Amongst the various forms of guarantees available to a creditor, hypothecs are commonly resorted to as a safeguarding mechanism in view of debts owed by a debtor. Hypothecs may take either of two forms: a) General Hypothecs (burdening all the assets both present and future of a debtor) or b) Special Hypothecs (burdening one particular asset of a debtor).

Whilst both general and special hypothecs rank according to their date of registration, special hypothecs enjoy advantageous features for a creditor for they attach to a particular property encumbering it burdensomely to the extent that they remain operative even vis-à-vis third parties. This important feature of special hypothecs, which does not apply for general hypothecs, finds benefit when the property originally burdened by a special hypothec is transferred to a third party.

In order to properly understand what happens in the latter scenario, it is best to exemplify it by means of a practical example. Kickstarting the action is a relationship between two parties, a common creditor-debtor relationship who are tied together by an existing debt. In order to secure the debt, the principal debtor guarantees by means of a special hypothec in favour of the creditor. At this stage, even though the encumbered property is guaranteeing a debt, it remains in the hands and full ownership of the principal debtor. Another essential figure in the relationship is a third party who comes into the picture when the burdened property passes into his hands.

What happens in this scenario? Can the creditor go ahead and take over the property which has been securing the debt immediately?

In a situation of the sort, the long awaiting creditor would have to exercise an action, known under civil law as the actio ipotecaria. The crux of the action in fact comes to fruition when the existing debt between the creditor and principal debtor falls due and the latter has failed to rectify the same debt. In this situation, the creditor would be able to satisfy his claim by taking over the property secured by the hypothec or privilege, which is effectively in the hands of someone else.

Before exercising the action, the process is kick started by means of a judicial intimation, i.e. by serving the third party and the debtor with a judicial act calling on the same third party to discharge and release the hypothecated property in his favour or otherwise to pay off the debt. If the third party in possession of the hypothecated property has failed to discharge the debt or surrender the property and thirty days would have elapsed from when the creditor has served the debtor and the third party by a judicial act, the creditor has no other option but to institute the so called actio ipotecaria against the third party in possession by means of a sworn application before the First Hall of the Civil Court.

Having brought the actio ipotecaria, the third party does not become the creditor’s debtor, however he would have to either discharge the property which had been hypothecated by means of a special hypothec or otherwise pay off the debt from his own means. However, the third party is not obliged to monetarily pay the debt due to the creditor for his only obligation is limited to surrendering the property under Court Authority and give up its possession. It is only when the property is surrendered that his liability ceases even though the third party remains the owner until the property is sold. Up till the stage when the property has been sold by the creditor, the third party may decide to pay the debt due and regain possession of his property.

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“When you go to court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty”, Norm Crosby, an American comedian once said. But is this just a light-hearted statement or a stark look at reality? The jury system has always been a subject of debate. Several jurists have suggested it should be abolished altogether. If the jury were really made up of “twelve [nine – in Malta’s case] people who weren’t smart”, it would not be a system worth retaining. But if it were made up of people who are truly able to recognize their civic responsibility and do their best to pass a fair and impartial verdict, it would be a system doing honour to the administration of justice.

What separates these two scenarios is the jury selection process. It is this process which ultimately decides whether the individuals picked to serve as jurors are “smart” enough – to use Crosby’s colloquial term – to serve the administration of justice fairly and impartially.

In Malta’s case, a jury panel is comprised of a foreman juror and eight common jurors. For one to qualify for jury service he/she must be of age twenty-one years or more and must be a citizen of Malta and residing in Malta. These characteristics are coupled with adequate knowledge of the Maltese language, good character, i.e., a clean criminal record, and competence to serve as a juror. According to the Maltese Criminal Code, a person is not competent to serve as a juror if he is interdicted or incapacitated, is an undischarged bankrupt, is a person who, owing to any notorious physical or mental defect, is reputed to be unfit to serve as a juror, or if he is a person who is under trial for any crime, until the trial has terminated.

In practice, the preparation of jury lists starts off with something that is not provided for legislatively. The Commissioner would issue a memo to all the police districts directed to the Inspectors so that they choose various people who would be deemed fit to serve as jurors. Their suitability would be decided according to the qualifications established by law. Jury lists are prepared by what can be termed as a ‘jury commission’. This commission is made up of the Commissioner of Police, two Magistrates and the Registrar of Courts. The law states that every year in August, these members draw up, according to the best of their knowledge, two lists of persons: one of persons who are qualified and sufficiently competent to serve as jurors for the trial of Maltese speaking persons and one of those persons who have sufficient proficiency in the English language, as to be able to serve for the trial of English-speaking persons. From the entire number of persons shown on the said lists a further list is drawn up containing the names of persons competent to serve as foremen who must have the added qualification of having already served in a trial by jury before the Criminal Court.

