What the Sunday papers say…

Malta Today leads with the news that more than 1,200 MEPA enforcement orders were deleted from the Authority's database before the March 8^th general election of 2013. It is estimated that MEPA may have lost hundreds of thousands in Euros in the collection of fines related to enforcements. Moreover, potential property buyers may have been misled when purchasing property, if they purchased homes that were previously under an enforcement order.

Malta Today also reports that Tourism minister Karmenu Vella and the chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), Gavin Gulia, may be set for a head-on-collision after reports emerged in l-Orizzont, the GWU daily, that the MTA  chief excecutive Joseph Formosa Gauci pocketed a total of €23,000 - over and above his €66,000 salary - in allowances since 2008 for not availing himself of a chauffeur-driven car provided by the state.  The reports claimed that Formosa Gauci was not, in fact, using his personal car but making use of a government vehicle throughout that period.

Sunday newspaper Illum leads with an article in which lawyer David Gonzi, son of the former Prime Minister and leader of the Nationalist Party Lawrence Gonzi, dismisses the notion that the citizenship-by-investment scheme will leave a negative impact on Malta.  The statements made by Gonzi, of Gonzi and Associates - a firm which specialises in tax and financial services - serve as a stark contrast to those of the present PN leader, Simon Busutill, who has vociferously and continuously ridiculed the scheme.

The Sunday Times reports that the new public transport system may be run by more than one firm. The article reads that Transport Malta was considering splitting the bus network so that more than one operator will be in charge of running the service.

The Malta Independent on Sunday reports that less than half (45%) of secondary students obtain the necessary SEC qualifications. The statistic was put forward by Education minister Evarist Bartolo, who on Thursday unveiled a programme to counter literacy for youngsters.

PN newspaper Il-Mument reports Labour deputy Marlene Farrugia admitting to the fact that, in light of last week's EP vote in which it overwhelmingly voted for Malta to amend its IIP scheme, government should revisited the scheme and amend it of necessary. Farrugia suggested that government acted in an impulsive manner on the IIP.

Sunday newspaper it-Torca reports that the government and the Holy See have reached an agreement on the Third Additional Protocol which will see a revision of the 1992 Church-State agreement.  The agreement will be signed on Monday.