"Man is by nature a political animal"- Aristotle

Big Ears is Back!

2011-08-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the UEFA Champions League there's no such thing as an easy match. Every match, as uneven on paper as the teams may seem, is liable to cause a surprise; it would neither be the first time nor would it be the last. Yet by large there are matches which are definitely more challenging than others. Yesterday we saw the draw for group stage of this year's UEFA Champions League....it saw a couple of interesting draws and some rather less interesting pair up's.

Group A

Bayern Munich

Villarreal

Manchester City

Napoli

It would be fair to say that the group with a representative from Italy, England, Spain and Germany is by far this year's group of death. For a Bayern Munich hopeful of making it to the final to be held in their own Allianz Arena and a Manchester City hoping to show long time rivals Manchester United that they can make it too, life could not be any more complicated. Bayern Munich can be fairly equated to be the strongest side of this group but not by enough to make their safe passage as obvious fact. The truth is that in this group even the team from the 4th pot is by far a team capable of handling the strongest of sides and the most hostile of environments. Napoli are no push over and I'm sure that will be keen to prove that upon their return in Europe. Manchester City have a squad to be envied and an experienced Roberto Mancini as coach. Yet for Manchester City this is its first European adventure. Doesn't mean Manchester City should be taken as a novice easily brushed away but the fact that its all so new will definitely make the challenge more challenging for the Blues. Villarreal may lack the glamour and glitz of Real Madrid and Barcelona but its a quality side able to perform when required.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 1st, Manchester City 2nd

Group B

Inter

CSKA Moscow

Lille

Trabzonspor

By far one of the less interesting groups is Group B which should see Inter making it through to the next stage fairly early. Putting aside the away match to CSKA Moscow Inter should have no trouble at all doing away with all the other teams. Trabzonspor shouldn't even be in the UEFA Champions League. They're actually filling in for corruption ridden Fenerbahce; they had failed to make it to this stage on their own merit. Lille is no push over and can over a good match but they are no match for the giants which are Inter. CSKA Moscow will make the best use of home advantage....but home advantage is their single biggest asset.

Prediction: Inter 1st, CSKA Moscow 2nd

Group C

Manchester United

Benfica

Basel

Otelul

Manchester United and Benfica are two quality sides who will surely give each other a good run for their money. I do believe Manchester United to be a stronger side, better able to handle a strong opponent both home and away but Benfica are perhaps a worthy challenger. Overall however Manchester United should find life in the UEFA Champions League fairly easier then rivals Manchester City. Basel and Otelul may be worthy opponents in their respective league but if they want a crack at United they're going to have to make good use of the park the bus in front of the goal post kind of play....and make sure Wayne Rooney doesn't score! I do believe that this group will see a much harsher battle between Basel and Otelul for 3rd place than it will for 1st and 2nd place.

Prediction: Manchester United 1st, Benfica 2nd

Group D

Real Madrid

Olyimpique Lyon

Ajax

Dynamo Zagreb

Taking away Real Madrid from the equation this group is so well balanced its almost interesting. Lyon, Ajax and Zagreb are definitely fairly even matched and the matches they play against each other will surely be interesting pair up's between rather low key sides with a strong desire to make it big and with the potential to be the black horse in the race. Real Madrid of course are by far in a league of their own here and apart from Lyon I can't see the other teams handle the pressure of playing in Madrid.

Prediction: Real Madrid 1st, Ajax 2nd

Group E

Chelsea

Valencia

Bayer Leverkusen

Genk

No disrespect intended but Genk seem to have a pretty tall order here! There is surely no debating the superb class of Chelsea. The team is simply studded with class and causes fear in almost any opponent. A trip to Stamford Bridge is never a walk in the park, and Chelsea's new coach will be eager to cement that reputation. Valencia on their part are another team with such a great history, such class, such an ability to snatch those all important 3 points. Bayer Leverkusen have a canny ability of being the black horse that makes it successfully past the finish line. Genk are to be respected and have shown resolve in making it this far, but I fear they will be somewhat outclassed at this level.

Prediction: Chelsea 1st, Bayer Leverkusen 2nd

Group F

Arsenal

Marseille

Olympiacos

Borussia Dortmund

The team from the 1st pot is not always the best team in the group....nothing proves that statement more than this group. Arsenal are by far a shadow of their former past and Wenger might well learn that all too painfully in his native France. The Gunners do not have the fire power needed to overcome a very strong and competitive Marseille side. Borussia Dortmund might also be a cause of worry for the Gunners. Olympiacos won't fair badly....but they'll fail to shine.

Predictions: Marseille 1st, Borussia Dortmund 2nd

Group G

Porto

Shahktar Donetsk

Zenit St. Petersburg

Apoel

This group is the chance of a life time group. Take away Porto these teams are all strong teams with a fairly decent squad who have always failed to move ahead. Playing against one another should provide the excellent chance to prove themselves. Yet again Zenit will have to make best use of home advantage....but it won't be easy against neighbours Shahktar. Apoel might find the going slightly beyond it.

Prediction: Porto 1st, Zenit St. Petersburg 2nd

Group H

Barcelona

AC Milan

Bate Borisov

Viktoria Plzen

No game is easy...but for AC Milan it couldn't get any tougher then facing mighty Barcelona. Barcelona are well poised to make a good run for a back to back UEFA Champions League victory. Their team is sheer world class and it seems nobody and nothing can stop Pep Guardiola's side from knocking victory after victory. A match against the Italian Champions should surely give Pep's side a good test, but I do believe Barcelona can gain the upper hand over AC Milan, especially on opening day at the Camp Nou. AC Milan will thus have to make sure they play quality games against Bate Borisov and Viktoria Plzen, teams whose lack of fame should not cloud anyone's judgment into thinking that they are not worthy opponents capable of winning.

Prediction: Barcelona 1st, AC Milan 2nd

Free Libya!

2011-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

The unfolding events in our southern neighbour are as amazing and surprising as they are historic. Who would have guessed that Muammar Gaddafi's reign of terror had less than a year to go when his Jamahirya celebrated its anniversary last year? Who have guessed that Green Square would see the chants of people celebrating the end of the brutal Gaddafi regime last year as the Jamahirya celebrated its anniversary?

For 42 years Libya and its people was burdened by the tyrannical regime of Muammar Gaddafi. For 42 years it was illegal to speak to your mind in Libya. For 42 years criticism of the authorities meant torture and death in Libya. For 42 years Libya's resources were mere pawns in the hands of Muammar Gaddafi rather then the resources of the Libyan people. For 42 years Libyans knew no rights! For 42 years Libyans knew only one thing....Muammar Gaddafi was the unchangeable be all and do all.

The fact that this reign of brutality and terror has come to an end is historic as much as it is promising. Some have tried to dampen the true significance of what is happening in Libya by raising questions about the Transitional National Council. Whilst one is justified in asking questions about the Transitional National Council it would be somewhat pessimistic to assume the worst.

Still a long way to go

Libya still has a long way to go! Not only is 20% of Tripoli still occupied by forces loyal to Gaddafi but indeed the old mad dessert dog is still very much a free man. Arrestin Saif Al Islam Gaddafi was definitely a good start, but its going to take the old man himself to sink the Green Revolution once and for all. Yet this too still leaves Libya a long way to go. Libya needs to establish law and order, a judicial system which respects basic human rights and a constitution which respects the basic tenants of democracy. Libya indeed still has a long way to go; yet it would have no way to go had the Transitional National Council not started their rebellion back in February! That alone should serve to give all faith in the goodwill of the Transitional National Council.

The Shame of a nation

US President Barack Obama saw it as positive news....so did British Prime Minister David Cameron, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, EU Council President Herman von Rompuy, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and a whole host of other nations' leaders. Locally the Nationalist Party, the Labour Party and Alternattiva Demokratika all hailed the news as positive and welcoming. It would therefore take our dear former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici to go against the flow wouldn't it? For those of you who didn't read his comments on The Times click here to read what I'm talking about.

If I told you that I was surprised that KMB still had strong sympathies for the brutal tyrant next door I'd be lying. I had no doubt in my head that KMB would remain a supporter of Gaddafi and his brutal regime to the bitter end. My surprise was more in the form of KMB being daft enough to admit it publicly. Then again perhaps I was forgetting history for this is the man that warned Gaddafi of an imminent attack against Libya following comments by Libya justifying international terrorism thus saving his life and allowing his reign of terror to go on.

Its a darn good thing that this poor excuse for a politician is no longer our Prime Minister! One shudders to think what would have happened if he were at this time of great change for our neighbour...change hailed by many as the dawn of new hope for the Libyan people but feared by Gaddafi, his henchmen and it seems our very own Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.

An Outdated and out-of-touch mentality

2011-08-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

I was somewhat perplexed to read George Zammit’s letter Reasons Why Marriage Is On The Rocks (August 2). I found Mr Zammit’s letter to be nothing short of advocating a chauvinist society; a society that does not appreciate the beauty of the term “gender equality”; a society that bears very little, if any at all, respect for women.

Mr Zammit states: “I would not have allowed her to work since I am against married women working. I believed, and still do, that the woman’s place is in the home looking after her children” in reference to his wife’s career as a teacher prior to marrying him. By what right does Mr Zammit feel his wife needs to obtain his permission to have a job? By what right does Mr Zammit feel any man should decide matters for his wife? By what right does Mr Zammit feel that males should hold this air of superiority within a marriage? By what logic does Mr Zammit conclude that looking after the children is a woman’s job and not equally a man’s job? By what logic does Mr Zammit exclude the possibility of the father of the children giving his share in taking care of the children?

Mr Zammit then goes on to state: “Another reason why marriages are on the rocks is the University. Once women go to University and graduate their prime target is their career not the family. Once they get married, graduated women lead a very independent life and their marriage is one of convenience”. Might I ask what Mr Zammit means to imply here? Is he implying that women should be stopped from going to University? Is he implying that women should be deprived of the chance to obtain a higher education? Is he implying that us males should be scared of independent women? Is he implying that a woman has less of a right to have a career and a proper education than a man?

Mr Zammit then makes one final point when he states: “The latest nail in the coffin of marriage is the ‘separation of acquests’ as opposed to ‘the community of acquests’. What this means is that the husband and wife lead a separate life and there is simply nothing to bind them together”.

Perhaps Mr Zammit would have been more honest had he made this statement in a less diplomatic manner but more truthful to his line of thought, namely that what scares him in the separation of acquests as opposed to the community of acquests is that the woman is no longer dependent on her husband in order to make ends meet. What truly scares Mr Zammit is that the husband has lost his financial leverage over his wife.

Mr Zammit then makes a final statement when he states: “In the past 60 years I have never heard the Church leaders – the bishops – condemning the campaign encouraging women to go to work”.

Is Mr Zammit seriously advocating that the bishops should, like himself, join the chauvinist bandwagon of this outdated and out of touch mentality, which bases itself upon massive disrespect towards women? Does Mr Zammit seriously believe that it is Christian to regard women as being simply home carers and nothing else?

Mr Zammit, I too am saddened at the bishops’ silence, only my sadness stems from the fact that the bishops have never openly supported the call for more women to join the working world!

Published in The Times, Wednesday August 3rd 2011

In love with stone age!

2011-07-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Recently whilst browsing Facebook I found a link to an interesting blog. The blog belonged to the Pro Tridentina (Malta) which you can visit by clicking here which group describes itself as, "Pro Tridentina (Malta) hija soċjetà li essenzjalment tixtieq tara ċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-Quddiesa bir-Rit Tridentin (Forma Straordinarja tal-Quddies) fl-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta u fid-Djoċesi t’Għawdex. Din hija wkoll ix-xewqa tal-Q.T. Papa Benedittu XVI hekk kif miktub fil-motu proprio Summorum Pontificum (2007), fl-ittra li bagħat lill-isqfijiet madwar id-dinja (2007) u fl-istruzzjoni Universae Ecclesiae (2011)". This particular blog decided to launch an attack against Fr. Karm Debattista of the MSSP simply because Fr. Karm spoke the plain truth about the Tridentine mass.

It seems that not everyone in the Catholic world has realized that times have changed and that the church has necessarily had to ring in some changes. Even more shockingly, it seems some are not only in denial as to the need of the church to further update itself but indeed wish to turn the clock backwards; going back to medieval rituals. It seems some fail to understand the spirit of Vatican Council II and long for the pre-Vatican Council II days when the church basked in arrogance and old-fashioned dogma.

I shall not go on listing my arguments against the re-introduction of the Tridentine mass, I shall instead post here an article written by a Roman Catholic priest in a Catholic publication; an article which demonstrated my feelings perfectly. The original article may be found here.

Beyond language

Mark Francis - 14 July 2007

Pope Benedict's sanction for wider use of the Tridentine Mass is an unprecedented change in the Church's liturgical life. But as this professor of liturgy argues, it also has troubling theological and pastoral consequences

The long-expected motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI, permitting a wider use of the 1962 edition of the "Missal of Pius V" - the so-called Tridentine Mass - has finally been published, containing elements that are sure to displease traditionalists and progressives alike.

Understandably, the majority of Catholics "in the middle" may wonder what the fuss is all about since only a small minority has voiced an ardent desire to return to the old rite. It is very unlikely that Catholics will flock en masse to their local parishes to demand that altars be turned back to the wall and that money be set aside for the purchase of new baroque chasubles with matching maniples, pax boards, and the reinstallation of communion rails.

Nevertheless, publication of "Summorum Pontificum" is troubling. Given the negative reaction that the possibility of this motu proprio provoked among many bishops - especially in France - and despite Benedict XVI's repeated statements in support of collegiality, it is disappointing that he seems to have given greater weight to a small group of advisers (and perhaps to his own personal piety) rather than to bishops who are more in touch with the pastoral life of the church.

Until now, the Pope, who is not a trained liturgist, has shown interest and sensitivity in liturgical matters. The motu proprio, though, seems to betray a real misunderstanding of liturgy's role in the life of the Church. It is ironic that, given the Pope's often-voiced antipathy toward relativism as both the bane of modern life and a threat to the integrity of the faith, he himself seems to have succumbed to the very relativism that he has so often denounced. It is legitimate to wonder, given liturgical history, theology, canon law, and pastoral practicalities, whether the liturgy is being taken seriously by this motu proprio or being treated as just another choice available in the "Catholic cafeteria".

A logical place to start any discussion is the designation of the Tridentine Rite in the apostolic letter as the "extraordinary Roman Rite". Such a designation has no precedent in the liturgical history of the Church and is based on the debatable presumption that the use of the Tridentine Rite was not abrogated by the publication of the liturgical books mandated by Vatican II.

From 1970, when the Missal of Paul VI was promulgated, to 1984 when the Congregation for Divine Worship issued an indult to allow a local bishop to permit celebrations of the old rite, the abrogation of the Tridentine Missal was taken for granted. In 1988 Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter Ecclesia Dei adflicta called for a "generous application of the directives" already stipulated in the 1984 indult. Again it emphasised that permission to use the old rite is a pastoral concession to those spiritually unable to adapt themselves to the new rite, provided that this did not imply a rejection of the Second Vatican Council or the validity of the liturgical reform. The use of the old rite was not presented in either of these documents as "normative" in any way.

In the context of this rather ambiguous disciplinary situation, it is helpful to reflect on the nature of a "rite" within the Church. The Roman Rite is one of 23 recognised "rites" of the Catholic Church. The term "rite" encompasses not only the Order of Mass and - at least traditionally speaking - is a way to describe how a given group of Christians expresses their faith in life and worship. It goes beyond issues of language, rubrics or ceremonial directives of the Mass to differences in designating liturgical time, the assignment of particular saints' days, the particular style of liturgical prayer employed in all of the sacramental rites, along with distinctive gestures and movements used in these liturgical celebrations.

The adoption of a new calendar that altered the liturgical year and modified the relative importance of certain feasts and memorials, the removal of saints from sanctoral cycle that were deemed unhistorical, the revision of the celebration of funerals, the re-introduction of the adult catechumenate, all significantly changed the liturgy, no matter how much the Pope may argue for continuity between the old and new Roman Rites.

Historical precedent also demonstrates that the "Tridentine Rite" was meant to be abrogated in 1970. It simply cannot be argued, for example, that after the sixteenth century there were two officially recognised ways of celebrating the Roman Rite. Designating the old and new rites "uses" within the same rite is an attempt at canonical sleight of hand and does not solve the problem. While it is true that when the "Missal of Pius V" was promulgated, there were local medieval "usages" in France, such as the rite of the City of Lyon, these were permitted as a concession to centuries-old territorial custom. Nor can it be reasonably argued that the "Tridentine Rite" ought to be accorded the same status as one of the Oriental rites, since the ancient rites of the Eastern Churches are the expression of Christianity lived over centuries by a given nation or ethnic group within a limited geographical territory.

It also seems clear that Pope Paul VI intended to replace the previous Missal and wanted to restore the liturgy by returning "to the original norm of the holy Fathers" (general introduction to the 1970 Roman Missal). The sixteenth-century framers of the "Missal of Pius V", which dates from 1570, were unable to do so because they lacked adequate historical resources, for they were unable to refer to manuscripts dating earlier than the pontificate of Innocent III, around 1216. As a result much of the Tridentine Rite is a hybrid of medieval Franco-Germanic elements fused to a Roman core that dates from the late sixth century.

That is why Paul VI's novus ordo is closer to "the original norm of the holy Fathers" than the Tridentine Rite. Article Six of the Preamble to the General Instruction of the "Missal of Paul VI" implies as much by stating that there was something that was incomplete about the old missal since "the older Roman Missal [that of Pius V] is brought to fulfilment in the new" [that of Paul VI].

As a product of the sixteenth century and compiled during the height of the Reformation, the "Missal of Pius V" reflects the Church's antagonistic relationship to a larger world that was seen as opposing its authority and traditions. This can be easily seen in some of the Ad diversa Mass formulas which maintain earlier, medieval texts - for example, a Mass "Against the Pagans".

Perhaps the most problematic aspect of the "Tridentine Rite" is its treatment of Judaism. While the adjective "perfidious" describing the Jews was removed from the 1962 edition of the Missal there are still prayers that call for their conversion in direct contradiction to Vatican II's "Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions" (see Nostra Aetate 4). In much the same vein, the Missal refers to Christians of other Churches as heretics and schismatics - descriptions of fellow Christians that are unlikely to promote much ecumenical dialogue. And since the lectionary attached to this Missal proposes practically no readings from the Old Testament it represents a deficient liturgical presentation of God's Word - a problem that the Council fathers sought to remedy (see Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 51).

The ecclesiology expressed by the old rite reflects the very limited liturgical attention the Counter-Reformation Church gave to the baptised faithful. It was the role of the ordained that was highlighted, and the gathered assembly is not even mentioned in the introductory material and rubrics of the "Missal of Pius V", thereby reducing their role to mute spectators.