After the lists are published in the Government Gazette in August, any person who

possesses the qualifications required by law to serve as a juror and who desires to be registered or to be struck off the list of jurors, may make an application to that effect before the Criminal Court. However, an application to be struck off at this stage is only upheld if one of the qualifications required by law is lacking. The Court proceeds summarily on the application and the registrar notes on the lists any corrections which the court may order.

As for the selection of jurors for a particular trial, every month, the registrar draws from the box forty names of common jurors and ten names of foremen from the sealed boxes. If amongst the names drawn, there are people who are disqualified, ineligible or dead, such names shall be taken as not having been drawn and fresh names are drawn in their place. These persons are then summoned by writ at least four days before the day of the trial. Any person who is not qualified or liable to serve or who has special reasons for asking the court to be exempted may do so by means of an application which has to be filed within four days of the person being summoned and if the court accepts the reasons, it orders the registrar to cancel the name of such persons and to have it replaced by another name.

As to the actual composition of the jury in any given trial, the names of the persons who would have been summoned to serve are to be written on separate ballots of parchment or paper equal in shape and size. The registrar reads aloud in court the

ballots bearing the names of the foremen and then puts them in one box. The same

procedure is followed for the names of ordinary jurors, but the ballots are put into a separate box. The registrar draws first the name of the person to serve as a foreman from the box of names containing the names of prospective foremen and then he shall proceed to draw eight names (or more, depending on whether the court orders the empanelling of supplementary jurors or not). The registrar then asks first the Attorney General or the accused whether they intend or not to challenge the juror. If any person whose name is drawn is challenged, exempted from serving or does not appear, other names will be drawn in the same order, until a foreman and eight ordinary jurors (plus any number of jurors which the court would have ordered to serve as supplementary jurors) are approved.

Under the Maltese system, challenges may either be for cause or peremptory. Challenges for cause may be exercised if there is a reason for wanting the juror removed from the panel. If the court approves the reason, the juror is removed, but if it is rejected, the person is admitted. The number of challenges for cause exercisable by either party is unlimited. In the case of peremptory challenges, however, the number of challenges is limited to three each to the Attorney General and the accused. If the accused are more than three, then each of the accused is allowed two challenges each.

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Pet lovers can agree that the best medicine at the end of a long day, week, month (or even your year!) is coming home to the unconditional love of your pet, but what feels worse than having a bad day is seeing our furry creatures suffer in situations where we can be of little or no help to them, and when medicine and treatment are not the answer.

Maltese Law witnessed the introduction of Subsidiary Legislation 439.17 entitled the ‘Emergency Euthanasia of Animals Regulations’ in June 2015, which was enacted with the scope of implementing national measures in the context of the emergency euthanasia of animals that have been victims of an accident in public places that prevents their transport for welfare reasons, to spare any avoidable pain, distress or suffering to the animal.

This piece of Subsidiary Legislation comes after the Minister of Veterinary Services was empowered to make regulations specifying the circumstances in which it shall be permissible to kill animals, the manner in which this can take place and the person by whom they may be killed.

To start, the term ‘emergency euthanasia’ is defined by the Regulations as the killing of animals which are injured, in severe pain or suffering and where there is no other practical possibility to alleviate this pain or suffering. The applicability of the Regulations, according to Article 3 of the same Regulations, is limited to emergency situations in public places or other spaces in the Maltese territory which may require euthanasia on the spot, which situations consist in the: (1) profuse and continuous bleeding (severe haemorrhage) where the animal would have lost more than an estimated 3% of its weight, (2) serious open wounds which may result in the prolapse of visceral organs, (3) orthopaedic/musculoskeletal traumas and lesions which would be either causing severe pain or suffering or would not allow the animal to stand in an upright position, (4) loss of consciousness and (5) any other situation, not specified by the Regulations, where animals can become uncontrollable and thus represent an increased risk to the health and safety of humans.

The first four limbs of this provision outline the emergency situations in which euthanasia of the animal may take place, if required, for medical reasons of an urgent nature. Meanwhile, the last limb on the basis of which euthanasia may take place if required is where the animal represents a threat to the health and safety of humans, the merits of which shall be discussed by the undersigned in another series of this article.

Upon the occurrence of one of the emergency situations mentioned in points (1) to (4) above, the veterinarian called on site must determine the level of pain and suffering of the animal which will deliver the verdict on whether to euthanise the animal to relieve it of its suffering. Where the animal is not found by the veterinarian in one of the terminal conditions mentioned in points (1) to (4) above, and therefore euthanasia of the animal is not required and can be avoided, the veterinarian may issue the necessary instructions to move the animal to a safer place to carry out treatment.

