Kids - Express Yourselves!

St. James Cavalier, Malta's centre for creativity has announced it will be relaunching its Young Cavaliers initiative where kids will be able to learn how to express themselves through art.

From St. James Cavalier's newsletter:

"The Young Cavaliersâ?T Club will finally be restarting on Saturday 15th October and ending Saturday 17th December. This fun packed program is aimed at children between the ages of 4 and 10. The children will be provided with various materials such as construction paper, paints and clay and they will have the opportunity to work on the exhibitions which will be held at the Centre during the same period.
The kids should be accompanied at the Centre by not later than 9.50am and picked up at 1pm. They should come in comfortable, easy-to-wash clothes, and bring a packed lunch. The classes will be small, so the number is limited. "

A copy of the application form can be found here.

Europe Must Open Up - But How?

An article written by Commission President Jose' Barroso was featured yeserday on The Times of Malta. The former Portuguese Prime Minister urges Europe to be more dynamic and to open up to the benefits of globalisation. With reference to the European Constitution, rejected by France and the Netherlands, Barroso speaks of the current treaties governing the Union and says that, "With political will and a European commitment, much can be done with the EU's current powers"

Unfortunately Barroso spares very few words on the need for greater democracy, active citizenship and Margot Wallstrom's proposal for a Plan D in Europe. Instead, he argues in favour of making the European Beurocratic machine, which, I remind you, is currently at the helm of small economic growth in the Eurozone, more effective.

But how Mr. Barroso? Your proposal of scrapping unnecessary laws is one way but not the ultimate solution.

Everyone's Creative

Michael Fenech, chairman at the Foundation for Creativity at St. James' Cavalier believes that, "Everyone can be creative. Creativity is a can-do attitude. It is the ability and talent to want to try, explore and take risks. It depends on having the space in which to take risks and the encouragement to do so. The creative person sees the world, and every opportunity, with new eyes."

From timesofmalta.com:

"In many prosperous societies, creativity is a force that spins the wheel of economy, Mr Fenech stressed. The Centre for Creativity can contribute towards the country's economic and social development and prosperity by promoting creativity - to keep that wheel spinning."

Independent Food fod Thought

I suggest you read this article on the current state of affairs according to Malta's former Finance Minister, Lino Spiteri. In his article, Spiteri concluded says that, "The island has been independent of the UK for 40 years, at liberty to set and navigate her own course. Achievements through those four decades included the manner in which innate capabilities of our people grew into a dynamic of broad initiative. For all of that time we have also been at each other's throats."

From timesofmalta.com

"We have been politically independent for two-score years. But we have not yet gained independence of the mind. We are not subservient to a foreign power. But too large a part of the national intellect is susceptible to internal division. One reason may be that, in 40 years of independence, there has been not a single national icon.
Who are our heroes, a young person reflected to me the other day. Who indeed? Things can change if the young nurture a process that may have already started. If they insist that, going forward, they do not want to be burdened by the baggage of mindless division. That they are happy and proud to be Maltese and not part of a Maltese tribe.
Thereby, they will not become of one mind, agreeing about everything. They will become of one independent Maltese mind, seeing things from Malta's - and not a tribal - perspective. They can use that independence to make their own political choices and not to have them handed down to them by tribal tradition, blind faith and prejudice.
They can make celebration of independence a national reality. They will be free in the best sense of the word"

It’s Super Sonntag!

Germans are today being asked to decide on who shall be leading Europe’s richest state for the next four years. The elections are too close to tell as the idea of forming a ‘grand coalition’ between the Conservatives coalition and the Social-Democrat coalition gains ground. The other option for Germany seems to be a traffic-light coalition between the Social-Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals. Both options may steer Germany, and the rest of Europe, to a halt.

From Euractiv.com:
“The top issues are jobs and taxes in Germany's 18 September elections, where the country's 62 million eligible voters will elect members of parliament and the controlling party then selects the chancellor. Turnout is projected at around 80%.
Overall, the pre-election public opinion polls have shown that Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats tend to be trusted by the public to have a better grasp on foreign policy issues and are generally perceived to be more committed to social justice. At its core, the SPD's message is that the key reforms are in place and have more or less been implemented, and now is the time for the country to realise the benefits under another Social Democrat-led government.
At the same time, the conservatives, led by CDU leader Angela Merkel, are generally believed by the electorate to offer a more solid programme aimed at turning Germany's economy around. They advocate faster progress on the labour market, welfare and tax changes. The conservatives promise more radical reforms as a way out of the "failed" efforts of the Schröder cabinet.
In the polls, Merkel's conservatives continue to lead Schröder's Social Democrats, but the margin has shrunk in recent days. During the past week alone, Schröder has closed Merkel's lead from 17% to 6%. It therefore appears increasingly likely that the CDU will not be able to form a centre-right coalition with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) but will instead be forced to conclude a "grand coalition" with the SPD. In this scenario Merkel would still become the country's first female chancellor. However, as the New York Times commented, "given the aura of political invincibility that has enveloped Mrs Merkel since a weakened Mr Schröder called for elections in May, that would be seen almost as a defeat".
Germany had its last 'grand coalition' in the 1960s. Led by Christian Democrat Chancellor Kurt-Georg Kiesinger, it governed the country between 1966 and 1969. It was a 'coalition of the willing' in that the participants were all ready to work together.
[…]
However, the election results are likely to leave no choice but a 'grand coalition' , despite the fact that such a marriage of convenience may not be in Germany's best interests, as big clashes on key issues would predictably hamper decision-making. A hung parliament is looking increasingly likely, which in turn might lead to new elections as early as next year.”

