Importers of medicinals say the government owes them considerable sums for imports related to public use. Would their efforts towards price control be greater if they were not under this frustration?
People going to Sicily and the UK are buying their pharmaceutical needs in some cases quite cheaper than in Malta.
The PL, the PN and AD are now all in agreement that something must be done about the high prices of medicines in Malta. The truth is that these prices have been very high for a very long time but initiatives to bring them down in relation to Maltese pockets have not been solidly forthcoming.
One thing is sure; the Maltese must not have less availability of pharmaceuticals as compared to European countries.
I am convinced that all concerned, including the Consumer Protection Department, which must continue to be an important pillar of democratic practice, can get together and attempt to find solutions to this problem that hurts most Maltese citizens who don't have fun paying more than continental Europeans.
Meanwhile, health will continue to be free but you will have to pay a doctor to refer you to a health centre. Perhaps this deserves an explanation.
Ladies and gentlemen in uniform
It is a known fact that in many European countries and beyond, policemen and military persons are allowed to belong to trade unions. The Times of November 5 quoted Maltese trade unionists as saying that "in other countries, even in the EU, police and army personnel form part of unions without adversely affecting national security".
As in all matters, trade unions help both their members and the Administration deal with many issues including fair promotions, salaries etc. There seems to have been slow progress regarding these employees' overtime payment. At the same time, the families of police and army personnel see other employees get paid for overtime much faster.
I do not see the rationality of allowing these problems to fester to a level of disgruntlement. In the case of overtime remuneration, maybe the funds for immediate payment are not fully available. But doing nothing about it only makes them increase.
One solution I see is the immediate commencement of overtime payment over a staggered period so that, at least, some backlog of payment will start being addressed. If I know an old family friend, the minister for the police, Dottor Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, enough - who likes working measures providing steady but sure solutions - I believe that he would not be against a solution to this owed money over a number of months.
Circus animals
I believe the administration of circuses when they say that their "performing" animals are well fed, kept clean and not harmed. This is all well and good. However, it only addresses the physical condition of these animals. Animal psychology textbooks explain that certain animals are psychologically uncomfortable when "taught" to adapt to a behaviour that is totally against their nature.
I even know parents who take their children to watch "trained" animals behave in a "clever and sweet way". Healthy parental education of children should be pro-nature. Maybe these parents should be trained to perform in a clever and sweet way themselves.
Circuses must continue to exist. Trained people can also provide entertainment to an audience. But let's leave wild animals in peace!
Mid-week concerts
Some excellent concerts are organised by institutions that wonder aloud why few people attend. They may even express frustration at their conviction that people "don't appreciate" serious and talented performances. I have even heard organisers say that most people want noisy music and tombola or refer to the expression "pappa and umpappa" indicating that people are mostly interested in filling their stomachs and enjoying cheap entertainment.
In all fairness, organisers are sometimes at fault when holding their performances during the week. People who work arrive home tired at about 6 p.m. and have to get up at 6 a.m., and do not like to go to performances during the working week when they are half asleep.
Performances should be held as much as possible on Friday and Saturday evenings when people do not need to get up early for work the next day.
Pjazza San Ġorġ
Finally, we have an initiative with a Maltese name - unlike Notte Magica, Pomeriggio Normale, Notte Bianca, Giorno Scuro etc. It takes time for a post-colonial inferiority complex to go away but eventually it does.
On Tuesday, December 8, I was in Valletta to watch the magnificent parade of scouts and girl guides. In the middle of the re-organised pjazza stood a portly gentleman, by coincidence receiving congrats.
Pity that the patriotic, thus nationalistic, June 7 monument was removed, perhaps provoking yet another divisive issue on top of calls for national unity and effort.
Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics.