Opinion
-
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 , by
Leo Brincat
Gonzi emulates Pollyanna
Pollyanna has been long considered a classic of children’s literature. The title character was a person with a perpetual optimistic outlook. Her philosophy of life centred on what she called “the glad game”, the art and skill of adopting an optim...
-
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 , by
Simon Busuttil
How can the world let this happen?
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has now gone past the point of no return. He is responsible for the murder of some 6,000 people since democracy protests started in March last year. These include 400 children, mostly under the age of 14. These ar...
-
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 , by
Kevin Aquilina
Wounded not defeated
In a press conference by Smash Communications Ltd and reported in The Times last Saturday, reference was made to a judgement by the Civil Court, First Hall, in the case instituted by Smash against the Broadcasting Authority (MBA) and myself, as C...
-
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 , by
John A. Mizzi
90 men perish at dawn
The wreck of the submarine HMS Olympus, which sank after hitting a mine off Grand Harbour 70 years ago in one of the worst naval disasters of World War II, has been identified by the Aurora Trust. The trust, an archaeological team located at K...
-
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 , by
Joshua Zammit
Unions’ unjustified stand
Reading the various articles published last week in the local news on the topic of precarious employment one would think that Malta has slipped back into the dark ages. It also appears that all this started because Joe Farrugia, in his capacity a...
-
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 , by
Kenneth Zammit Tabona
Winter baroque extravaganza (1)
It has long been my dream to establish a cultural event that is not only a natural progression of the ambience and tradition that surrounds us but one that will last long after I have gone. This has nothing to do with personal hubris but it is be...
-
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 , by
Alan Pulis
Smoke signals coming from Marsa
John Evelyn’s Fumifugium is one of the earliest texts on air pollution. Published in 1661 and dedicated to King Charles II, Evelyn’s work describes the effect of smoke over London at the time and proposes “remedies” to deal with the situation.
-
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 , by
Hermann Schiavone
No money grows on trees
Last Sunday, while Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat were campaigning ahead of the local council elections, people in Athens were taking to the streets their frustration of having to endure yet more austerity measures to prevent their country from...
-
Monday, February 20, 2012 , by
Lino Spiteri
Malta’s new icon in red
Malta is an island riven by sharp differences. In itself that is no bad thing, if it gives right to healthy discussion of civilly presented opposing views and proposals which encourage the clash and contrast of ideas. All too often there is great...
-
Monday, February 20, 2012 , by
Helena Dalli
Who’s a good Finance Minister?
The author of last Tuesday’s editorial of The Times (major newspapers have a number of leader writers), took me to task on my financial aptitude because, according to this writer, I “chided the government for warning department heads about their...
-
Monday, February 20, 2012 , by
David Pace O’Shea
Precious Catholic identity
In general, we Maltese are a helpful people. We are generous, hard working, humble, careful with our money, welcoming, peaceful and unaggressive. We love our families and, especially, our children. We are quite loyal not only to ou...
-
Monday, February 20, 2012 , by
Ana Palacio
Opening Europe’s Med. window
One year after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, with popular upheavals continuing to roil the Arab world, it is increasingly clear that Europe can no longer sit still and do nothing. The ongoing protests have exposed an urgent need for renewed engageme...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Anthony Manduca
Intervention is needed in Syria
The UN General Assembly’s massive vote in favour of a resolution condemning human rights violations in Syria, calling for an end to the violence and for President Bashar al-Assad to resign further isolates the Syrian regime, shows the...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Joe Cassar
The first wealth is health
The first wealth is health. These were the words of American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 19th century. This statement should weigh heavily on anyone offering services within a healthcare system. I have held these words...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Lino Spiteri
Fault lines on the way to the polls
Whenever the next general election is held, even if a rejuve-nated Prime Minister drags it out to the last allowable date, it is now clear it will take place along two fault lines. Both have existed for a long time. Both were...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Michael Falzon
Libels and freedom of expression
Much has been made of the decision in a libel case delivered by the Appeals Court that overturned a judgment of first-instance court. In its ruling the Appeals Court upheld the point that serious and prudent investigative journalism requires...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Claire Bonello
All God’s children
A blog post by columnist Alison Bezzina about adoptions from Ethiopia raised the prospect of yet another Church versus Gay Lobby skirmish. In the post – entitled ‘Children of God?’ – Bezzina lists the difficulties that...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Mark-Anthony Falzon
Paying acts of patronage
The practice of giving a tribute of two falcons to one’s overlord is alive and well. Only these days the tendency is to give one falcon each to two lords. Consider it a measure of practical good sense, a type of investment...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Tanja Cilia
Primary sauce
Every so often, someone gets a bee in his bonnet about the national broadcaster and this, depending upon several circumstances, may even lead to a Parliamentary Question. The latest example involved Gino Cauchi (PL) who tabled a...
-
Sunday, February 19, 2012 , by
Kristina Chetcuti
Gentlemen’s clubs – ‘an ugly impoliteness’
Who came up with the name ‘Gentlemen’s clubs’, I wonder? There is nothing remotely gentlemanly about them, and it’s high time they go by their real name: strip clubs. If you’ve never been inside one,...