Freedom of Services

A line taken from a poem which I studied at school goes, “law’s as long as a ten foot snake”. Each time I delve into legal matters I find ample confirmations for such an assertion. The latest confirmation comes from the gaming sector.

News shown on The Sunday Times of Malta today, suggest how the French company responsible for gambling in France is trying to prevent a Maltese registered company from tapping the market. You might say that this action goes against the freedom of movement of services which the European Union prides itself with. Instead, there is no provision which regulates provision of remote gambling services in Community Law.

The gambling sector is a competence of member state. The heavily-controlled sector is regulated by national monopolies while the Maltese sector is in the process of liberalisation following the setting of the Malta Gaming and Lotteries Authority. The liberalisation of this sector, coupled with innovative legislation governing the sector has permitted the creation of a market which generates one billion Euros annually with 97 companies competing or in the process of competing against each other. Furthermore the market is set to generate more than three billion Euros and employ approximately 2,000 employees over the next five years. The United Kingdom is set to be the second country to follow suit after Malta by legislating in favour of the setting up of online betting companies.

This scenario shows that when there truly is freedom of services and when entrepreneurs are given the opportunities to work in the right legislative environment, the benefits a country may reap are significant. Malta has managed to build a healthy industry based upon effective management. The Mediterranean state has managed to understand that state control is not relevant anymore in the European Common Market and that original and effective legislation that promotes - rather than forces - certain practices paves the way for success.

Lessons are surely to be learnt from the Maltese Government’s approach in giving the possibility to anyone to seize the opportunities that exist within a market of 450 million citizens. Moreover interested parties are to bolster their efforts in lobbying with the Union for creating a truly free market where anyone enjoys equal access to success, anywhere it lays.

Freedom means opportunities. It means the cornerstone of a greater, more dynamic market - something which suits Europe and the Europeans.

Promoting Language Diversity in English

Recent reports suggest the Commission is trying to set-up a Language Diversity Agency or else a network that would promote multilingualism amongst Europeans. The striking fact is that there is a possibility of English being the only working language of this agency while promoting language diversity and multilingualism. This is the ridiculous result of compromising between a fair ideal and cost-effectiveness that will make Europe’s efforts less credible on the home front and on the international scene alike.

Time is ripe to step up the discussion on how the linguistic heritage and diversity existing within the European Union is to be preserved and promoted. Moreover considerations are to be made on whether the Union is to help co-ordinate efforts of already existing organisations that were set up by its citizens, thus truly respecting the principle of subsidiarity, or decide to directly compete against these organisations for credibility and respect.

I think that if the Union is to really be a vehicle of the message of Unity in Diversity then it should not promote initiatives that are not aimed at co-ordinating already existing efforts but instead point at being a replacement for the alternatives currently available.

The Commission is in fact proposing an initial expenditure of eleven million Euros for the setting up of an agency which analysts in the field fear it will be another institutional monster that would be only capable of issuing reports and making no decisions that would affect the citizens’ life. On the other and existing organisations like Eurolang are already doing sterling work in promoting multilingualism. Could the European Administration seek ways on how such efforts could be enhanced instead of being disrupted with red-tape?
Languages are the repository of a culture. Moreover languages in Europe, more than in any other reality in the developed world, have the equal possibility of either becoming bridges leading to further prosperity or barriers preventing us from dialogue and understanding. This is why the promotion of linguistic diversity within the Union’s citizens is to be carried out in a proper manner and all alternatives are to be sought before setting out to invest the citizens’ money in ventures which already exist.

Centre for (Promotional) Creativity

My girlfriend and I yesterday decided to devote our time to discover the beauty of Valletta. We met next to the bus terminus and were soon on our way to St. James Cavalier, Malta’s Centre for Creativity.

Interest in what is happening at Malta’s premiere cultural venue was rekindled after I read reports declaring how the administration of St. James’ Cavalier is struggling to make ends meet. On my way to the centre, which was opened in 2000, I remembered how in London, tourists and locals alike flocked to museums on that particular Saturday morning when I was in the British city. A desolate staircase greeted us as we entered the building.

There are currently three exhibitions going on at the building which was renovated by Architect Richard England. Pat, that is, my girlfriend and I opted to visit the photo exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the Department of Information. Five hundred photos bear witness to the development of Malta and the Maltese over a period of more than a century. The exhibition also features a significant number of machines and photographic equipment that was used by the same Department, previously known as the Central Office of Information.

The photos and films taken by the generations of workers that worked for the Department managed to immortalise the change, sometimes radical, Malta has undergone throughout the years especially after it gained independence in 1964. Anyone who visits the exhibition which runs on to the third of October has the possibility to understand in a better way the labour all Maltese citizens took to build a presently stable nation, able to look into the future with determination to succeed. At least, this is the effect that the visit had on me.

