For all their children to succeed

The Education Division, and others like the ladies' circle of the PN, often use the cliché For All Children To Succeed, which is a good example of a half-baked educational ideology. They forget one of the main purposes of education, that of providing children with a livelihood and employment satisfaction when they are older after several years of education.

The ladies and gentlemen above rarely - if ever - mention follow-ups of children's progress independent of politics after they finish their education, seek employment and eventually expect merited promotion within their employment. They especially rarely - if ever - criticise Maltese society for allowing an unmeritocratic system of employment and promotion where academic qualifications are allotted a maximum of 15 per cent merit.

Michelle Mallia, president of the PN ladies circle, has again recently written about this subject without any reference to a meritocratic conclusion. "Children and young people are prepared towards success in life." "Vocational training is also of a high priority." "The Nationalist government is... planning policies to ensure peace of mind for parents and children alike." "The Nationalist Party... has a clear agenda and clear path for all our children to succeed."

With most Maltese believing that meritocracy in post-educational professional life does not exist, I challenge Ms Mallia that her assertions are just unrealistic dreams.

Critical analysts

When one goes to places where people are more talkative than usual, one tends to hear lots of interesting stories. Of course, it's more enjoyable to be in spots where persons from all parties mix.

These days I have noticed that Nats are criticising their leader more openly than usual. What has got into them? Or perhaps I should know! They say that "he" cannot control the cost of living, that "he" should have chucked out some ministers, that "he" should have checked the few egoists eating with 10 mouths...

I tend to ask around about some "linguistic critics" who have criticised my style - having little to say about my politics (the old La Fontaine defence mechanism story). I have learned that some of my critics are angry people - for all sorts of reasons which I cannot mention here.

A particular, elegant, gentleman critic of mine refused to meet me for a chat and coffee and show me some of his writings. His madam, an extremely sweet person, encouraged him to accept and he was furious. Oh my!

Shaun Attard

We have all seen the heart-breaking scenes of the Gozitan boy Shaun who was taken to England over a year ago. It is not my intention to discuss the merits of this case as I do not have all details and I have no right to do so. However, it seems to me that modern "evolved" Western societies do not consider fathers as much parents as mothers. Modern psychology makes it clear that a child needs his/her father as much as s/he needs his/her mother. Old-fashioned elements in Western society believe that children could do without their father. This is simply a case of puritan mentality based on rigid traditionalistic thinking. Western society conservatism can never really begin to be evolved unless it recognises that fathers have an important role to play in the upbringing of a child.

Environmental memoranda

I do not have much to add to the memoranda of Nature Trust and the Ramblers to all political parties. I agree with their determination to protect the Maltese countryside and to resist unnecessary development. I hope that they will receive the support of all those who care for our children's clean and healthy future.

Don't blame the euro

I noticed that government spokesmen (I almost said "smokespeople" - a lapsus from smokescreens) get very angry and noisy when someone says that the euro raised the cost of living. Suppose that they are right. There's no doubt that the cost of living has gone berserk (upwardly adjusted). If the euro is not to blame, can I guess that the smokespeople mean that it's government incompetence?

Holy patience

May I ask if Gift of Life has managed to enshrine the hospital name Mater Dei in the Constitution. If not (quick before they try), please change the name to Santa Paċenzja (Holy Patience). It is more appropriate, considering the waiting time necessary for certain types of operations and the squatting one has to practise at emergency before seeing a doc.

PS: Are sleeping bags allowed in the emergency waiting room?

Gay rights

It does not take a lot of research to realise that the left guarantees gay rights in any country. Usually conservatives use the crudest and most offending language against gays. What will they do now that Europe approves adoption by gays?

Education Division poem

I read a poem titled Happy Retirement in Edu Forum, the latest Education Division newsletter. The first two lines read "Looking back, you have done a big mission... In every grade in the Education Division".

I will spare you the rest. However, I find it hard to reconcile the above poetry with the oft-repeated slogan of the Education Division: For all children to succeed.

Standing ovation

A letter by AD correspondent Edward Fenech in a local paper on January 16 said that Net TV reported a musical evening held on January 5 and "'doctored" the video clips so as to give their viewers the impression that the standing ovation was not given to the musicians but to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi following his speech. The correspondent adds that "shame is too mild a word for such cheap behaviour". If things happened as reported, may I add, "incredible!"

Better the devil you know?!

A lady commentator on Radio 101 said about a new government: "Better the devil you know". I hope this does not mean that there should be no alternation. If so, the commentator should have said: "We disagree with democracy".

National coaches

The old debate about national football coaches has been teased again. My personal opinion is that nations should have native national coaches. When Malta had these, it did sufficiently well.

That fountain again!

A Maltese immigrant to Għasri challenged me to look through a Gozo fountain water which, he claims, comes from the best hills. We'll do this together. If I win, he'll pay me a glass of white transparent wine coming from the best cellars. He will also read aloud from Transparency International.

Come to think of it!

Alfred Sant trusted a Maltese surgeon. Some politicians go abroad for medical matters.

Inviting cataclysm

I do not agree with the new confusing electoral slogan used by the government and promoted by Net TV - which has many viewers because I make up most of the number. Gvern katalist sounds too much like Gvern Kitarrist or Gianpatist. Of course, any connection with Kapitalist is purely coincidental.

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

Editorial note: This article should have appeared last Saturday - Dr Licari writes every fortnight. However it was omitted due to an oversight. Any inconvenience is regretted.