In addition to the ecclesiological problems, another weakness of the "Tridentine Rite" is its anaemic pneumatology - or theology of the Holy Spirit. While the faith of the Church expressed in the liturgy is in the Triune God - we pray to the Father, with the Son, in the Holy Spirit - try as you may, it is difficult to discern an epiclesis (an invocation of the Holy Spirit over the gifts and people) in the Roman Canon; an element commonly agreed in East and West to be as an important element for a theologically complete Eucharistic Prayer.

All of the new Eucharistic Prayers composed for the "Missal of Paul VI" have such an invocation. Reverting to a pneumatologically weak formulation of the central act of the Church's worship (the Roman Canon being the only Eucharistic Prayer in the "Missal of Pius V") clearly impoverishes the worship of those who would exclusively use this Missal.

While the theological problems of the "Tridentine Rite" are at odds with the teachings of the Council, the pastoral difficulties that will accompany the implementation of this motu proprio may prove to be an even greater problem, starting with the priests themselves. Where will competent priests, willing to celebrate the Mass and other sacraments according to the old rite, come from? Are we now to offer Latin and liturgy courses in seminaries to train our new priests to offer the Rite of Mass and the sacraments of the Medieval Rite on demand along with the liturgical rites mandated by Vatican II?

The official proclamation that this medieval rite is "extraordinary" compromises the coherence of the Church's self-understanding and threatens to reduce the liturgy to a simple matter of individual "taste" rather than what it is meant to be: an accurate reflection of what we believe as Catholic Christians who live in the twenty-first century. Although cited several times in the document, the hallowed patristic axiom lex orandi, lex credendi (how we pray, so we believe) has been seriously ignored in this motu proprio.

In short, "Summorum Pontificum" weakens the unity of the Church by failing to support the foundational insights of the Second Vatican Council.

Kwistjoni ta' principju!

2011-07-15T09:14:00.001-07:00

Illum zgur li kullhadd qara dwar ir-rizenja ta' Cyrus Engerer minn membru tal-Partit Nazzjonalista u minn kull kariga li dan kellu fi hdan il-Partit Nazzjonalista. Ahbar li zgur gibdet l-attenzjoni ta' dawk kollha li jsegwu x-xena politika Maltija b'certu attenzjoni.

Nibda dan il-blog billi l-ewwel u qabel kollox nawgura lil Cyrus Engerer li jsib postu fi hdan il-Partit Laburista. J'alla jkun komdu fi hdan il-Partit Laburista u hemm hekk ikompli bil-hidma politika tieghu. Zgur li fuq livell personali ma' nista qatt hlief nitieqlu 'all the best' bhalma jghidu l-Inglizi. Naturalment dan ma jfissirx li naqbel mad-decizjoni ta' Cyrus Engerer li jirrizenja mill-Partit Nazzjonalista u wisq inqas li fl-istess nifs jissieheb fi hdan il-Partit Laburista.

Kwistjoni ta' Principju

Cyrus Engerer stqarr li dak li waslu biex jirrizenja kien il-vot tal-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi fil-parlament dwar id-divorzju u l-fatt li fil-Partit Nazzjonalista, skond Engerger, baqa jippersisti hsieb konservattiv. Nsib din ir-raguni kemm xejn kurjuza ghaliex nhoss li fil-politika dejjem trid tara s-sitwazzjoni fil-komplessivita taghha. Possibli li l-politika Maltija saret mija fil-mija gudikabbli mill-kwistjoni tad-divorzju? Possibli li l-ligi l-gdida tad-divorzju saret importanti sall-punt li ninsew kull element iehor?

Lil Cyrus Engerer jien niftakru jitkellem dwar il-kisbiet passati tal-Partit Nazzjonalista fosthom shubija fl-Unjoni Ewropea u anke il-qaghda ekonomika tal-pajjiz. Possibli dan kollu jista' jigi mwarrab hekk facli?

Naturalment Cyrus Engerer kellu kull dritt ma' jaqbilx mal-vot tal-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi. Sahansitra ghandu kull dritt ma' jaqbilx ma' elementi ohra mit-tmexija ta' Lawrence Gonzi. Dik hija s-sbuhija tad-demokrazija. Izda jien nemmen li jekk verament temmen fil-principji tal-Partit Nazzjonalista; jekk verament ghalik dawn il-principji huma tant gheziez li tasal toffri hinek fl-attivizmu politiku allura kif f'daqqa wahda dawn il-principji twarrabhom en masse u sahansitra tibda thossok 'at home' fid-dar ta' partit li ghandu principji politici differenti?

Shubija fil-Partit Laburista

Kien l-element ta' shubija fi hdan il-Partit Laburista li sibt l-aktar stramb f'dan kollu. Jien nifhem perfettament li hawn min jemmen fil-valuri u l-principji tal-Partit Laburista u j'alla min jemmen fil-principji Laburista jkompli bil-hidma fejjieda tieghu fi hdan il-Partit Laburista ghaliex demokrazija tehtieg diversi partiti b'sahhithom. Pero l-Partit Laburista naturalment ghandu principji politici differenti mill-Partit Nazzjonalista. Ghalhekk bidla hekk malajr minn partit ghall-iehor fil-livell ta' attivizmu nsibha kemm xejn prematura.

Il-liberta'

Cyrus Engerer fl-ahhar jiem ilmenta dwar id-demokrazija. Din ukoll nsibha stramba ghaliex il-Partit Nazzjonalista tant dejjem zamm il-bieb miftuh ghall-ideat u hsibijiet politici differenti; tant dejjem il-Partit Nazzjonalista emmen li s-sahha politika tigi mid-diversita' fil-hsieb li dejjem halla lil kullhadd fil-liberta' li jghid tieghu. Dan jista' jixhdu Cyrus innifsu li tul il-kampanja tar-referendum ma' sab ebda problema jkun parti mill-grupp Stand Up li kien qed jikkampanja favur id-dhul tal-ligi tad-divorzju f'Malta. L-awguri tieghi lil Cyrus huwa li din l-istess tip ta' liberta' issa jsibha fi hdan il-Partit Laburista ghalkemm onestament ghandi d-dubji tieghi dwar dan.

Nirrispetta l-posizzjoni

Dan li ktibt m'ghandux jittiehed bl-ebda mod bhala attakk fuq Cyrus Engerer. Dawn huma biss xi riflessjonijiet personali tieghi ghal din l-ahbar. Bhalma ga ghidt nawguralu f'din l-esperjenza gdida tieghu fi hdan il-Partit Laburista. Fuq livell personali hbieb konna u mija nibqu; fuq livell politiku ma' nistax hlief assolutament ma' naqbilx mad-decizjoni tieghu u mal-motivazzjoni li hu stqarr waslitu ghal din id-decizjoni. Naturalment huwa jinstab fil-liberta' li jaghmel din id-decizjoni ghaliex ahna nghixu f'demokrazija; demokrazija li hadem ghaliha l-istess Partit Nazzjonalista li llum Cyrus Engerer ghazel li jabbanduna.

The End is Near!

2011-07-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

The European Union is a failed project; its a dream thats about to collapse; the Euro is nearing its death and is only still alive because some insist on keeping it alive....these statements and more are pretty common for the EU-skeptic camp. Before I go on allow me to ask you watch a short video on You Tube. Its a speech by a certain Nigel Farrage, the link is available by clicking here, an MEP on behalf of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), a rather colorful figure who might perhaps have been better suited for stand up comedy as opposed to European politics.

EU Skepticism is not new ladies and gentleman....

If anyone thinks that skepticism about the European project is new, they are most certainly mistaken. Ever since the European Coal and Steal Community was born, politicians have come and gone predicting doom and gloom. How could a continent so divided in its past ever be united they asked? How could it all work they asked? It will all fail they predicted! Yet fail it didn't; it continued to grow and economic union became political union. The likes of Farrage and perhaps on the local level Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and his cronies at CNI are neither new nor innovative in what they say.

Times of Crises...

Euro-Skeptics have lately been having a field day mentioning how the economic situation proves beyond doubt that the EU dream will soon have to be laid to be rest. Here too however its all a case of deja' vu. Former French President Charles De Gaulle sparked off a huge crises known as the Empty Chair crises when he simply walked away...many predicted the end was near, many predicted that the crises would not be overcome...many tried to use to occasion to revive nationalism in its old sense...and yet here we are, listening to this arguments all over again.

Time to stop denying the truth and start accepting reality

Often enough I feel sorry for Euro-skeptics. They're so lost fearing the EU and its supposedly evil nature that they are missing the reality boat; that this dream is indeed our reality and that we are all part of it. Our choice isn't between being a part of the EU or not being a part of the EU. Our choice as Europeans is whether we are going to strive to make this project a success or whether we shall stay wasting time, stamping our feet and yammering on and on without noticing that the reality of the modern day world has turned this once dream into a necessary reality.

Europe's history and the modern day world are the best proof that the European Union is not the dream of some fanatics as Farrage puts it but rather it is a vision. Insisting that Europe as a continent is better off with states acting on their own without any cooperation between one another is simply unrealistic.

The Crises will be overcome...

There is little doubt in my mind that indeed the economic crises currently swamping the EU will be overcome; just like past challenges have been overcome. There is little doubt in my mind that the EU project will continue to strive ahead forging stronger ties between fellow European nations. And last but not least there is little doubt in my mind that the Euro-skeptics will live on, yammering on waiting for the next occasion to predict doom and gloom.

ALPA's Russian Roulette!

2011-07-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

The right to strike is a sacrosanct right of workers; obtained through much strife in the past and after workers having suffered to obtain this vital right. Indeed the acquisition of the right to strike is perhaps the best guarantee a worker has against being bullied by his employer. It is the ultimate protector of worker's rights. To this end the importance of trade unions cannot be minimized; ultimately it would be pointless to have the right to strike if there is no coordinator to coordinate the strike and make it effective. Trade Unions are thus that entity which guarantees that workers are best able to fight for their rights in a coordinated and effective manner.

The Difference Between a strike and pressing the self destruct

Although the right to strike is sacrosanct and should not be taken away from workers; as in every right it carries with it duties. A union ordering a strike must be careful, making sure that its action ultimately will result in rewards for its members and not for greater hardships. This simple, perhaps obvious, point seems to be not so obvious for ALPA (Airline Pilots Association-Malta). ALPA has spent the last couple of days holding Air Malta and indeed the nation at ransom by threatening to ground all Air Malta flights next Saturday.

The crises situation at Air Malta cannot be understated. Our national airline is at serious risk and at the moment the priority should be that of saving this national entity of vital importance to our country's economy. The blame game should definitely take a back burner until Air Malta is on solid ground and everyone should work constructively at finding the optimal solution. The Union of the Cabin Crew has seemingly understood this, the Union of the Airline Engineers has seemingly understood this, even the militant General Workers Union has seemingly understood this. Such cannot be said for ALPA led by Captain Domenic Azzopardi.

ALPA it seems, fails to understand that Air Malta is no state to afford a major strike and any such action can only push Air Malta beyond the edge of the cliff. ALPA it seems fails to understand that by ordering a strike it will be endangering the jobs not only of its members but indeed of thousands of other workers, families, business and ultimately this country's economy. It seems however that ALPA have adopted an attitude of not bothering with any considerations as long as ALPA and Capt. Azzopardi make their point; even if to make this point the price is going to be sky high.

Right to demand better solutions

ALPA has every right to demand alternative solutions; it has every right to demand that its workers be given the best situation possible and not a bummer deal; that is after all a trade union's primary function. Such can be done in a manner which does not hold an entire nation at ransom. Ultimately if our name as a country gets damaged, ALPA's members will suffer along with the rest of us.

Responsibility

The ball lies firmly in ALPA's court. It can choose to talk responsibly just as fellow trade unions such as Forum Unions Maltin, General Workers Union and others have done or it can choose the road it is currently on. Ultimately if ALPA leads to the collapse of Air Malta I believe ALPA and those leading it, should be held accountable.

L'Arriva Che Non Arriva!

2011-07-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Ahjar bqajna bis-servizz l-antik....jew almenu bir-rottot l-antiki

Think back at the comments you've heard from people or maybe the comments you've read on Facebook or timesofmalta.com and ask yourself whether you've read that comment a couple of dozen times. It saddens me to read such comments but it doesn't surprise me the least bit. First of all I would choose to split that statement in two and examine each half separately. The more commonly said half is definitely that of the old routes being retained. It is crystal clear that anyone saying this simply has no idea as to the whole concept behind the reform. The whole point of this reform is not to get new air conditioned buses, or drivers in ties instead of shirts but rather the whole point of the reform is to introduce a new way of operating public transport in Malta. Our old system pretty much goes back to 1905 and has no currency in the modern day world. The concept of a system built around the centrality of Valletta as the main city in Malta and with routes which are short and uncomplicated but often not so frequent is miles away from a modern day European system which sees routes which are perhaps longer and more complex but are by far more frequent and hence more efficient. It is precisely in attempting to make this shift, from a 1905 system to a modern day European system that we chose to abandon the old routes and go for a new network altogether. Some have suggested that perhaps it would have been wiser to retain the old network and merely add new routes to it. Yet this would have still saddled us with a 1905 system making the adoption of a new European style system impossible and can perhaps be best described by using the Maltese idiom, "traqqa l-pannu bil-qargha hamra".

This of course leaves the less common but still uttered phrase of nostalgia for the old service. I'm not a betting man but I'm ready to play my ten cents that the people saying this are the same people who a few weeks ago where complaining how Malta's bus service is shoddy and uncomfortable and how it needs changing immediately! To feel any sort of nostalgia for the old service per se only proves that one is complaining for the sake of doing so or merely that one is not a frequent commuter of Malta's public transport service.

L-Aircondition ma hadimx...l-aircondition kien kiesah wisq....l-aircondition ma kienx kiesah bizzejed.....Domt siegha nistenna f'xemx tizreg....Tant domt sejjer li fil-hin li ghamilt fuq tal-linja kont nasal l-Alaska...u hafna hafna HAFNA aktar...

It seems our English teachers are guilty of not teaching us the English idiom 'Rome was not built in a day'. Was Arriva's launch perfect? Was it problem free? Where there absolutely no hitches and glitches? Of course not and anyone who expected something different was evidently not being very realistic. Just think back to your first day at the job or your first exam, was it easy and problem free? Highly unlikely I would say! Don't get me wrong; I honestly really feel sorry for those commuters who had to wait in the basking Maltese sun and every attempt should be made to solve the kinks in the service as fast as possible to avoid such situations. I honestly also feel sorry for those workers who turned up late at the job because of the bus service and hope that they will not face penalization when they have no guilt. However lets not loose sight of the fact that Arriva is still in its beginning stages here in Malta and its going to take some time to settle in. Add to this the decision of some 60 plus of the old service drivers who chose to take up employment with Arriva who on the eve of the launch decided to strike unilaterally even when their trade union urged them to turn up work thus leaving Arriva under staffed and with some routes impossible to man; the situation was bound to be difficult. Does this mean that the reform has failed? Does this spell doom for Arriva in Malta? Far from it; with a bit of patience and a bit of time to settle in, Arriva can and shall be a success in Malta; we just need to hold on a bit; it shouldn't be too difficult; we've been saddled with the same service since 1905, surely a week or two more isn't going to kill us is it?

As for the comments on air conditions being too cold or too hot...all I can say is...keep them coming...if thats the only problem you can notice about the service then the service can't be that bad!

Taf x'qalulna...min irid jitfa l-uniformi hawn...ghada nigu u ma nohorgux ebda trakk

The scenes broadcast last Saturday on timesofmalta.com were sad and worrying. The days of the bullying tactics, obscene yelling and total disregard for the public are over and anyone not willing to accept this simple fact should have no space in Arriva. It is thus with gladness that I read that those workers who simply did not turn up for work have now been given the sack! They deserved no better. My hope is that they will not be allowed to somehow put their name on the unemployment register. They had a job and they only lost is because they where capricious with it! There actions have inflicted much anguish on Maltese public transport commuters.

Imma jahasra l-antiki kienu tant sbieh...ser narmuwhom hekk qishom qatt ma kienu?

Perhaps one of the few sensible discussions taking place as a result of this reform is the question of what to do with the old buses. It is without doubt that the old buses have more than done their time as vehicles of public transportation and it is without doubt that changing them in their entirety was long overdue and very much a necessity. I do believe however that perhaps a token amount of no more than 10 of the old vintage buses, such as the one in the picture above should be retained and turned into tourist buses. These token sample would serve as a historical reminder of the Malta bus that has dominated our roads for such a long time. Naturally not every old bus is a vintage bus. Indeed one must distinguish between vintage and traditional such as the one pictured above and merely old and run down.

...u dawn tal-arriva min fejn il-madoff inqalaw....

I left my person favorite for last. This comment really cracked me up. For anyone doubting Arriva's competence allow me to here produce a list of countries in which Arriva is active; United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Sounds pretty well spread and pretty European to me!

The Republican Race!

2011-06-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

For the Republicans in the US the Presidential Race is already on! The arguments are already raging and some have even made their candidacy official. Although it is clear that there as yet more candidates to come, some obvious, some less obvious, the race within the Republican side seems to be pretty much a two horse race between Michelle Bachmann and Mitt Romney.

Michelle Bachmann.....A Tea Party at the White House?

Michelle Bachmann is a central figure in the so called Tea Party movement within the US Republicans. Bachmann could not be more typical of the Tea Party movement if she tried. She stands on a platform which builds itself on the notions of patriotism, traditional values and a very free market economy. She also couldn't be more different than Democrat President Barack Obama.

All of this gives Bachmann both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand she's got one thing no other Republican has; a certain glitz that attracts a lot of attention; something which has always helped her finance her campaigns, a vital element in US politics. On the other hand it also makes a very polarizing figure with some admiring her for our outspoken way while others fear the very fact that she represents the Tea Party Movement so perfectly in terms of political ideas.

Bachmann can be compared to former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin for indeed the two do share similarities; however I believe Bachmann is a much better politician and if the Democrats believe Bachmann will be an easy push-over like Sarah Palin they will fast realize just how wrong that assertion is.

Mitt Romney....Mormons finally get a crack at the top job?

Mitt Romney is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints commonly known as Mormons. This religious link is not without its controversy with Mormons still being perceived as different than any other branch of Christianity within the United States. Yet Romney seems to have overcome this initial difficulty.

Mitt Romney is the thing Obama and his bed fellows hoped the Republicans would never have; a centrist candidate! Romney has proven to have an ability at uniting Republicans, Independents and Democrats behind him. This ability to appeal to a wide audience means that Romney is likely to tap into traditional Democrat voters who may perhaps be dissatisfied with President Obama. At the same time however, his wide appeal also means that he draws away the more traditional Republican crowd. Indeed the term Obamnicare, a term used to criticize the health package introduced by Romney during his time as governor, was coined by a fellow Republican.