The adventure through different sized and coloured photographs which lasted more than two-hours can be compared to a solitary voyage in space and time. In fact, the presence of very few other people, I would dare say not more than fifteen, accompanied my girlfriend and me throughout the exhibition.

I think that time is ripe to start adopting creative techniques for the promotion of events at St. James’ Cavalier. The failure of conventional marketing techniques making use of traditional slots like cultural TV programmes is evident to all. It is time to think and act differently, possibly with a little more funding from the Government.

National Youth Parliament

Today I had the opportunity to better understand the job of a Maltese Parliamentarian as I participated in the second edition of the National Youth Parliament, orgnanised by the National Youth Council. The simulation of a parlaimentary chamber was organised as part of the events organised by the Council to mark the European Year of Active Citizenship.

All kicked off in July when the four fictitious parties which made up the chamber today met for the first time. All our preparations spanning for well over a month reached their climax today during a three-hour session at the Maltese parliamentary chamber. The session witnessed a sizeable attendance from youths in the strangers' gallery - a very positive sight as this shows that Malta's youth are truly interested in Malta's politics.

The motions the four fictitious parties presented today were all of a high standard. The party I participated in, which was known by the name of the Harmony Party ('il-Partit ta' l-Armonija') prepared a motion on the topic of housing and the property market. The other parties submitted motions on the topics of youth education and work, the role of women in society and the preservation of Malta's cultural heritage.

I will definitely treasure the experience gathered during this month as it helped me continue understand the beauty of active citizenship. I have had an opportunity to further my knowledge of the current situation by tackling the issue of housing and the property market and coming up with effective proposals for the situation. But, most of all I have managed to make lots of new friends and strengthen the relationship with others.

I really hope that after this event more opportunities will be grasped by youth organisations to network with each other on an array of issues affecting our society. This event has shown how all organisations and individials have ample room for greater co-operation in promoting a better society - thus a better quality of life for all.

Harmony Party's (Partit ta' l-Armonija) Motion on the Property Market

Harmony Party's (Partit ta' l-Armonija) Report Attached to the Motion

Improving Malta’s Position Through its Tycoons

Certainly, if I ever were to enter the world of politics I would surely promote the idea of Maltese business tycoons teaming up to seize the opportunities European Integration offers. I would definitely be working to decrease hostility amongst entrepreneurs and increase co-operation based upon the German Model.

Let me explain myself, Germany, France and Italy have all adopted a business model where national pride comes first and foremost. As a result, companies operating in the same sector buy shares in each other. This would mean that a given company would receive a higher dividend from the competitor that manages to reduce its market share. This enables companies never to be driven out of the market and instead gives them opportunities to tap the international market in an aggressive manner. This intricate web of cross ownership has enabled France and Germany to gain control of important sectors of the European Economy despite the economic problems they are currently facing.

In Malta this situation is not materialising. Instead of teaming up with each other, some of Malta Tycoon’s enter into useless conflicts which often reduce their companies to insolvency. Moreover the Government is always speaking of foreign direct investment, as if Malta lacks the money of performing some great investments itself.

Certainly, Malta’s coffers do lack the money needed to give a stimulus to our economy, but the Maltese citizens’ pockets don’t - especially now, following the government’s initiative to repatriate all money which was in bank accounts abroad.

Therefore it would not be wrong to say that in Malta there are currently significant sums of liquid assets that are not being invested properly. This is where I smell a golden opportunity for Malta, the Maltese and their business tycoons.

I think time is ripe for entrepreneurs to come up with concrete projects and ideas which involve the participation of their competitors in order to gain a sound footing in the Mediterranean and European economies. These proposals are to be made available for local investment on the Malta Stock Exchange.

In other words, I want to see Malta present abroad trough its companies. Moreover I firmly believe that creative and opportunist Maltese businessmen, when given the appropriate chance and the right conditions, will succeed in their endeavours. Therefore I want Maltese companies to internationalise their operations. This would not only help the Maltese businessmen and their Maltese shareholders but also amplify Malta’s voice in international affairs, as economy is the prime driver of politics.

Maltese companies can tap lots of sectors ranging from financial services to tourism to transport to engineering and construction. We certainly do have the expertise and know-how in order to engage in projects abroad that would yield returns on our home soil. Money would not leave Malta to be hidden in secret bank accounts as it was before, but would instead be invested in order to generate a greater dividend, thus benefits, for all Maltese.

Malta can already witness the success stories of various companies that managed to international their operations and are now reaping the benefits of such a move. Examples of such companies include Corinthia Hotels International, which knows its genesis with Alfred Pisani managing San Anton’s Corinthia Palace Hotel. It was a long and difficult process which is now enabling the Maltese company to tap into new opportunities for success, as recent news suggest.

This is why the government and all interested parties are to embark on a strategy to create the necessary conditions for Maltese tycoons to make such a move. Some steps in this direction, including the setting up of the Malta Business Bureau, have already been made. It is time now to speed up the momentum.