The Regulations distinguish between an ‘official’ veterinarian and a ‘private’ veterinarian. The former refers to a veterinary surgeon who is employed by the State as a veterinary officer, whereas the latter refers to a veterinary surgeon who exercises and performs private veterinary activities. Irrespective of whether the veterinarian taking the decision to perform the euthanasia is an official or private veterinarian, he/she must be registered in the Veterinary Surgeons’ Register as required by Article 43 of the Veterinary Services Act, shall carry the responsibility for the emergency euthanasia of the animal and shall ensure that the animal is clinically dead before disposing of the body.

It is made clear in the Regulations that the decision to euthanise an animal by the veterinarian concerned shall be final, implying that the owner of the animal concerned does not have a say in the decision to euthanise the animal should the grounds mentioned above persist. Furthermore, any person, especially the owner of the animal, ought not to obstruct the official or private veterinarian in the performance of his functions in accordance with these Regulations, as otherwise he/she may be facing criminal proceedings against him/she punishable by a fine, penalty and/or imprisonment.

The post It’s a Dog’s Life – Emergency Euthanasia of Animals (Part One) appeared first on Arthur Azzopardi & Associates.

Chapter 16 of the Laws of Malta, hereinafter referred to as the Civil Code, regulates the choice of surnames for spouses upon entering marriage as well as the choice of surnames for any children which are to be born subsequent to the marriage. At present, following remarkable amendments which entered into force in 2020 by means of amendment act number LXV of 2020, article 4 (1) of the Civil Code now provides various options to both spouses who wish to depart from the so to say “traditional” practice of having one and the same surname for both spouses and children.

In order to illustrate such options in an easily comprehensible manner, let’s take an example of two spouses with the following surnames: Spouse A: Borg and Spouse B: Vella.

The first option available to Spouse A and Spouse B upon entering marriage is the choice of adopting either of their surnames for both of them; practically meaning that Spouse A and Spouse B may decide for both to go by either the surname Borg or otherwise by the surname Vella.

The second option which Spouse A and Spouse B might decide to adopt involves the joining of both their surnames in their own order of preference, which double-barrelled surname would be the surname of both spouses as well as that of any children born thereafter. Therefore, in our scenario, Spouse A and Spouse B may both adopt the surname Borg Vella, or otherwise Vella Borg.

When both spouses fail to agree on a common surname for both of them in accordance with the aforementioned options, the subsequent three choices are available to either one of the spouses.

Either of the spouses may decide to adopt the surname of the other spouse, after which that particular spouse may add his or her surname. Keeping with Spouse A and Spouse B as our examples, in this scenario, Spouse A may decide to retain the surname Borg, whilst Spouse B deciding to adopt a double-barrelled surname of Borg Vella. This can also work the other way around with Spouse A deciding on the latter surname option of Vella Borg, and Spouse B retaining the surname Vella.

Another option similar to the one in the afore involves one spouse retaining his/her own surname following which the surname of the other spouse may be added. In our example this would mean that whilst Spouse A retains the surname Borg, Spouse B decides to adopt the double-barrelled surname Vella Borg. This can also work the other way round, with Spouse B retaining the surname Vella, and Spouse A adopting a double barrelled surname Borg Vella.

The last available option is quite straight forward wherein both spouses retain their own surnames. In such an example Spouse A retaining the surname Borg and Spouse B retaining the surname Vella.

In all three of these scenarios, the spouses would hold different surnames from one another. Therefore, what will happen to the children born from this wed-lock? Which surname would they come to adopt?

In these circumstances, upon their marriage or union, the spouses would have to determine a family-name which would be used for the spouses’ children. Determining such a family name would have to be in line with either of the first two options delineated in article 4 (1), meaning that the spouses would have to choose either one of their surnames (prior to their marriage or union) to be the family-name, or otherwise to choose a double-barrelled surname, in whichever order they prefer, to be the surname to be adopted by any descendants. In our situation, Spouse A and Spouse B hold the following choices: either choosing the surname Borg or the surname Vella as the ‘family-name’  or otherwise the double-barrelled surnames Borg Vella or Vella Borg as the family-name.

One must also keep in mind that in either of all the available options discussed, the combination of the spouses’ surnames shall not result in a surname which is longer than the combination of four surnames and when the surname of any one or both of the spouses already has a combination of two or more surnames, the order of the surname of that spouse shall be retained, and the spouses shall not change such order and, or drop any part of their own surname.

The provisions of this article are not limitedly applicable to those spouses who marry or enter into union after the 29th of December 2020, but shall also be applicable to those spouses who married in Malta before such date provided that any changes that they might wish to make to their surnames are affected by the 29th of December 2025.

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Партнерская программа Vavada как заработать на рефералах

Узнайте о партнерской программе Vavada: стратегии заработка на рефералах, преимущества сотрудничества и советы по повышению дохода.

