Is it possible to write a commentary without eliciting comments and, later on, a heated discussion on the merits and demerits of atheism or other forms of unbelief? Like Abraham (this could be a good handle for a discussion of atheism), I will hope against hope, and post the following commentary this week's festivities in connection with the "Only in Malta week."
I wanna pay my ticket
It all started last Saturday night. I was due to celebrate mass (another handle for atheists and believers alike) at 8.00p.m. in Mosta. I tried my luck in the parking place adjacent to the magnificent Rotunda. No luck awaited me.
Little did I know that the worst was still to come. I took a wrong turn. My fault, but cross my heart and hope to die: I DID NOT SEE THE SIGN. The police officer was waiting for me book in hand. He handed me the ticket.
On Sunday morning, I planned to pay the fine through the Internet since moral theologians still allow this kind of exertion on Sunday. I then noticed that the gentle officer of the police corps had torn away the last two digits of the ticket. Good-bye payment through the Internet, I told myself.
After further investigations I noticed that there was a free phone number one can utilise during weekdays. I waited in trepidation until Monday at 10.00a.m. My prudent attitude tells me that I should give time to the poor workers to have some coffee before answering my call. I rang. A nice voice returned my compliment: The number you are phoning does not exist.
What am I, an honest citizen eager to pay his dues, to do now?
Awarding the awardable?
Let me backtrack to Saturday late night. On returning home, I put on the telly. The presenters were announcing that One TV won the "Best Station of the Year" Award. They invited Mr Jason Micallef, the Chairman of One TV to present himself for the much-coveted trophy. Both Dr Vella Haber and Jason Micallef made a run for it. The older Vella Haber won the race and was presented with the trophy. When Jason Micallef reached for it, it was gone. And if PBS has their way it will be gone for ever.
PBS is saying that the award is theirs. Award-winning programmes produced by and presented on TVM were not added up with their other awards, they say. Had they been, PBS says, TVM would have been nominated as the Best Station of the Year. In fairness sake one must note that TVM won in many more programme categories than One TV, however the organisers give more awards to drama than to any other genre. One TV won most of the drama awards.
I have always been very sceptical about this particular initiative for giving awards. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences thinks that 24 awards are enough to sing the praises of the film industry in the USA and the rest of the world. On the other hand, Mermaid Media Entertainment believes that they need to dish out 41 awards to amply recognise the great creativity shown by Malta's budding TV industry. Isn't that a tad too much?
Lead car where is thine lead?
Sunday was not free from events celebrating the "Only in Malta" festivities. The lead car in the Land Rover Malta Marathon took a wrong turning and plotted out a new route for the runners following it. Despite the protests, the results stands.
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be
The climax of the festivities were reached on Monday night. To the chants of "Gonzi assassin tal-Maltin" (a real gem of a comeback from the Sixties and Seventies), the leaders of the GWU and other unions walked down Republic Street protesting against the water and electricity bills and in support of the motion tabled by the Labour Party to have these bills reduced or suspended or something of that sort. By the end of the protest, utility bills were still high while the rift between Malta's unions turned into a chasm.
Bondiplus on TVM planned to discuss the protests and the Parliamentary debate. Toni Zarb, GWU chief, and John Bencini, the teacher's chief, after indulging in the game of "interview me yes, interview me no" opted for the no. They kept on giving different reasons for their yeses and nays.
Once they said that had to give a press conference while later they said that they had nothing to add to what they had said on Sunday. Then, like a deus ex machine, Tony Zarb appeared on the set of the programme while the presenter was concluding! The programme was then extended quite a bit to give the late comer his shot on things. What he said must have been music to PN propagandists more than the chants of Gonzi assassin were. They must have said that with enemies like these who needs friends.
The Parliamentary debate showed that the so called disgruntled members of the PN back bench are being effective more for their influence on the opposition (which one does not expect) than for their influence on the government front bench (something which is to be expected). Every time a PN back bencher criticises the government, the Opposition rushes in and presents a private members bill. There are at least already three examples.
And the real winner is .......
The rewards for the best "Only in Malta" proposal naturally goes to Mario Azzopardi. He is crusading for 100,000 Maltese patriots to pledge 33-euro cents each day for the next five years so that the controversial theatre would be build by the people and in a way the people want it to be built. The figure aimed at is a bit too high. So to be fair to Mario Azzopardi the award will be given when at least 1,000 subscribe to this project. If this figure is not reached, some evil people who spout venom whenever they speak will be tempted to say that the cultured elite are keen on the exertion of their hobby only if the uncultured hoi polloi are ready to subsidise it.