Malta’s Pravda

It seems to me that the English MATSEC Board is the remains of the once glorious Russian newspaper, Pravda. The newspaper, which its title in Russian means Truth, was the Communist Party’s vehicle of misinformation and lies.

I am writing you this piece shortly after my friend received her English MATSEC revision of paper report, supposedly compiled by a well-intending educator within the establishment. Her morale, being already low after receiving a result back in July which she believes is unfair and unjust, continued its free-fall today as she read through the examiner’s comments.

The comments included a frontal attack on the candidate with the use of adjectives such as “superficial” and “naïve”. Mind you, the same candidate was deemed as possessing a mature attitude in the other A Level she sat for, Maltese, where she got an A. She sat for this exam just seven days after she sat for her English paper.

I fully believe that the MATSEC system, apart from playing the role of a sieve between higher secondary education and tertiary education, is also responsible in building Malta’s future generation and assessing the educational system’s success in creating mature individuals ready to face the world’s challenges. My beliefs were let down as my friend read to me the report on the phone shortly after she received it.

If a system is truly bound to create fully mature individuals capable of achieving success, and is not committed to keep numbers and statistical data in check, then it would never strip its candidates from their human dignity and reduce them to mere dart-boards, exposed to examiners’ attacks.

If a system is truly committed to eliminate the naïve approach to life then it would surely engage itself in constructive criticism, and not the opposite. The destructive forces present in the examiner’s report I had time to share, are more suited to King Lear’s “marble-hearted fiends” (quoted from Shakespeare) than to an educator with good intentions.

I believe that an educator role is to build, never to destroy. I firmly believe that an educator is a pivotal link between the present and the future. He has the power to decide what values are transmitted to our future generations. This is why I appreciate and thank all those educators who try to transmit the values of respect for human dignity, constructive criticism and a real commitment to reveal a edifying truth. On the other hand, I condemn all those who pass on the negative values of cynicism and fatalism, both of which are blatant lies in face of the human being’s true power: his ability to succeed.

This is why I believe that the English MATSEC Board is Malta’s Pravda, as it is putting black on white, every single year, the greatest lie that can ever be said to the human being: that he’s a failure. It distorts the truth behind a disappointing result and, in order to keep all numbers in check, murders the whole notion of what education stands for. Just like how Pravda sacrificed the Communist Project to keep bosses in their places.

Wouldn’t have been a lot better if the report contained tips on how a candidate should improve his skills thus showing him a pro-active way of doing things? Wouldn’t that have been a positive value to transmit to our future generations?

Malta Daily Poverty Special Edition

It’s the last chance to save the world’s poor says a UN report as world leaders prepare to meet in New York next week. As 175 heads of state and government will be meting next week in the UN General Assembly, thousands will be dying of malnutrition, poverty and AIDS/HIV at the same time.

The Poverty Special Edition is a series of articles and features in the run-up to the U.N. Summit which, amongst other topics on the agenda, will be reviewing the world’s progress on the Millennium Development Goals: a set of eight objectives aimed at creating a more humane world by 2015. These articles focus on the issue of poverty and what action is being taken to solve the problem. A number of articles also focus on poverty in Europe and what is being done by Malta and Europe to alleviate the problem in the European Continent and worldwide.

Teaming Up against Poverty

There is no need to travel to Africa in order to witness poverty. It may be present, though not in the graphical sensationalist proportions seen in Niger, just a turn away from home. In fact, in Malta, analysts estimate that 18% of the population lives just above, on, or below the poverty line. This means that one in every six Maltese citizens is experiencing difficulties in coping with life.

Difficulties may take the form of an unemployed on unemployment benefits, or an old person not managing to live off his pension and even worse living in solitude. Also a significant number of people in Malta are still living in degrading sub-standard housing when nearly one of every four houses in Malta is left vacant. All this means that war on poverty in Malta is not won yet.

This is why the Government and Civil Society are to continue striving to fight poverty in all its senses. The central government, together with local governments and NGOs, is to step up its efforts in ensuring a dignified life for all citizens. Social Cohesion is an aim to be taken up by everyone. The Lisbon Agenda, Europe’s strategy for a better economy, society and environment is also to be interpreted in social and environmental terms and not only in economical terms.

The Millennium Development Goals, which representatives of the Maltese Government will be discussing next week at the UN General Assembly in New York, also apply to Malta. Though Malta has registered great social progress in the past, and today enjoys an acceptable standard of living, every citizen shall continue striving to guarantee greater environmental sustainability, a better and more sustainable healthcare system and a greater literacy rate. Moreover a culture based upon solidarity to those in need shall continue to be fostered through effective partnership with civil society organisations.

This is why, on the eve of such an important world event, I believe in greater care within the community for all those who are in need. Furthermore, I think the Maltese government should work harder in networking with all Mediterranean countries, especially with those on the African side of the Sea to reduce poverty and inspire development – the kind of development that ensures a humane life for all.

StoPoverty! Malta Activities

Forty Maltese NGOs have teamed up to raise awareness on the problem of poverty and the Millennium Development Goals in view of the UN General Assembly to be held next week. This network organised its first activity on the 1st July and will again be organising a number of activities next Saturday 10th September.

