Disenfranchised

It’s been a lovely first day on Melita. My first task on the island was to perform my civic duty and vote for one or more of the candidates contesting the election for the Hamlet of Paceville. Having dispatched this week’s article to the folks at the Indy I headed for the Millenium chapel for the first ever vote for Paceville’s reps.

Fast forward to the moment of truth when I handed my I.D. card to the electoral oompaloompas behind the desk. Tragedy struck. It appears I was not alone but an entire swathe of inhabitants of Paceville’s Golden Gate – Triq San Gorg have been struck off the confines of the hamlet. We were not eligible to vote because Triq San Gorg of Champ, Burger King and Telemalta fame is not conmsidered to be within the electoral limits for the Hamlet of Paceville. Darn.

Serves me right for not having switched to my new address in Triq Salvu Privitera (full Paceville territory) a full six zears ago. I had reckoned that while I was in Luxembourg whether I had San Gorg or Salvu Privitera on my ID card would make little practical difference. That and six years of procrastination for switching the darn address have led to my being involuntarily excluded from this great moment in Pacevillian history. I’m switching address soon enough – I hope to be in time for the next round of elections.

The photo is a funky treatment of the view across Balluta bay from above Neptunes pitch. Ah the salutary walk along the front complete with coffee and fiordilatte ice cream from Dolci Peccati. One battle is left – I have to convince First International Car rentals that a Peugeot 206 that stinks of dead animals (or post-prandial farts on new year’s day) and makes weird noises is NOT a decent car to rent out to anyone. I lost the first battle over the phone – the guy at the desk seems to think that stinky cars (and I mean filthy stink) are what you should expect when you rent cars. Will report round two tomorrow from the MIA.