Mitt Romney however may be just what the Democrats want to avoid; someone they can't pin any extreme labels onto; something which may indeed help the Republicans send the Democrats back home out of the White House!

Pawlenty, Paul and friends...

The Republicans have a host of other Presidential hopefuls but these lack the style, the credibility and the political prowess to run a Presidential race. Politicians like Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul only grab the headlines for all the wrong reasons and indeed a candidacy by any such politician will only ensure that President Obama and his destructive, unproductive, mediocre and horrible Presidency get the chance of four more years!

America needs to ditch the Democrats!

There's no two ways about the future of the United States. The Obama Presidency has been marked time and time again with failure. It has scored only a handful of successes, the killing of Osama Bin Laden being the greatest, and a whole truck load of disastrous policies. The Republicans can't afford to make any mistakes this time round; they need to pick a candidate with the best possible chance of sending Obama home. To allow Obama and his fellow incompetent fools to remain in office would be the greatest disservice the Republicans can give to the United States of America.

The Evil Bastard that is Muammar Gaddafi!

2011-02-22T15:11:00.001-08:00

For many of us Muammar Gaddafi is the first thing we think of as soon as we hear the word Libya. In all probability the second thing we think of is its famous Green flag, a flag that eminates from Gaddafi's Green revolution which served to oust Libya's former monarch King Idris. Gaddafi has long been a more controversial type of leader; with little if any regard for Human Rights and a strong hatred of the very bases of democracy. Gaddafi showed his colors several times during his rule; occasions which ranged from the systemic killing of any internal opponent to the infamous Lockerbie bombing for which Gaddafi still refuses to take blame but for which he accepted to pay compensation to the citizens of his most bitter enemy, the United States of America.

It has long been amply clear that the downfall for one reason or another of the Gaddafi regime would be a downfall that would be met with a sigh relief by almost everybody across the globe; at least almost everybody who truly believes in the values of democracy, freedom and liberty. Yet what happened during the last few days perhaps sealed Gaddafi's faith as a leader who shall not be missed by anyone in the democracy loving part of the world.

As I type this blog out, Al Jazeera informs me that Gaddafi is declaring that he will stay in Libya to become a martyr. I say there is a difference between a martyr and a bastard who met a just faith! Martyrdom is for those who die for a good cause. Martyrdom is for the people in Benghazi, Tripoli and all over Libya who are dying fighting for a free and democratic Libya. Martyrdom is for the Libyan people having to fight off the hail of bullets and weaponry of the Libyan Airforce loyal to its despotic leader Muammar Gaddafi. Any eventual death of Gaddafi can only be described as justice having been served. It can certainly in no way ever be termed to be a martyrdom at any rate.

At this stage, the conclusion of these events is far from obvious. We can only hope that yet again democracy will triumph just like it seems to be triumphing in Tunisia and Egypt and just like one day it will triumph in Iran. Until then we can only hope against hope that the Libyan people keep up their brave struggle against their evil leader. We can only hope to see the flag in the picture above flying freely over Tripoli with the posters of Gaddafi burning on a bonfire.

A spineless and worthless United Nations

The actions of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya over the past few types are nothing short of genocide. Yet the ultimate guarantor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights could only express its concern through a press statement. Does the United Nations honestly believe that such inhumane acts deserve a mere press statement; little more then a slap on the wrist for a leader who has never cared about international opinion in any case?

Yet again the United Nations has proven itself to spineless, worthless and completely irrelevant. It is little surprise that indeed nobody cares what the UN says; for its words are generally not worth the ink required to print the statement.

If the United Nations was truly committed to human respect surely the situation in Libya deserved a much stronger stand.

Of Eurovisions and Boycotts!

2010-05-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

Its Eurovision Day again but unlike usual discussion on the local media is not centering on Malta's performance in the Eurovision or for that matter the whole glitz and glamor of the Eurovision. Instead the local focus is about the concept of boycotting the televote which will occur right after all the songs are performed.

First of all for those who are perhaps less avid followers of the Eurovision Song Contest but who nonetheless are still reading this blog it would be worth giving a brief resume as to whats going on. On Tuesday Malta represented by Thea Garett performed in the first Semi Final of the Eurovision. It must be said that Thea's performance was immensly positive and Thea defenitely deserves words of praise for her rendition of the song "My Dream". This performance and what was assumed to be a low level of songs competing against Malta made many people think that indeed Malta was in with a chance to qualify; alas however Malta failed to make it. And here's where pathetic got an all new meaning!

No sooner had Thea failed to qualify that Facebook wasn't riddled with local groups calling for a boycott of the televote in Saturday's final. Within hours membership swelled to over 7,000 members. The situation reached a level of pure sadness when Maltese bloggers started blogging slogans such "No Thea No Vote" on any Eurovision fan website they could get their laptop hooked to. Even a poll on popular talkshow Xarabank revealed a stunningly huge majority in favor of boycotting the televote.

The obvious begging question would be; why? The claim being put forward is that Malta deserved to qualify and that Malta was the victim of a neighbours vote situation.

Malta Deserved to Qualify

Lets be honest with ourselves; whilst Thea's performance was good all along from her victory at Maltasong to her performance in Oslo on Tuesday night; the bookies had been predicting all along that the result was a cliffhanger for Malta. No single poll gave Malta any clear cut victory and all polls indicated that Malta would struggle. The obvious question thus is; why this utter surprise that Malta failed to make it? Bookies and polls had been indicating it all along and we knew it because it had been a long published fact in the Maltese media.

Secondly we must also accept that Europeans never quite got the song. Online sites reveal that the song was criticized from day one. Whilst Thea received praise for her voice and for her charming personality the only source of positive comments was indeed Thea herself but never her song "My Dream".

Neighbours....everybody needs good neighbours

The second and perhaps more laughable claim is that Malta did not qualify because of neighbour voting. Honestly this excuse has grown so lame that its now making me laugh as opposed to anything else. And if its sheer level of lameness needed any confirming this was confirmed in the second semi final on Thursday. Cyprus was competing on a night where none of the traditional Greek-Cypriotic friendly states where voting, yet Cyprus made it to the final. Sweden on the other hand had its entire land border voting on the night and yet failed to make the final. Neighbour voting?

Bad losers?

What has happened since Tuesday evening makes me almost ashamed to call myself Maltese. This country has shown itself to be a country riddled with bad losers. Even if, even if, theoretically Malta was cheated of a place in the final; surely this stamping of the feet is nothing short of downright sad, pathetic and I dare say disgusting. If our level of maturity is that low than perhaps we belong in no form of competition whatsoever as we seem to be only good at winning and not at doing any of the losing. Did anyone hear any Dutch person yell "No Holland, No Vote" or any Polish person yell "No Poland, No Vote" or any Swedish person yell "No Sweden, No Vote". No! Maturity calls for a country to accept a result.

And let us put things into context here; this is just a song contest; its not do or die. Its not an event of major importance. Its just some harmless entertainment meant to send a message of a united Europe through music. So lets take it for what it is...harmless fun. Perhaps we need a few lessons about taking the Eurovision as harmless fun as opposed to nuclear tragedy from former BBC pundit Terry Wowgan.

Boycotting the televote!!

What will happen if Maltese viewers live up to their promise and boycott the televote? Will the EBU go into a sudden crises? Will Malta announce to Europe that it has no votes to give out? Will the Eurovision shut its doors in shock? None of that dearest boycott followers; every country has an emergency jury which votes just in case there is such a happening or in case of any other difficulties and their points will be given out instead! The EBU will live to tell the tale and quite frankly would not give hooters and the Eurovision would progressively as if nothing ever happened because in reality NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!

Missna naghmlu bhat-Taljani....

My last comment goes to those who have lately been saying that we should mank like the Italians and abandon the Eurovision. Sorry to burst your bubble ladies and gentleman but Italy is going to be back in the Eurovision come 2011 so I'll guess you'll have to find a new "stamb your foot if you lose the Eurovision" country to name as an example.

The Mintoff Legacy

2010-02-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

Allow me to start this blog by pasting below a letter published in General Workers Union's daily newspaper L-Orizzont on February 3rd 2010. I am reproducing the letter in whole in order to be fair with whoever penned the letter.

I.M.Beck min jaħseb li hu?

minn Socjalist, Valletta

Sur Editur,

L-artiklu ta’ I.M.Beck “At risk of profanity” (B’sogru ta’ nuqqas ta’ qima) li deher f’The Times tat-23 ta’ Jannar, 2009, fih kitba li ħarġet mhux mill-moħħ iżda mill-istonku.

Għamel lista ta’ x’sar ħażin fi żmien Mintoff. Imma n-naħa l-oħra tal-munita ma turix l-orruri li saru minn partitarji tal-partit l-ieħor sa anke mewt innoċenti? Kontra Mintoff kien hemm mhux biss il-Knisja, imma wkoll il-midja lokali kif ukoll barranija, il-komunità kummerċjali bi ftit eċċezzjonijiet u ħaġa li qatt ma ssemmiet, jiġifieri, l-id moħbija ta’ tliet servizzi sigrieti barranin. Beck, miskin, ta’ bniedem innoċenti, ma jafx b’dawn u lanqas jaf – jew il-memorja naqsitlu – dwar l-istorja ta’ żmien Mintoff. B’kumbinazzjoni (?) Beck wera, anzi ammetta, kif jaħsibha u, iżjed, xi jħoss meta kiteb ‘’... Dr Muscat and Owen Bonnici made a good play at capturing the sympathies of people like me (fat chance they have)... (enfasi tiegħi). Bil-Malti (għandhom ċans tassew!).

Imma mbagħad għalaq l-artiklu billi talab lill-qarrejja biex isarrfu l-muniti u liri qodma li għandhom u jibagħtuhom lill-YMCA biex igħinu (ħaġa tal-iskantament) lill-‘homeless’ – nies bla dar.

Meta lanqas kiteb kelma waħda favur Mintoff, dan I.M.Beck irredikola lilu nnifsu, bla ma nduna, għax wera li hawn mhux ftit nies bla dar, waqt li fi żmien Mintoff kulħadd kellu saqaf fuq rasu.

Bl-appell li għamel għall-‘homeless’ wera wkoll li teżisti inġustizzja soċjali taħt dan il-gvern ta’ qalbu għax ma jitħalliex jibni djar issussidjati għal min ma jistax iħallas il-prezzijiet tas-suq bl-ekonomija liberali li qiegħed jitmexxa l-pajjiż.

Biex nagħlaq, tajjeb infakkar lill-I.M.Beck li l-gvern li għandna mhux sid tiegħu nnifsu, mhux rajh f’idejh, irid jobdi l-ordnijiet tal-barranin waqt li Mintoff u l-gvern tiegħu kienu jikkmandaw kif jitmexxa pajjiżna u dan għamluh dejjem fl-interess kemm tal-Maltin u kemm tal-Għawdxin kollha.

That Dom Mintoff is a historic figure who has earned himself legendary status in Maltese history is beyond doubt or debate. It is clear that love him or hate him Mintoff was indeed a unique leader and a unique Prime Minister who had an impact on Maltese politics for many years after his official retirement from politics. Indeed love it or hate it the Labour Party to this day remains the living legacy of the Mintoff era.

Yet this still leaves us with a big question; was Mintoff the ultimate example of a good Prime Minister or was he the ultimate example of a government gone wrong? It is on this point that opinions still differ and by differ I mean differ sharply.

To argue that Mintoff was all bad and no good would be both a historical and political error. Indeed Mintoff did do some things for this country from which we still benefit to this day. He introduced the idea of a decimalized currency, he encouraged the industrialization of Malta and he strenghtened the social welfare system. These are all things for which we cannot but be grateful to the vision which Dom Mintoff had.

At the same time however we cannot forget that Mintoff is indeed also the man who led our country through some very turbulent times and it seems the writer of the letter quoted above who signs as "Socjalist" is not very willing at admitting that Dom Mintoff's legacy has a pretty extensive dark side as well.

Before I go into some of Mintoff's less bright legacies it would be fair to clarify that in my view the Priemership of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was a mere extension of the Mintoff era and is to be taken as one and the same as Mintoff was still very much the man behind the strings.

How can one justify Mintoff's foreign policy of orienting Malta towards Communist states and dictatorships whilst declaring democratic nations such as the United States of America a state with an ambassador who is persona non grata?

How can one justify the repeated attacks against the Indepedence Day activities organized by the Nationalist Party?

How can one justify the banning of the name In-Nazzjon Taghna?

How can one justify the dozens of PN Clubs that where torched and destroyed?

How can one justify the constant transfers suffered by PN supporters during the Mintoff era?

Indeed one of the reasons for which I shall always hold a degree of respect for Dr. Alfred Sant and his time at the helm of the Labour Party and the country is precisely becomes he removed these violent and undemocratic elements from within the Labour Party. Indeed the difference between Dr. Sant and Mr. Mintoff is that while during Mr. Mintoff's time he attempted to have In-Nazzjon Taghna obliterated under Dr. Sant Radio 101 operarted and Net Television saw its inception, all be it with difficulties, but at least it could start off without having to send someone to Sicily in exile such as was the case in the Mintoff era to start Radju Liberta!

As for I.M Beck's appeal for the homeless and YMCA, if "Socjalist" thinks that in the Mintoff era Malta had no homeless then perhaps "Socjalist" should have taken a trip to Mintoff's own hometown of Bormla and taken a look at the massive amount of social cases present. Homelessness has sadly never been inexistent in Malta and in all probability it never will be which is precisely why it was noble of I.M. Beck to promote YMCA's cause!

May 7th 2010

2010-01-24T15:12:00.000-08:00

With two ministers from within the Labour government in the United Kingdom now having mentioned the 6th May as the date for the General Election it now seems an almost certainty that Britain is to wake up under a new government on May 7th 2010 be this a Labour government or a Torry government.

So far if polls are anything to go buy Labour seems to be heading to nothing short of a complete wipe. Indeed the bet on Labour is more focused on whether Labour will manage to pip the Liberal Democrats for the second slot rather then on whether Labour will manage to retain its seat in power for the winner of the election is steadily looking more certain to be David Cameron and his Torries.

Years back Labour came to power under the leadership of Tony Blair who pushed out the Torry government led by John Major. It was indeed a change Britain required. Blair's New Labour helped to revolutionize not only the United Kingdom but indeed the Socialist movement as a whole across Europe. In Blair, the UK found an able and capable Prime Minister who achieved success in much of his stated aims. In Blair, the UK indeed became a better place with better conditions for all. In Blair, the Socialist movement had found an exception, a leader who achieved economic and political success time and time again.

Yet if Blair can be considered a success for New Labour, Gordon Brown can be considered anything but a success. Brown brought back to Labour the very worst elements that have long haunted British Labour. Brown brought back the days when the Labour leadership was more focused on retaining power rather then anything else. Brown brought back the days when a Labour government meant economic chaos, political confusion and diplomatic uncertainty. Brown brought back the very worst of Labour and in the process completly destroyed the very best of Blair's New Labour. Brown's government showed the people of the United Kingdom a confused government, uncertain of its aims, uncertain of its own policies and uncertain of its politicians! In short the Brown government was a complete and utter failure and sadly Gordon Brown has not been man enough to come even close to admitting it.

This brings us to the Torries and David Cameron. Sadly Cameron has staked himself very much on the Euro-skeptic ticket. Indeed Euro skepticism has been dogging the Torries for many years with bitter divisions within the party about whether the Conservatives should be for Europe or against Europe. Cameron has left little doubt there even going as far as withdrawing from the former EPP-ED Group and entering into a more skeptic grouping. This sets Cameron firmly on a collission course with the rest of his European partners whether he likes them being his partners or not. It could also spell potential difficulties for the European Union in the future for as long as Cameron remains in power.

One cannot however but admit to Cameron's leadership skills, at least from what has been so far. Inheriting a very much chaotic party with little or no direction Cameron has given the Torries the vibe that they have long lacked. He has presented the Torries as a modern alternative to Labour and has been swinging even the most ardent Labour votes his way. Time and time again Cameron has scored success at the polls against an ever more failing Gordon Brown. Cameron has also projected an image that seems convinced of its aims and convinced of its success. Indeed Cameron has adopted the very tone and image once used by New Labour under Blair only this time it comes under a Blue Euro-Skeptic wrapping.

And the Liberal Democrats? At the best they can hope for a second place finish although if my guessing is anything to go by I do believe that Labour might just hold on to the role of the main opposition party in British politics. The problem of the Lib Dems is that Clegg has neither shown himself to be realistic nor trusthworthy thus condemning the Lib Dems to further political irrelevance.

So who will walk into Number 10 on May 7th 2010? It seems Britain choice is between incapable, internally mistrusted and boring Gordon Brown and his faltering British Labour or between Euro-Skeptic but increasingly confident and capable David Cameron and his British Conservatives.

All I can say is that I'm glad I don't have a vote in this election; I can never vote for a man who is as much of a failure as Gordon Brown and I can never trust a party so unrealistic as the Lib Dems but voting for Euro-Skeptics hell bent on causing trouble within the European Union is just something I can never bring myself to do!

The GOP is back!!!!

2010-01-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

After a long day of studying for upcoming exams most people would opt to wind down a bit by hearing some music or perhaps watching some TV to forget about the upcoming troubles. I would normally opt for that route myself but tonight I just couldn't not take the alternative route of writing a blog. Upon switching the TV on to wind down for the day and prepare for another day of studying I was reminded that today the people of Massachusetts where making an important choice.

The state of Massachusetts has for the past 47 years been represented in the US Senate by one of the most Liberal US Senators, the late Democrat Senator Edward Kennedy, brother to slain President John F Kennedy and former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and son to the late Senator Joseph Kennedy. Indeed Massachusetts had voted consistently only Democrat since the early 1970's and currently is a state with a Democrat governor, an all Democrat Congressional Delegation and a Democrat controlled state house. Indeed taking registered voters as a sample Democrats outnumber the Republicans in Massachusetts 3 to 1. It would thus be pretty fair to label Massachusetts pretty much a Democrat safe haven.

Yet the people of Massachusetts who a year ago rejected Republic Senator John McCain by 26% against the then Senator now President Barack Obama tonight spoke up loud and clear. Their message was clear, sharp and direct...the Change You Can Believe In promised by the Obama Camp and his liberal cronies has not been forthcoming! The Democrat run White House and Democrat dominated US administration has quite simply failed to deliver results and has only dissappointed its people.

The people of Massachusetts responded by electing Republican State Senator Scott Brown to Kennedy's old seat by an absolute majority. Brown is a so called Conservative Republican so for this liberal state to elect him is by no means an easy feet. To put it in Maltese terms to make the scale of this defeat clear, this is a situation likeable to the Sliema Local Council Election being won by the Labour Party by an over 50% mark or the Bormla Local Council being won by the Nationalist Party by an over 50% mark.