Партнерская программа Vavada – как заработать на рефералах

Чтобы начать получать доход от вовлеченных клиентов, сфокусируйтесь на создании качественного контента, который привлечет внимание целевой аудитории. Подготовьте материалы, описывающие преимущества и функции, что позволит вам выделиться среди конкурентов. Проанализируйте, каких клиентов вы хотите видеть в своей сети, и адаптируйте свои предложения под их интересы.

Регулярно взаимодействуйте с подписчиками через социальные сети, блоги и специальные акции. Применение различных каналов связи поможет вам расширить охват и привлечь больше пользователей. Не забывайте использовать уникальные ссылки для отслеживания активности и анализа результатов ваших маркетинговых стратегий.

Изучите различные вознаграждения для ваших партнеров и клиентов. Это могут быть как финансовые бонусы, так и различные призы, что усиливает мотивацию для привлечения новых пользователей. Обеспечьте прозрачность действий и поддерживайте их вовлеченность через регулярные отчеты о результатах работы.

Важно сфокусироваться на долгосрочных отношениях с привлеченными клиентами. Простое привлечение пользователей не гарантирует стабильного дохода; постоянная работа с ними создаст лояльность и регулярные обращения. Поддерживайте связь и ухаживайте за этой аудиторией, чтобы ваш доход оставался на высоком уровне.

Как зарегистрироваться в партнерской программе Vavada

Пройдите на официальный сайт. Найдите раздел, посвященный сотрудничеству. Обычно он расположен в нижней части главной страницы или в меню.

Нажмите на кнопку регистрации или вкладку, связанную с партнерскими предложениями. Введите свой адрес электронной почты и создайте надежный пароль. Убедитесь, что данные введены правильно.

После этого потребуется заполнить анкету, указав личные данные: имя, фамилию, номер телефона и другую информацию, требуемую для создания аккаунта. Обратите внимание на настройки, связанные с получением отчетов и уведомлений.

После отправки заявки дождитесь подтверждения по электронной почте. Перейдите по ссылке, чтобы активировать свой профиль. Убедитесь, что ваш аккаунт успешно активирован, прежде чем продолжить.

После активации зайдите в личный кабинет. Здесь вы сможете получить уникальные ссылки для продвижения и ознакомиться с условиями сотрудничества.

Рекомендуется изучить доступные инструменты и материалы для продвижения, доступные в разделе для партнеров. Это поможет повысить эффективность вашей деятельности.

Определение реферальной комиссии и ее уровни

Реферальная комиссия представляет собой вознаграждение, которое партнер получает за привлечение новых клиентов. Размер этой выплаты может варьироваться в зависимости от нескольких факторов.

• Стандартный уровень: фиксированная сумма за каждого нового клиента.
• Процент от достижений привлеченного игрока: начисляется определенный процент от всех ставок или проигрышей нового участника.
• Многоуровневая система: возможность получать комиссию не только от своих рефералов, но и от рефералов, привлеченных ими.

Рекомендуется подробно изучить условия по каждому уровню, так как они могут отличаться по процентным ставкам и дополнительным бонусам. Эффективное использование многоуровневой системы позволяет значительно увеличить доход.

Также стоит отметить, что размер комиссии может быть изменен в зависимости от активности привлеченных пользователей, поэтому поддерживайте контакт с ними для повышения их вовлеченности.

Лучшие стратегии привлечения рефералов в Vavada

Первое, что стоит учесть – создание качественного контента. Пользователи доверяют ресурсам, которые предоставляют им полезную информацию. Пишите статьи, делайте обзоры и создавайте видео о предложениях казино, акциях и выигрышах. Это поможет вам установить доверие и привлечь новых клиентов.

Следующий шаг – использование социальных сетей. Публикуйте ваши материалы на платформах, таких как Instagram, Facebook и ВКонтакте. Создавайте сообщества по интересам и делитесь своими успехами. Графические посты с информацией о выигрышах могут вызвать интерес у потенциальных клиентов.

Кроме того, важно разрабатывать акции для своих подписчиков. Например, предлагайте бонусы за каждого нового клиента или проводите конкурсы. Это создаст ощущение вовлеченности и мотивирует пользователей делиться вашей информацией.

Не забывайте про e-mail рассылки. Создайте базу адресов и отправляйте регулярные письма с интересным контентом, акциями и личными предложениями. Сильно работает персонализация, когда вы обращаетесь к каждому клиенту по имени.

Рассмотрите возможность сотрудничества с блогерами и инфлюенсерами. Они могут помочь достичь широкой аудитории, продвигая ваш контент. Выбор правильного партнера, который соответствует вашей нише, увеличит шансы на успешное привлечение новых клиентов.

