Category: Mediawatch

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Mediawatch Rule of Law

Train wrecks don’t need derailing

Adrian Delia has dismissed reports on messages between him and Yorgen Fenech as “a mudslinging attempt aimed at derailing his work“. The Sunday coffee table news was dominated by an apparent ‘scoop’ from the Times of Malta uncovering the supposed ‘exchange’ of Whatsapp messages. There had even been a dramatic build up with an earlier confrontation by a Times journalist.

Like some latter-day Saint Peter, Delia was repeatedly asked to deny whether he had ever had any form of relationship with Fenech by a journalist who was obviously already in possession of the ‘incriminating’ evidence (that would be kept on hold till the convenient Sunday publication date for full effect. No cocks crowd on the day of the interview but the Times made a big deal of the issue today.

Having seen the supposed Whatsapp exchange (and only on the basis of what has been shown), I think that I can safely conclude that this was a case of harassment by Fenech. Delia seems to have little time for his entreatments and rarely replies until what seems to be a fob off by passing Fenech on to Pierre Portelli to fix a dinner/lunch which we are not even sure ever happened.

The thousands of sleuths who grace the Maltese Republic were all over the social media condemning Delia for this latest “lie”. In his earlier interview with the Times journalist Delia had wriggled and writhed to try to give a legalistic reply – one that implied that if by communication there was meant some sort of dealing then no he did not communicate with Yorgen. Delia might have had this Whatsapp harassment in mind. Surely in normal circumstances nobody in their right mind would consider Yorgen’s pseudo-sycophantic messaging as a basis of some form of effective communication with Delia.

Surely. But this is not normal. In a world of Whataboutism gone mad we have the Sunday papers dominated by a very weak exchange that is neither here nor there while trying to build a very spurious link to Delia being another of Yorgen Fenech’s political relationships. For some context. Labour’s cabinet is still labouring (sorry) under the heavy accusation of having a member who had a much more than platonic relationship with Fenech. Another one is deep in business dealings with Fenech (not the Arrigo style). Yet here we are trying to cause a storm for a one-way set of messages.

You’d think that the Times would have a much higher standard in its quest of fulfilling the fourth estate’s role in a democracy. As things stand it seems to be a weak platform for the disgraced Labour government’s use to disseminate confusion. Worse still it leads to situations where Delia, of all people, can cling to a victim’s alibi of attempts at derailing him.

Now that’s a first. Delia has already long proven to be unfit for political action let alone leadership. His time as PN leader has proven to be a train wreck. To derail a train that is already wrecked and picking up the pieces is something that only a paper desperate for a distraction from the real issues can achieve.

Categories
Constitutional Development Mediawatch

Rajna f’Idejna

Writing in today’s Times of Malta controversial ex-politician Franco Debono discusses recent happenings in the field of constitutional reform. The article titled “The reforms we implement should be our own” concerns what Franco calls “the colonial mentality of having reforms imposed”. Constitutions and constitutional reforms must be autochthonous Debono tells us and not granted by a foreign sovereign.

What interests me today is the basic premise of Debono’s argument: that we are having reforms imposed on us by some foreign power or authority much in the same way we depended on sovereigns granting us constitutions in the past.

In simple terms, what Debono is advocating here is that any changes to our constitution must not be imposed from the outside but must come from within the country (“We the people”, presumably through the able hands of our representatives and their advisors). There is very little to criticize here: the sovereign constitutional power resides with the people who delegate their representatives (and specialists) to give legal shape to that power.

Debono does not stop there. He speaks of what he calls ‘the unfortunate and tragic circumstances in which the Venice Commission, a respected organ of the Council of Europe, was requested to make proposals about this country’s institutions two years ago”. After outlining what he terms the Commission’s ‘proposals’ he states the following:

Benefitting from the expertise of international bodies is one thing. But having fundamental structures extensively imposed on the country by external institutions is humiliating and marred by a bitter colonial taste, especially when those proposals have a local origin. Steering away from a colonial mentality towards a sentiment of national pride is the greatest reform that this country needs. The rest should follow.

The reforms we implement should be our own – Franco Debono

This is where Debono’s original premise falls flat. The implication is that the Venice Commission is imposing content on Malta, and that somehow the constitution of Malta has slipped from the sovereign hands of the people into the hands of foreign writers. M’ghadniex rajna f’idejna (we no longer have the reigns of our country in our hands). This jingoistic, nationalistic nerve that Debono is tapping fits conveniently in the current narrative of misplaced patriotism and anti-European sentiment.

The assertion of any imposition of the actual rules and laws and structures is false. This argument can be extended not only to the Venice Commission (an institution within the Council of Europe) but also to the Commission and Court of Justice of the European Union (institutions of the EU), both of which may be tasked to review the conformity of Malta’s laws and regulations with the rule of law.

Debono is ignoring the fact that such institutions are tasked with checking the standards of our laws and not their content. Every member state of the Council of Europe and European Union remains the sovereign master of its legal system. Member states are free to alter and draft their own laws as they deem fit but such laws are tested against standards which the very same member states have agreed to in their full, sovereign membership of international communities.

Think of this as a VRT test. You are free to purchase any car you choose and can tweak it to your liking so long as it conforms with the agreed standards for roadworthiness. A VRT tester does not impose a car on you but makes sure that your car is up to the standards everyone agrees to.

