"The decision to shut it down is likely to have been taken by Michael Howard and/or Virginia Bottomley.
"Howard was Home Secretary at the time, with overall responsibility for policing, and Bottomley was Health Secretary, with overall responsibility for children’s homes and social work"
Evidence of 'organised abuse' and 'trade' of young boys in Gozo resurfaces
St Paul's cathedral. Berthold Werner
15 years ago, Malta's Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami announced that two judges, including the Chief Justice, were under police investigation for bribery.
Former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo and former judge Patrick Vella were charged in court for accepting bribes.
In March 2007, admitted to accepting a bribe of Lm10,000 (€23,300) for reducing the jail term of drug trafficker Mario Camilleri.
In December 2012, Mr Justice Ray Pace was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to accepting a bribe, trading in influence and money laundering.
Case of déjà vu: judiciary in the dock /
Judge charged with accepting a bribe
People of Valetta.
Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy has been granted licences to search for oil and gas off the north coast of Malta.
Cairn in hunt for oil and gas off Malta
Website for this image...
Malta used to be (twenty years ago) a quaint little island, the unique selling point of which was friendliness.
Now Malta has become a trifle less friendly.
But, go into a Labour Party club; and start talking.
"What do you think of that escape from the jail?" I asked the burly worker at the bar, who was drinking a Cisk beer.
"It's the Nationalist Party I blame," he said.
"Why's that?"
"Crime's gone up since they came in."
"Are you suggesting corruption?"
Valetta.
"Read a book called IL-HBIEB TAL-HBIEB by Glen Bedingfield. It's about the connections between drug smugglers and the relatives of certain politicians.
"Look at some of these Nationalist Party people. Nice cars and big villas. How come a drug trafficker and attempted murderer gets a pardon and walks free?"
"Don't know. What about the Church?"
"The Nationalists mix religion and politics. Which is wrong."
By 衰尾道人
"You're anti-clerical? Not keen on the influence of the Church?"
"That's right."
"The Church is against divorce, abortion, and so on."
"But doesn't the Church defend against wicked Western ways? Drugs and so on?"
Friendly? We got on like a flat roofed house on fire.
Go into a Nationalist Party Club.
"What do you think of the General Workers Union?" I asked the middle class businessman at the bar.
"It's like Britain before Thatcher," he said. "The GWU are resisting necessary change."
"Change?" I asked.
"We need the European Community. To get the investment and the jobs. We need to upgrade everything. Eddie supported change. Sant only wanted to put up taxes."
Friendly? He invited me to his house.
"One of my brothers distrusts the Labour Party," said Rose Marie, "and the other distrusts all priests."
"All the money is in Swiss
bank accounts," said one brother.....
Valetta
In a gloomy flat in dockland I visited an elderly gent called Joseph, a heavy character who claims he once helped to break into the headquarters of a certain political party.
Joseph told tales of alleged murders committed by supporters of one party.
"I will always support Labour," said Joseph, who was sitting on an old iron bed beneath a picture of Christ.
Over thirty years ago, Joseph's Labour comrades suggested he was gay.
A nervous breakdown was followed by shock
treatment and strong drugs.
Joseph was out of work and sick for twenty years.....
Malta
Did you read about the high-up clergy man and the catamite?
Maltese.
The Maltese were lucky enough to get rid of the British/Nato bases, which makes them less of a target.
To make up for the loss of the British naval base, Malta has developed industry and tourism.
Industry contributes 40% of the GDP and employs 27% of the workforce.
Industry includes Malta Drydocks, Malta Shipbuilding, the container terminal at Marsaxlokk/Birzebuggia, textiles, leatherworking...
Malta.
Wages tend to be low, but so are prices, and the GWU and Labour have tried hard to ensure a comfortable standard of living for workers.
Tourism brings in about 40% of Malta's national income.
Agriculture is hindered by lack of soil and water. But there is production, part of the year, of tomatoes, cabbages, onions, strawberries, cut flowers, potatoes, vines....
The biggest landowner is the Church.
Drugs, murder and rape have come to Malta.
And nastiness on imported TV.
Malta is becoming grumpy like Italy and Britain. But, Malta's still one of the safest places in Europe!
% of the population who are victims of crime in one year (International Crime Victims Survey 1995)
Austria 18%
Belgium 19%
Finland 18%
USA 24%
Malta 23%
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Rigged: How Voter Suppression Threw Wisconsin to Trump.
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