Scott Brown's victory has indeed sent shivers down the Obama camp. Indeed the US is soon to face state wide US Senate elections, elections which could see the Democrat hold on the US Senate evaporate and an arrogant White House which has thus far used its majority to hold back any real discussions within the US Senate having to negotiate with its political adversary the GOP.

In the shorter term Brown's victory could spell the death blow to Obama's health reform or perhaps more aptly put his imposition of a Socialist health system on a Capitalist system. This is since this Democrat defeat denies the Democrats the fillibuster proof majority thus allowing the GOP to finally have a say in the US Senate. Naturally typical of left wing politicians the Obama camp just won't take the people's no for an answer. Scott Brown's victory is not even an hour old and CNN, also known as the Democrats News Magazine, is already discussing the possibility of fast tracking the health reform in order to have it approved before Senator Elect Brown takes his seat. Indeed even the Democrats leader in the US Senate has thus far refused to comment clearly on when Brown will be able to take his seat; of course not, the Democrats first need to discuss and see whether there's any way to avoid discussion and impose the health care reform before the people of Massachusetts can have their voice heard through Senator Scott Brown!

In little over a year Barack Obama has gone from the towering heights of his victory against Senator McCain and a 70%+ approval rating in January 2009 to having already lost two governerships and a senate seat in clear Democrat territory with an approval rating hovering at 50% or less.

Naturally its only normal to suffer mid term jitters and its only normal to suffer defeat at the polls in a mid term election. But Obama is not even there yet; he's only just began; the voyage of change has only just began and already its gotten more then one flat tyre and no spare wheel seems to be on the way. The Obama administration is showing no signs of changing, no signs of any difference this year from what we saw last year. The Obama administration is fast showing itself to be what it has been right from the start; an INCAPABLE ADMINISTRATION, run by an INCAPABLE PARTY, with INCAPABLE POLITICIANS led by an INCAPABLE COMMANDER IN CHIEF!

I am sure that in the end the United States of America and its true values will triumph; I am sure that in the end the American way will triumph for the United States of America and its values of liberty, freedom and democracy will always tower heigher then any Barack Obama, the inexperienced Senator who's luck (and massive funding) helped him become President!

Congratulations Scott Brown for showing to the world that the GOP is back and ready to fight for the United States of America!

2009

2010-01-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

For my first blog in the year 2010 I have decided to review briefly some of the key moments in 2009 which struck me.

Change you can believe in

January 2009 saw Barack Hussein Obama take the oath of office of President of the United States of America. The Illinois Democrat Senator had taken US politics by storm; beating along the way the highly capable and experienced Hillary Clinton and the even more experience Republic Arizona Senator John McCain. Obama got himself elected on the call of "Change you can believe in". He promised America new hope and a new start. Yet a year into Obama's presidency or perhaps one can say 25% into his presidential term in office what has Barack Obama achieved? Are US Troops out of Iraq? Are they out of Afghanistan? Is the US a safer country or does it still get the odd Mutallab from Nigeria attempting to bomb an AA flight over Detroit? Has the US been a crucial partner in achieving global success in Copenhagen? Has the US economy picked up or has it continued to plunge in complete economic recession? A year into Obama's Presidency and in reality very little change has been fortcoming; this from the man who build his very foundations on the word change!

Partit Laburista wins MEP Elections 2009

In 2009 the Labour Party trounced the Nationalist Party in the MEP elections held in June. Labour won to the tune of a majority of 36,000 votes and with 3 MEP's and another one on hold as opposed to PN's two MEP's. Labour's campaign sadly focused on local isues and turned what should have been a European election into very much a protest vote. The MEP election should be an election where we vote as Europeans; were we vote for the good of our country in the context of the European Union. Labour preferred however to speak about the price of electricy and fuel rather then focus on anything European. Even the celebrations held infront of the Centru Nazzjonali Laburista demonstrate this with hardly any EU flags being waved in a celebration meant to celebrate an EU wide vote. Nevertheless it would be wrong to disregard the scale of Labour's majority here and surely a message must be heard and given notice to.

Call me President George!

This year saw George Abela succeed Eddie Fenech Adami as President of the Republic of Malta. In so doing George Abela became the first President elected by one political party to be president despite hailing from the other political party. He also became the first President to have achieved consensus in parliament. President Abela has clearly shown that he is indeed a great leader. His Presidency has been active and effective and he has been quick to built on past successes and correct past failings. It also goes to show the true level of good judgment of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for having come up with the idea of making the former PL Deputy Leader and former PL Leadership candidate the President of Malta. A truly momentous Presidency is in our miths.

Eddie Fenech Adami
2009 saw what one of Malta's greatest ever statesman and politicians retire. Eddie Fenech Adami concluded his final Public Office when his Presidency drew to a close. Fenech Adami shall forever be remember and cherished as a man who served his nation in every way possible. It is thanks to the vision of Eddie Fenech Adami that Malta became a modern European nation, with a modern economy and a modern infrastructure. It is thanks to the vision of Eddie Fenech Adami that we are a democratic nation, a free nation and a nation who is a member of the European Union. Eddie Fenech Adami dedicated the best part of his life towards the country and it would be wrong not to remain eternally grateful to the man who made it all possible. Thus 2009 shall forever carry a footnote reading "Grazzi Eddie".

SDM Wins KSU Elections

2009 also the Christian Democrat students known locally as Studenti Demokristjani Maltin (SDM) win the KSU (University Students Council) election; retaining all the seats in KSU despite facing a stiff challenge from ACT, a coalition of 14 organizations including Social Democrat students locally known as Pulse. SDM's victory in the KSU Elections was a vote of confidence in the work carried out by previous SDM candidates. It was above all a message of trust by the students in SDM.

The rise of BNP

2009 saw the rise of the British National Party (BNP) in the United Kingdom. BNP had already existed in the past and has long militated to achieve national success in the United Kingdom. Results finally smiled for the BNP in the MEP elections of 2009 in which the far right across the entire European Union made a good showing. Yet BNP's success is perhaps most remarkable in that it elected not one but two MEP's and in that its views are often regarded as being the most outspokenly right wing in European politics.

To be honest, personally I do not agree with the BNP and its policies. I think BNP's politics is both unworkable and wrong in principle. BNP in my view is by far too extreme and too short sighted. Having said this I completly disagree with trying to muffle BNP's voice. The people of the United Kingdom democratically elected BNP's candidates thus BNP has ever right to make its voice heard. It should be up to the people to decide whether BNP is indeed political nonesense or not!

Farewell Michael!
2009 saw the untimely death of Pop Music legend Michael Jackson. Jackson shall forever be remembered as the King of Pop and shall remain one amongst the greats of modern day music. Songs such as "Earth Song" "Black and White" "Thriller" and "Billy Jean" shall forever be remember as songs for which we should remain thankful to Michael Jackson and his genius. On a personal level Michael faced several challenges which undoubtedly left their mark on Michael. After all its not easy to spend an entire lifetime in global fame. Farewell Michael...your name and your music live on!

Inter Campioni D'Italia
If any more proof was needed that Italian football is currently going through a stale phase it was this year's Serie A season which saw Inter yet again being crowned as Champions. The league saw little excitment and it was pretty much Inter's to lose from November onwards. If Italian football continues to head in this direction then indeed the future of Italian football looks bleak as compared to the exciting leagues one can find in Spain and England.

National Youth Parliament and KNZ

Organizing the National Youth Parliament was indeed a unique experience. Meeting so many new people, coming across new challenges is something that has given me much satisfaction. The experience is set to repeat itself yet again with the March edition of the National Youth Parliament!

A Week of Visits

2009-12-07T17:37:00.000-08:00

O Israel!

During the previous week I was visiting Israel more specifically Jerusalem and this whilst attending an EDS (European Democrat Students) conference being hosted by the Young Likud Congress. The visit saw me visit several of the holy sites in Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the fort of Masada and parts of the Palestinian territories under the control of Fatah.

The visit obviously led to much doubt about the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. It is without any doubt that the Palestinians deserve a land they can call home and a place they can call a nation. That far I think very few would consider arguing against. Indeed the Palestinians are a people who have been denied a home for far too long and it is about time that such is rectified.

Having said this one must look at this conflict from two sides. The Israeli's may have finally achieved a nation of their own after having been made to wait for almost two thousand years but they still in fear! They live in the fear of a Qasam rocket coming into their home having been shot by the likes of Hamas or Hizbollah. They still live in the fear of a suicide bombing killing innocent Israeli citizens. They still live in the fear of having countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Iran close by denying their very right to exist! Israeli's still live in a world where their passport is no good in certain countries simply because it is Israeli!!!

The Palestinian victims in the conflict must be mourned and every effort must be made to make sure that no other Palestinian is made to suffer the same tragic story; at the same time however let us not forget the innocent Israeli children living in Kibutzes such as Mir An who are literally psychologically challenged due to having seen attacks metres away from the safety of their own bed!!!!

It is without doubt that indeed the Israeli state has to make every effort to achieve peace in the region but it can't be alone in doing so. It takes two to make peace and the many efforts taken by Israeli's so far have always gone unanswered. If Israel needs to make an effort to achieve peace so must Hamas, Fatah and other Palestinian forces! By pressuring Israel only we are helping the likes of Hamas stay away from the negotiating table and keeping peace a mere distant dream.

The Old Dinosour roars again

Dom Mintoff can best be described as a true living dinosour of Maltese politics and by dinosour I mean this term in all respect in the sense of sheer political survival. Long into the days when George Borg Olivier has long been dead and so has bitter rival Archbishop Michael Gonzi, Dom Mintoff is still very much amongst us and occassionally still manages to cause a stir. This week Mintoff caused a stir by paying his first visit to the Centru Nazzjonali Laburista since Labour moved house from the old Macina used in the old Mintoff days.

The visit was however indeed a useful one. It serves to remind us all that the origins of the so called Moviment Progressiv is very much rooted in the party established by the old Mintoff of days gone. And the days of Mintoff are days best forgotten not remembered. These are the days where the name of the PN newspaper In-Nazzjon Taghna was banned and forced to become In- Taghna; these are the days when The Times and the private home of Eddie Fenech Adami went up in flames as did countless PN political clubs; these are the days when PN mass meetings where regularly attacked; these are the days when the Maltese economy was a crippled economy based on the Communist centrally planned model; these are the days when having a bar of Mars of Cadbury was a luxury; these are the days when our country was more friendly to the likes of Communist Romania or North Korea then say democratic USA or UK; these are the days when being Nationalist meant being trasnferred on a monthly or yearly bases.

This is not to say that Mintoff was not all bad; he had has brighter moments such as decimalizing our currency and introducing social services and helping industrialize Malta and thus creating jobs. Having trampeled on the very foundations of democracy means that Mintoff can never be remembered in much positive light by those who treasure democracy.

This is also not to say that modern day Labour will resort to the same bully tactics used by Mintoff. Indeed I am sure that a Muscat led government would have every respect for the principles of democracy and would in no way harm freedom of speech. I wish I could say the same for economic policy but sadly Muscat's own words point otherwise so the economic dangers of Mintoff politics it seems is still very much alive at CNL and this not just during his brief visit!!

Ironically Mintoff's visit at the CNL coincided with the launch of Inservi at the Dar Centrali Partit Nazzjonalista seeing former PN leader, former Prime Minister and former President Eddie Fenech Adami being hailed as the true leader and statesmen that he was and I believe still is. The difference couldn't be clearer; one actively trampeled all over democracy the other restored democracy and spent a life time in politics ensuring that the ugly days of the past will never be able to return! For those indeed one can truly describe the life of Fenech Adami as a lifetime of "Inservi"...serving his nation...his people!

Irrelevant Silence!

2009-11-28T05:21:00.000-08:00

The statement and counter statement between the Dominican Order in Malta and Fr. Mark Montebello has seen the two having a clash rarely seen so open between a monk and his order in Malta. It has brought up with it several issues which unfortunately have all become tangled in one large mess.

Of Crosses and Priests

Fr. Montebello sent shock waves when he failed to express agreement with the view of the Roman Catholic Church that crucifixes should be kept in classes. Without delving into the issue itself for that is a debate in its own right which is best kept out of this particular blog as it merits a debate on its own for a priest to take such a position is bound at best to cause controversy if not downright confusion. Fr. Mark needs to remember that he is not merely Mark Montebello but Fr. Mark Montebello a member of the Roman Catholic Church and as such is bound to take its position on an issue as important and as crucial impacting such a vital and important aspect of the faith. This does not mean that Fr. Montebello is not entitled to offer alternative interpretations to the faith but when it comes to keeping or removing the crucifix the issue is pretty straight forward and as a priest Fr. Mark has the responsibility to take an equally straight forward position.

Divorce

There are many arguments and angles when it comes to divorce both in favor and against its introduction. Divorce is indeed a political argument over which there are strong arguments on either end with statistics backing up both sides of the argument. This is perhaps the reason why the political arguments on divorce can be so interesting and passionate at times. Putting aside the political sphere however and taking up the religious sphere or to be more precise the Catholic sphere as other religions differ on this divorce is pretty much an open and shut argument as Jesus Christ himself was clear enough on the issue. Being a priest and offering an alternative to the words of Jesus Christ is bound to raise question at the very least.

Irrelevantly Secular

Fr. Mark heavily criticizes the church for becoming increasingly irrelevant due to offering itself as the anti thesis of a secular society. One may choose to agree or disagree with Fr. Mark's assessment on the issue, at any rate Fr. Mark certainly has the right to make the assessment and to make it public. One may disagree with his assessment but to shut him up for making this particular assessment is perhaps proving his very point!

Silence Priest!

Father Montebello has now been given an order of silence or one closely resembling it. Perhaps here at this stage both sides have gone somewhat astray. The Dominicans in Malta should have perhaps taken up the issue in a less public manner and Fr. Mark should have perhaps minced his words somewhat more rather then voice such all out hostility. At any rate it would perhaps be best for both sides to try and bring in some more rationale into the whole issue so as to avoid needless bust ups.

Festa Maltija

2009-10-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

Ricenti il-Curia ta' Malta harget dokument liema dokument bhala ghan ghandu li jirregola l-futur tal-festi f'Malta. Meta harget dan id-dokument il-Curia qalet li hija kienet miftuha ghall-konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar dan id-dokument izda aktar ma jghaddi zmien aktar qed johrog car bhal donnu li certu affarijiet f'dan id-dokument bhal donnhom huma ga decizi.

Ha nkun car li hemm bzonn riforma fil-festi ta' Malta hija bla dubju xi haga li qas biss ghandna niddiskutu tant hi ovvja. Fl-2009 ghandu jkollna festi li tassew jaghmlu gih u unur lil belt jew rahal koncernata, lill-qaddis li jkun qed jigi celebrat u li tassew jghatu messag tajjeb dwar il-kultura u identita` Maltija. Ghalhekk certu xeni ta' tghajjir, glied, piki zejda, indicenza u anke kwazi kwazi paganizmu bla dubju ghandhom jispiccaw darba ghal dejjem. Huwa car li l-festi taghna ghandhom bzonn sett ta' regoli ma' xiex jimxu b'konsegwenzi ghal min ma jimxix ma' dawn ir-regoli.

Hemm differenza izda u differenza fundamentali bejn li nirregolaw il-festi u li bil-pulit neqirduhom bil-mod il-mod. X'sens logiku taghmel li tordna li ebda festa ma tista izzid armar wara l-2012? X'sens logiku taghmel li tikkunduna l-festi Maltin ghal armar li malajr ser jiqdim u jkun ghalhekk mitluq u xejn appelanti ghal ghajn? X'sens taghmel li flok tirregola l-mod kif issir il-marc teqirdu ghal kollox flok tfittex li dan issir b'mod xieraq u dinjituz? X'sens logiku fih li sabiex inehhu l-musmar fil-hajt inkissru l-hajt flok naqilaw il-musmar?

Mistoqsija ohra li ta' min wiehed isaqsi huwa ghaliex dawn ir-regoli jghoddu biss ghal Malta. Huwa vera li Ghawdex hija djocesi separata tant li filwaqt Malta taqa taht Mons. Pawlu Cremona, Ghawdex taqa taht Mons. Mario Grech imma fir-realta` Malta u Ghawdex dejjem tmexxew id f'id. U jekk f'Malta hemm rhula b'zewg festi jew zewg kazini tal-baned bhal Hal Qormi, Hal Ghaxaq, Haz Zabbar, Mosta u Zabbbar fost ohrajn f'Ghawdex f'Victoria per ezempju nsibu l-festi ta' San Gorg u Santa Maria. Halli ma niftihimx hazin bl-ebda mod ma jien qed nkun kritiku ta' Victoria jew tal-festi ta' San Gorg jew Santa Maria anzi prosit kbir liz-zewg parocci Rabtin imma ghaliex ir-regola qeghda hemm biss ghal uhud u ohrajn xejn?

Ricenti segwejt dibattiti dwar dan is-suggett fuq Radio 101 Digital, RTK u Net Television u laqatni hafna li kull darba il-kelliem tal-Curia tkellem b'certu determinazzjoni fuq il-proposti kif inhuma xi haga li zgur tghati l-impressjoni, forsi zbaljata, li certu affarijiet huma meqjusa bhala aktar importanti minn ohraj fejn jidhlu l-proposti.

Jien nistqarr li minix xi diletant kbir tal-festi Maltin. Anzi nistqarr li tul dan is-sajf ghajr il-festa ta' Marsaxlokk, il-post li fih jien nghix, ma mortx. Qatt ma segwejt l-festi u minix be hsibni nibda nsegwihom issa. Ghandi iva rabtiet mal-parocca arcipretali ta' San Pawl Nawfragu fil-belt Valletta u anke mas-Societa Filarmonica Nazionale La Vallete u ta' kull sena nsegwi l-festa Pawlina li ssir fil-belt Valletta pero bhalma zgur kullhadd jista' jobsor dak li ktibt hawn fuq mhuwiex bl-ebda mod motivat min fanatizmu lejn il-festi. Huwa motivat min dak li nhoss huwa gust...min dak li nhoss hija l-verita u xejn inqas mill-verita.

An Economy of Social Benefits?

2009-10-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

"3. Il-Partit Laburista jemmen fil-ħtiega ta' ekonomija b'saħħitha li ssostni l-istat soċjali bil-għan li titwettaq il-ġustizzja soċjali."

The above quote is taken from the revised statute of the Labour Party in Malta, precisely from the section on principles at the very start of the statute. I'm quite certain that most of you are perhaps asking themselves what could I have possibly found wrong or to be more objective debatable about such a simple statement. Isn't this statement simply stating that the Labour Party will work for a stronger economy to help the needy?

Yet that simple two line statement captures in it the very core of the failed socialist economic policy. Let us take it piece by piece to better examine this short but as yet important statement.