In the manifesto shown on its web site, StoPoverty declares that:
“The current year gives us a concrete opportunity to test the political will of the world leaders who pledged their commitment towards initiatives put forward in the Millennium Declaration adopted in September 2000.”

Events on Saturday will be held in various localities around Malta and Gozo. This includes petition signing in Valletta, Victoria (Gozo) and Marsalforn, a peaceful protest march held in the evening in Sliema, an inter-faith activity held in Sliema and a party in Paceville.

Tuninter Suspended from Italian Airports

The Italian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended Tuninter from flying to Italy after an investigation found out that a wrongly installed fuel gauge was the cause of last month's ATR crash off Palermo, Associated Press reports. Tuninter operates at least two flights from Malta to Tunis on a weekly basis.

From yahoo.com news:
"The Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday suspended a Tunisian airline from operating in Italy after an investigation found that one of its planes went down off Sicily last month because the wrong type of fuel gauge had been installed.

The Tuninter ATR-72 hit the water near Palermo on Aug. 16, killing 16 people, after the plane ran out of fuel because the gauge was the wrong model and did not show that the tanks were nearly empty, according to ANSV, the Italian national agency for flight safety. The Civil Aviation Authority ENAC acted on the agency's recommendation.

[...]

ENAC said it was suspending authorization for Tuninter to operate in Italy immediately and it asked the European Aviation Safety Agency to carry out urgent checks on procedures for the installation of fuel gauges on all ATR-42 and ATR-72 planes"

CHOGM 2005 Series: Focus Malaysia

Malaysia is the first country I shall be focusing upon in a series of articles focusing on participating countries and issues concerning the CHOGM 20005 meeting to be held in Malta.

Malaysia is a strong economy with a weak human rights record. Having hosted the CHOGM in 1989, the 24 million inhabitant federation is an influential player in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and an exporter of electronic equipment and petroleum amongst others.

The fourteen-state federation, currently governed by a constitutional monarchy, gained independence from Britain in 1957 after its states became colonies and protectorates of the British Empire in the late 18th and early 19th century. Malaysia experienced a short spell of Japanese occupation between 1942 and 1945. The Southeast Asian country has a low unemployment rate currently standing at 3% and its economy last year reached a peak growth of 7%. This followed a crisis in 1997 when exports went down by 11%.

Several ethnic groups are present in Malaysia. The majority of the population (50.4%) is Malay followed by Chinese at 23.7% of the population. Other ethnic groups present in the country include the Bumiputera and Indians. This results in a mix of religions with Islam being practised by the majority followed by the presence of Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhism. A diverse linguistic scenario is also present with more than ten languages being spoken with the official language of the country being Behasa Melayu.

Democracy, an essential aspect for all Commonwealth Countries, is present in Malaysia – at least on paper. In fact, the country’s democracy is governed by a bi-cameral system (known as Parlimen) where the lower house, known as the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) is elected by general elections held every five years where everyone aged 21 and over is able to participate. The Senate (Dewan Negara), is composed of 70 members, 44 of which are appointed by the paramount ruler who is in turn appointed for a five year term by the hereditary leaders of the fourteen-state federation.

The current paramount ruler is Syed Sirajuddin while the current prime minister is Prime Minister Abdullah. The latter hails from the National Front Coalition government which controls 91% of the seats in Parliament. Prime Minister Abdullah replaced Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 2003, in the first ever leadership change since in more than two decades.

As you can imagine, the opposition, being small in size, has a very difficult job in ensuring a proper democratic system where all individuals are respected. In fact Human Rights Watch claims several cases of abuse of power and lack of judicial independence in the resource rich nation. One of the thorny human rights issues mentioned on the human rights organisation web site is the presence of an Internal Security Act which is supposed to protect Malaysia from any internal security threat but which is sometimes used to rack down on opposition and dissidents of the current government. This Act paves the way for arbitrary detention of alleged Islamic militants. Human Rights Watch says there are currently 80 people detained under the ISA.

The same organisation also mentions a series of laws regulating the media and a day-to-day monitoring of the media which are curbing freedom of expression on media. This activity is muting media criticism of government policy. One of the very few news web sites which are openly critical of the Government is Malaysiakini.

Deportations of a large number of illegal migrant workers and refugees which started in 2003, is another problem Malaysia is faced with. In 2004 government decided to deport more than 1.2 million migrants and refugees. Since Malaysia is not a signatory of the 1951 Geneva Convention on refugee treatment, it does not recognise the presence of tens of thousands of Indonesian refugees fleeing from the war-torn Aceh region.

The medium-income country, currently facing a number of environmental problems including air pollution from industry, water pollution from sewage and deforestation, was involved in a number of disputes with Commonwealth members Singapore and Brunei some of which are still present today.

CHOGM 2005 may be an opportunity for these countries to enter into a more positive dialogue with each other that would yield greater benefits for all parties involved. Moreover the high-level Commonwealth Meeting is an outlet where countries, organisations and individuals may exert pressure on the Malaysian government to ensure greater respect for human rights and continue committing itself towards greater proliferation of telecommunications and technology.

