed by a discussion.
The speaker will be Prof. Shirley Steinberg of McGill University, Canada, and her topic will be: ‘Teaching Against Islamophobia’. Entrance is from the main car park. The public is welcome to attend.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107091
The University of Malta’s Work in Progress Seminar Series (WIPSS) is hosting a special seminar in Gateway Building, Hall E on Wednesday from 6 to 7 pm, to be followed by a discussion.
The speaker will be Prof. Shirley Steinberg of McGill University, Canada, and her topic will be: ‘Teaching Against Islamophobia’. Entrance is from the main car park. The public is welcome to attend.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107091
Thursday, June 3, 2010
European communication directors meeting
The Independent, 03 June 2010
The Department of Information is this week organising the Plenary Meeting of the Club of Venice in Marsalforn.
The Club of Venice is an informal group comprising the most senior communication professionals from the governments of EU member and candidate states, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
The plenary meeting yesterday afternoon was preceded by a workshop on public diplomacy within a communications context. The plenary meeting itself will be held today and tomorrow. It will be attended by over 40 delegates, and is being held with the cooperation and participation of the European Commission Representation in Malta, and the European Parliament Office in Malta.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107044
The Department of Information is this week organising the Plenary Meeting of the Club of Venice in Marsalforn.
The Club of Venice is an informal group comprising the most senior communication professionals from the governments of EU member and candidate states, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
The plenary meeting yesterday afternoon was preceded by a workshop on public diplomacy within a communications context. The plenary meeting itself will be held today and tomorrow. It will be attended by over 40 delegates, and is being held with the cooperation and participation of the European Commission Representation in Malta, and the European Parliament Office in Malta.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=107044
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
