Opinion
-
Challenge facing Simon Busuttil
As was ordained, Simon Busuttil is going to take over the leadership of the Nationalist Party from Lawrence Gonzi. That the Wednesday vote will give him far more than the necessary two-thirds backing of the councillors is a mere formality. That was...
-
Renew the voting system
The President’s initiative to hold a forum on constitutional reform with the participation of experts on the subject and the input of the general public is a welcome contribution to the ongoing debate on the subject. This should also be seen in the...
-
Reflections on Gonzi’s leadership
Now that Lawrence Gonzi’s time at the helm of the Nationalist Party has come to an end, it is worth reflecting on his leadership. For me, Gonzi represents three important factors. Firstly, our country’s adoption of the Euro. I vividly remember the...
-
UK Independence Party surge shocks political establishment
The anti-European Union UK Independence Party (UKIP) made sweeping gains in the local elections held in parts of England and Wales last Thursday, sending shockwaves throughout the political party establishment in Britain. The result was particularly...
-
When inclusion is all about exclusion
Mosta mayor Shirley Farrugia is by any measure an asset to local and national politics. Mild-mannered, articulate, and a successful career person in her own right, she represents a type of public face one wishes we had more of. The last thing I want...
-
Moving beyond malicious intent
Since any democracy needs a robust Opposition to keep the government of the day in check, I must say that I was baffled by the Opposition’s flat refusal to accept to serve on a bipartisan committee on economic growth. Had this committee been given...
-
Let there be a Piano Parliament
I do not know how many countries would seriously have a discussion like that going on in our midst about the Renzo Piano building under construction at the entrance of Valletta. I do not give it a name on purpose. For, although designed and promoted...
-
Less is more – go back to basics
At the weekend – and most any day – I’m happiest on my sofa. Every so often, overcome by a profound sense of couch potato guilt that comes with having a son and having missed out on Heritage Malta open day, or yet another Birgu, Mdina, Notte Bianca,...
-
Of PQs and potatoes
The most fundamental rule of cross-examination is never to ask a question you don’t already know the answer to. If you ignore this rule, you run the risk of uncovering facts which may very well sink your case. Pretty much the same rule holds true...
-
Second thoughts about a Second Republic
During the past couple of weeks the debate about proposed changes to Malta’s Constitution was quite articulated thanks to the participation of several high-profile personalities. Opinions were also quite varied and contrasted, but the majority of...
-
Out of the box
I finally got to see The Blair Witch Project. Yes, go ahead, shake your head in derision... I’m very well aware that the movie is a must for any self-respecting movie buff but, truth to tell, I just didn’t have the guts to go watch it at the cinema...
-
How to lure people to politics
My beach reading, I suppose, is a bit odd. While my girlfriends read Fifty Shades, the Twilight sagas, the latest Dan Brown, and other books appropriate for the sun and sand, I punish myself with frown-inducing ego trips known as politician’s...
-
A backbencher’s blog: a Labour of love... part two
Dear friends, Yes it’s me again, your friendly neighbourhood backbencher, with yet more pearls of wisdom from the horse’s mouth of our all-new government. And for a start, what about our charismatic and lovable leader’s decision to appoint that...
-
Toni Abela was right
Following the triumph of josephmuscat.con, the reins of Government have been taken up by Dr Joseph Muscat. I imagine you’re asking yourselves where this statement of what can only be called the sanguineous obvious is taking us, given that a) in...
-
The case for the prosecution
When he was still the Vatican’s chief prosecutor in clerical abuse cases, Monsignor Charles Scicluna stated that the victims of clerical sex abuse at the St Joseph’s Home in Santa Venera deserved compensation, urging the Curia to set up a “fund...
-
Work in a vicious circle
At the moment there is an ongoing and sustained campaign about precarious work mainly conducted by the General Workers’ Union (GWU). Very often precarious work is equated with abuses from the employers’ side. Indeed, the Prime Minister in his...
-
Better less, but quicker...
There’s little, if any, satisfaction in national affairs in being able to at some moment say “I told you so”, or even in being proved right over the long term. Those were my thought trends after reading the Times of Malta leader of April 30 about...
-
Mintoff remembers 1958
Last Sunday was the 55th anniversary of the April 28, 1958 riots, which followed a general strike ordered by the General Workers Union and altercations between the police and demonstrators. The riots are also associated with the end of Dom Mintoff’s...
-
Innovating with EU’s big data
Innovation is the key to giving our economy the boost required to jolt us out of the economic quagmire resulting from the global recession. The Malta Council for Science and Technology is embarking on a collaborative effort referred to as a...
-
The Jekyll and Hyde AG
In Malta the Attorney General performs a dual function: he is the Government’s chief legal advisor and Malta’s top criminal prosecutor. The AG’s office carries out both these duties together with other duties such as vetting legislation prepared by...
Popular Stories
In Discussion
