The angry Maltese motorist (2)

Daniel Russell

Mar 12th 2009, 15:17

@ F Bartolo
Hope you are good at the violin.

I couldnt agree more. It is a pity you rounded your attention on me solely when I did not turn it into a Britain V Malta debate. I think we have said the same thing in different ways!

F.Bartolo Snr.

Mar 11th 2009, 19:19

Cassar.K & D.Russell, reading both your comments nearly had me in tears, so i took out my fiddle and played a tune on it so sooth my sorrows. No Jokeing aside lets all give it a rest and close this silly tit for tat Malta versus England contest and have a drink and forget the past but look to the future thats the main thing, after all we all wants whats best for our countries. Agree.
Have a nice evening all. FJ.Bartolo.

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 11th 2009, 16:01

@ Daniel Russell:

Don't worry about it. I feel the same way about arrogant people, no matter where they're from. Patriotism has nothing to do with this.

Although certain people give your country a bad name (like some people do mine), you are more than compensating for it with your sensible and reasonable posts.

Daniel Russell

Mar 11th 2009, 15:34

Messrs Bartolo and Cassar
I am not after anything, least of all an award I am not personally deserving of (The George Cross). I always treat people as equals and have been brought up that way. It annoys me when people do not and some of the comments of my countrymen were quite nasty (mr and mrs norman). I have a great love of Malta and the Maltese people, forged of visiting on a regular basis and have many Maltese friends. It was the negative attitude of my own people that forced me to comment, this being the same negative attitude and pompousness which is damaging the country of the UK.
I can honestly say without agenda that I am proud of what the independent Malta (the only Malta I have known being born since you were independent) has achieved and continues to do so, as I said in my letter below. My own country is certainly not like this and this is what breeds my disollusionment, as stated previously. I am proud to be from the Black Country but increasingly not proud to be English, especially when I come to your beautiful country and seeing how we behave

C.Cassar (retired)

Mar 11th 2009, 11:03

Hi Sal.Bartolo.Snr. Good on you mate, we tend to get the same with the pommies here in Oz, they still think they are above everyone else and i dare say they are doing the same in my country of birth, as you say although we emmigrated to oz many moons ago, we were then called new Australians, i still am proud to be Maltese and no outside is going to change that,even here there are many immigrants from all over but they know their place. Good luck mate. Three Cheers for Malta and Gozo and its people. Charlie Cassar (Parramatta.NSW).

Christine Goodwin

Mar 10th 2009, 21:26

@ J Norman,what was the point of your husbands comment? People like you,Mrs Jean Norman,make me feel ashamed to be English!

F.bartolo snr

Mar 10th 2009, 19:42

Re: Daniel Russell i like the way you down grade your own countrymen with such comments thus >i am sorry to call myself an Englishman with people like you, or i rather be Maltese and in brackets (If they have me)? you must remember that any Maltese citizen or a British Guest! are living in a free democratic country and are free to comment without prejudice to anyone, so now at last we got an English man who rather be Maltese then British. Long gone the days of Queen Victoria and her colonies .so what are you after the George Cross or what? F.bartolo Snr. ( a proud MALTESE)

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 10th 2009, 18:01

@ Daniel Russell:

The irony in all this is that I am mostly in agreement with Dee Featherstone (who is also British). Originally, I only intended to comment on the fact that Maltese politicians are not embarrassed by something like planting banana leaves in potholes.

By the way, the placing of a flower pot in a pothole that I mentioned did actually happen. A picture was also published in The Times of Malta.

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 10th 2009, 17:31

@ Mrs Jean Norman:

I am no professor, but I know exactly what your kind husband meant (to do). He meant to ridicule me. Unfortunately it backfired.

I have no chip on my shoulder towards Brits. I've actually got a friend from London. He is not an arrogant person who tries to ridicule anyone he disagrees with, though.

Also, I would have stuck to the topic if it were not for the arrogance of your husband.

Of course, I won't be telling you to go home. You're more than welcome to visit. Perhaps, then, your husband would witness the state of our roads before trying to ridicule locals who have to drive through these roads every day.

But please, I beg you, do not blame me for my nightmares. Blame the recession, if you wish, but please, not me.

Daniel Russell

Mar 10th 2009, 15:14

Messrs Simmons/Norman and Mrs Norman

This has danger of turning into a farcical and perverse discussion. You have moved away from the key issues and turning this into an issue between England and Malta.
The fact remains that Malta has taken time to address hunting issues and also is working to improve its roads, buses and other issues. Regardless of ideology, the Maltese political parties is working hard to develop its nation (sadly something sometimes which is being neglected at home in the UK) and to improve roads, buses etc. Just last week, an important sewage treatment works was opened to improve the environmental quality and people like Jimmy Magro etc are working hard to protect and re-use historic sites. Sadly sometimes in the UK many "do gooders" and mis-informed people are working to undo the fabric and heritage of our great country.
I am signing off from this perverse slanging match, but in closing, I must agree with L Galea in that we have many problems in the UK as do Malta and hot air is not going to solve them.

steve busuttil

Mar 10th 2009, 13:52

Mr Simmons,

You generalise a lot and put forward weak arguments, you insult the Maltese in general but then you are hopeful for the future. You write a letter to the Times and make a complete fool of yourself. And you ask me to stop runting?

The 'bygone passtime' is alive and well ALL OVER THE EU, including your own country. Your only weapon is to wind people up with lies (just as in your letter in Today's times) and hope for a reaction. Well it doesnt work with everyone, you will be surprised.

God save the Queen (who is a hunter!!!!!)