Также обязательно помните о мобильных пользовательских платформах. Оптимизация вашего контента под мобильные устройства обеспечит доступность информации для всех и повысит шанс на привлечение новых игроков. Включайте в свои материалы ссылки, такие как vavada casino рабочее зеркало, чтобы пользователи могли легко перейти к регистрации.

Инструменты для продвижения реферальной ссылки

Создание контента не требует больших затрат. Блоги, статьи и обзоры помогут привлечь внимание к ссылке. Публикации должны быть информативными и интересными, содержащими ваш уникальный взгляд на тему.

Социальные сети – мощный инструмент. Размещайте посты на популярных платформах, таких как ВКонтакте, Instagram и Facebook. Используйте графику, краткие видеоролики и инфографику для улучшения визуального восприятия.

Email-маркетинг позволяет напрямую обращаться к потенциальным пользователям. Создайте списки рассылки и отправляйте регулярные письма с интересными предложениями, которые содержат вашу ссылку.

Форумы и онлайн-сообщества также являются хорошей площадкой для распространения информации. Участвуйте в обсуждениях, делитесь опытом и вставляйте ссылку в контекст, чтоб она выглядела естественно.

Сайты для обмена баннерами помогут увеличить охват. Найдите партнеров, готовых разместить вашу рекламу в обмен на аналогичное действие.

Реклама в контекстных сетях и на платформах, таких как Google Ads или Яндекс.Директ, обеспечит целевую аудиторию. Настройте кампанию, ориентируясь на интересы пользователей.

Не забывайте о SEO. Оптимизируйте свой контент под поисковые системы, используйтe ключевые слова и фразы, чтобы повысить видимость своих материалов в интернете.

Как отслеживать и анализировать доход от рефералов

Регулярно проверяйте статистику, чтобы знать текущие показатели. Дизайн интерфейса позволяет легко получать доступ к отчетам о доходах.

Следуйте этим рекомендациям:

1. Используйте дашборд для мониторинга ключевых метрик, таких как количество активных пользователей и общий доход.
2. Настройте уведомления о достижении определенных финансовых порогов, чтобы сразу заметить изменения.
3. Анализируйте данные по времени: сравнивайте результаты по неделям и месяцам для выявления трендов.

Выделите категории пользователей, приносящих наибольший доход. Это позволит определить, какие целевые аудитории наиболее прибыльны.

Не забывайте о тестировании: запустите различные маркетинговые стратегии и следите за их влиянием на доход. Это может включать акции, бонусы или специальные предложения.

Регулярные отчеты помогут выявить успешные подходы и скорректировать неэффективные методы. Обращайте внимание на циклы активности пользователей и адаптируйте свои действия к этим данным.

Подводите итоги: ежемесячные и квартальные отчеты помогут чётко понимать общую картину и ставить новые цели.

Частые ошибки партнеров и как их избежать

Игнорирование анализа статистики приводит к упущенным возможностям. Регулярно проверяйте данные, чтобы понять, какие методы работают, а какие нет. Используйте аналитические инструменты для отслеживания активности пользователей.

Отсутствие качественного контента снижение интереса к предложениям. Создавайте оригинальные материалы, которые помогают вашей аудитории принимать решения. Убедитесь, что контент соответствует ожиданиям целевой аудитории.

Некорректная целевая аудитория приводит к неэффективным действиям. Исследуйте свою аудиторию, чтобы точно знать, кому вы предлагаете услуги. Это поможет лучше настраивать рекламные кампании.

Недостаточная активность на платформах общения снижает уровень вовлеченности. Поддерживайте связь с подписчиками через социальные сети, блоги и email-рассылки. Регулярное взаимодействие удерживает интерес и способствует конверсиям.

Неправильная работа с ссылками часто приводит к потере трафика. Убедитесь, что все ссылки работают корректно. Обновляйте их, если меняете содержимое. Используйте короткие и запоминающиеся URL для повышения кликабельности.

Не учитывание правил рекламы может негативно сказаться на репутации. Ознакомьтесь с условиями платформы и соблюдайте их, чтобы избежать блокировок или снижения эффективности рекламы.

Отсутствие тестирования стратегий мешает оптимизации. Проводите A/B тесты, чтобы определить, какие подходы наиболее результативны. Это поможет улучшить конверсию и увеличить доход.

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Several individuals use different typologies and techniques to lauder the proceeds of crime. The below is a non-exhaustive list of red flags which could serve as possible indicators that money laundering activities are taking place.

Whilst it is important to be pointed out that in the case of a red flag, it does not automatically mean that money laundering or terrorism financing activities are taking place, however a more rigorous due diligence must be carried out on that customer.

