Looking back at 2020 | Coronavirus, a changed Malta, and a tale of two waves
How Malta lost control over the second wave but avoided a devastating viral tsunami
28 December 2020, 7:30am
by James Debono
If there was one day which captured the collective spirit of the nation as it struggled against the virus, it was the collective display of appreciation for front-liners on 17 March, when thousands took to their balconies to applaud doctors and nurses keeping the country safe, during the weeks of partial lockdown.
Despite a spike in cases and deaths since the start of a deadly second wave in mid-August, the resilience and efficiency of the Maltese national health service remained a constant all through a challenging year. It was a reminder that after decades of neoliberal orthodoxy, efficiency and public ownership were not antithetical. Indeed, never before has the spirit of public service and nationalised services proven more crucial.
MaltaToday s most read stories for 2020
From the coronavirus pandemic to Keith Schembri’s court testimony, from the sudden death of a Naxxar teenager to a double murder in Sliema, these are the top stories for 2020, according to MaltaToday s readers
24 December 2020, 3:00pm
by Kurt Sansone
Keith Schembri s testimony, Miriam Pace s death in a house collapse and the COVID-19 pandemic were among the stories most read on MaltaToday
In a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic it is no surprise that 13 of the top 20 most read stories on MaltaToday were COVID-19 related.
But even if COVID-19 was a constant in our lives throughout 2020, other news events did manage to gain readers’ attention.
Lands Authority chief executive James Piscopo will not be suspended despite being the subject of an active criminal investigation into bribery and corruption.
Replying to questions, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said Piscopo had been summoned in for a meeting on Monday and denied any wrongdoing.
“Following a meeting I had with James Piscopo, he has denied these allegations and informed me that the police have not made contact with him either,” Schembri, who recently took over political responsibility for the authority, said.
The minister said that despite being politically responsible for the Lands Authority, he had not been informed or kept abreast of police investigations on this or any other matters.
A second fibre optic cable link between Malta and Gozo was inaugurated by the prime minister on Monday.
The cable was laid and will be operated by the government-owned Gozo Fibre Optic Cable Ltd, which has an operating arrangement with all three communications companies in Malta.
Gozo has until now relied on a fibre optic cable rented from Enemalta. The second cable will add bandwidth to the island s internet connectivity and ensure connectivity for Gozo even if one cable is damaged.
Prime Minister Robert Abela speaking at the inauguration. Video: DOI
Work to install the second cable had started in April 2019, following years of planning and preparatory work. The project had kicked off in earnest after a feasibility study found that stronger data connectivity could lure IT and other digital workers to Gozo.