"Il-Partit Laburista jemmen fil-htiega ta' ekonomija b'sahhitha" is by far a statement we can all agree with. It is without doubt that irrelevant of what political creed one holds we all wish to have a stronger economy. The will to have a stronger economy is true for both the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party and it would take sheer and utter bias to argue otherwise. Whether both parties are well equiped to achieve the goal is on the other hand entirely debateable.

"li ssostni l-istat socjali" is the statement which one should be wary of within this principal. To claim to work for a stronger economy is not only sensible it is downright obvious, but is the goal of this stronger economy simply the sustaining of the welfare state as this second piece of the principle implies? Are we growing an economy and an industry simply to be able to afford welfare benefits? Let me be clear here, welfare benefits are there to stay and to argue otherwise is not only to argue senselessly but is to argue for human suffering. No sane politician or political observer can ever argue in favor of human suffering and claim to be sane after he or she has done so. To argue that social benefits and the welfare state should end completly is to argue in favor of human suffering. Yet to argue that we must build an economy simply to support the benefits is defeating the whole point of working for a dynamic economy where people strive to better themselves!

We must indeed work for a stronger economy for a stronger economy guarantees that within our society fewer people depend on social benefits as an absolute do or die neccessity. True success is when fewer people depend on the welfare state and not when the economy is big enough to roll out the cash. We must work for a stronger economy with a vision of being competitive, of being a society where indeed everyone can achieve success, where dynamism is the order of the day.

This does not mean that we can forget those who for some reason need help. A healthy society is one that does not forget those who need that extra push, those who need a helping hand in catching up.

"bil-ghan li titwettaq gustizzja socjali" is in itself not only a noble sentiment it is a sentiment we should all share irrespective of what political creed we hold. Christian Democrat, Centre Right, Social Democrat, Green, Communist or whatever it is without doubt that we all believe in a society where social justice reigns. It is my belief however that true social justice reigns where there is an economy that promotes initiative, an economy that promotes the idea of being dynamic, an economy where the entrepreneurial culture reigns, coupled with proper and adequate assistance for those who require it. On the other hand social injustice increases in an economy whose sole aim is to produce enough cash to pay for benefits!

The debate will always rage on as regards the economic policy. The beauty of a democracy is that ultimately the people get to choose and as they say, Vox Popoli Vox Dei!

Socialism for the Win!

2009-10-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Within the space of a few weeks the European Union saw 3 national elections being held. These elections where held in Portugal, Greece and Germany and yielded very different results in all 3 scenarios. Statistically speaking it ended up in two victories for PES and one victory for the EPP but the result is not that simple. Let us start by taking each scenario on its own.

Greece

Before this election Greece was under the government of Kostas Karamanlis, a Conservative politician who's government suffered a series of set backs and scandals leading to Karamanlis calling an early general election in order to have a government better placed to tackle Greece's economic problems. Yet as is the case most of the time it is always hard for a government which has lost power mid term to win its election and indeed this order of probability was once again confirmed with PASOK winning the general election. It was a victory for the PES; nothing more nothing less and whilst one may think that the Greek electorate has done an extremely poor decision and will suffer the consequences for such a poor decision the rules of democracy dedicate that such a choice will be respected. PASOK's victory was the result of Karamanlis's woes rather then as a merit per se for the work of George Papandreou.

Portugal

Prior to the general election Portugal had a solid Socialist government running under the usual banter of being progressive and the like. The Portughuese government had a parliamentary majority and needed no parliamentary allies to get its program through. The general election has changed this drastically. Although the Socialists managed to keep their head above the water and retain the Premiership but their majority has very much dwindled and they are not the proud owners of a minority government which shall struggle to get any part of its program through. Although on paper this may seem like a PES victory in that a PES politician shall remain Prime Minister it is in fact a defeat marking the begining of the end for the Socrates administration even before it has even started.

Germany

The German Socialists suffered their worst drubbing since 1949 and have transited from a party in government to a party firmly in the opposition benches. Contrary to this the centre right CDU/CSU and the Free Liberals both benefitted and have now been given the mandate to form a government based on free market economics and free from the restrictions placed on the Merkel government by her former Socialist allies. Indeed although Merkel's share of the vote decreased slightly this was not the result of any Socialist or Green gains but the result of a smashingly positive result by the Free Liberals and their free market economics policy. Germany, a key state within the European Union, has once again confirmed the trend that Europe is rejecting the left and going Centre Right. Europeans are understanding that left wing politics is a failed politics.

Indipendenza: Mertu fejn hu misthoqq!

2009-09-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

Ghada pajjizna jfakkar avveniment importanti fl-istorja politika tieghu; ghada pajjizna jfakkar l-jum li fih sar pajjiz.

Illum il-gurnata kullhadd sar kburi bl-indipendenza ta' Malta. Kullhadd sar kburi li gzira hekk zghira kellha l-hiela u l-kapacita li ssir pajjiz; illum membru ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea ugwali ma' pajjizi ferm kbar bhall-Italja, Germanja u Franza fost hafna ohra.

Wiehed jiehu gost jara nies bhal Desmond Zammit Marmara, bniedem militanti fi hdan il-Partit Laburista jew Corey Formosa kittieb fuq It-Torca jiktbu bi kburija fuq l-indipendenza ta' pajjizna. Wiehed jiehu gost li jara li issa hemm anke Laburisti li qed jghidu li dan huwa tassew il-jum nazzjonali.

Pero ejja nghatu l-mertu fejn hu misthoqq u fejn hu misthoqq biss. Il-Partit Laburista jista' jdum jipprova idawwar il-fatti ghaliex l-istorja hi dik li hi. Il-Partit Laburista ma rridx li pajjizna jkun pajjiz. Riedna nkunu biss "county" ohra fi hdan ir-Renju Unit. Il-Partit Laburista ma rridx li pajjizna ikun bhall-Germanja, Franza u l-Italja; riedna nkunu l-Cornwall jew Dorchester tal-Mediterran!

Ejja ma nipprovawx ndawru l-fatti storici. Kulhadd jaf x'qal Mintoff fuq l-indipendenza. Kulhadd jaf x'ghamel il-gvern Socjalista lil min azzarda jiccelebra dan il-jum. Kulhadd min hareg jghajjat bl-integration u min ghal snien twal qal li l-indipendenza kienet farsa jew inkompluta.

Il-Partit Laburista tassew kellu rwol importanti fl-istorja ta' l-indipendenza; kienet il-forza politika li bdiet tohloq l-ixkiel. Sall-llum il-gurnata stess issib group fuq Facebook li fih hemm membri nies li ghandhom ferm aktar simpatija lejn il-Partit Laburista milli xi partit iehor li qed jghidu li l-jum nazzjonali ghandu jkun il-jum li fih sirna Repubblika tant ghad hemm id-dubji fil-Partit Laburista; dubji li bhala sors ghandhom l-opposizzjoni storika tal-Partit Laburista.

Dak li gara gara, u dak li nkiseb nkiseb ghal kulhadd; ghal kull Malti u Maltija; imma ejja nghatu l-mertu fejn hu misthoqq. F'dan il-jum il-mertu jmur lejn Gorg Borg Olivier u l-Gvern Nazzjonalista li huwa mexxa li kellu vizjoni ghal Malta...il-vizjoni ta' pajjiz!

Long Live Democracy, Freedom and Liberty!

2009-09-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

September 11th 2001; the day everyone remembers his every move and action; the day the world stood still and watched in shock and horror as democracy, freedom and liberty where attacked by extremist forces. What happened in New York and Washington D.C. was not an attack against the United States of America. It was not an attack against US foreign policy. It was not an attack against the American people. It was an attack against democracy itself; against liberty, against freedom, against our civilized way of life! It was an attack against all freedom loving and embracing nations. An attack against all the civilized people of the world.

The World Trade Center and indeed the United States of America stands for our way of life. The US is a nation of many faiths; a nation based on religious tolerance. A nation built on a democratic system where the President is answerable to his people! A nation where there is the rule of law. A nation where extremism has no home and where the rule of the day is respect; respect for human liberty, respect for justice and respect for life. The United States of America also stands for our way of doing business; a free market economy; an economy providing opportunities for those who work hard enough to get them. An economy where the deserving are rewarded.

All this was attacked by extremism. A force that wants to throw the world back into the dark ages. Back into the ages where one can only follow one religious creed. A world where women are supressed simply because they are born women. A world where minorities are persecuted and hounded. A world where the word opportunity does not exist.

On this day we salute all the victims of September 11th 2001! We salute their memory! May their lives forever remind us that we must ever be vigilant for our democracy, freedom and liberty!

The Americans always end speeches with "May God Bless America" and indeed may God bless this nation which has for so long served as the beacon of democracy, freedom and liberty. May God also bless however democracy, freedom and liberty throughout the world!

Loosing the Plot!

2009-09-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

To understand my blog today one has to neccessarily have read the news particularly the comments made by the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Thus before commenting further I am here reproducing the news report as found on the website www.tgcom.it which is owned by none other then Silvio Berlusconi's media empire.

Immigrati, premier: "Parli Barroso"

"Basta con portavoce o bloccheremo Ue"

Dura risposta di Silvio Berlusconi sulla richiesta di chiarimenti di Bruxelles all'Italia sul barcone di immigrati respinto in Libia. Se in seno all'Europa, in materia di immigrazione, continueranno a parlare i portavoce anziché il presidente della Commissione "non daremo più il nostro voto, bloccando di fatto il funzionamento dell'Unione europea e chiederemo il dimissionamento dei commissari". Lo ha detto il premier da Danzica.

Il presidente del Consiglio fermandosi a parlare con i giornalisti nella hall di un albergo di Danzica ha dapprima negato che vi siano contrasti fra Bruxelles e l'Italia in tema di immigrazione: ''Si strumentalizzano espressioni di portavoce, è un problema che porterò sul tavolo del prossimo Consiglio dei capi di Stato e di governo e la mia posizione sarà decisa e precisa. Non daremo più il nostro voto, bloccando di fatto il funzionamento del Consiglio Europeo ove non si determini che nessun commissario europeo e nessun portavoce possa intervenire piu' pubblicamente su nessun tema''. Per il premier, ''deve spettare soltanto al presidente della Commissione europea o al suo portavoce intervenire'' e ''chiederò - annuncia - che commissari e portavoce di commissari che continuino nell'andazzo di tutti questi anni vengano dimissionati in maniera definitiva''. ''Questa è una cosa che non si può più accettare perché si danno alle opposizioni di ogni paese delle armi che invece non esistono''. In precedenza Dennis Abbott, uno dei portavoce della Commissione Ue, aveva detto - a proposito dei chiarimenti chiesti al governo italiano sugli immigrati respinti - che la richiesta sarà inviata ''il piu' presto possibile'' alle autorità italiane e maltesi sul barcone di immigrati che è stato rinviato in Libia nei giorni scorsi. ''La Commissione Ue vuole aiutare e per farlo ha bisogno di informazioni'', ha spiegato Abbott, rispondendo alle domande dei giornalisti e sottolineando che la Commissione ''è ben consapevole delle difficoltà che gli Stati Ue hanno nell'affrontare la situazione''.

The above is indeed a sad day for Silvio Berlusconi and his government. It is indeed a sad day for the European Union as a whole but more so for Italy, a founder member of the European Union. Berlusconi and his government have decided to do away with reason and go for the childish, immature, pathetic and ineffective politics of fist bangining. Berlusconi's words today are nothing more then telling the EU "my way or no way". Berlusconi's words in other words are nothing more then the words of an arrogant man who evidently and clearly has lost grips with the situation and who in his desperation to regain control is ready to do anything; even if it means shooting 27 countries including his own in the foot!

Blocking the EU does not solve anything! It didn't solve anything when De Gaulle caused the empty chair crises and it won't solve anything today. It is merely further proof that the Italian government quite simply has forgotten the term negotiations and diplomacy! Evidence that the Italian government is only seeking to protect its popularity at the polls rather then the protect the best interest of Italy which whether Berlusconi can see it or not lies directly with the best interest of the EU.

If Berlusconi and his hentchmen sink or attempt to sink the EU for any amount of time amongst the victims will be Italy and its citizens.

Immigration is indeed a problem and indeed the EU needs to act on it and act fast. Fist banging however will get us nowhere. It is only through the politics of conviction that we can indeed achieve a solution which is fair and just for all.

Given recent behaviour it seems Mr. Berlusconi and his men need to have a re-think before they expose Italy further to the redicule which it is eventually going to face!

Forza Inter, Juve, Fiorentina, Napoli, Real Madrid....

2009-08-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

What happened last Saturday night was a painful sight for any true AC Milan fan. It is true that football is not all about winning and one must be able to win as much as one must be able to accept defeat. A derby is always a derby and its never a pleasure to have to bow to Inter but there’s a difference between losing and being downright trashed and ridiculed.

The 4-0 score line achieved by Inter last Saturday does not do justice to the game. Inter by far deserved to add more goals to that score line!!! AC Milan quite simply was not on the ground. They put in what was a beyond mediocre and pathetic performance and were beaten by Inter in every way, aspect and department. Quite frankly the level of performance put in by AC Milan would have seen them struggle even against a humble Serie B team.

The Rossoneri defense seemed to be quite simply non existent as the Inter midfield and attacking players approached the Milan goal without much opposition. The Milan attack was blunt at best with only Jan Klaas Huntelaar providing any form of worry to Inter.

Inter’s performance on their part was by far not brilliant and although the win was emphatic and one which should make every Inter fan very happy for having completely smashed to bits bitter rivals AC Milan it was not a performance with which they can say that the league is in the bag. More so with the likes of Juventus lurking around.

Away from Inter however and back to Milan. Owner Silvio Berlusconi has blamed everyone for AC Milan’s recent ills. Its been the fans fault at times, the players fault at other times and as of late its been the coach to get the blame. Basically its everyone’s fault apart from himself!

And why should Berlusconi and his loyal puppy Adriano Galliani blame themselves? Was it them who sold Kaka to bitter rivals Real Madrid so that on November 3^rd we may witness Kaka playing at San Siro against AC Milan ripping a weak Milan defense to shreds? Was it them who sold a promising Courcuff? Was it them who only bought Jan Klaas Huntelaar, Thiago Silva and an insignificant Onyewu having lost Maldini, Kaka, Courcuff and having spent an entire year struggling to place 3^rd and gone home empty handed? Was it them who sold more players in terms of quality then purchased while rivals Inter and Juventus, who already were in a better position, continued to strengthen their side further? Was it them who let Chelsea take one of the best coaches to sit on the Milan bench only to be replaced by a total rookie?

If Silvio Berlusconi is more interested in knocking up 18 year old’s and being Italy’s Prime Minister one can certainly accept that. After all the challenges of running a country are certainly immense and Berlusconi has by far tackled the Italian political situation well; something which cannot be said for his highly questionable lifestyle but that is a private matter which is of no interest to me nor should it be to any Italian. What one cannot accept is that given the above Berlusconi persists in retaining his ownership of AC Milan. Every true Rossonero fan appreciates the Berlusconi years and thanks Silvio Berlusconi for what he has done for AC Milan but every beginning has an end and it is clear that Berlusconi has approached the rightful time to end his spell as Milan supreme. With him Berlusconi should take Adriano Galliani who is nothing more then his mere puppet and is just about as useful to AC Milan as a pot of boiling soup in a freezer that needs to remain ice cold!

AC Milan needs new blood! Berlusconi can’t provide it, therefore Berlusconi must make way so that someone who can provide this much needed new blood steps in. Until then we can augur much celebrations to our rivals at Juventus, Inter, Napoli, Fiorentina, Roma and Real Madrid!

To Italy...With Love....From the piece of spit!!!

2009-08-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

Italian far right leader Umberto Bossi has done and said outrageous things in his time in Italian politics. The man is after all the person who has long campaigned to dismember his own country, who has passed countless derogatory remarks against South Italy and Southern Italians and has even given a one finger salute to the Italian national anthem. As disturbing as I find such facts and as disturbing it is even further that his Lega Nord achieved such positive results in recent elections his rowdy behaviour had no direct impact on Malta per se.

Yet Bossi has now turned his guns against Malta chosing to define Malta as no larger then a "spit". He even cast doubt as to whether there where any Maltese at all left! Well I have news for you Mr. Bossi, we may be a small island but we are and will keep standing tall...and for your kind information there's still plenty of us around to give you our own salute when you choose to viley attack our country!

I shall not go at great lenght on the whole issue with Italy. One can't help but admire the way in which the Maltese government is handling the whole situation. Faced with a neighbour which has chosen to bully a smaller nation into giving in; a neighbour which has chosen to use its diplomatic and media muscle against an island nation of 400,000 inhabitants; a neighbour who's media has passed very hurtful remarks about Malta and the Maltese; a neighbour which seems to have lost all sense of decency in the whole issue and who has now resorted to the mentality of the end justifies the means; the Maltese government has retained its dignity, it has retained the national interest at heart and has consistently acted in a manner in which it will be possible to continue to build excellent relations with our northernly neighbour once this whole issue is over.

Let us remember here that this is not just about standing firm; its about preserving diplomacy; its about preserving relations and avoiding the unneccessary burning of bridges. For that one can't help but congratulate Malta!

As for the Italian government; it is a shame that for politics sake Italy has stooped so low. One hopes that Italy will stop resorting to the bully tactics it has so far adopted and that reason will once again reign in Rome.

As for Umberto Bossi and Franco Frattini on a semi personal level and their anti Malta rhetoric....there's a pretty V word in Italian which Marco Masini gave us a whole song about which belongs very beautifully on their coat at the moment!

Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done!

2009-08-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Some might perhaps be asking themselves about my choice of picture to accompany this blog. What you see there is a picture of various university students. These students used to attend the Syracuse University in New York USA until one fine December a terrorist decided to blow up a plane over Lockerbie in Scotland. This cowardly and horrendous act cost the lives not only of these students but indeed of over 270 people. It ripped apart families; some not even on the flight itself but in what they thought was the safety of their own home.

In 2001 Al Megrahi was found guilty of having been the culprit behind this terrorist act. He was sentenced to life in jail. Today 2009, just 8 years later Al Megrahi is a free man; a man who received a hero's welcome back at home in Libya.

Some have raised doubts on the very guilt of Al Megrahi. Some have even drawn him out to be a victim, a scapegoat if you will. Yet if Al Megrahi is not guilty why did Libya pay billions worth in compensation? Why did Libya hand Al Megrahi over if it was convinced that Al Megrahi was guilty? Why did Libya allow one of its servants to go punished for 8 years? The reason is simple; Al Megrahi is guilty! Perhaps true he was alone and perhaps true he did not play the main actor's role in all of this, but a part he most certainly played and having played even the most minor of roles in such a travesty deserves a punishment and a severe one!