The Need for a Maltese Par Condicio

The Italian media is currently ruled by a law which ensures that all political parties are given equal coverage. This law ensures a proper functioning of democracy at all times. It was enacted after considerations were made of how current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi owns three Italian TV stations.

The situation in Malta is in a way similar. The local TV scene sees two major TV stations that are owned by the two largest political parties in Malta: Super 1, which is owned by the Labour Party and Net TV, owned by the Nationalist Party. This scenario means that the traditional parties have an unfair advantage on smaller parties when carrying out their propaganda.

If real democracy is to be present in Malta, then all parties are to be given equal opportunities in transmitting their message to the public. It is for this reason that I think a Par Condicio Law, ensuring that all political parties are given coverage on all stations, should be enacted. This law should give greater powers to the Broadcasting Authority in ordering spots and interviews with exponents of different parties, not only on State Television but also on all television stations operating in Malta.

I think that coverage levels given on all stations should be set to a minimum mark being calculated basing on how many votes the party concerned would have obtained in the previous general election. Newly-formed parties should obtain a minimum number of hours per week during which to transmit their own propaganda.

Furthermore, the Broadcasting Authority should strive to make sure all parties are given an equal opportunity to express their views on TV and radio talk-shows.

This situation would mean an improved state of democracy on local media – an aim which everyone who has freedom of opportunity at heart should embrace.

Havoc Rules during Marsascala Meeting

Democracy was left speechless yesterday as unruly behaviour from some Marsascala residents greeted the representatives of Waste Serv, the Government's waste management company that is proposing a re-development of the Sant'Antnin Recycling Plant.

In a customary public consultation meeting that is held by MEPA - Malta's planning authority - each time a large-scale development is proposed, an unruly crowd booed and jeered as WasteServ representative Chris Ciantar tried to explain the proposed development that is estimated to cost EUR16.7 million. The three-hour long meeting was held to give anyone the opportunity to voice his concern on the proposed project. It was turned instead into what resembled more of a 'curva' in an Italian stadium with scores of hooligans trying to take over the meeting.

The meeting, which was held at the Corinthia Jerma Palace Hotel, witnessed the presence of more than 300 angry residents but no Nationalist MPs and councillors. They made their voice - and sounds - heard as Ing. Chris Ciantar of WasteServ tried to explain to the public what is the proposed project. The crowd showed placards carrying messages against the recycling plant which has already generated a lot of inconvenience amongst residents since it was opened in 1993 as Ing. Ciantar tried to explain that the whole project was going to improve the whole situation.

Ciantar, who is WasteServ's Head of Strategy and Development said how the proposed plant will have a capacity of 71,000 tons of waste while the current plant has a capacity of 80,000 tons but is currently processing around 40,000 tons of waste due to some inefficiencies. He said that the EU-funded project is also going to produce enough energy for 1,400 households when the plant becomes fully operational. Waste Serve’s representative also showed to the public an animation - which the Zejtun Mayor afterwards termed as a “Beano cartoon” – that described what the proposed development consists of and how the proposed plant would work.

Ing. Ciantar’s statements were soon repeated by Ing. Mario Schembri, a representative of the independent consultancy firm which carried out the Environmental Impact Assessment on the proposed development. Amid negative reactions on the consultants’ alleged independence from the committee formed by the seven Labour mayors representing their respective localities and mockery from the crowd, Ing Schembri moved on to explain the deliberations of the report which pointed at “no significant socio-economic impact” of the project. The crowd rose in uproar as the consultant concluded that the project as proposed is a good and acceptable solution.

The inhabitants present at the meeting seemed to harbour a different opinion on Waste Serve’s proposals. With some citizens fearing a Mafia style plot against the Southern region of Malta, inhabitants went up one by one to the stand where they voiced their concern about the project after mayors and Labour councillors delivered their speeches.

The fine intervention delivered by Stephen Borg, representative of an environmental association in favour of il-Maghluq – a site of prime ecological importance in Marsascala – is worth mentioning. Borg claimed how the proposed development will have a negative effect on the protected fauna nearby with protected trees, some of which are hundreds of years old, being exposed to a serious danger.

Joe Sant, a Marsascala resident, proposed the European Union to investigate how the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out. This point was raised after claims were made that parts of the report were conveniently copied from British technical reports which soon afterwards spoke of the risks which the (EIA) purposely omitted.

Owen Bonnici, a Marsascala councillor who stood for EP elections under the PSE party, further claimed that MEPA was not respecting the principle of Equality of Arms when handling the issue of public consultation of the document. This claim was made as no time was given to the local councils to come up with their own reports on the proposed development to counter the EIA published last June.

As exponents against the development stated their points, the audience sat quietly and listened, only interrupting at times to remind the speaker of some points it wished to be mentioned.

The audience was soon to take centre stage again as it walked out of the Gabriel Suite, when chairman Vincent Gauci, MEPA’sassistant director, asked Ing.s Chris Ciantar and Mario Schembri to wind up and give their comments to what all the speakers had said before. This move was criticised by Labour MP Helena Dalli.

The other Labour MP present at the meeting, former deputy leader George Vella, was to make one of his exploits soon afterwards as he attacked Ing Mario Schembri for inaccuracies and contradictions present in the report.

