Guess which is the most frequently-asked question by Maltese viewers online. Did you think it has anything do with Malta assuming the rotating presidency of the EU? Absolutely not. Despite the hype surrounding the event, your average Maltese citizen is as thirsty for knowledge about the EU presidency as he is about the show times of the Orfei circus (probably less so).
Were you under the impression that people were constantly asking questions about international affairs, Brexit or Donald Trump? Well, to a certain extent, but interest in those matters dwindle.
Questions and online debate as to whether Salvu Mallia is a fitting standard-bearer for the PN peaked last week, but it was to be expected – readers are not that used to being insulted by politicians vying for their votes. Still, the novelty value of that isn’t enough to keep the average Maltese citizen engaged.
The one question that seems to be constantly on our mind – the one which is asked repeatedly, is quite different. It’s whether Lidl supermarket is open on the weekend. Without fail and with the same level of urgency, that is the question which occupies many people’s minds on Sunday.
Which is why so many people will be relieved to hear that Sunday trading restrictions have been lifted. From now on, all retail outlets are permitted to open during this day of the week at no extra cost provided they remain closed on any other day. The fact that barely anyone batted an eyelid at this announcement reflects the way society has changed.
Family activities, good neighbourliness, volunteering, sports and group activities require at least one day a week when people can spend time together
With everyone enthused at the idea, it’s hard to believe that some 15 years ago when Sunday trading began to be an issue, the Malta Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) had launched a campaign on the theme ‘Keep Sunday Special’. The idea behind the campaign was that of conveying the message that, as far as possible, there should be one common day of rest which could be spent with the family and the community.
It’s true that it’s a free world and everybody should be allowed to do whatever they please. If anybody wants to operate on a 24/7 basis, it should pretty much be up to them, I guess. But that’s looking at it from an individual point of view.
If people’s rest days fall on different days of the week, they’re going to find it close to impossible to spend time together. Family activities, good neighbourliness, volunteering, sports and group activities require at least one day a week when people can spend time together.
Some will argue that if any activity is worth pursuing, one will find time for it. Perhaps. But it definitely becomes more difficult to co-ordinate several schedules. The battle for keeping Sunday special was lost quite some time ago as our habits changed.
And when the restriction on Sunday trading was lifted in tourist areas, it was only a matter of time before the ban was universally lifted.
It couldn’t have been otherwise as it would have been discriminatory to retain it for some businesses and not for others. Still, I can’t help feel a small pang of sadness at the way Sunday has become just another shopping day, without the calmer, less traffic-congested stillness of a special day off.
■ I keep hearing this extremely annoying advert on the radio, where a woman – presumably a mother – is thrown into paroxysms of panic because she has to organise her child’s birthday party. The voiceover makes the prospect of sending out some invitations, preparing some snacks and a cake and organising party games to be supremely daunting and requiring the services of a logistics manager and a dedicated venue.
In fact that’s what the whole ad is about – leaving this complicated task in the hands of the professionals and obviously paying for it.
It’s not the payment factor which is objectionable, but the assumption that the holding of a small, fun event is beyond the capabilities of most women and has to be outsourced.
At this rate, we will be outsourcing everything except our work to pay for the outsourcing.
drcbonello@gmail.com