Opinion
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Nothing is nothing
A phrase often used in Maltese, xejn mhu xejn, doesn’t translate too well and certainly not the way I’ve put it in the headline. You need to adopt a slightly sarcastic, mocking tone, implying that the person who would have just said, probably with a...
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Land reclamation and building
The issue of land reclamation should be tackled in a responsible manner. The Netherlands used land reclamation successfully to adequately manage its low-lying land. Hong Kong made use of land reclamation to create high value land required for its...
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PN’s choice for the future
The Nationalist Party will soon choose its new leader. Perhaps what the delegates should do is identify key qualities the leader should have. In my view, there are six key qualities: no baggage from the outgoing Administration; modern and secular;...
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Unfair practices hurt consumers
Act II of 2008 introduced various initiatives to enhance consumer protection. For example, it established an effective way to deter those who ignored decisions by the Consumer’s Claims Tribunal. This was, however, short lived and removed by Act VI...
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Correct correctional facility
The prison has been in the news recently for a number of reasons, particularly the resignation of the director following a surprise visit by Home Affairs Minister Emmanuel Mallia, a visit by Social Solidarity Minister Marie Louise Coleiro to the...
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Private rights locked in an enclave
The issue is whether the Government, by virtue of its regulatory power, can implement regulations that deprive private owners of the full use and economic value of their property. In accordance with the established Mepa policies pertaining to ...
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Labyrinths of colonial policy
The constitutional precursors of political achievements were a series of conflicts that marked the turbulent times of British Malta. An evaluation of colonial times would clarify the ‘recent’ events of Independence, Republic and Freedom Days British...
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And the shooting in Malta goes on...
I write to protest most strongly at the apparent lack of enforcement that has allowed hunters to shoot not only every morning since mid-March (way before the season started on April 10) but, also, illegally on Sundays when no hunting is allowed all...
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Explicit democratic disequilibrium
Article 59(2)-(3) of the Constitution deals, inter alia, with the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. The article lays down that: “the Speaker may be elected either(a) from among persons who are members of the...
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The meaning of neutrality
It is fashionable to patronise Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, the former Labour Prime Minister. In an age of self reinvention, the insistence by Mifsud Bonnici on not changing his mind appears to be quaint and a sepia-tinted image of the way we were. But...
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Prime Minister’s statesmanship
Henry Frendo (A Plea For National Equilibrium, April 19) is right to complain about a misquotation. But I would never misquote, that goes against the rules of polite, civilised debate. I have e-mailed him the original article I had submitted to The...
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Serbia’s path to EU accession
Last week, Serbia and Kosovo finally reached an agreement on a number of issues that had previously slowed down their progress in the accession process for EU membership. Friday’s agreement was reached after 10 rounds of failed negotiations. Serbia...
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A promise to be ‘there’ for you all
Yesterday, I was elected to fill the seat that was vacated by Simon Busuttil in the European Parliament. From now until the elections next year, I am honoured to serve as one of Malta’s six members of the European Parliament. The trust bestowed...
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Only one national day
A very interesting debate has developed in this newspaper and several other fora about the controversial subject of Malta’s national day/s. As such, I too would like to make my contribution on this very interesting topic of debate. In 2009, I had...
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Labour’s bad start in Brussels
Last week in Parliament, the Prime Minister delivered a statement on the European Council summit meeting that he attended last month. The summit was meeting as the details on the Cypriot bailout were being hammered out. In Parliament last week, I...
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Fundamental right to life
In a recent article in The Times (April 10), it was noted that the International Commission of Jurists’ March report on Malta echoes the criticism regarding “the blanket ban on abortion levelled against Malta for over a decade”. The author quotes...
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How to avoid another bailout
When will the financial markets sort themselves out? No sooner is one bank bailed out of its insolvent state than another finds itself in difficulties. After Cyprus there already looms on the horizon the Slovenian banks which seem to have taken...
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More operatic musings
Following my recent suggestions about Valletta and the solution for the former opera house site I feel I should explain why the site can only make sense as an auditorium and not as a theatre, nor an opera house nor, horror of horrors, a multipurpose...
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A person of high conviction
Born a commoner, she died a baroness. For the right-wing icon, the first British female Prime Minister, receiving a noble title was perhaps the fulfilment of her aspirations. For Margaret Thatcher, with the right drive and determination, everything...
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Committed to read at whim
Every year, the International community marks the World Book and Copyright Day on April 23. This special observance is an occasion to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors and to encourage people to discover the pleasure of...