Some of the most common red flags identified in AML are:

• Cross-Border Money Transfers to Different Accounts to avoid detection from authorities – This could be in the form of rapid transfers to and from different accounts in different countries; funds received from foreign accounts with no clear explanation of its source; payments with no apparent link to a legitimate business.

• Secretive new clients – when new clients avoid meeting in person and when they refuse to answer any questions or even provide false identification details or documentation when carrying out the Know your client (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) processes.

• Unusual Payments by clients and unusual source of funds – when payments are inconsistent with the clients profile, such as for example large cash payments, the use of multiple foreign accounts, unexplained payments made by a third party on their behalf, and the use of cryptocurrency.

• Clients holding high positions – typically related to political exposed persons (PEPs) such as head of states, members of parliament, members of the judiciary, senior executives of stated owned corporations. Officials involved in political parties and senior officials appointed by the government, amongst others.

• Unclear Ultimate beneficial ownership – such as when the identity of the individuals owning the company are not clear due to complex ownership structures or the use of shell companies.

• Countries classified as high risk – Clients deriving from countries subject to financial sanctions or else those countries identified by the FATF or by the EU Commission as being suspected to be involved in corruptive practices, having unstable governments or known as tax or money laundering havens.

• Sanctioned customers – when clients are sanctioned by the UN, EU or even nationally. Such customers are to be considered as high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing.

• Adverse media – the clients are subject to adverse media in any part of the world and linked with criminal activities which could be related with possible predicate offences, which are the criminal offences generating the illegal proceeds of crime.

• Suspicious clients activity – when it results that the clients are living a lavish lifestyle which could not be supported with their declared income.

The post What are the most common red flags in anti-money laundering (AML)? appeared first on Arthur Azzopardi & Associates.

This past week’s power-cuts have spiked countless daily conversations and debates between ordinary residents and business owners alike interested in seeking compensation from Enemalta plc due to the long hours they are suffering without electricity supply.

A   sale  or  a  service  provided or concluded  between a trader and a consumer, in Malta or Gozo shall be deemed to be transactions falling within the competence of the consumer claims tribunal.

That is indeed what a gentleman did in April 2022.  He filed a claim before the Consumer Claims Tribunal (CCT 60/22/MM) for the amount of Eur 62 representing the loss of products he held in his fridge and freezer due to a 20 hour long power-cut between the 4th and 5th August 2021.

The claimant even presented a breakdown of the expenses he claimed, however despite the discomfort he undoubtably suffered in the sweltering summer heat, he did not claim any moral damages.

Enemalta plc claimed that during the time of the claim there had been several ‘high tension faults’ all over Malta and that Enemalta plc was not to blame. It claimed that in terms of article 8 of Chapter 536 of the Laws of Malta it was not responsible for damages.

Enemalta’s engineer and manager had also explained that  generally when a problem occurs in the main cable, Enemalta plc relies on a secondary cable, and on such date concerning the consumer’s claim, the secondary cable could not handle the load. Consequently repairs took over a day and this was not in its control and neither was it avoidable.

Limitations to Enemalta’s liability

Enemalta’s liability is limited by means of article 8 of Chapter 536 of the Laws of Malta, which states:

“A distribution system operator shall not be liable for any loss or damage, whether material or consequential, to any person or property, for any cessation of the supply of energy, which may be due to unavoidable accident, fair wear and tear or overloading due to unauthorised connection of apparatus, or to the reasonable requirements of the electrical system, or to the defects in any electrical installation not provided by the distribution system operator.”

The maximum amount one can claim before the Consumer Claims Tribunal

As of July 2023, the Consumer Claims Tribunal can hear consumer claims which involve the purchase or hire of goods by a consumer from a trader, or for the provision of services by a trader to a consumer in the value of up to €10,000 instead of €5,000. If the value of the claim exceeds €10,000 a claimant may only pursue the claim before the consumer claims tribunal if they declare that the amount of the claim which is in excess of €10,000 is being abandoned.

Is the consumer restricted to the Consumer Claims Tribunal?

The Consumer Claims Tribunal does not have exclusive jurisdiction, and it remains the consumer’s option whether to bring an action against a trader before a tribunal or before the ordinary courts.

Compensation for pain, distress and inconvenience

The Tribunal may, when determining the issues in dispute in any claim or counter-claim before it, order the trader to pay to the consumer a sum of not less than thirty-five euro (€35) and not more than five hundred euro (€500) as moral damages for any pain, distress, anxiety and inconvenience.

Concluding remarks by the Consumer Claims Tribunal (CCT 60/22/MM)

In this particular case, the CCT considered that this incident could not be avoided and thus it rejected the claimants’ claim for Eur 62 representing his fridge and freezers goods, while basing itself on article 8 of Chapter 536 of the Laws of Malta.

The Summer 2023 Power-Cuts

This certainly leaves consumers asking more questions as they wonder whether they will be continuing their favourite book under candle-light tonight.