The meeting, which started with an agitated crowd of more than 300 people and a heavy guard of soldiers and policemen, came to end three and a half hours later with less than 50 people inside the hall, most of which form part of the committee opposing the plant. They walked away satisfied for the great show of badly lettered placards, boos and jeers they managed to put up.

The general public, the kind of public which stays away from heavily politicised meetings with a strong socialist militant accent and truly loves his own environment, has now got till the 12th of September to voice his concern on the issue before MEPA takes a final decision.

Malta ‘Verbally Agrees’ to Books’ Digitisation Project

Last week, France reinstated the need for Europe, “to seize its place in the future geography of knowledge” in light of the current dominance of US enterprises in this sector. It is in fact working on its proposal to have a European Digital Library where European books would be made available online thus preserving and proliferating European knowledge.

This project was first proposed in May 2004 in a letter from Jacques Chirac to Commission President Jose’ Manuel Barroso and then Council President Jean-Claude Juncker. The letter was also signed from the Italian, Spanish, German, Polish and Hungarian leaders. It called for Europe to co-ordinate its efforts in order to preserve its heritage and make sure it is “made accessible online”.

The national libraries of nineteen member states announced their agreement to the proposed project in the form of a statement. Britain gave its implicit support while the Portuguese library is set to approve it. Where does Malta stand?

The Maltese National Library and the Cypriot National Library only verbally approved the statement.

This is a weak sign of the George Cross Island’s commitment towards the preservation of European cultural heritage including Malta’s own heritage. Given its size, Malta is adorned with a wonderful number of books and manuscripts describing the archipelago, its history and its people. If they are not put online they are not made accessible to everyone and are thus risking intellectual extinction.

There needs to be a co-ordinated and committed effort from the Maltese public and private sectors alike to preserve and promote our heritage – and also to make it accessible to scholars worldwide. We cannot afford any lag in the process of development as Google announces it will be improving its Google Print service.

We have already come a long way through in the provision of an efficient and effective e-Government service but we really need to keep up the momentum and move on to promote our knowledge heritage worldwide.

Will De Soldanis’ description of Gozo, or Megizer’s notes on Malta, or even Dun Karm’s romantic poetry ever be made available online ready for anyone to read and appreciate?

I really do hope so.

Fourteen Killed in Another Paris Fire; Arson Suspected

The third fire in ten days hit Paris last night. Fourteen died in what the Police suspect to be an arson attack.

From telegraph.co.uk:

"Fourteen people have died in a suspected arson attack in an apartment block in Paris, the third major blaze in the French capital in just over a week, police said.

The death toll, which stands at 14, is expected to rise
Two children were among the victims, most of whom were killed by smoke and fumes, and at least 13 people were hurt in the fire in the 18-storey building in the southern suburbs of the capital, a police spokesman said.
'The official toll is 14 dead but the toll is unfortunately going to rise,' he said.
Local officials said they suspected the fire was started deliberately in a letter box in the entrance of the building, and were looking for four young people seen in the hallway just before the blaze started.
'The first indications point to a fire caused by a criminal act,' said Patrick Seve, mayor of the L'Hay-les-Roses district where the fire broke out around 1am.
Many victims were choked or suffocated by the fumes in extremely high temperatures after opening their doors. People who stayed in their apartments were safe.
Unlike the two other fires in the past 10 days, the blaze did not sweep through rundown housing for immigrants but was in a low cost social apartment block known as an HLM, housing about 800 people in 110 flats. "

It’s all a Matter of Respect

Maltese nationals will not know whether the airline they fly between foreign countries would be deemed as safe or not by Maltese authorities, unless a Europe-wide airline blacklist is published later this year. This happens as civil aviation sources told The Times of Malta yesterday that Malta does not intend to publish its own blacklist for national use - a decision that smells of disrespect towards the Maltese consumer.

Even though Maltese civil aviation authorities do carry out their job quite efficiently in determining the safety levels of an airline flying to and from Malta, they seem not interested as to whether help Maltese citizens make informed decisions on which airline to choose when flying between two non-Maltese airports. Therefore Maltese citizens may be exposed to unnecessary safety risks when travelling.

It seems that authorities fail to understand that the principle of freedom of movement does not only mean the possibility to travel from Malta to another country but also an increased chance to travel between third countries, say for example from Luxembourg to Stockholm. This means that the relevant authorities are to extend their concern away from our jurisdiction and make sure Maltese citizens are safe as they travel.

Therefore an airline blacklist is no privilege but a necessary document which respects the right of information which consumers are entitled to. Furthermore it ensures that Maltese citizens are safe when they travel, all the time, anywhere they are.

This is why all parties concerned with this issue - starting from consumer rights associations - are to exert pressure on the authorities in order to publish the national blacklist showing which airlines do not have a good safety record according to Maltese authorities.

In the meantime Maltese civil society is to continue lobbying in favour of the Europe-wide blacklist which the Commission is proposing. Malta, which controls a significantly large airspace when compared to its size, has an interest in taking a pro-active stand – and not a ‘rubber-stamp attitude’ - in this debate as the wellbeing of every passenger crossing our airspace is to be ensured at all times.

