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No one will bother if I use an Italian phrase to describe the state of play with many Maltese. With all these Italian flags flying over our roofs and from cars, I am sure no one will really mind. To tell you the truth I cannot stand these servile sycophants who stupidly wave flags of other nations.
And I have to say that I am sick and tired of listening to the Maltese grumble and groan over the stagnant economy, the state of the roads, the warden system, the health authorities, the surcharge, and Gonzi and Sant.
If you think there is a problem, do something about it.
If you are a restaurant and bar owner and have a problem with the health authorities, simply because they want you to spend more money to, for example construct an anteroom to your toilets, then emulate the French and take to the streets and blockade the Prime Minister’s office and say: enough is enough. Or if you really want to impress the health inspector, show a digital picture of the urinal next to the kitchen in a French Michelin restaurant.
If the GRTU were truly concerned with the issues, they would be out in the street by now.
The French unlike the Italians take their privileges very seriously. When French chefs wanted to send a message, they dressed up in full gear together with their pots and pans and blockaded the streets of central Paris. If they had had Maltese wardens with the same devotion and prodigiousness at dishing out tickets, they would have reintroduced the guillotine.
I have one grand idea. If you really wish to feel effective next time the elections come round, just stay at home, or visit the polling booth and scribble a note on the voting document.
Suffice to say, “If you want my vote, start listening to me.” And the next local councils election is one ideal venue to put your venomous campaign into action.
The other welcome move would be to take a day off by going abroad for the day on the national election day. And believe you me – unless things get better I am just doing that next time round.
I will not be voting for Alfred Sant either, not until I am convinced that he stands for something. And with regards to the others, I will just do what most of my other peers will be doing and protest by not voting at all.
Unless something changes, dramatically.
Three years ago, the late Julian Manduca penned an article about Voice of the Mediterranean. Voice of the Mediterranean was a radio station that was co-owned by the Maltese and Libyan governments. In essence it was a relic from the Mintoffian years. Worse still, it stood for nothing.
A radio without a purpose other than that of taking money from the Maltese taxpayer and allowing the Libyans to get away without paying a cent.
Julian clearly pinpointed a finger at the present Maltese ambassador to Ireland, Richard Muscat. He was then the CEO of Voice of the Mediterranean. I would imagine his appointment was based on his so-called experience as former head of Radio 101 and previous to that, as the renegade station manager whose brief it was to transmit from an illegal station in Sicily back in the good old days of mean old Dom.
Three years after that story, the government auditors have drawn up a report and bang in the middle of the World Cup, we are told that Mr Muscat acted very incorrectly. To use the word corruption would not be appropriate, but offensive and impropriety would be perfect words.
The auditors’ report also states that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under Joe Borg, now EU commissioner, failed to ensure that the VOM respected financial regulations.
Both Joe Borg and Richard Muscat give you the impression of being seraphs and cherubs. But Muscat is best remembered for his tear-jerking radio transmissions from Sicily, and the fact that he defied Mintoff endeared him to Eddie Fenech Adami, the former PN leader now a sort of self-appointed president.
Fenech Adami has profound respect for Muscat, but as we all know, respect does not necessarily turn you into something better. In other words Richard Muscat is not exactly someone you would want in any vital post. Which probably is the reason why he is exiled to Ireland away from it all.
At Voice of the Mediterranean, and I do not quote what was published by Julian Manduca in 2003 but what is to be found repeated and confirmed by the Auditor General, contracts were issued by direct order.
Cars for Richard Muscat and his deputy cost more than what had been stipulated by regulations. Muscat, who moved the radio to Valley Road, a most inopportune site for a radio station, likes pomp and attention, which is a far cry from the days when he would transmit radio waves from the comfort and secretiveness of a loo.
The auditor’s report records how a part-time accountant was given termination benefit. And how Richard Muscat’s son was awarded a contract to set up a website. Muscat’s spending spree is unbelievable, which comes with the installation of a security and fire system that according to the audit report was typical of a system usually found in large banks and financial institutions.
Indeed, despite all the security, the auditor report still records that laptops, fax machines and computers went missing. And guess what: with all the investment in security, the report states that the front door did not even have a lock!
Our man in Dublin has argued with the auditor’s office that he was not bound by government procurement regulations. The auditor obviously reminded him that was not on. The whole report does not list who the recipients of many of the direct orders were. I would not be surprised if they would shed light on the whole affair. It is a sad footnote in the history of a man whose role in the modern day PN is toasted by his repeated presence in the anniversary book celebrating the party’s so called 125 years of existence.
The ODZ has decreased by 0.1 %. Some feat! George, you need more courage. And the campaigners who are putting pressure on Pullicino, should leave some more room for political manoeuvring for the youngish politician. Losing face in politics is far more of an issue than tackling a problem.
News has it that some Nationalist diehards angrily returned their ‘tessera’ to Joe Saliba. “This is for not including my land in the schemes,” they screamed at him.
So what? If the future of this country depends on the tantrums of gorillas who think that they can do as they please with their land, then we are truly f*****.
The right-wing fascist grouping led by a man who’d fit nicely in a brown shirt, has instituted libel proceedings against this newspaper. We are panicking, scared and worried. Before my time is up, I will see that this grouping is broken apart and relegated to the trash can, where it truly belongs.
Louis Deguara is the only minister in today’s survey that has increased his public rating. The fact that he does not have anything to do with Mater Dei (and apparently is kept very busy feeding his canaries in his office on Merchants Street) has much to do with his inherent increase in public support.
The European Commission, will be using its own staff at its sort of embassy in Ta’ Xbiex to monitor the Maltese media. One will remember that the contract for this work was carried out by the PN, until that is the Commission realised what it was doing. Now, it has finally come round in realising that the delegation in Ta’ Xbiex is so laid back it might as well do something useful. Good for them.
And since we are on the subject, why does it take days for the delegation to reply to questions put to it. Well, I guess it has to do with the relaxed atmosphere in the villino at Ta’ Xbiex.
Good for them. Someone has to live the good life.
sbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt
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