Daniel Russell

Mar 10th 2009, 13:34

Hi All

The roads around where I live in the West Midlands are worse than Maltese! You can never go far without a pothole or road works!!
@ J Norman - As a fellow countryman, I do not support your views which are offensive. Well done Kenneth Cassar for picking this up! Also, Mr Bustuttil (both ones) I agree fully. I am an Englishman who is as cross as you with laws being broken, both in Malta and at home. Smoking and mobile phones in particular are the worst offenders.

As a EU country, the Maltese people should expect to have the same standards of facilities as other countries, such as roads, public transport, public health and local council services. Lets stop complaining and work closely to make a cleaner, greener Malta for everyone to be proud of.

Mr Norman - I am sorry to call myself English with people like you. Id rather be Maltese (if they will have me!)

L..Galea

Mar 10th 2009, 13:12

Dee Featherstone
We have a saying that rhymes in Maltese but doesn't in English.
A translation which I am sure you will still understand is "you are mixing gas with lettuce".
What has hunting got to do with roads and potholes?
Have you ever protested against the killing and trapping of birds, deer, foxes and all other types of hunting in YOUR country Dee?
Foreigners should first stick their noses into their own country's affairs and see that everything is right in their own countries before they criticize others.
Mr B J Simmons and Dee
Go tell it to the marines.

Kurt Mifsud

Mar 10th 2009, 13:09

@Mr B J Simmons

So you're saying that the government won't fix the roads until we obey 100% the rules? You need to have a good example to follow upon first. Watching a government car with a minister inside going over 100km/h for example. By the way, we're already paying for the roads to get fixed... actually we've been paying VRT for years now!

And what do you have to say on bus drivers? Do you expect them to behave in the same way as those in the UK? Let's compare their salary first, not to mention their minister under who they fall!

Mrs.Jean Norman

Mar 10th 2009, 13:08

Thankyou verymuch Professor K.Cassar for correcting my husband's spelling mistake, you know exactly what he meant , however please accept our humble ignorant misspelling, here is an amendment., the problem with some people they tend to have a chip on their shoulders towards us Britains pretend to be higher then the almighty himself.Just as a matter of interest are you by any chance a school teacher ? or an English Grammer examiner,because we are not amused by your high almighty reply,we are talking about something different here sunshine, please stick to the subject and don't divert, its very rude by our British standard. Jean Norman (Mrs) Proud to Be English and please don't tell us to go home as we been hearing lately!. because we are home thank Christ. You remind me of my old English teacher who to used to teach us English literature at my local secondary modern school where i was born, i'll be having nightmares now thanks to you.

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 10th 2009, 12:18

@ J Norman:

By the way, before trying to ridicule a Maltese person, you should make sure that you spell your own language well.

You'll find that you have made a "fatile" mistake.

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 10th 2009, 12:15

@ J Norman:

When is the last time you visited Marsascala, if you ever came at all? Your sarcasm doesn't impress.

Mark Grima

Mar 10th 2009, 11:41

I was in Bombay before India's economic resurgence, i.e. when it was still regarded as a third world country. Bombay has a population of 18 million with heavy traffic bumper to bumper around the clock. The roads were in superb condition. Our road surfaces dissolve with every modest down-pour whilst Bombay's survive the monsoon intact.

J.Norman

Mar 10th 2009, 11:40

@Kenneth Cassar , but i thought the reason the Maltese place flowers on pot holes or on your horrible Nasty* Dangerous *Rough muddy roads is when someone had an unfortunate fatile accident. Johnny Norman (the United kingdom)

Adrian Borg

Mar 10th 2009, 11:32

Pity I've wasted my time reading this letter!

PAUL BUSUTTIL

Mar 10th 2009, 11:30

DEAR MR.SIMMONS YOU HAVE THE WRONG MR.BUSUTTIL, I DONT RANT ON AND UN LIKE YOU I GET MY FACTS RIGHT, AS TO BREAKING THE LAW NAME ONE COUNTRY WHOSE CITISENS DO NOT FLOUT THE LAW, YOURS MAYBE ???????????

Kenneth Cassar

Mar 10th 2009, 11:12

Someone in Malta put a flower pot in a pot-hole. The only difference is that the roads were not fixed.

Maltese politicians unfortunately are not embarassed that easily.

Mr B J Simmons

Mar 10th 2009, 10:57

Oh Mr Busuttil, play another tune. You've already ranted about this today! We know you won't change your views on this bygone 'pastime'. This is why the law had to be changed. I am aware that many laws in Malta are ignored, smoking bus drivers (mentioned recently and a continuing problem) phoning and texting (drivers AND bus drivers), smoking in bars, non indicating motorists, to name but a few. There is, however, hope for the future I feel sure. Once this matter is part of Maltese history we can all move on to mending the roads!

PAUL BUSUTTIL

Mar 10th 2009, 10:34

DEAR MR. FEATHERSTONE I HAVE BEEN TO INDIA AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MALTAES ROADS HAVE MORE HOLES PER SQ. MILE THAN INDIA HAS AND YOU CAN PLANT PALM TREES IN SOME OF THEM.

S. Calleja

Mar 10th 2009, 10:21

Oh it feels so much better now that I know that India has worse roads than ours! Next time I break a wishbone or suffer a blown tyre, that will surely be the first thing that will come to mind. We should start comparing Malta to India now, not other countries in the EU. Shame on you people who are always complaining!

steve busuttil

Mar 10th 2009, 10:19

Dear Dee,

The last time i hunted anything was in the UK together with another 15 English hunters.

We shot Partridge, phaesant, a Roe Deer, a Monkjack, a Red Deer, a fox, wood pigeon and a squirrle (believe it or not)!

How you come up with this moral high ground when there is much worse happening in your own country is to say the least rich!

Kurt Mifsud

Mar 10th 2009, 09:41

Mr Featherstone, maybe you're right but India is not in the EU. We should compare ourselves to EU standards!