Some have argued that irrespective of his guilt we need to show compassion, we need to let this man die a peaceful death amongst his loved ones in his country. To these I ask; where the victims given such an option? Where the victims if they wanted to die? Where the victims allowed to die on a bed with their loved ones in their homeland? To these I ask, what will heal the wounds of their surviving loved ones? What compassion will their surviving loved ones find?

If release wasn't bad enough Libya had to place the cherry on the cake by giving Al Megrahi a hero's welcome. A hero's welcome for what?? For having at best hypothesis played a "minor" role in an attrocious terrorist act?

A wise man once said that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. Indeed in this case justice has neither been done nor has it been seen to be done. For this we can thank Scotland, its justice secretary and above all the United Kingdom who only realized its error and joined the United States of America in comdemnation once it was pretty much too late and Al Megrahi was on the golden pedestal in Libya!

Father Mother Mary!

2009-08-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

The Church of England years ago took a step which caused a stir in the Catholic Church; the introduction of women priests. Don't get me wrong, there are various points over which I totally disagree with the Church of England, not least the fact that the highest person in the Church is the monarch meaning that as soon as Queen Elizabeth II ends her reign and her son Charles becomes King the highest person in the Church of England will be a man who divorced his wife to take the former wife of another man who already had children from that marriage after both had a long extra marital affair with one another. Having said all this however the Church of England definitely has it right when it comes to women priests.

There are strong forces against women priests within the Catholic Church who present various arguments against such an idea; I shall tackle each criticism one by one.

i) The First argument against which is perhaps the one most quoted is that Jesus chose only male apostles implying that Jesus thus wanted an all male clergy. It is thus even argued that the ordination of women to the priesthood is dogmatically impossible and is not subject to any discussion.

At best this argument is weak and fails to hold any water whatsoever. It is true that Jesus did not have any women as apostles but then again for those of us who believe, when Jesus rose from the death on Easter Sunday his first appearance was not to one of the apostles but to Mary Madeline, a woman! The fact that the apostles themselves were men was simply a social aspect of the times. Women in those days had no right to speak up and were considered as little more then maids. To have a woman take such a controversial stand was quite simply technically impossible thus the necessity of having all male apostles. Thus the whole argue of dogma falls through and the issue of women to the priesthood becomes very much an issue of Papal policy. More so when even Cardinals within the Church have been arguing for such ordinations thus further showing that the whole argument is one of mere policy not dogma!

ii) Women have a different role to serve in the church; if they want to dedicate their lives to God they can become nuns.

Can you get a more chauvinist argument if you tried? I would safely say no! A nun is the equivalent of a friar. But what is the female equivalent of a priest? There quite simply isn't one! Why? Don't we believe women have the ability to serve God and the Church? Don't we believe in the ability of women? Why make the role of a woman to be only that of cloistered life and of running orphanages? The reality is that a friar does all that a nun does and more. The nun is quite simply a friar without the right of celebrating mass!

iii) Admitting women to the priesthood could lead to scandals within a parish where there is a male priest and a female priest serving

Correct me if I'm wrong but priests have taken a vow of celibacy no? And correct me if I'm wrong but when one takes a vow one takes it because often enough its not an easy vow to keep? Thus it should make no difference whether there is the presence of a female priest or not; a male priest should, and I'm quite sure most would, keep his vow quite simply because he chooses to honor his vow and not because no occasion to break it comes up.

iv) When the Church of England introduced women priests many male priests left the Church of England and converted to Catholicism

I'm not going to spend much time arguing here over this point. If there are those amongst us who would fail to accept change and would be ready to give up the faith because of change then so be it. If somebody truly believes in the faith then one would not leave over change; the fact that one is ready to take such a step indicates a weak faith to begin with and hence represents no great loss whatsoever.

v) Why go for women priests? Why not encourage more people to the priesthood as is? Why not remove the celibacy of priests and allowed married male priests?

In Maltese we have an idiom which says, "mhux taz-zejjed u tan-nieqes" meaning not simply for necessities sake. One should be all for women to the priesthood not simply because women are "taz-zejjed u tan-nieqes". One should be for women to the priesthood because one believes in the idea. Beacuase one believes in having a church which is gender balanced and gender non discriminatory and not simply for making up numbers. To argue number wise is the greatest insult one can put across perhaps.

Will I ever see a Catholic female priest?

It all depends largely on who sits as Pope in Rome, but if my predictions are right I'll be an old and trembling man before I'll be able to say, "Good Morning Father Mary"!

Habemus Papam!!!

2009-08-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

I recently came across an interesting website with an argument I knew had followers but I never knew had followers so keen on it. The website is http://www.protridentina.org/. The group's stated aim as per the website is that of promoting the Tridentine mass or rather the return of the Tridentine mass in Malta and Gozo as per Papal policy.

For those who perhaps might now know what the Tridentine mass is; this is basically the mass that used to be celebrated prior to the Second Vatican Council meaning a mass in Latin with the priest giving the people his back as can be seen from the picture with this blog and with certain different prayers including a prayer during the time of Lent praying for the conversion of Jews, something deemed most offensive by the Jewish community and rightfully so.

Obviously its a free world and those who believe that the Tridentine Mass should return are free to argue so and that much I have no qualms about; more so when some within that category happen to be friends of mine. It is however in my view an outdated, andequated argument which clearly fails to understand modern times.

The church cannot fossilize itself; indeed the Roman Catholic Church is already plagued by a mentality of fossilization and a lack of catching up with the times. To revert to Latin is merely to increase the severity of the situation. Mass should be a spiritual expience where one feels closer to God and not merely a trip down traditions lane. One can only feel close to God if one is understand what is being said!

Imagine if someone read out the works of Shakespeare in Chinese; would you appreciate the beauty of Shakespeare's stories? Most certainly not!

Some might argue that Pope Benedict XVI merely made it possible for the Tridentine Mass to be held and by no means turned it into obligatory. All too true, but it is nonetheless a regression; a regression which certainly caused Pope John XXIII to turn in his grave!!

Let us not become the Christian version of Iran! Iran under the Shah had all the modern commodities of western life and indeed had a western culture. It was the ascension to power of the Ayatollah Khomeini that Iran reverted back to the strictly Muslim society it is today. Let us not be the Church which opened up in the 60's and went back in the 2000's.

The days of the Tridentine Mass are over; it is a tradition best kept in the history books and nowhere else! Its an element which would only serve to weaken the Catholic community and not strenghten.

The way to strenghten the faith is by living the faith and believing the faith and not by turning the faith into a mere living museum of traditions!

Prosit Lill-Kunsill tas-Siggiewi!

2009-07-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

Il-media tal-Partit Laburista u ta' l-alleat principali tal-Partit Laburista, l-General Workers Union spiss fethu l-kanuni taghhom kontra l-Partit Nazzjonalista bl-ghajta tal-korruzzjoni. Spiss ghajtu li l-Gvern Nazzjonalista kien juza l-MEPA sabiex jghati l-permessi lejliet l-elezzjoni sabiex igawdi xi vantagg fl-elezzjoni li tkun ser issir.

Wiehed ghalhekk jiskanta kif l-istess Partit Laburista ghazel li jiehu vantagg min propjeta pubblika fis-Siggiewi mghoddija lilu lejliet elezzjoni generali!

Il-Kazin tal-Partit Laburista fis-Siggiewi ma huwa xejn ghajr monument lil Gvern Socjalista ta' zmien Duminku Mintoff u Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici. Monument ta' gvern li ma kien halla ebda linja ta' differenza bejn il-gvern u l-partit. Gvern li ma staha xejn jghaddi art pubblika lilu nnifsu. Gvern li cahad lil poplu tas-Siggiewi mit-tgawdija ta' propjeta hekk imponenti fil-pjazza tar-rahal sabiex minflok gawdha hu stess bhala partit!

Wiehed ghalhekk ma jistax hlief jghati prosit lill-kunsill lokali tas-Siggiewi talli approva l-mozzjoni sabiex issir is-sejha sabiex f'Gunju ta' l-2010 ma jigix imgedded il-kuntratt tal-kiri u din il-propjeta tibda sa fl-ahhar tibda titgawda mill-poplu tas-Siggiewi.

Din mhux kwistjoni ta' azzjoni kontra l-Partit Laburista. Anzi, huwa bla dubju importanti li l-Partit Laburista ikollu presenza madwar Malta u Ghawdex u li l-Partit Laburista ikollu centri min fejn ikun jista' jkompli l-hidma politika tieghu. Dan izda ma ghandux issir a' spejjez tal-poplu!

J'alla fis-sena 2010 il-poplu tas-Siggiewi jibda jgawdi dak li ilu mcahhad minnu sa mill-1981!

Pro Choice and Proud......The Choice of Life!!!!

2009-07-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Brigitta Ohlsson is a Swedish MEP hailing from the Swedish Liberal Party and has long placed herself on the radical left side of the party. So far so good one might say. Yet Ms. Ohlsson has embarked on a campaign which is shocking at best and downright illegal at worst!

Brigitta Ohlsson has started a people's initiative, as envisaged by the as yet inactive Lisbon Treaty in order to gain a million signatures in an EU wide petition in order to impose abortion on those states which currently do not have abortion legislation.

First and foremost before I even begin to debate the argument itself allow me to point out how ironic it is for an MEP running under the so called Liberal banner and promoting the so called pro choice movement to try and force countries such as Malta to be forced out of a choice and into direct imposition on an issue so delicate.

Secondly Ohlsson is merely showing that despite having been active in politics for some years now she clearly knows nothing about the law and treaties. Had Ohlsson bothered to do some checking she would have discovered that both of her target states namely Malta and Ireland have a protocol specifically enshrining abortion legislation as being a matter of national sovereignty so quite simply put Ohlsson could gather as many signatures as she may wish for the law on the matter is clear. More so Ohlsson is showing gross political irresponsability in raising such an issue so close to a referrendum in Ireland. Any such diversions of attention can only serve to strenghten the No movement in Dublin.

Thirdly as to the argument of women having a right to chose; the right to chose to kill is no right at all. Your rights end as soon as my (in third person here) rights begin. The woman has a right over her body, her life but she has no right over the life of her unborn child. This isn't a matter of Christian Orthodox, Catholic, Buddhist, Thaoist, Jew, Muslim or whatever; it is a matter of human decency. As far as decency is concerned the last mass movement prior to the pro choice movement to have publically advocated the killing of people in order to create a more perfect society was the Nazi movement. That alone says alot about the stability of the pro choice argument!

It is indeed easy for Ohlsson and like minded people to argue for abortion. As former US President put it, "those who are in favor of abortion are those who are already born".

Last but not least; the Liberals had a candidate in Malta who advocated such a stand and the people spoke and spoke very clearly. They rejected him and his policies all too clearly! If Ohlsson has any respect for democracy she would respect such a decision but then again Ohlsson clearly lacks respect towards life itself let alone a mere concept!

The Death of a Mad Musical Genius!

2009-06-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog my play list right now has taken a bit of leave from its normal destination of Gigi D'Agostino, Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren and his shifted itself onto a classic of modern day times; I write this blog while listening to what I consider to be one of Michael Jackson's most beautiful songs; "Earth Song".

I must admit to not being an avid Michael Jackson fan; and his music although beautiful is not one I play too often. Yet it is clear and evident to everyone that the world has lost a true musical genius.

Michael Jackson brought with him a revolution in music. His music, his style has remained forever famous and has become part and parcel of his era.

Without much doubt it is very hard to justify in any way Michael Jackson's personal lifestyle and without any doubt the guy earned himself the skepticism which came to haunt him in the last years of his life. Yet such should in no way impinge on his musical talents.

The world today salutes the loss of a musical genius; and as a person who myself likes music I join the world in giving a fond farewell to Michael Jackson.

Of Joy and Shame!

2009-06-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

Come this Saturday, World famous architect Renzo Piano will reveal his plans for City Gate; plans which Piano claims will give back our capital city the dignity it well and truly deserves.

There is no debating Mr. Piano's skills as an architect. He isn't world famous for nothing and a quick look at previous projects under his helm will reveal that the man is indeed an artist in his industry with an immense ability at combining the modern with the classic. It would thus be senseless to debate Mr. Piano in terms of his skills on his design per se.

From what has been revealed so far, I fully concur with Mr. Piano in terms of his plans for a parliament building in Freedom Square. Surely it is befitting that such a dignified institution occupy the first slot available in our capital city and its certainly dignifying to enter our capital city to be welcomed by our parliament rather then a parking lot as is currently Freedom Sqaure.

The plans on City Gate are sketchy at best as yet and thus one should await Saturday before any further comment. I must admit to being hugely let down by what has been announced as regards the site of former Royal Opera House. An open air theater in a climate so hot is simply banal at best. More so in an area of the city rife with noise and distractions thus distracting any form of performance. It is further banal seeing how our cultural calendar is mostly winter based and Malta has been regularly getting wet winters; surely we can't be expected to sit for an opera, umbrella in hand!

Other had proposed rebuilding the Royal Opera House as designed by its original British architect; an idea which is so lacking in any progressive vision that I shall dedicate no more then two sentences to it. This project needs to be a project where this generation leaves a legacy to future generations; copying the past is merely showing how lacking in ideas we are. Let us therefore think forward not backward.

Apart from the above I also must admit to remaining skeptical entirely as to the whole notion of the site being made into a theater once again in that I believe that we are seriously risking building an entire site which at best will have minimal use given the current situation where there isn't any feeling of any dire and pressing need for an expansion in current theaters. That issue at this stage has however become secondary and unimportant and the decision is now set; a theater it shall be so I shall stick to debating the whole concept within the frame of it being a theater.

Having said all of this one must congratulate the government and what seems to be a determination to get things done and whether one is in full agreement or not with whats being proposed; should the proposal become reality it will truly be a monument to a government that seeks to get things done!

The Difference between fact and fiction!

2009-06-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Before you even think it, don't worry I'm not one to ever pen a movie spoiler and this blog is by far not a movie spoiler. In fact I shall give no details at all as to the actual plot of "Angels and Demons" although I do recommend you pay this movie a visit; its worth the bother.

If "Angels and Demons" serves to confirm anything at all, based on hindsight of "Da Vinci Code" is that Dan Brown thinks very lowly of the Catholic Church and sees it as nothing better then a mob of lying double faced people lying at every occasion that comes by. His pessimism and outright negativism towards the Catholic hierarchy is evident in both movies; although in "Angels and Demons" it is put much more subtly then it is in "Da Vince Code".

Back when "Da Vinci Code" I was one of those that openly criticized those who wanted it banned from our cinema screens for I have always believed in the freedom of the people to choose for themselves what to see and what not to see and what to believe and what not to believe. Yet I was also one of the first to criticize the movie as being mere blasphemy against the Catholic faith. Its sole and only intent was to undermine the Christian faith as a whole. The same cannot be said about "Angels and Demons" which is at best Hollywood being its good old self with these amazingly eloborate plots which go so well over a bag of popcorn and a nice cold Coca Cola.

"Angels and Demons" has no other purpose other then pure entertainment. To lose faith in the Catholic over reading or watching "Angels and Demons" is to say that McDonald's food is a good way to slim down simply because Ronald McDonald is always smiling; the two are simply not related.

Let therefore all those who have called for the banning realize the distinction between fact and fiction. "Da Vince Code" was an attack; simple fact. "Angels and Demons" is simply fiction and in terms of truth is not worth the page it is written on; it is there for mere entertainment and enjoyment.

Having said that, Dan Brown is fast becoming to Christianity what Michael Moore was to George W Bush; fixated and oppsessed to the point of madness!

Let there be light...and there wasn't!!!!

2009-06-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

My first time on Radio 101 as a non-guest was as a newspaper scanner and to this day when I do catch a listen of the newspaper scan on any station I can't help but feel nostalgic at those first days on Radio 101. During those days I was often told that I had a particular way when dealing with the GWU daily L-Orizzont.

So I guess you may be asking at this point why is it that today I have posted an image of the front page of L-Orizzont of Wednesday 17th June 2009 with the title "Malta l-Bierah". The answer is simple, I'll have to for once compliment L-Orizzont for their sense of humor of sorts. Having a dark page and a torch light is just the perfect way to portray yesterday's blackout.

Yet the front page was probably the only good thing about L-Orizzont yesterday for the rest of the report was as usual trying to take every problem in the country and blaming it squarely on the government. When is L-Orizzont going to grow up? When is L-Orizzont going to learn to point its finger in the right direction?

Without any doubt someone should shoulder responsability for having seen our island black out twice in one day. Without any doubt someone needs to be held accountable. This someone however is certainly not the government or the Nationalist Party. This someone is Enemalta Corporation or whoever within Enemalta Corporation was responsable for the situation.

It is with these stale and tired games such as those pushed forward by L-Orizzont that we can never move forward. For any admission or responsability will undoubtedly be pounced on and turned into a political game.

As for Enemalta itself; the more time goes by the more I realize just how right former PN MEP candidate Frank Portelli was when he proposed radical changes in the electricity provision sector.

Just answer this question; if your mobile, internet or cable provider caused you to suffer to massive outages in one day wouldn't you consider changing your provider? Can you do the same with electricity?

Any further comment is superflous!

Footbusiness!

2009-06-12T05:22:00.000-07:00

The more I see of football these days the more I confirm that it is indeed in a crises. Real Madrid have spent millions of Euros in order to prize away Kaka from AC Milan, they are now ready to splash away again in order to prize away Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United and rumor has it even Inter's Maicon is a target for mighty Real Madrid.

There's nothing wrong in Real Madrid seeking to strengthen their squad and to do so by purchasing good players. But to do so at the ridiculous prices which Real Madrid are offering is merely to make the game of football nothing more then a business.

Thanks to teams such as Real Madrid football is being reduced to a stock exchange where instead of trading commodities or shares and bonds we are trading players. We are now getting stories of how Manchester United purchased Ronaldo for 12 million and are selling him for 93 million!! This is what we've reduced football too; talking about playing in financial terms. Its no longer about the passion or the skills, its about money and image.

Real Madrid feel humiliated to have seen eternal rivals Barcelona achieve a treble so to medicate their ego they've gone on an ego boosting shopping spree. Real Madrid are the headlines makers this week but they are not the only guilty side. Manchester City have offered the same crazy deals and I'm pretty sure that given the transfer cash at hand they will soon be joined by Manchester United and Chelsea. Former AC Milan Boss Carlo Ancelotti in particular is planning a blue revolution at Stamford Bridge by simply taking his former assets at AC Milan to Chelsea, and who can blame him but I'll get to AC Milan very soon.

Unless football is placed under control and passion is restored to its due importance, football is going to die...and quick!!

AC Milan

If disillusion had to be personified it would certainly be called Galliani. The AC Milan supremo once Silvio Berlusconi is too busy inviting women at his villa and being elected as an MEP whilst also being Prime Minister has made a complete mess of a once glorious team.

AC Milan this year suffered a torrid year. AC Milan where the perenial underperformers. They under performed in the UEFA Cup managing even to draw against Portsmouth, they underperformed in the league and allowed Inter to win another scudetto as if it was a mere walk in the park and where inexistent in the Coppa Italia.

