Past possibilities, present probabilities

I have come across people who believe that, due to its strategic position, Malta could be a Liechtenstein in the Mediterranean. I have known others who, shocked at Malta's loss of socio-cultural and political sovereignty through the infamous marriage laws and the ecstatic persecution of night-club dancers, have spoken of a Vatican in the Mediterranean. Nowadays it is more common to hear people talk of an immigrant camp in the Mediterranean.

Ten years ago, if you spoke of a gradual southern continental invasion of Malta, you were more likely than not considered bombastic and ridiculous. But 10 years ago there weren't 2,000 immigrants more or less installed in Malta. Ten years ago there were no areas in Malta where Maltese feared to tread, where it was normal to be an immigrant and an intruder if you were Maltese. Ten years ago, events in Malta did not lead to the creation of far right parties with racist hysteria as an important part of their agenda. Ten years ago you were ridiculous and bombastic; today you may have a point.

Five years ago the Maltese tolerated with a smile immigration policies based on the Vatican's "happiness" at our "charity with the less fortunate foreigners" and never mind the charity we owe our poor local brethren.

Only days ago the EPP-ED assembly in Malta heard the PM state (July 4) that "The annual rate of migrants reaching our shores is now equal to half the country's birth rate...We need to help these people to rebuild their lives". To the vast majority of Maltese, overtly or covertly, this type of language is unacceptable as it sounds like a state-of-the-art open invitation for thousands more.

At this rate, in 10 years' time, there will be immigrant villages in Malta with a high birth rate and a PN club. The PN leader will probably be an irregular immigrant with a confessional affinity. Austin Gatt (if we are still blessed with his charismatic political presence) will no longer compare the PN to a whale but to a rhinoceros (environmentalists are already doing so) with a Mepa sticker on its rump declaring "I don't love Carmel Cacopardo - but I don't know why".

As most charitable Maltese reflect on the 12,000 unemployed in Malta, on the 15 per cent or 59,000 of our brethren living in poverty (according to NSO), on the rise of the ugly head of racism and the possibility of racial strife which we are preparing, the enthusiasm of our young Catholic Action days, the pleasure we must give the Vatican and the masochism of inviting all the unfortunate of the planet to feel comfortable in our dining rooms, in our bedrooms and our bathrooms gradually fade away. But what's important is a euphoria drunk on strange definitions of human rights.

Meanwhile, European countries determined to dump the problem totally on us, sometimes give us some peanuts "to alleviate the problem" and a couple of patrols "out of solidarity". Even the most gullible among us realise that that we are being taken for a ride in a problem-sea where tiny Malta has a search and rescue area covering most of the Mediterranean (but much smaller fishing and oil exploration zones, if you don't mind!).

Today the Maltese are looking at, as saviours, those who wish to energetically protect the little we have.

Practical jokes

The latest piece of tragi-comedy I heard verges on the pathetic. A man who had reported a water leak in a street, noticed that the street was tarmacked just before local council elections and before the leak was repaired. Furiously the man complained to the Water Services Corporation - who told him that it was his council that had tarmacked the road before the leak was fixed. It was hoped that the new tarmac image and photomontage would help the locality retain its conservative majority. The council adored by this man of the right was thrown out by local elections. Lesson learned: you cannot fool all the people all the time. Now, from this man's and other residents' taxes, the tarmac has to be removed, the leak repaired and the tarmac relayed. What a waste of money and what a big farce!

Spiritual politics

Charles Buttigieg, the Archbishop's and the Curia's PRO, and various other staunch Church defenders in the media, usually so prompt to answer any criticism of the Church, have failed to explain my repeated questions regarding the Archbishop's attitude towards priests involving themselves in politics. The Archbishop is reported to have told a journalist that he disagreed with priests who were active in politics. Yet, when speaking to one of them, he did not really do much about it in practice: "I talk to him on a personal level on many things but not on this issue". So, when the faithful start worrying about the involvement of priests in politics, the Archbishop talks to one of them and does not reprimand him for behaviour he disapproves of. In that case, why is leadership usually associated with authority?

Genuine Maltese evenings

Hats off to the Attard and Swieqi local councils that chose to stand out proud long heads above those who feel no national and cultural pride, and named their enjoyable evenings Lejl ghat-Tard and Lejla Sajfija. These proved that they have no cultural inferiority complex and were not tempted by some appellation of the type Notte Puerile. Also the most culturally active local council this summer is Zejtun. Well done!

Head teachers and PMP

The MUT has justifiably complained that some head teachers have used harassment and arrogant manners during the Performance Management Programme exercise with teachers. I have known heads of school locally and abroad with a mature sense of leadership, a clear knowledge of democracy in education and a policy of consultation involving all decisions - including school financial management ones. Unfortunately, some others do not have the least inkling about a sensible and rational way of assuming their responsibility.

Usually head teachers who practise bad manners and authoritarianism are correlatable with low academic achievement and probably come from families with moderate enthusiasm for scholarly affinity. Thus, they tend to use arrogance to compensate for an inferiority complex. Besides, they tend to be boorish and fundamentalist in character. In short, these types should neither be educational leaders nor educators at all. Not to be too negative, I must admit that these people can be excellent cowherds.

Summer of corruption

TheRE are so many stories about corruption going round that they should be compiled into an exciting novel. This literature would surely stand a good chance of winning a Nobel prize for Macchiavellian tragi-comedy.

Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and geolinguistics at the Department of French of the University of Malta.