The next two days consist of a hectic whirlwind tour for this blogger, one worthy of any politician on a campaign trail. I’ve managed to compress most of the meetings I have had in mind for these eight days into two days (force majeure did play a heavy hand – you cannot really ignore Easter holidays). Anyways this blogger/reporter/lawyer/vacationist or renaissance man as DF likes to put it (cheers dude) is on the move.
Bloggable items will not stop and wait and we notice a whole niche developing on the use of libels and anonimity on the net. Perception of what blogging is about is still a shape-shifting animal on the island – one that deserves a discussion all by itself. The twisting of the libel laws by politicians have now led to a surreal situation when their very purpose has been diluted to the point that at the moment when they are most necessary and useful we might be surprised to discover that they have lost their clout. Between strip-searches and the road to using police for whatever private complaints we may have, we might also discover that 25 years on from the darkest Labour moments, the nationalist governments might not have done much to create a trustworthy (or in some cases not necessarily trustworthy but strong and independent) strong executive arm.
Then there is the poverty issue. We cannot agree with Franco Farrugia’s assertion that you cannot write about poverty unless you have lived it. The role of the blogger as an investigative reporter might just be that – asking the right questions to the right people to bring the realities of poverty closer to home. Which is one of the things I intend to do today.
The day will end in football at Floriana where I hope to team up with some members of Deportivo Estudiantes for a friendly kickabout. I am hoping to spend some time on campus around lunch so if you are in those whereabouts and would want to share a coffee or whatever food passes as standard fare on campus these days do drop me a tweet @jacqueszammit or an SMS on 7975 followed by four ones.
