Fausto continues his round-up of 2010. This time Jesus, vuvuzela and public services fall within range of his targeting.
JESUS IN THE CLASSROOM
Two millenia on and he’s still a source of controversy. The EHCR decided that rights were violated when Italian authorities refused to remove the crucifix from the classroom at the request of a parent. The logic used was not surprising and similar judgements were handed by other courts (most notably, the German Constitutional Court vis-a-vis Bavaria some ten years ago). But this being a European court was bound to generate more interest.
In Malta it certainly did and embarrassing it was. People were commenting on something they obviously hadn’t read (the point that the crucifix “causes offence” to non-believers, for example, was never part of the Court’s argument). But it well and truly brought out the bigotry. Ignoring the fact that the plaintiff was Italian. Because “Italian” is what you’d call someone with Italian citizenship after living the country for two decades despite having been born elsewhere.
The purposely-created pages on FB brought out the way the Maltese truly felt not much about crucifixes but people of colour and of other faiths with the kind of confidence only ignorance can give. In a way, it was light relief to read commenters (who think they’re “bloggers”) that you wouldn’t go to an Islamic country and tell the people there to remove the image of Mohammed. But the rest of the reading was more sordid.
SPORT
The big event was, of course, the World Cup in South Africa. Sadly, Italy and England, two teams with a strong Maltese following made an early exit. Add to that the fact that this edition was devoid of stars doing any shining and interest seemed to have declined very quickly. Pity. This was considered to be a “problematic” World Cup but at the end, it was obvious that an African country can organise a major sporting event successfully. Vuvuzelas notwithstanding.
SOCIAL
Festival tal-Qargha Hamra, Citrusfest, Irkottafest, Festival tal-Frawli, Festival tal-Qaqocc, Festa tal-Majjal … you name it. The Maltese have developed a penchant for themed feast.
Two things I find surprising. First, almost all these festas seem to be centred around vegetables or a humble and often ignored foodstuff. Rising prosperity and declining eating habits have almost completely banished the vegtable from the Maltese kitchen or else, when they make an appearance, they’re cooked in the most boring way imaginable. Hopefully, these occasions will teach home cooks that there’s more than boiling.
Second, traditional Maltese feasts were connected to saints or religious cycly: christenings, first communions, confirmations, weddings. These new feasts are all “secular”. Significant? Well, Cardinal Bertone mentioned earlier took out his verbal anger following the ECHR’s ruling on crucifixes in classrooms on the pumpkin.
PUBLIC SERVICES
ARMS was hardly ever out of the news and not for the right reasons. Indeed, the inefficiency of the service has probably overtaken the actual issue of the price of water and electricity.
Agreement on the reform of public transport has been achieved. It cost a lot of money and there could be a last-minute hitch over the decision to discriminate in favour of locals (on the grounds that they seem to pay an unspecified tax foreigners don’t).
Social security reform is back. Late in 2010 Labour seemed to be taken aback at the fact that changes will kick in in 2011. Maybe they swallowed the line, propogated by this blog amongst others, that there will be no reform for the sake of short-term electoral gains.
Well, here’s belated news: in 2006 the Gonzi government bit the bullet and enacted the first reforms the kind of which caused paralysing protests in France. Sure, the reforms are unfolding slowly and they are not enough (which is not to say, as the Labour leader just said, that they “failed”). But when you see what was achieved and the political opposition it faced (Labour MPs even expressed the view that this is a problem of 20-30 years in the future so let’s postone doing anything) and you’ll see why on this point Lawrence Gonzi deserves a pat on the back.
PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
Twenty long years ago the Government signed an agreement with the then Dockyard Council to get the enterprise on its feet within ten years. The histroy since is one of repeated attempts and subsequent failure. The past year has brought an end to all that in the only way it could’ve: privatisation.
There was a time when the Malta Drydocks produced some fine craftsmen, further gifted with Maltese ingenuity. This is the image that probably prompted “Nat wets” and people in the Labour Party (like Sant who was determined to make it “the best in the Mediterranean” until the end) to linger until the end.
For many who came later, the image is of an enterprise found guilt of political discrimination on a number of occasions, which acted on occasion as the continuation of Labour policies by militant means, a poor health and safety record and poor management. These people will hardly be sorry to see it sold.
Watch out for AirMalta because, Malta being an island and a peripheral European country, this is different. The company needed a € 50 million bailout this year and it cannot get a second one. The reasons are many, not least the subsidised competition from the budget airlines. What’s said to see is the daggers being drawn. The Union Press papers even reached out for their favourite bete noir of the early 1990s, former company chair Joe N. Tabone, to assign responsibility.
All the best for AirMalta. May they come out of all this not only economically stronger but also without any internal ill-feelings.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Maltese entrepreneurship lacks imagination. There are exceptions of course and one of such enterprises goes by the name of Magro Brothers. Operating in a sector that was nowhere as sexy as IT, which everyone thought could be written off once we joined EU unless we put up protectionist walls as high as the Cittadella, the Magro Brother showed everyone that innovation and quality are sure winners no matter in which field of business they are applied.
Looking for the bright ideas that would make you one of Malta’s captains of industry? Majistral’s advice: make beds. The population is aging at such a rate that PS Mario Galea that 150 new beds a year are needed for state homes for the elderly alone.
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