timesofmalta.com

TRUNDLING ON

Andrew Borg Cardona — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:12:00 +0200

The Lou Bondi’ saga trundles on, with the PM frantically trying to mollify his people and the rest of the world having a good old snigger. Actually, not the whole rest of the world is having a snigger, just those of us who appreciate the irony of the way Muscat has been hoist by his own “Taghna Lkoll” petard. Others are less amused, for different reasons. Mr Joe Grima, pictured rather unflatteringly on “another blog”, has been fulminating rather strongly about the Bondi’ nomination. The richness of this, redolent as it is with heavy irony bordering on the hypocritical, seems to escape Mr Grima. This is a gentleman who, not so long ago, was removed from Super One (or whatever they call Labour’s propaganda arm nowadays) reportedly because he was so virulent about something written in the Catholic Herald (was it there?) that he went beyond the bounds even of that station. Previous to that, he managed to host a whole programme discussing, by sheer chance, Mr Bondi’ but thought it not necessary to contact the object of his affections directly, to give him an opportunity to give his side. Seriously, he should just shut up about Bondi’ being appointed to the National Festivities...

‘Rendition’ flights via Malta

Daniel Mainwaring — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:07:00 +0200

In December 2003, Khalid El-Masri travelled from his home in Germany to Skopje, Macedonia for a holiday, leaving behind his wife and five children. He was detained at the border by Macedonian security officials who mistook him for an Al-Qaeda operative that used the pseudonym Khalid Al-Masri. He was denied access to a lawyer or the German Embassy and instead held incommunicado for 23 days in a hotel room until Macedonian forces handed him over to the US Central Intelligence Agency. In CIA custody, El-Masri was beaten, sodomised and drugged before being fitted in a sensory deprivation jump suit and flown (‘rendered’ in official doublespeak) to a secret prison in Afghanistan. Despite pleading his innocence and going on hunger strike for 37 days, during which time US agents force fed him as they are doing to countless prisoners at Guantanamo Bay today, he was never allowed to contact his family who had no idea of his whereabouts. Following months of detention without trial in conditions that the European Court of Human Rights unanimously declared tantamount to torture, El-Masri was unceremoniously dumped on a rural road in Albania. El-Masri’s case and those similar to it, that of...

No money for lifeboats

Kenneth Zammit Tabona — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:10:00 +0200

Syria is dying. As we speak the death toll has risen to 93,000 and the UN says that this is just a rough estimate and it is probable that there are many more, men, women and, especially, children who have died in this terrible conflict while the world watches helplessly unable, both politically and financially, to police the situation as it has been doing as best it can since 9/11. The USA and the EU are bankrupt. As we have seen with Muammar Gaddafi, no sooner have we lopped off the head of one tyrant than another dozen materialise just like the mythological Hydra. The world hotspots North Korea, Syria and, now, Turkey are today continually in the news along with Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and, of course, the always volatile Middle East with the eternal thorn of Israel placed like the proverbial pork pie in a synagogue in the midst of the Islamic bedrock, caught between Sunni and Shiite conflicts and having to, like their patriarch King David, to contend with Goliaths on all sides. Then we forget Afghanistan, wherein the British troops have been deployed since 2003 at humongous cost. And what about Myanmar? We have forgotten those brave Buddhists who, a couple of years ago, tried to...

Repeats galore

Rosaria Moore, Marsaxlokk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:05:00 +0200

I would like to know how much more rubbish Melita thinks we customers can take. I pay over €35 a month to Melita, and for what? All we get on the TV are repeats, repeats and more repeats. As for week-end viewing I am sick of turning the TV on to see either Glee from noon till night on Saturday and all of Sunday, or Dallas which has been repeated hundreds of times. Then there is always Gossip Girl, although this has only been repeated about 10 times so far. I must not forget the weather forecast station. Now this one is truly something to write home about because nine times out of 10 it is stuck at some unearthly time so I have yet to see the weather forecast on this station. May I ask if there is anyone working for Melita on the TV side of things? If this rubbish carries on much longer I, and many more people, will be switching to another provider.

