Editorial
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See the elephant in the room
It is not the impressive turnouts at this week’s mass meetings of the two main parties that will determine which of the two will win the election but the ever widening swathe of uncommitted voters and the band of 19,000 new electors. All polls...
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How the free press is muzzled
It’s funny how certain people in the political scene decide something is important only when it personally affects them. Criminal libel has been on the statute books in Malta for years, yet it was only when Labour candidate Manuel Mallia foolishly...
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Politicians: the good and the bad
Skills in political oratory can carry an aspiring politician far in his career and can indeed win him a seat in Parliament, but it is generally honesty that most people look for first. Of course, one can take a cynical view of the question, arguing,...
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Finish line in sight
As the electoral campaign draws to a close in the coming days, the overwhelming sensation among the majority of voters is unlikely to be satisfaction, but relief that this tediously long episode is finally drawing to a close. Weariness is evident...
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The fear to tackle the sacred cows
Our front page story citing hunting officials claiming to have come close to signing a “memorandum of understanding” to endorse Labour is very worrying. It is even worse than Joseph Muscat’s reply to a question on whether his government would...
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Please respect voters’ intelligence
Dirty tricks, mud-slinging and a big dose of rhetoric are part of political parties’ armouries, more so during an electoral campaign. The electorate is, most of the time, willing to accept that. What, however, it will definitely resist – and...
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EU economic forecasts for Malta
When, just over a month ago, Standard and Poor’s downgraded Malta’s long-term credit rating, the two main political parties blamed each other for the move but the furore died out in no time as they were more interested in matters that could make...
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Italy leaves Europe in suspended animation
What many had feared, though hoped against hope would not happen, has, unfortunately, occurred. The election held on Saturday and Sunday has thrown Italy into uncertainty. It now faces the prospect of ungovernability and, as a result, the omen of...
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A strategy to promote youth employment
The current economic slowdown in Europe has stimulated political action to find ways of easing the entry of young people in the labour market. In some EU countries like Italy, Portugal and Spain youth unemployment exceeds the 25 per cent mark. In...
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More transparency in football
Five years ago, the Malta Football Association’s top echelons had ignored a letter alleging the association misappropriated funds from the European football association. Norman Darmanin Demajo had claimed that the MFA was retaining some of the UEFA...
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Scandals and plots take over
As scandals and plots mushroom, libel suits fly and tempers rise, many voters are perplexed at how the election campaign is developing in its last phase before polling day on March 9. They are also bored stiff. The campaign has been far too long and...
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Energy reliance blunts economic drive
The debate on various aspects of the country’s national energy policy will continue for some time as new information on energy consumption and costs are revealed. Recently, Eurostat reminded us that Malta has the highest energy dependence rate in...
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Strong anti-corruption mechanisms
As the general election gets closer, it is corruption and other ‘scandals’ that are taking centre stage of the campaign, rather than the programmes proposed by the political parties. This is no different from what usually happens in most other...
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Drugs case increases pressure on PL
In the past few days the two main political parties have each had to contend with a major issue that reflected upon their values, upon the quality of their administration and upon their relationship with the truth. For the Nationalist Party, it was...
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A people’s way to constitutional change
The republican Constitution of 1974 was updated on various occasions in its 39-year history but, every time, change was forced by controversial circumstances. The most notable change came in 1987 when, after very long turbulent years characterised...
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More parking blues in Sliema
Last October, the Sliema Council held a public seminar to discuss a report produced at its own instigation on Healthy Mobility in Sliema: A Case Study. The public seminar focused on two main themes: the need to improve the street environment in...
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The need for political reform
A number of welcome political reforms have been proposed in this electoral campaign. The Nationalist Party is proposing an amendment to the country’s constitutional clause on neutrality to reflect the post-Cold War realities. This is certainly...
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Is Abela’s position tenable?
Toni Abela is very believable when he says, with reference to the compromising recordings released in recent days, that he acted in good faith and not in his personal interest. There is little doubt that he was doing what he thought was right to...
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Job guarantee pledge is a myth
In one list of election campaign promises, the Labour Party gives one that is quite intriguing: guaranteed jobs or training for the young. Now, the Nationalist Party has also given a number of intriguing pledges, some of which have already been...
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Motor sport and road discipline
A proposal has been submitted by a group of international motor sport enthusiasts who are keen to build what has been termed as a “motor sport and road safety facility” in Malta. At a recent business breakfast with Maltese and international...