Have the Summer 2023 power-cuts been avoidable? Is Enemalta still relying on the secondary cable which could not handle the load during those 20 hours in Summer 2021? If it has, have these power-cuts been avoidable this time round? Could the high-tension faults have been predicted given the rising number of consumers in Malta and Gozo?

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Summer is here and what a better way to enjoy the Maltese coast by sailing to every nook and crany around our islands. The craze of buying boats generally starts in winter times and people start to look for good deals not only locally but also abroad. Buying and selling a boat might seem complicated but in reality it is not a difficult feat.

Here are  7 things you need to know before you buy or sell your boat:

1. First and foremost the authority that deals with the registration of boats is the Merchant Shipping Directorate (hereinafter referred to as the Directorate) which is part of Transport Malta.

2. Before any transfer of a boat occurs, buyers and sellers should check that the annual registration fees are duly paid up and no outstanding balances exists. This can be done by verfying with the Directorate.

3. A Bill of Sale should be completed between the buyer and the seller. There are two types of Bill of Sales – Individual or Body Corporate. Individual means that the owner of the boat is a natural person whereas a Body Corporate refers to a company or other legal entity as being the owner of the boat.

4. However, before signing a bill of sale it is important for buyers to check whether the pleasure boat is subject to a mortgage. In this regard, one should seek the help of a lawyer or the Directorate. It is also crucially important that the buyer carries out a survey of the boat and engage the expertise of an expert to ensure that the boat is in a good state to sail.

5. Apart from the Bill of Sale, it is equally crucial, that the buyer signs a declaration of ownership. Similar to the bill of sale, the declaration of ownership can be individual or body corporate. Such a declaration should be accompanied by the identity card or passport and proof of residence of the transferee in the case a natural person is transferring the boat. In the event that the vessel is being transferred to a body corporate then the declaration of ownership shall be accompanied by the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the transferee (the body corporate).

6. The buyer may request a change in name of the boat. Nonetheless, the Directorate shall have the final say whether to accept the change of name.

7. Finally a registration fee on the transfer of ownership shall be paid in full at the Directorate. The Fee is EUR 250.

The information contained in this article does not constitute legal advice. For further information about registration and transferring of boats please contact one of our lawyers at Azzopardi, Borg and Associates Advocates for legal advice.

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In the law of damages, there is the concept of restitutio in integrum. This means that if it is proven that the action or omission of another has resulted in the damage you have suffered, such person is liable to put you in the same position you were in before the damaging event occured.

This rule can be applied to all areas of life. For example, if the pipes of the neighbouring maisonette are leaking onto your property, the owner of the neighbouring maisonette is bound to fix all leakages and any damage that your property has suffered as a consequence of such leakage. Of course, it must be proven that his or her property was the source of the leakage and consequential damage suffered. Indeed, for one to successfully claim damages, there needs to be a link of causation between the act or omission of the other party and the damage suffered by yourself.

To conjure a picture of what a link of causation means, let us take the example of a road incident whereby ‘X’ has been run over by a car driven by ‘Y’. In this example, ‘X’ only suffers slight injuries. ‘X’ is taken to hospital for observation and despite him telling the hospital staff that he has a penicillin allergy, they still proceed to administer penicillin. He has a severe allergic reaction and dies. Is ‘Y’ responsible for ‘X’’s death? No, because here we have what is termed as a ‘break in the link of causation’. This means that while it is true that ‘Y’ ran over ‘X’, ‘X’ only suffered slight injuries from that incident. It was the negligence of the hospital staff that led to his demise. Furthermore, it was not forseeable by ‘Y’ that his actions may lead to the hospital staff’s negligence and the consequential death of ‘X’. The link between cause and effect is thus severed. In such example, the heirs of ‘X’ would have a right of action for damages against the hospital staff.

Continuing to take the hypothetical demise of ‘X’ as our working example, in such scenario, for there to be restitutio in integrum, the heirs of ‘X’ must be compensated. To calculate damages, our Courts take into account the annual salary of the person who suffered the damage (‘X’), the years between ‘X’’s age at the time of the incident and pensionable age (65), and the percentage of disability. A deduction of 20% was traditionally deducted but this percentage nowadays varies. In this example, the percentage of disability would be 100% since the damage caused was death. Therefore, one can only have a 100% rate of disability if the person suffering the damage has died as a result of the damage.

Disability can be both physical and psychological. In the event of both physical and psychological disability – and the respective rates thereto – our Courts use what is known as a ‘weighted average calculation’ to ensure that the rates of disability are equitably applied. One must remember that only death results in 100% disability so a simple addition of percentages does not suffice.