Church harks back to past

John Guillaumier, St Julian’s — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:03:00 +0200

After the election of the new Pope, the focus of the Catholic Church has shifted from the abstract theology of Pope Benedict (right) back to a mediaeval saint and “pastoral care”. After the highfalutin theology of the previous Pope, we’re back to the Middle Ages and to “shepherds” and “sheep”, as Cardinal Bergoglio told fellow cardinals during the pre-conclave meetings: “You can’t have the shepherd on the mountain and the sheep in the valley”. Harking back to the past is not going to help the Church move forward. And the attempt of Pope Francis to revive the mediaeval spirit of St Francis is about as viable as the endeavour of Pope Benedict to restore the Latin Mass! The problem with the Church is that it has nothing new to offer. Its “Good News” has been repeated ad nauseam, and after 2,000 years it has become rather stale. To make matters worse, the Catholic Church is struggling to regain its credibility after the shameful scandal of Catholic priests sexually abusing boys in Europe, North America, and Australia. As if all this were not enough, the Pope’s butler and confidante leaked private papers which allege bitter intrigue and corruption at the Vatican itself. The Catholic...

Act in the national interest

Joseph Vella Bonnici — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:09:00 +0200

By the end of last year it was obvious that Malta would not achieve its targeted 2012 Budget deficit. In an article entitled The Political Choice Is Ours (Times of Malta, January 15), I asked “Will the present Finance Minister be retained even though the fiscal deficit for 2012 will be well above the set target?” The writing was on the wall. Eventually Eurostat confirmed the 2012 deficit at 3.3 per cent of GDP; a full one per cent over the Government’s target. Simon Busuttil recently wrote that “And I am reliably informed that until a few days before the election these projections were still on course to being achieved” (June 5). As new PN leader, committed to restoring his party’s credibility, Busuttil should be more careful in checking the reliability of his sources. That Malta has a new Minister of Finance is the choice of the Maltese people, and not Busuttil. Addressing the last PN general council, he stated that “36,000 people cannot be wrong”. Once again, it is he who got his numbers wrong, because the number of voters who were right is 167,533 and not just 36,000. GonziPN is dead, long live TeamPN! It is still early days, but it seems that the PN has had cosmetic surgery...

Unnatural

John Azzopardi, Żabbar — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:04:00 +0200

With reference to Iain Simms’ letter of May 21, God forbid if in the near, or in the distant future, gays would be allowed a civil union like a normal marriage between man and woman. Their legitimate rights are theirs, and they are entitled to them; but any form of ‘marriage’ would only be a parody of what is purely natural, does not make sense and goes straight against the laws of God and nature. God and nature do not need a holiday – only a more vigilant eye on what is going on in this age of absolute ‘freedom’, before the utter collapse of all things moral.

Some are more equal than others

Simon Busuttil — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:09:00 +0200

The shock revelation in The Sunday Times of Malta of Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca pocketing some €3,600 in one single morning performing eye operations during ministerial duty is possibly the most memorable moment of the first 100 days of this government. The Prime Minister has since ordered the parliamentary secretary to stop his private practice, thereby acknowledging that what was going on was wrong. But there are still several outstanding issues. For starters, given that the Prime Minister is now acknowledging that the whole episode was mishandled, he needs to show us that his pre-electoral pledges on political responsibility were genuine. Who is going to carry political responsibility for the Mercieca debacle? Mercieca? Joseph Muscat? Both? Or no one? And there are indeed many reasons why political responsibility ought to be shouldered. Let me mention some of them. Firstly, the Prime Minister acted beyond his powers (ultra vires) when he granted Mercieca the right to defy the ministerial code of ethics and proceed with his private practice. The code gives no power to the Prime Minister to do so. The fact that Mercieca went beyond the limits of the waiver only...

Time to show some heart

Joseph Cuschieri — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:08:00 +0200

The way Europe’s economic woes have spiralled over the past decade has unfortunately led to a one-eyed approach to the problems millions of European families have had and continue to endure. For most right-wing and conservative governments and their economic gurus the only solution they could come up with was a vicious resort to austerity... and more austerity. These austerity measures have impacted horribly on social welfare and workers’ rights, with precarious employment, as with unemployment and the financial crisis, sadly creating a new and ugly scenario wherein persons become mere numbers to play with on the vast, misshapen canvas of a dispirited Europe. On top of the agenda at the European Parliament during the past few weeks has been the issue of sustainability with regard to the retirement age and the attainment of a well-deserved pension. As if this is some colourful yoyo in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats desperately trying to make ends meet on the Continental register. It is not. After an average career of 40 long years, each and every worker deserves the right to retire and spend his or her last healthy years withthe family. During that same period of work he...