All actions taken are to come out of respect towards the consumer and a clear priority to preserve high safety standards during travel. After all, consumers are all human beings whose life is to be preserved at all costs.

Marsascala Day 2005

Today, my hometown, Marsascala, celebrates another year of civic activity. This year, Marsascala Day falls on the eve of BF-Day – Big Fight-Day. In fact, a public consultation meeting will be held tomorrow at the Corinthia Jerma Palace Hotel with the topic on the agenda being the proposed development of the Sant’Antnin Recycling Plant.

Labour mayors of seven localities in the South-East of Malta continued fighting yesterday against the proposed development alleging they have the backing of residents in their localities. They certainly don’t have mine.

I find myself both against the proposed consultation process concerning the development and the way opposition against it is being carried out. The only thing these seven mayors have managed to attain is a politicisation of the debate, something which is useless and is in line with the Government’s and Waste Serve’s attitude of non-consultation with the public. Instead of advocating local public opinion, the Seven Big Boys are showing how effective puppets local councils can be in the hands of the Labour Party.

My hometown is today celebrating its day with a majority of councillors believing that the only issue concerning their locality is the proposed development. Little is being said on the need to improve community service or the number of sports facilities. Few is being done in order to seize the advantages of European Integration in education and nothing has been proposed on how to implement the concept of lifelong learning amongst the community of Marsascala.

I long for the time when the same council used to truly work for its citizens and strongly anticipate the next election where hopefully this situation will change.

Marsascala’s happy days are not here yet but are drawing at the corner.

Russia Mourns Beslan

Today is the first anniversary of the Beslan school carnage where 331 people died after being taken hostage by Chechen rebels on September 1, 2004.

CNN reports:
"Piercing wails cut through the air as grief-stricken residents of this southern Russian town held a moment of silence Saturday, a year to the day after hundreds of their relatives and neighbors died in a hail of gunfire and explosions that ended a horrific school hostage crisis.
[...]
By the time the clock struck at 1:05 p.m. (0905GMT), the time of the first explosion that announced the bloody end to the three-day hostage crisis, at least 4,000 people had squeezed into the courtyard outside the Beslan school gymnasium where the victims endured terror, thirst and hunger.
As a bell tolled, children released 331 white balloons into the air to symbolize the souls of the dead. The moment of silence was broken by a wave of wailing that rippled through crowd, and at least one woman collapsed.
"They died here, they were burned here, their souls are still here," said Alona Bistayeva, 42, standing in the line of dazed-looking people waiting to file through the gymnasium to pay their respects. "It's a process of farewell, and of not forgetting. A person forgets this, and all of a sudden it happens again."
From the school, the crowd moved to the cemetery, where thousands watched the consecration of a soaring new memorial while weeping women tended their relatives' graves.
As bells tolled over loudspeakers, a short poem was read out and then a list of all 331 victims that took 25 minutes to read. Some people wept; most bowed their heads.
Then, a wave of sobbing swelled from crowd as a white sheet was pulled off the 8-meter (25-foot) statue of four women holding up a tree of angels.
White doves released into the air circled over the crowd several times as mourners bent down and touched the earth on their relatives' graves with both hands.
In the Russian capital, where flags were flying at half-staff Saturday, a pro-Kremlin youth group planned a large rally off Red Square to mark the Beslan anniversary amid calls by state-run media for opposition forces not to try to take advantage of the tragedy to sow discord.
Earlier Saturday, Putin opened the weekly meeting of his Security Council with a moment of silence. He then announced that he had instructed prosecutors to send investigators to Beslan to verify the information he had been provided at a Friday meeting with members of a mothers' committee who have demanded that negligent or corrupt officials be prosecuted over the attack."

Malta Feels no Need to Publish National Airline Blacklist

In an article shown yesterday on The Times of Malta, sources told the paper that local civil aviation authorities are not planning to issue an airline blacklist for national use. Such a blacklist would list all airlines banned from flying through the national airspace after having been found to have a poor safety record.

Unlike France and Belgium, who published their blacklists last week, Malta says it does not need to draw up such a document for national use as the idea of having a Europe-wide blacklist is currently being discussed.

The same sources told the paper that Malta would not oppose such an initiative from the EU.

Malta Demands Conditionality in Development Assistance

Maltese Foreign Minister Michael Frendo yeterday raised the issue of irregular immigration during the Informal Foreign Ministers Meeting, also known as Gymnich, which was held at Celtic Manor, in Newport, Wales.

Minister Frendo was quoted saying by The Times that ACP (African Caribbaean and Pacific) countries receiving development aid from the EU should play their part in carrying out their obligations according to international trade agreements. He said that development aid agreements signed with these countries should be accompanied with effective repatriation and reintegration agreements.

During his intervention, Dr. Frendo also welcomed the new package on irregular immigration as proposed by the European Commission where a common asylum policy is being proposed. A detention period of six months is one of the Commission's proposals.

The topic of irregular immigration was put on yesterday's agenda after a joint request by the governments of Malta and Italy.

Link: European relations with African, Caribbean an Pacific (ACP) countries