The result of this calculation is to, as much as possible, try and put the person who suffered the damage in the position he or she was in before the event in question. Apart from these two elements, meaning the link of causation and calculation of damage suffered, the Court must also be satisfied that the person causing the damage is actually to blame for such damage. The concept of blame (‘ħtija’), apart from depending on the link of causation, is intrinsically linked to the presence of malice or negligence, but that is a story for another article…

The post You Broke It, You Fix It! appeared first on Arthur Azzopardi & Associates.

Optimize Your Site with Free AIOSEO Pro WordPress Plugin

Discover the features of the free AIOSEO Pro WordPress plugin designed to boost your site’s SEO performance, enhance visibility, and drive organic traffic.

Free WordPress plugin AIOSEO Pro for SEO enhancement

Integrating a powerful optimization tool can significantly elevate the visibility of online content. This specific SEO solution offers a range of features that ensure greater search engine rankings, improved user experience, and streamlined analytics functionality.

Begin by utilizing the automated suggestions feature. This aspect provides personalized recommendations based on current trends and best practices, allowing users to effectively enhance content without extensive technical knowledge. Aim to implement these suggestions regularly for continual improvement in visibility.

Additionally, leverage built-in schema markup capabilities. By utilizing structured data, you can boost click-through rates and enhance the appearance of listings in search results. Ensure each page is properly marked to enhance relevance seen by search engines.

Incorporating keyword management tools is also crucial. Focus on specific phrases that align with your audience’s interests, and monitor performance through the provided analytics dashboard. This enables informed adjustments to strategies to continually meet audience demands.

Regular audits using the site health check functionality can identify areas for further enhancement. Prioritize pages with lower performance metrics and optimize them based on the insights provided. By doing so, the entire platform can experience a notable uplift in engagement.

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing AIOSEO Pro on Your WordPress Site

Access your WordPress dashboard by logging in with your credentials.

Navigate to the Plugins section on the left sidebar and click on Add New.

In the search bar, type the name of the desired tool. If you have purchased the premium version, upload the zip file by clicking Upload Plugin.

Click Install Now next to the correct entry or the uploaded file.

Once the installation completes, activate the tool by clicking on Activate.

Go to the newly added options in the menu to configure settings according to your specific preferences and goals.

Consider exploring additional features under the Settings tab to fully utilize its capabilities.

Regularly check for updates in the Plugins area to ensure optimal performance and security.

Key Configuration Settings to Enhance Your Site’s SEO Performance

Focus on optimizing titles and meta descriptions to align with relevant keywords. Use unique titles for each page, keeping them within 60 characters. Descriptions should encapsulate content, ideally around 155 characters, enticing users to click through.

Utilize XML sitemaps to improve indexing. Ensure that the sitemap is generated automatically and submitted to search engines such as Google and Bing. Regular updates will help crawl these pages accurately.

Implement structured data markup to enhance visibility in search results. This aids search engines in understanding the content’s context, improving rich snippets for better click-through rates.

Configure social media settings to enhance sharing. Optimizing Open Graph and Twitter Card settings allows a more visually appealing representation of your content on social platforms which can drive traffic back.

Use the built-in 404 error tracking feature to monitor and address broken links. This practice not only improves user experience but also prevents potential penalties from search engines.

Focus on monitoring and analyzing traffic data through integrated analytics tools. Regularly reviewing performance metrics helps identify trends and opportunities for further improvement.

Invest time in optimizing images with descriptive file names and alt tags, enhancing discoverability through image search. Aim for smaller file sizes to improve loading speeds while maintaining quality.

For comprehensive features and capabilities, consider accessing the all in one seo pro download free for enhanced functionalities geared toward boosting your online presence.

Utilizing AIOSEO Pro’s Tools to Analyze and Improve Content Visibility

Leverage the built-in content analysis tool to assess keyword usage. Enter your target phrase into the designated field and receive immediate feedback on keyword density, placement, and suggestions for improvement. Ensure that keywords appear in the title, headings, and throughout the text.

Conduct a thorough readability check to enhance engagement. Utilize the readability score feature to identify potential barriers and adjust sentence length, complexity, and structure accordingly. Aim for clear, concise language that appeals to your audience.

Implement the sitemap generation tool for improved indexing. By submitting your sitemap to major search engines, you facilitate easier navigation and quicker detection of changes to your content. Regularly update the sitemap to reflect new posts or modifications.

Use the social media preview functionality to boost content sharing. Customize how your content appears when shared on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Select compelling images and craft engaging descriptions to attract clicks and shares.

Analyze competitor data through the insights feature. Review their keyword strategies and backlink profiles to identify opportunities for your content. Adapt your approach based on successful tactics observed in your niche.

Regularly monitor analytics and performance metrics. Track page views, bounce rates, and user behavior to determine what resonates with your audience. Use this data to refine future content creation strategies.

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