Brussels is committed to relocation

Martin Bugelli, head, European Commission, Representation, Valletta — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:04:00 +0200

I refer to the article EU Move On Migrant Relocation Slammed (June 4). The European Commission is fully aware of the particular pressures facing Malta and that Malta has the highest numbers of asylum applicants per head of population within the EU. The only change to our earlier policy is that, rather than putting in place a legislative measure for a permanent voluntary relocation scheme, we will instead set up an annual relocation forum for EU member states to discuss relocation needs and capacities. The European Commission intends, as part of the Asylum and Migration Fund to start next year, to provide a €6,000 lump sum to governments that relocate beneficiaries of international protection as an incentive. Because relocation will remain a voluntary activity, there is no absolute requirement for a legislative scheme. Far from turning its back on Malta and on the policy of relocation, the European Commission is instead fully committed to this policy. Brussels has chosen a realistic way of ensuring that relocation from Malta can continue while avoiding putting forward a legislative proposal that would almost certainly never be voted for by the Council.

PN starts fightback

Josephine Vella, Birkirkara — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:02:00 +0200

The PN headquarters has been brought to life since the last election. True to his word, Simon Busuttil has already started the process of presenting the welcoming structures he promised. This party is now a party of renewal, outreach and inclusion. The inclusion incorporates all levels with an exceptional TeamPN, shadow cabinet and all the enthusiastic activists and supporters. Busuttil was categorical on May 9 when he stated that 36,000 people cannot be wrong. This is a very eloquent statement reflecting the determination to work at winning the people’s trust. Apologies for disappointments and hurts have been and are still being offered extensively. The PN is ready to continue listening to the people as confirmed by Robert Arrigo. However it is now time to look ahead and move forward with the right approach and attitude to become once again a winning party, as much as this country is a winning country if well-governed – a fine example of which is Malta’s level of economic growth, being the highest among European countries in contrast to the current excessive deficit procedure, equivalent to Alfred Sant’s “gaping hole” in the mid-1990s. The Opposition leader correctly reminded...

Referendum needed on hunting

Joseph Agius, St Julian’s — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:05:00 +0200

Hunting has become a national issue. There are simply too many vested interests. The non-hunter is suddenly realising that even s/he has a right to enjoy birds alive and has decided that things must change, that the selfish ‘thrill’ of shooting birds is unacceptable. Tourism is suffering heavily too. The impact of scathing criticism of the islands on the social media should not be underestimated. Times have changed. What happens in Malta does not stay within the confines of Maltese shores any longer. Hunters too have to understand this change. Articles by journalists in both the UK and Germany, in particular, are rampant on the matter. Righteously so, let us be honest. Both countries spend millions of euros each year on bird conservation, observation, counting, studying, monitoring and protecting bird life so that the species that has been so lovingly watched from the moment the egg is laid, hatched and then nestling could be enjoyed by all. This cannot just be thrown away capriciously at the whim of a Maltese hobby hunter. The damage is immeasurable. This is a blow below the belt for the hard-working hotel and catering industry struggling against toughest competition to attract...

EU must show greater solidarity

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:11:00 +0200

As one of the smallest countries taking a disproportionate share, in relation to its size, of the inflow of irregular migrants, Malta has good reason to feel disappointed at the European Union’s indifferent attitude to the relocation of asylum seekers to larger parts of the EU. Only weeks after the dumping of a plan to turn a pilot project for the relocation of irregular migrants into a permanent arrangement, the EU countries have now adopted a common asylum policy. This is naturally something to be proud of, but would it not have been appropriate for the EU to go into burden-sharing as an ancillary move as well? Cecilia Malmström, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, has described the common policy as a major achievement. And so it is, for, as she herself has pointed out, until now the EU’s asylum policy has been both flawed and incomplete. The new policy, set to come into force in the second half of 2015, lays down common procedures and deadlines for the handling of applications. For example, member states will have a standard, six-month deadline to determine asylum applications and will only be able to postpone decisions for a further nine months, in three limited and...

Neutrality is fundamental

Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:10:00 +0200

Reading Michael Grech’s interesting article on neutrality (Neutrality Rocks, June 12), I would like to underline certain elements which I hope would provoke a deeper study and debate on this fundamental question. This question is not only a formal constitutional one but is a vital structural part in our socio-economic politic. One has to debate this issue without the każin or parroċċa provincial approach. The neutrality status of Malta was chosen by the predominant parliamentary majority of the time. It gained international recognition and support throughout the global community including the United Nations and the European Community. It also achieved a guarantee relationship with several states. Malta’s praxis during these last decades was constantly and continuously based on its status and policy of neutrality. Even during the most problematic Libyan turbulences, the Nationalist government quite correctly had to play a rather dangerous tight-rope role and thanks to our neutrality status it achieved quite a positive result, relatively speaking. To throw out all this experience, richness and accumulated respect is worse than throwing the baby with the dirty water and the tub into...