Many thought that AC Milan's problems lay with an aging squad which needed young re-enforcements quick. But alas Galliani had a surprise for everyone; he had a solution of his own. The Galliano-Berlusconi plan worked like this; Step 1 get rid of your experienced, twice Champions League winning coach and replace him with a total rookie who's as experienced to coaching as Barack Obama is to ballet dancing; Step 2 Sell your best player to a rival you might eventually meet in the UEFA Champions League; Step 3 Consider and toy around with also selling another Champion in the form of Pirlo; Step 4 Allianiate your team to the point where Pato`, Gattuso and Ambrosini all want to head to the exit door and play their trade for Chelsea; Step 5 Be reduced to the pathetic level where even the ancient David Beckham prefers to rot away at LA Galaxy then return to the misery you call a team!

This is what Galliani-Berlusconi have reduced AC Milan too!!! Clearly its time for both Berlusconi and Galliani to pack up their belongings and clean up their desk and whilst the spring cleaning is going on Leonardo can go with them and AC Milan can install a coach truly deserving such an honor!

The European Dream

2009-06-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

Whats so great about the European Union? Whats so fantastic about it? Isn't just a club of nations trying to imitate the United States of America? Isn't just a club of nations where the big and mighty dominate over the small and weak? Isn't it just a club of nations trying to turn itself into a European super state? Isn't it all about business and money and totally unconcerned about our nation and the pride of being a country? Isn't the EU the single greatest enemy of patriotism, nationalism and state sovereignty?

The above just about summarizes the main criticisms leveled on a regular bases at the European Union by Euro-Skeptics. Yet is there any truth in what Euro-Skeptics attempt to argue.

The Enemy of the Nation

Staunch Euro-Skeptics would argue that the European Union is eating away at the very core of our national sovereignty. They would point to the Lisbon Treaty as yet another attempt by the European Union to turn itself into a super state. Yet this could not be further from the truth. There is a stark difference between sharing sovereignty and giving it up. The EU is all about shared sovereignty; it most definitely is not about giving it up. History is man's greatest teacher and the history of our continent is one rife with wars, petty pique and lost opportunities all thanks to working against each other rather then with each other.

A quick glance at the European Union would reveal that it is far from a state and the Lisbon Treaty pushes it no closer to being one. What state is a state when it does not have to power to set its own foreign policy, to implement its own taxes and to take decisions on its education at a federal level?

Just the same, even if the EU doesn't eat away our sovereignty doesn't it eat away our sense of patriotism? The EU has now been around for many years; are the French any less proud of France, the Italians any less proud of Italy and the Germans any less proud of Germany? The truth it is possible to be proud of both one's nation and of being European. National heritage can never be pushed into history for indeed one's country always remains home. Let us therefore stop turning this into some battle between nation and Europe; for there indeed is no need to pick between the two.

Big Mighty Boys

Germany, France and Italy have long been used as an example by Euro-Skeptics to prove that the EU is merely a club intended for the big to dominate the small. There is no arguing that the EU has on several occassions suffered of cases of two weights, two judgments. Indeed France violated its Euro commitments and got away with murder while other smaller countries where made to come into line or face the consequences.

There is also no arguing then indeed the French and the Germans in particular exercise a major role in the decision making of the European Union. Yet the Lisbon Treaty will make it easier for the smaller nations to pull the breaks. Something the big guys wanted? Of course not, which in itself shows that the EU is not just about the diktat of Germany, France and Italy. Sure it pays to be big, but its no guarantee of domination.

At the end of the day, the idea of a bigger nation having a major influence is as old as time itself. Is it a coincidence that Belgium the neighbor of France speaks French? Is it a coincidence that Ireland the neighbor of the United Kingdom speaks English? Is it just a coincidence that even in the 19th century it used to be said that "the minute Paris sneezes, Europe catches a cold"?

The alternative route

Why not stay out? The answer is simple; staying out of the EU does not mean not being effected by the EU, it merely means not being able to decide how one is effected. Iceland has had to admit that and one day even the all stubborn Switzerland will have to come to terms with this reality. The EU is far from perfect and perhaps accusations of it being detached may be justified but the solution is to fix whats wrong with the EU from within the EU rather then to stay out, alone, yelling and screaming at Brussels whilst at the same time suffering the consequences of isolation.

Former US President Bill Clinton once declared that, "there is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed by whats right in America". The same may be said about the European Union. It only takes courage, vision, determination and the desire to make the European dream succeed.

Los Quattros Amigos!

2009-06-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

The 6th of June came and went and with it came the result which I am sure will remain debated for quite some time now. There aren't quite so many ways how one can phrase it; Labour won; it won a majority of the votes cast and it won a majority of seats. One would be foolish to dismiss a victory which included 4 MEP seats against 2 MEP seats and victories in even the most traditional of PN districts, the 13th electoral district.

The PN has however already recognized that far and has admitted that it needs to analyze this defeat, see what lead to it and most importantly make sure that such results are not repeated in 4 years time!

Indeed the PN needs to take a look at this defeat from two distinctly different angles. On the one part it needs to anaylze the defeat for PN as a political party and try to fix any holes which it might find within the party as a party. It then needs to see this defeat from a government side and see what the people are trying to tell the government.

On its part Labour would do a huge error of judgment if it were to think that the PN is over and out and that it can merely afford to wait to climb the steps of Castille. Indeed, despite the impressive showing at these polls the fact remains that Labour failed to increase its voting share numerically speaking. Its victory came at the expense of its political oponent rather then on its own steam per se. It is thus lauaghable when Joseph Muscat speaks of a new coalition of progressives and moderates for indeed the victory came more thanks to a coalition of disgruntleds!

On their part the messages to Alternattiva Demokratika and Azzjoni Nazzjonali were loud and clear. The people have, yet again, taken this occassion to show that they no tdesire a third party in politics. Indeed Alternattiva Demokratika saw itself implode at the polls the minute it failed to garner a protest vote. As for the votes gained by Imperium Europa or rather Normann Lowell, they are first and foremost as shocking as the success gained by BNP in the United Kingdom but are secondly more of a two finger salute at the established parties rather then anything else.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Simon Busuttil and David Casa on their election. I would to thank them for their previous years of service to our country and to augur them all the best for the next 5 years of service in what shall be the biggest group in the European Parliament, the EPP!

My best and sincere wishes also go to Louis Grech who despite being a Labour MEP and candidate I feel ran an honest campaign on a personal level and deserves his confirmation in his seat. I also hope that his new colleague Edward Scicluna will use his seat wisely in the European Parliament.

The other two Labour seats remain very much undecided. It is to me highly sad to hear that the likes of John Attard Montaldo are in a good position to be elected. One would have hoped that John Attard Montaldo was like Glenn Bedingfield going to be consigned to history but alas it seems not which is a shame. As for Marlene Mizzi and Joseph Cuschieri I honsestly hold no preference between the two and will leave my comments to when one of the two is elected or both perhaps.

Finally a word of thanks to all the PN candidates. To Roberta, Alan, Frank, Marthese, Vince, Edward, Alex and Rudolph I say thanks for offering yourselves to the country's service. Having come so tentalizingly close to being elected I leave my last word to Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas; never give in, never!

Labour has died!

2009-06-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

When Tony Blair defeated John Major he did what no other British Labour politician had done for many years; he had turned Britiain red. Tony Blair's New Labour concept had worked. He had modernized the old, stale Labour Party he inherited from Neil Kinnock and transformed Labour into the sweeping power house which swept the Conservatives out of government.

Tony Blair made Labour appealing. Its appeal lay not only with its rhetoric of being new but in the results achieved. Blair's Labour ditched Socialism and took up Capitalism and made it work. This allowed Blair to defeat the Conservatives again and again. Indeed Blair's politics had become so attractive that even the Conservatives tried to find their Blair look alike in the form of David Cameron to try and use the successful formula himself.

When Gordon Brown took over things changed; for good! Brown's take over was shameful at best. He had pushed out Labour's single most succesful leader. Michael Hasseltein shall always be famous for pushing out Margaret Thatcher leading to the rise of John Major and the downfall of the Tories. Brown pushed out Blair and it seems history shall repeat itself.

I'm not impressed by the scale of Labour's defeat at the polls. That was merely to be expected for a government which has shown at best gross incompetence, gross corruption and massive mismanagement of national affairs. Under Gordon Brown, Labour has gone back to being the same stale, antiquated, incompetent Socialist party it was before Tony Blair. What I am impressed with is the arrogance which Gordon Brown is showing.

It is clear that his own cabinet, or the one he had until this morning, does not trust him. James Purnell even said so point blank. Yet as his government is going into public meltdown instead of calling it a day Gordon Brown keeps grasping and hoping onto power.

Don't get me wrong; I am by far not enthusiasitc to see the days of Prime Minister David Cameron which we shall all be seeing by June next year. The Tories sadly have only changed their exterior and remain the same Euro-Skeptic, imperialist minded party they always were. Then again, as incompetent as I believe David Cameron and his Tories to be, they can't be any worse then Labour can they?

Britain has sadly reached a low eb. It has reached a point where its Prime Minister is incompetent and out of touch, the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg by far not ready for the reigns of power and its opposition leader David Cameron being stuck in the mind set of the past. A real shame for the country we once rightfully called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland alas now the "Great" being merely an artifact from history.

The Lesson Obama Needs to Learn!

2009-06-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama has long campaigned on the call that his Presidency will be characterized by reaching out towards the traditional foes of the United States of America. He campaigned by demonizing the foreign policy fostered by the Republic administrations of George W Bush, George Bush Senior and Ronald Reagen speaking of the winds of change.

No sooner had Barack Obama had been sworn in as President of the USA that he did not make his first moves towards thawing things out with Cuba and Iran, two long and traditional foes of the United States of America.

The Obama administration promised Cuba the easing of the embargo conditions. It allowed Cuban Americans easier access to Cuba and gave Cuban Americans the right to send money to Cuba, effectively granting the island state a source of much needed foreign cash. The Obama administration was not yet satisfied. It went a step further and allowed the Organization for American States, OSA, to lift the ban over Cuba's membership and effectively open the road for Havana to rejoin the club with a pathetic US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressing pleasure at the news.

Yet no sooner was the Obama administration already pumping up Obama's diplomatic achievements that Cuba didn't crush down Obama's dream in a minute. Cuba refused outright to even consider joining. Why? The answer is simply because joining came with the condition of ratying agreements on human rights in Cuba. So much for successfully reaching out. Indeed Obama's policy was succesful as long as it was one way traffic; Cuba gaining and America giving in.

The Obama administration is playing the same game with Ahmadinejad's Iran. And like the great Fidel Castro, Ahmadinejad is playing the same game with the US. Toying with Obama's hopes of peace in order to expose the US as the weak state which it currently is under this toothless and gutless administration, typical of the Democrats. The US has now invited Iranian diplomats for the 4th July celebrations; has Iran in any way returned the gesture? And how ironic is it that to celebrate the declaration of independence of the state long held as the beakon of freedom and liberty there should be the presence of such an oppressive state!

Barack Obama is not new in trying to negotiate with rogue states. Back in 1939 then British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain attempted to negotiate with Hitler's Germany. As a sign of good will, London and Paris allowed Hitler to march unopposed into Prague and did little to stop Hitler taking Warsaw a few months later. Chamberlain famously declared, "I believe its peace for our time" a few hours before German soldiers marched into Czechoslovakia. Months later, Hitler was visiting Paris and bombing London!

These are the lessons Obama needs to learn, otherwise his is a change we can't believe in.

Din id-darba Roberta!

2009-06-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ghal minn jircievi in-newsletter ta' Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas b'mod regolari fil-posta setgha jinnota li f'din l-ahhar edizzjoni kien hemm kumment tieghi dwar Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas. Fil-fatt fin-newsletter ta' Roberta jien ktibt hekk, "Roberta hija persuna li meta tgħid li trid tasal x’mkien tfassal pjan u tuża l-enerġija u l-ħeġġa kollha tagħha sabiex tbiddel f’realtà dak il-pjan.".

Il-mistoqsija forsi tigi waheda; ghaliex ghazilt li nikteb hekk propju dwar Roberta? L-ewwel u qabel kollox tajjeb li nghid li ma rrid bl-ebda mod nnaqas il-mertu ta' ebda kandidat iehor tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. Nemmen li t-team tal-Partit Nazzjonalista huwa maghmul minn ghaxra minn nies ta' hila u kapacita kbira, nies li kollha ghandhom x'joffru fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Huwa ta' unur ghalijja li nista` nghid li kien bis-sahha ta' hafna voti bhal tieghi li tul dawn il-hames snin kellna nies bhal Simon Busuttil u David Casa fil-Parlament Ewropew. Wiehed irrid ukoll jghati rikkonixximent specjali lil Simon Busuttil ta' snin ta' hidma li ilu jghati lejn il-kawza tas-shubija ta' Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea l-ewwel billi bl-aktar mod efficenti, newtrali u effettiv mexxa l-MIC mbghad fil-hames snin li ilu Membru tal-Parlament Ewropew.

Tibqa l-mistoqsija ghaliex Roberta? Nemmen li Roberta uriet b'mod car tul din il-kampanja elettorali li hija kandidata b'abbilta cara sabiex isservi lil pajjizna. Hija persuna li taghmel pjan, taghmlu bi hsieb u tara li tasal ghalih. Taf tohloq il-bilanc mehtieg bejn l-interessi nazzjonali u l-interessi ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea b'mod li ahna bhala cittadini Maltin nmorru minn fuq min dak li jkun qed jigi deciz.

Forsi wiehed jista` ma jaqbilx ma kull idea espressa minn Roberta; dak huwa s-sabih tad-demokrazija, pero` ma jistax hlief jirrokonoxxi li Roberta dejjem qalet dak li temmen u dak li tahseb u dan it-tip ta' spirtu jawgura tajjeb ghal hidma fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Huwa ghalhekk li ghazilt li nikteb dak li ktibt dwar Roberta. Huwa ghalhekk li din id-darba dan il-blog iddedikajtu ghal kandidata b'mod partikolari.

Jien niehu din l-opportunita` sabiex nixtieq l-isbah awgurju lill-kandidati kollha tal-Partit Nazzjonalista; lil Simon, David, Frank, Marthese, Edward, Alan, Rudolph, Alex, Vince u Roberta. Fl-ahhar jitla` minn jitla kollha nies kapaci li zgur ser jaghmlu unur ghal pajjizna.

The "Gonzi Dahaq Bik" Syndrome!

2009-06-02T03:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday if the program Bondi+ broadcast on TVM served no purpose it served the purpose of highlighting the difference between the PL candidates and the PN candidates in the election for members for the European Parliament.

To discuss every personal contribution in yesterday's Bondi+ would be somewhat impossible so I shall take two particular contributions as they struck me as particularly contrasting. On the PL side yesterday we had Claudette Abela Baldacchino, who for anyone who regularly follows One News would know her to be a One News journalist. On the PN side we had Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas.

At times, hearing Claudette Abela Baldacchino I started thinking that maybe this was after all a playback with a damaged CD which got stuck on the same 3 seconds. Her only message was that of "Gonzi dahaq bik". You'd think that all the world's ills are the fault of this Lawrence Gonzi and MEP Claudette will be jetting off to Brussels to solve it all. She offered no glimpse of a vision; justthe same mud slinging we've all grown tired of from the PL side.

The difference couldn't be more stark in the form of Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas. Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas showed herself to be truly in touch with European affairs and of being able to strike an excellent balance between European interests and national interests. Her contribution reflected that kind of credibility, seriousness and genuineness which the PN team has been reflecting throughout this campaign. Whilst Claudette Abela Baldacchino's performance made her look as the One News journalist that she is, Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas looked every bit of the way the MEP which she is aspiring to be. This stark difference has been the case every step of the way, as was the case for example on Xarabank between Simon Busuttil and Louis Grech.

As my blog would reflect I am no fan of either Alternattiva Demokratika nor Azzjoni Nazzjonali but I dare say even AN's Malcolm Seychell and AD's Arnold Cassola had a better day then the PL candidates yesterday.

Dawn Tiftakruhom? - I finally invite you to have a look at the video entitled "Dawn Tiftakruhom" for the truth behind the Labour Party and its feelings about the European Union. All you have to do is click on the words "Dawn Tiftakruhom?".

Once against the EU.....

2009-06-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

The Labour Party is trying its best to change the unalterable past. Recently the Labour party held a meeting at Ta' Qali where Labour supporters were seen waving EU flags. It was later confirmed that the party had distrubuted these flags so that they may appear intermingled with the sea of red flags which normally dominates any Labour activity.

Yet who is Labour trying to fool? This is the political party who's story has been consistently one of being against the European Union. The so called, "Missier il-Partit Laburista" Dom Mintoff opposed the European Union and ended his political days in parliament telling us about, "L-Ewropa ta' Kajjien u l-Ewropa ta' Abel" and went on to form the Front Maltin Inqumu against membership in the EU. His successor Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici saw the EU as Malta's risk of being invaded by AIDS and in later days went on to form the still in existent CNI who to this days still carry a regular coloumn in the GWU daily L-Orizzont. Alfred Sant ran three general elections with the calling of "Malta Svizzerra fil-Mediterran" and "Partnership, L-Ahjar Ghazla" and waged one of the biggest wars against EU membership to be seen as of late. His successor and current PL leader Joseph Muscat was already within the party ranks in those days.

For that matter, the same can be said about the majority of the PL candidates. Wasn't Joseph Cuschieri in the Labour Party back in the No to EU days? Wasn't Glenn Bedingfield in the Labour Party back in those days? What about Maria Camilleri and John Attard Montaldo? Is Claudette Abela Baldacchino a newbie within the Labour Party? As for Sharon Ellul Bonnici, one needn't look at her past, one need only look at her ongoing campaign which is rife with anti-EU rhetoric!

And convinced of the EU is a political party that still insists that we have paid more into the EU then gotten out of the EU? How convinced is a political party of the EU when it allows a person to run under its banner with such person proudly declaring to remain to this day a skeptic?

The Labour Party is going to have to go much further then a few waving flags of the EU in an open air PL activity!

Alternattiva ta' Azzjoni Nazzjonali Demokratika!

2009-05-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hemm bzonn li nibghatu messagg lill-partit l-kbar; hemm bzonn li lil tal-Partit Nazzjonalista u tal-Partit Laburista ntuhom is-sinjal li l-poplu idejjaq mid-dominju taghhom. Forsi ftit hemm in komuni li wiehed jista` jinnotta b'mod ovvju bejn l-Azzjoni Nazzjonali u l-Alternattiva Demokratika.

