Positive u-turns

A u-turn may be positive. Realising that one was wrong in the divorce issue, or that times have changed and one cannot forever stick to tradition, is a sign of maturity. This apart from the fact that divorce obtainable by rich Maltese sojourning abroad is recognised in Malta.

Frankly, I am very surprised that Lawrence Gonzi has suddenly modified his attitude on divorce, as the message had always been one of "over-my-dead-body". I suspect that votes have something to do with this but it's also a victory for common sense where civil rights are concerned. I guess that Dr Gonzi will have more internal and external traditionalistic resistance than Joseph Muscat. (Will fundamentalists now consider blocking the roads and the airport too?) If both leaders agree to a free vote in Parliament, I bet a few euros that the result would approximately be PN 19/16 in favour and MLP 24/10. (The editor starts taking bets as from... now.) This would bring about parliamentary approval of divorce by a total of 43/26 (see also The Times survey) - a landmark in legislation since the banning of the faldetta, which was recycled as artistic lingerie for anticlimactic effect.

Mysteriously, a Ministry of Justice statement on July 23 promises a bras de fer with Dr Gonzi: "Malta would make sure that divorce would not form part of the Maltese legal system".

If promises are important

The transport strike brouhaha has come and gone, though there are still many sore realities to address regarding public transport in Malta. There was certainly a lot of agitated behaviour during the strike and some scenes were ugly and unacceptable. At the same time, some strikers were saying that they had a written agreement with the government that there would not be a liberalisation of transport. I am totally in favour of liberalisation - if it brings with it an improvement of the system through competition. However, I totally disagree with unkept promises and, if these could not be kept, they should not have been made in the first place.

Meanwhile, it seems as if more lady bus drivers are being employed and that they all have good manners. In truth, I have also come across polite male drivers. However, the popularity of the lady drivers may make the males jealous and soon champagne may be offered to each passenger.

I also suspect that ladies are not allowed to be priests because of the male priests' suspicion that the lady priests could do a better job. Quite possible.

Helena's questions

Here is a PQ, freely translated, fielded just before the summer recess by Helena Dalli regarding interviews by the Foundation for Educational Services. It is not easy to quarrel with the contents of the question - which is related to transparency and meritocracy.

What was the number of candidates at the interview? Who were these candidates? Who were the members of the selection board? What were the selection criteria used? What were the points allotted to each criterion? Who was the candidate selected? What were the marks given to each candidate? What is the salary related to this post?

I wish to add a question to the above: What are the qualifications of the selection board members in relation to the selection criteria used?

Heat in the Basilica

Some time ago I enjoyed at the Gozo Basilica an exceptionally good concert. The fact that in front of me sat a small round man with an aversion to hair helped me see the musicians and singers very well.

The atmosphere would have been better if more fans were available.

I was sitting close to a group of elderly ladies and gentlemen clustered near one of the soothing fans when a woman with greasy hair barged in, sat in front of them and turned the fan towards her.

The senior citizens were furious and I suspected I was about to witness a justified Murder in the Basilica when one of them grabbed the fan, offered the greasy lady a few holy best wishes and put the blessed fan in its original position. The selfish woman resisted and this went on for a few minutes as people were saying that the greasy lady was disgusting. Which she was.

Party hymns

The time has probably come for party hymns to be changed. In political hymns one comes across ideals which are too traditionally socialist or rightist. Euphoria about the victory of basic bread rights may be an anachronism. So are references to staunch Catholicism and Latinism in this day and age of multi-culturalism. The latter reminds me of Dgħajsa tal-Latini.

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