The killing of birds and bulls

Denis Mifsud, Sliema — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:03:00 +0200

In view of the alleged rampant shooting of birds, animal cruelty is widespread. I detest it. But I am sickened by letters sent in by tourists who declare they will spread the word around so that visitors will not to return to this fair isle because of the “cowboys” who roam the countryside. The vast majority of the Maltese are against this so-called sport but since every Administration has been reluctant to rein it in, even at the risk of having to pay the EU millions of euros in fines, things will never change. Several European countries indulge in cruel sports but one that comes readily to mind is, of course, Spain. We are in the same situation here. The Spaniards, in their majority, are very much against bull fighting but, because of their culture and tradition, this barbaric sport is reluctantly tolerated. But bull fighting is definitely not a show of equal strength. Had the bull not been weakened by drugs and no sharp instruments dug into its body then man and beast would be on equal footing. In bull fighting, the bull hardly ever stands a chance. Another sport that is equally cruel is the festes de buos (bull festivals). Here, a bull dashes around a bullring with fireworks...

Youth in democratic life

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:11:00 +0200

A Eurobarometer survey of youngsters in Europe aged between 15 and 30 entitled European Youths: Participation in Democratic Life, conducted two months ago to measure the possible participation rate of young people in the European Parliamentary elections next year, has revealed some interesting findings about attitudes among Maltese to elections and politics in general. Three hundred people in this age group were surveyed one month after Malta’s own general election. The survey showed that 76 per cent of Maltese said they had voted in elections in the last three years, compared with the EU average of 56 per cent. It also established that 76 per cent of Maltese intended to vote in the 2014 European Parliamentary elections, compared with an EU average of just 64 per cent. In a country where political awareness is instilled early, where politics looms large and where tribal loyalties passed on from one generation to the next still drive political considerations, this is not a surprising result. While the flip-side to the figure is that 24 per cent were unlikely to vote in May 2014, with many of these stating they were “not interested in politics”, the Maltese figure of those intending...

How couples communicate

Ingrid Grech Lanfranco — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:08:00 +0200

The world today presents us with a variety of new and more advanced technological gadgets. It seems to have become a competition who has the latest model or version of a mobile phone, computer, tablet or other device. It is very common, in fact, to notice children, from such a young age, sitting side by side, busily taken up by some form of technology and not uttering a word to each other. These scenarios are becoming more and more common in young and adults alike. Where is human to human, face to face communication in all this? Some individuals might say that modern technology has brought them much closer to everyone they know anywhere around the world – quite true! People are able to keep in touch with each other over Facebook, Skype etc. The latter have become ways for individuals to broaden their network of contacts. Nothing wrong with that! However, all this is happening behind a screen or with the use of a gadget of some sort, which is quickly replacing human contact. So much so, it is not uncommon to hear parents comment that their teenage children are immersed in conversation through Skype, for instance, yet, when they meet the same contacts face to face, it is as though...

Baggage claim payment settled

Stephen Gauci, head, corporate communications, Air Malta, Luqa — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:01:00 +0200

Air Malta refers to the letter, Baggage Claim Long Overdue, by Jill Pearce (June 12). We express our sincere regret for the inconvenience caused to the client. The airline’s CEO had received her letter and that same day he gave instructions to expedite this payment. We have been in touch with the client and expressed our sincere apologies. Her due compensation has now been effected.

British Services pension

Anthony Mifsud, Sliema — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:02:00 +0200

If I am not mistaken, British Services pensioners were to be given an added €200 in this year’s Budget to supplement increases that were given in previous Budgets in the last four years. It is now June and, having received the allotments notice for the next six months, I notice that this increase has not been added. We British Service pensioners have been suffering this injustice since 1979 and it seems that by the time that most of us are long gone this would not be settled. Knowing that the European Union has asked the Maltese authorities to solve this anomaly it seems that it has been put on the back-burner because no other statements have been made since.

Abundant generosity

John Sammut, PRO, Mission Fund, Mosta — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:01:00 +0200

The Mission Fund Committee would like to thank the people of Malta and Gozo for their great generosity shown during the programme Xarabank which was screened on TVM on May 31. The total sum collected was €511,130. These funds will be utilised for carrying out projects in order to ease some of the hardships endured by the people of Tanzania, as well as for the purchase of medicines and hand-operated tricycles for patients suffering from polio. A special thanks goes to an anonymous benefactor who offered the sum of €100,000 for the drilling of water wells. This person has already sent the first €10,000 for this purpose. The committee would like to also thank the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Archbishop, the Auxiliary Bishop, the Minister of Health and other distinguished personalities as well as all those who participated in this programme. Thanks also to all the staff of Xarabank who made this programme such a huge success.