L-Alternattiva Demokratika dejjem turi lilha inifsha bhala partit liberali li jemmen fl-hekk msejha politika progressiva u moderna. Minn naha l-ohra l-Azzjoni Nazzjonali dejjem bniet lillha nfisha fuq pjattaforma aktar konservattiva jekk mhux ukoll ghal xi whud estremista. Imma meta tinsa l-proposti u tara l-mod kif dawn iz-zewg partiti qed joperaw tara similarita kbira.

Tinduna li dawn iz-zewg partiti (AD u AN) qeghdin jipprovaw jmexxu kampanja fejn flok imexxu ir-ragunijiet ghalfejn wiehed ghandu jghati l-vot tieghu lil dawn il-partiti, minflok jghidu ghaliex wiehed m'ghandux jghati l-vot tieghu lil partit l-ohra!

Iz-zewg partiti (AD u AN), flok jipprovaw jappellaw ghal sezzjoni partikolari tal-poplu li forsi tista tigi attirata mill-program politiku tal-partit jippreferu jappellaw lil dawk il-partitarji tal-Partit Nazzjonalista jew Partit Laburista li ghal xi raguni jew ohra ma jridux jghatu l-vot taghhom lil wiehed min dawn il-partiti u jinstabu bla ghazla.

Hija din it-tip ta' politika fjakka mill-idejat, fjakka mill-vizjoni u mibnija biss fuq opportunizmu politiku li dejjem zammet lill-partiti bhal Alternattiva Demokratika u Azzjoni Nazzjonali partiti limitati, b'rwol limitat.

Il-mexxejja rispettivi, Dr. Josie Muscat u l-Profs. Arnold Cassola, forsi fuq xejn ma jaqblu bhala idejat u forsi difficli biex qatt jaraw ghajn ma ghajn bejniethom imma minghajr ma forsi jafu u minghajr ma forsi irrealizaw it-tnejn ghandhom dan l-element in komuni, u aktar ma jghaddi z-zmien u aktar ma wiehed jghati widen lill-kampanji ta' l-Alternattiva Demokratika u l-Azzjoni Nazzjonali dan aktar issir ovju.

Same old Labour!

2009-05-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

I must start today's blog by congratulating the team at Where's Everybody? for an excellent Xarabank last night. The Xarabank edition discussing the MEP elections was an excellent program which was highly interesting for anyone with a keen interest in the MEP elections.

It also gave us viewers the chance to compare like with like, the chance to see with our very eyes what each candidate would do if given just a minute of air time, no more no less, no One News or Net News journalist asking the question; just a plain and simple one minute to be used as one wishes.

The difference could not have been more stark had anyone attempted for a more stark difference. The panel was for most of the time composed of Louis Grech and Simon Busuttil and it must here be said that Simon Busuttil's performance was a cool, calculated, mature and intelligent performance based on solid arguments and true facts. This as opposed to Louis Grech's performance which was largely based on the same old rhetoric coming from Labour and from a simple mud slinging campaign against the PN. Throughout the debate Simon Busuttil on behalf of all PN candidates offered the hand of friendship time and time again and time and time again Louis Grech prefered the partisan podium of negativity.

What about the one minute interventions? Well lets just pick randomly two of the female participants and compare. Lets take for example Labour's Maria Camilleri and PN's Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas. On her part Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas addressed the issue of illegal immigration and the essentiality the voting in Malta's interest on such matters pointing out at how some on the Labour side had failed to do this in their stint at MEP's. Maria Camilleri on the other hand preferred to emphasize at how even the PN has Euro-skeptics within it, as if in an attempt to justify Euro-Skepticism on the Labour side.

Take the difference between say PN's Alan Deidun and Labour's Sharon Ellul Bonici. One used her minute to further demonize the EU, the other waved the EU flag proudly live on air! Such is the difference between the PN team and the PL team.

The PN candidates showed great maturity in their arguments. The likes of Alex Perici Calascione, Edward Demicoli, Marthese Portelli, Frank Portelli, David Casa, Simon Busuttil, Rudolph Cini, Vince Farrugia and Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas have shown nothing but consistency throughout.

A sharp contrast indeed from the heckling mob of Euro-skeptics we saw yesterday on Xarabank on the Labour loving side of the audience. As for the minute interventions; few if any of the PL candidates presented any new arguments apart from the same anti-government rhetoric.

I dare say that even AN's Josie Muscat and Malcolm Seychell, with all their extremism in their political view point, presented sounder arguments, all be it one's may be free to disagree with.

AD's Arnold Cassola also had a pretty decent night, although I'm sure it felt weird having to stay away from forming yet another red-green alliance but with the performance at hand Prof. Cassola was smart enough to realize it was not a good occassion.

Saluti e Grazie Capitano!

2009-05-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today I shall take a break from my usual political commentary on this blog and dedicate this blog to a sporting icon who will this weekend bid his final farewell to the sport he has loves so much.

The Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence Italy shall see the legend which is Paolo Maldini kick his final ball for AC Milan. This comes against a backdrop of years of loyalty towards AC Milan.

Throughout the years with AC Milan, Paolo Maldini has given each and every Rossonero out there many emotions. All Rossoneri have cheared as Maldini lifted honour after honour. Who can forget those memorable victories in the Champions League? Who can forget how in those finals he tormented Barcelona, Juventus and Liverpool? Who can forget Maldini's part in the era where AC Milan won 4 scudetto's in 5 years?

Paolo Maldini shall forever be remembered as an AC Milan legend; as a gift to the world of football and it shall forever be the honour of the Italian National Team and AC Milan to be able to sport the memories of this legendery player.

I am sure that this is not the end of the road for Paolo Maldini. It is merely the end as a professional player.

Saluti e Grazie Grande Paolo!

Evil Gonzi and his health plans!

2009-05-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

The General Workers Union today issued a statement asking the government to clarify its position on whether health care in Malta shall remain free or not. It has done so following a report in last Sunday's Kullhadd which claimed that the government was planning to introduce fees on health care. It also follows a campaign by the Labour Party with posters all over the island stating "SAHHA, GONZI IRRIDEK THALLAS".

It is interesting how the General Workers Union chose to take on the Labour Party's campaign message and completely ignored all that has been said by both the government and by PN exponents. Just as Labour alleged that health care was to come at a charge in the near future, the PN was quick to deny this time and time again. The allegation was denied in an activity held infront of the PN headquarters at Pieta` and it was denied again by Prime Minister Gonzi on Bondi+. Yet the General Workers Union still felt it had to weigh in with its criticism.

These subtle aids being given by the General Workers Union to the Labour Party throughout this European Parliament elections campaign have by far not been a rarity. The so called independent daily "L-Orizzont, gurnal indipendenti ta' kuljum" has been the regular porta voce of the Labour Party against the government. Even a visit to the GWU main website would lead one to read a story about a conference held by the General Workers Union in which what was stated by Glenn Bedinfield, the current Labour MEP and Candidate and former L-Orizzont journalist got a whole chunk whilst what was stated by PN candidate Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas got summarized in little more then a sentence. Even Prof. Arnold Cassola from the, parliamentary speaking non existent Alternattiva Demokratika, got more room then did the PN candidate Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas.

And what about Prof. Edward Scicluna? Despite the revelations about his clear cut statements stated on Rapporter on TVM less then a year ago the General Workers Union has remained completly silent. Why has the General Workers Union asked the government to clarify its position, despite such position already being clear enough but has not done like to Prof. Edward Scicluna?

It seems old habits die hard!!!

The European Parliament Elections

2009-05-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog I have next to me piles of Civil Law notes waiting to be read and believe me before I call today a day I shall have had to read them all. Yet as they say everybody needs a break and for my break I have decided to share with you dear reader, if there is a reader out there after all, my thoughts about the European Parliament elections in Malta.

Several things have struck me up to this point in the campaign. The campaign got off on a negative note from the very start for the Labour Party when they allowed a Euro skeptic such as Sharon Ellul Bonici to run on the party ticket. Sharon Ellul Bonnici, was, is and it seems will remain convinced that the EU is nothing but the Brussels monster she used to tell us about back in the pre-referendum days. The obvious begging question would thus be; how can a Euro-skeptic work effictively within a Socialist Party deeply convinced on a European level of the European Union?

Then you get the blundering John Attard Montaldo and Glenn Bedingfield who have as yet failed to explained their final day voting blunder. They laughed it off, but laughing it off or mentioning the mistaken votes taken by others does not in any way correct your own mistakes. Edward Scicluna on his part has largely stayed away from major gaffes whilst having a very active campaign although it has to be said that certain statements made recently do not reflect an objective economist speaking but rather a man trying to please the anti government sentiment.

Marlene Mizzi recently stated that she is convinced to this day that had Labour been elected to power in 2003 they would have respected the referendum result. The same result which then leader Alfred Sant claimed as his own victory and had the party supporters celebrate. Sadly such statements don't say much for Marlene Mizzi's credibility.

Alternattiva Demokratika on their part have had a largely muted campaign with Arnold Cassola clearly being their only realistic chance of doing any serious harm to Labour or PN as Yvonne Arquiros has remained very much in the background and has failed to reach any niches. Yet again it seems AD shall thrive on the protest vote but other then that I personally can't see AD gaining any real and meaningful following.

The same would apply pretty much to Azzjoni Nazzjonali although in this case both Josie Muscat and Malcolm Seychell have tried to impose themselves in the field, all be it Josie Muscat having his history in his favor in terms of gaining attention. Yet AN is seeing itself further and further pushed on the back burner as the immigration issue is now an issue which all voters are understanding needs a mature and calm attitude rather then populist positions which ultimately lead us to nowhere.

Leading me to the PN Campaign. So far The Times and Malta Today are claiming that the PN is destined to lose these elections; a claim I'm sure most of us have stated at some point or another. Yet should the polls and this prevalent feeling be right it does by no means mean that the PN presented an inferior team or had an inferior agenda.

Indeed the PN has firmly stuck its ground as the pro-EU party. As the party that truly believes in the European project and the party ready to work to achieve results. Its track record is clear and obvious, the party that has presented the candidates who are best able to use their position in Malta's favour.

Need I list the list of achievements achieved by Simon Busuttil and David Casa? Their work in the European Parliament over the last 5 years has been greatly felt by the citizens and they were without any doubt worthy representatives of the Maltese people.

Yet the PN has not rested there and has presented a team sparkling with ability and talent. Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas has without doubt cast herself as the candidate willing to speak up even when doing so might raise eyebrows. By doing so she is already showing that she posses a quality very much needed in an MEP; loyalty to the public rather then to the authorities and a willingness to speak up and do something about it. Labour whip tried to shut her up and the Labour media have constantly tried to spin her statements but have only managed to prove her abilities instead.

Alex Perici Calascione has been the subject of a One News style mud slinging campaign where the Labour Party clearly prefers to attack Alex Perici Calascione on what he didn't say rather then what he did. It is indeed a shame to have witnessed Labour leader Joseph Muscat fall so low in regards to Alex Perici Calascione. One News also tried to drag Edward Demicoli and Rudolph Cini into similar mud pits with regards to the whole voting debate but both Edward Demicoli and Rudolph Cini showed quality in the face of a media clearly hell bent on doing anything it takes to have material to mud sling with.

Vince Farrugia has also been the target himself; they attacked for allegedly having been against the EU, yet his past shows very much otherwise with the GRTU having been one of the organizations within the yes movement. Indeed only the GWU, student organization Pulse and Labour chose to take the no path. Frank Portelli has made a political return and what a return. His words and actions yell of experience and a long service in Maltese politics. Two political newcomers so to say are Alan Deidun and Marthese Portelli. In the case of Alan Deidun his credentials are obvious and clear. His ability to tackle environmental issues is beyond any doubt and unlike Labour's Steve Borg who uses the environment to compare the Labour Party to a plant Deidun has tackled real environmental issues. Marthese Portelli on her part has shown herself to be able to move beyond the mere niche of being Gozitan and female and has shown herself to be able to speak truly and well on behalf of all Maltese people.

There are other candidates running this elections such as the likes of Liberal's John Zammit, Imperium Europa's Norman Lowell, K.U.L Ewropa's Cecil Herbet Jones and Ajkla's Nazzareno Bonnici amongst others. There is also Libertas's Mary Gauci yet these one issue candidates often enough have showed that there presence is merely there to serve as a niche for protest voters and to serve as a welcome break from the tension of a debate with candidates who have any realistic of being elected.

PL (Progressivament Lura)

2009-02-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

This is the article sent and subsequently published in Il-Mument.

Il-Partit Laburista taħt it-tmexxija ta' Joseph Muscat qiegħed issa jgħid li huwa partit ta' progressivi u moderati. Qiegħed issa jgħid li huwa partit li għandu stil ġdid ta' politika. Imma bħalma jgħid il-Malti bejn il-kliem u l-fatti hemm il-baħar jikumbatti.

Elezzjonijiet għall-Parlament Ewropew

Meta tara l-lista tal-kandidati tal-Partit Laburista u tiftakar fil-kliem progressivi u moderati tibda taħseb li jew xi ħadd donnu ma jafx x'jiġifieri tkun progressiv u moderat jew li tassew dawn il-kliem ma' jfissru xejn għal dak li lissinhom. Jista' wieħed juża kliem bħal progressivi jew moderati għall-kandidati bħal Sharon Ellul Bonici? Żgur li kullħadd jiftakar lill-Sharon Ellul Bonici fil-fila ta' quddiem titkellem kontra l-Unjoni Ewropea. Żgur li kullħadd jiftakar lill-Sharon Ellul Bonici tiġġieled mal-Partit Laburista meta dan dawwar fehmtu fuq l-Unjoni Ewropea.

U xi ngħidu għall-Maria Camilleri? Jista` wieħed jgħid li Maria Camilleri hija wiċċ ġdid fix-xena politika Maltija? Nistaw ninsew li Maria Camilleri kienet tifformi parti mill-Partit Laburista fiż-żmien il-Gvernijiet ta' Duminku Mintoff u Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici? Nkella kemm jista' wieħed juża l-kliem ġdid għal Joseph Cuschieri li sa ftit tax-xhur ilu kien Membru tal-Parlament sakemm dan kellu jgħati postu lill-Joseph Muscat?

Il-lista kollha tal-Partit Laburista għall-parlament Ewropew tkompli dejjem turi kif il-Partit Laburista tassew ma nbidilx u għadu tassew l-istess partit li dejjem kien bl-istess idejat politiċi li dejjem kellu, mingħajr ebda tibdil għajr tibdil kosmetiku.

Partit LEburista

Taħt it-tmexxija ta' Alfred Sant il-Partit Laburista kien il-partit tal-le. Xogħolu fil-parlament kien wieħed konsistenti sa' mill-1998. Kien il-Partit tal-le; il-partit li jitkellem kontra kull proposta tal-gvern, il-partit li jitkellem kontra kull media li tagħżel li ma tgħidx dak biss li jixtieq li jara ippublikat il-Partit Laburista. Alfred Sant telaq min mexxej Laburista u warajh laħaq Joseph Muscat li wegħdna politika ġdida. Wegħdna partit li fejn possibli jimxi id f'id mal-gvern.

Imma jidher li għal darb oħra bejn il-kliem u l-fatti hemm il-baħar jikumbatti. Il-Partit Laburista taħt Joseph Muscat qal le għal ftehim ta' pairing bl-aktar mod kategoriku u ċar. Il-Partit Laburista taħt Joseph Muscat qajjem dubji dwar l-proġett tad-daħla tal-Belt, uża l-kwistjoni tal-Kon Katidral ta' San Ġwann bħala ballun politiku u anke oppona li l-parlament tagħna ikun jista jaħdem b'mod aktar effiċenti.

Fuq kollox il-media tal-Partit Laburista baqat tgħid dak li dejjem qalet. Kliem kontra l-media indipendenti. Sa ġimgħa ilu stess għal min kien qed jisma r-radju tal-Partit Laburista Super One seta' jisma kliem antik bħal "media indipendenti li dejjem iservi ta' forċina għall-gvern Nazzjonalista". Tal-Labour baqaw l-istess, negattivi u partit li jaf biss jgħid le.

Ja Imbeċili!

Għal minn kien qed kellu d-dubju dwar il-Partit Laburista u jekk nbidilx jew le żgur għandu jgħid grazzi kbira lill-Joe Debono Grech. Il-Partit Laburista taħt Alfred Sant ra lill-Partit Laburista juża aġġetivi bħal 'boloh', 'abjetti' u 'faxxisti' fil-konfront ta' partitarji Nazzjonalisti. Saħansitra ntqal li n-Nazzjonalisti kellhom DNA differenti.

Issa Joe Debono Grech żied titlu ieħor mal-litanija twila ta' aġġetivi. Ngħidilkom li issa minn hu Nazzjonalist sar ukoll "imbeċili". U msomma aħjar nieqaf hawn; fuq kollox jien minn jien għajr biċċa "imbeċili" li qed nikteb fuq dak li Lino Cassar fuq It-Torċa ta' kull nhar ta' Ħadd bl-akbar mod dispreġutiv jideskrivi bħala, "fit-tilqita tagħhom tal-Ħadd" b'riferenza għal dan il-ġurnal! Madankollu hemm differenza bejn x'jahseb Cassar u x'jahseb il-poplu.

Jason Veltroni

2009-02-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Today the leader of the PD in Italy Walter Veltroni handed in his resignation. He resigned following yet another bruising electoral defeat at the hands of Silvio Berlusconi. The PD in Italy has now suffered defeat after defeat. It follows a general trend throughout Europe of defeats for those who persist in left wing politics. This on its own is perhaps already very indicative of the level of success that can be achieved nationally when a country choses to adopt left wing politics as is the creed of the parties aligned within the Party of European Socialists.

Yet another interesting point is the difference between what happens locally and abroad when a party starts scoring consistent defeats. In Italy when Romano Prodi lost hold he left the scene quietly. Now that Walter Veltroni has clearly also lost the plot he has also cleared his desk hoping that a successor will make way for better times ahead for the PD.

Not so in Malta however. It is true, Alfred Sant the leader did finally relent and resign all be it after three general election defeats. Yet what about his Secretary General Jason Micallef? Just today he has started, yet again, his attack against independent journalism this time aiming his guns at PBS's Natalino Fenech. Yet again Jason Micallef is repeating the magic formula he used between 2003 and 2008 which resulted in a Labour defeat. Rather then learn Jason Micallef persists in the same old ways.

Clearly a defeat at the polls was not enough for Jason Micallef to learn. Clearly despite a damning electoral defeat report Jason Micallef persists in his old ways. Clearly Jason Micallef, like Walter Veltroni in the PD has lost his plot.

The difference is that whilst today the PD is saying its thanks and farewell to Walter Veltroni, in Malta Jason Micallef is still very much in business. Then again thats the beauty of democracy; we can all differ in our view and opinion. There is no right and wrong but merely a matter of different view points. Which view point is that of the majority remains to be seen in 5 years time, until then its best of luck Jason at finding your plot I guess!