Author: Jacques René Zammit

This article and accompanying Bertoon appeared in yesterday’s edition of The Malta Independent on Sunday.

Two is company, three is a virus waiting to happen
I opted for the coach-coach-plane travel itinerary for this particular homecoming trip. The incredibly hopeless state of connectivity from one of the two legal hubs of the European continent meant, once again, that the most convenient way getting to Malta involved eight and a half hours of travel by land and air.

Coaches and buses linking airports in the middle of nowhere to main cities are one of the spinoff effects of the so-called “low-cost flights”. If you go through a list of destinations of any “low-cost airline” you will probably come across the names of cities like Frankfurt, Barcelona or London. In actual fact your carefully weighed suitcase, hand luggage and person are delivered at an airport that is normally (at least) an hour’s drive away from the main city in question (see Hahn, Girona and Stansted) – hence the need for the coaches.

It’s a spin-off development with a spin-off price. “Cheap” prices advertised on “low-cost” sites are not obliged to mention the added euros that are required to fund the whole travel operation when getting from door-to-door. That is how I compare trips and costs. You basically have to take into consideration the total cost incurred from when you leave your doorstep at home to the moment you open your suitcase in the bedroom/hotel room at your chosen destination. Don’t be fooled… be informed. You can thank me later.

But I digress. I mentioned the coaches because they are not normally my preferred mode of transport – me being the gas-guzzling, unapologetic, private transport, forget-the-car pool type of person. This time, the economic crunch, an unwillingness to drive for three hours and other factors meant that I would be catching two coaches from Luxembourg to Hahn to Frankfurt. This meant travelling on two coach loads of potential carriers of the A(H1N1) virus.

We are often accused of commiting the mortal sin of always being critical of any efforts to discuss the evolution of the Maltese political scene. It is true that oftentimes the broken record that is our understanding of the effects of the PLPN hegemony of local political development can become a cumbersome obstacle that transforms to a blinkered view when looking at new attempts at open discussion.

Jean Pierre Farrugia’s candid article in today’s Times engages the discussion of how political parties are losing their values. Farrugia brings an interesting issue with regards to the Nationalist party out into the open: whether the more conservative elements are actually nullifying the work of an earlier generation of centre-left politicians who had brought the nationalist party closer to the workers and the masses. Reading Farrugia’s article leads one to understand that Farrugia forms part of the element of the nationalist party that believes that its soul should be firmly routed in the caring centre-left … and that right now this is not happening due to the stronger “conservative” element.

Without going into the merits of the argument, Farrugia’s article is a welcome addition to an open space discussion. It’s a brilliant discussion to get going and ncludes many sub-topics: liberalism, the nature of the centre-left and the existene or otherwise of a real conservative agenda. Maybe it might be time to reopen The Malta Chronicle again – though not for now perhaps, summer laziness is just round the corner.

“Even my life-long friend Guido de Marco, who is above any suspicion of being a Marxist, defined his position on the political spectrum as being centre-left.” -JP Farrugia

Since when does being centre-left create an automatic assumption that one is a marxist?

Italy’s famous blogger/activist Beppe Grillo has announced his intention to run for the post of secretary of the Partito Democratico. Reknown for his often controversial criticism of the political establishment, Grillo suprised many of his fans with this move. His intention is to revive an “empty” left that is devoid of all meaning and, in his words, “fascinated by its Berlusconian double”. The blogger can participate in the election of the Pd secretary because in an effort to import the U.S. primaries model, the Pd allows all citizens to vote in the earlier rounds for the choice of its leaders.

Le proposte “forti” sono quelle di sempre: «Per prima cosa devono andarsene quelli che hanno più di due legislature, quelli che hanno disintegrato l’Italia insieme allo psiconano, quelli che sono l’altra faccia dello psiconano, cioè D’Alema, Rutelli eccetera». (La Stampa)

Just back from Valletta. I’ve just seen the Piano Plans at the archaeological museum and there aren’t enough superlatives to describe the genius behind them. I love it all. The narrow gate, the subterranean gallery, the use of the ditch, the projection screens around the opera house, the multiple functions for the theatre, the hemispherical parliament hall, the room for the janitor on the same level as the ministerial suites and the eco-friendly building ideas. Why do people even bother to comment when we are blessed with genius of such simple magnitude?

Not Fausto, though I am sure he is sweet in his own particular way. I meant the wind that has so sweetly decided to sweep into the island on the first full evening of my visit. “You can’t always get what you want” sang the Stones and I’ll have to adjust to the temprary glitch in the weather. Still I guess many people will be loving the cool breeze the vento maestro brings along so no I can wait a little longer for the sticky windless sun bathing. Meanwhile, back on the ether here is a lovely sample of Timesofmalta journalism for not so anglo-philes:

Sheffield Utd wins friendly against Floriana

English Championship Club Sheffield United won Floriana 1-0 in a friendly at Hibs Ground tonight with Brian Howard scored a penalty in the first-half. Goalkeeper Justin Haber made his first team debut for the Blades as he started the match against the club with whom he started his career in Malta.

They won Floriana?  It’s painful to the ear and damaging to the soul. I’m off to finish and send off an article.

This blogger is in motion. This is normally the time I would be registering my usual complaints about the unreasonable travel times and connections between Luxembourg and the island home. By my calculations todays timing for the door-to-door trip is a tad bit above 10 hours. Teleport anyone?

Fat chance zeek. J’accuse will be moving its Royal Pain Base to Paceville and Marsalforn for the next ten days. Goodbye monsoon rains hello heatwave.

aside: Why are there no benefactors and philanthropists for the arts in Malta? Easy. They are all busy covering the payroll for the various bits and bobs emanating from Dar it-Trasparenza and Dar Centrali. Just a reflection innnit.