The Venice Commission will look at any suggested reform which the Maltese state makes. It will do so using a standard measure that is the rule of law. Should any of the measures fail to fit that standard the Venice Commission will make that known. The same goes for potential cases before the ECJ. As the Polish government found out recently, every Stateis free to change its system of appointment of judiciary – so long as that system guarantees an observance of the basic tenets of the rule of law.

Being held to certain standards is not the same as being forced to accept laws that are not ours. The standards are standards established for our own good and which we, as a sovereign nation member of international communities, adhered to. Our laws must be safe. Safe for us, the citizens who abide by them.

At the heart of such standards is the interest of “We the people” who are protected by their application. Far from being an imposition, it is an international guideline of democratic standards that we are being asked to conform to.

Given what Franco calls the “unfortunate and tragic circumstances” into which our country was dragged, the fact that the abusers of our constitution and law for so long are now being set to a higher standard when tinkering with the laws is a small but worthy consolation.

The only colonial mentality of submission would be to allow those who have held our constitutional rights hostage for too long in the name of a party duopoly to dupe us into thinking that conforming to the right standards is some blow to our national pride.

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Mediawatch

Il-poplu magħqud qatt ma jkun mirbuħ

Dan id-diskors li ktibt fl-okkazjoni tal-ewwel manifestazzjoni għall-Ġustizzja li saret ġimagħtejn wara l-assassinju ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Għadu rilevanti iktar minn qatt qabel.

X’intom tagħmlu hawn? X’inġbartu tagħmlu għal darba oħra madwar din l-għajta għall-Ġustizzja? Għadkom ma xbajtux? Għadkom ma għajjejtux? Ħarsu waħda fuq il-lemin u fuq ix-xellug tagħkom. X’ġew jagħmlu hawnhekk dawn in-nies illum? X’inhi din is-socjeta’ civili? Għalfejn dal-kjass, dan l-istorbju kollu? Għalfejn dawn it-talbiet? Għalfejn qed ngħidu li hawn min għandu jirrizenja? Aħna jew m’aħniex f’bidu ta’ rivoluzzjoni? U rivoluzzjoni f’isem xiex u min?

Ġimagħtejn ilu seħħ assassinju oxxen. Inqatlet bl-iktar mod premeditat mara qalbiena, omm kuraġġuża u kittieba sbukkata. Ġimagħtejn ilu seħħet skossa kbir fis-socjeta’ Maltija u minn dakinhar xejn ma jista jerga’ jkun l-istess. Is-socjeta civili qamet mir-raqda twila li kienet ilha fiha. Kienet ilha ma tridx temmen u ma tridx tisma’ li l-qafas ta’ pajjiżna sejjer lura bil-ħeden.

Lura mhux f’sens ekonomiku għax dik l-illużjoni hemm għada. Le, mhux f’sens ekonomiku. F’sens ieħor. Għax filwaqt li qed ngħixu fi żmien is-surplus ekonomiku qed nassistu żmien id-deficit civiku u socjali. X’intom tagħmlu hawn? Staqsejtkom. Ħafna minnkom issa draw ilissnu l-kliem “Saltna tad-Dritt” – il-famuża “Rule of Law”. Issa li qomna mir-raqda qed nindunaw u nitgħallmu li din tfisser ugwaljanza quddiem il-liġi…

Li l-liġi hija l-istess għal kullħadd …

u li min hu fdat bit-tmexxija tal-pajjiż huwa marbut u suġġett għall-istess liġijiet daqs kull wieħed u waħda minna.

U għaliex qed nitkellmu dwar dan issa? Għaliex kellu jkun assassinju kiefer ta’ ġurnalista biex nibdew nitkellmu dwar riformi ta’ pajjiż? X’inhu in-ness, il-link, bejn ħaġa u oħra?

Matthew, Andrew u Paul – t-tfal ta’ Daphne – qalu li ma jridux biss ġustizzja penali – jiġifieri li jinstab min hu ħati tad-delitt specifiku – iżda jixtiequ riżultati iktar wiesgħa – iktar dejjiema. Jixtiequ li l-pajjiż jirritorna għal stat fejn id-dritt jirrenja – fejn kull wieħed u waħda minna iħossu cittadin liberu u cittadin li m’għandux minn xiex jibża’..

Sabiex isir dan it-tibdil, sabiex jintlaħqu dawn il-miri hemm bżonn li tqum fuq tagħha s-socjeta’ civili. Hemm bżonn li dan il-moviment magħmul minn kull wieħed u waħda minnkom ikompli jikber u jitgħallem u jemmen dak li qed jipproponi.

Għalhekk qiegħdin hawn. Qiegħdin hawn għax l-istat naqasna.

Naqas magħna lkoll. L-istat fis-sens wiesgħa tal-kelma m’għadux iservi lil pajjiż iżda kull ma jmur qiegħed iservi biss lic-crieki ta’ poter.

L-istat naqasna għax tħalla isir, jew jissawwar, sabiex jaqdi l-bżonnijiet tribalistici ta’ dawk li jifirduna. Falla għax il-kostituzzjoni u il-liġijiet tagħna baqgħu jitbagħbsu sabiex jinqdew l-allat foloz u sakemm spicca intesa’ ic-cittadin.

Għalhekk qiegħdin hawn. Għax sabiex titqajjem kuxjenza dwar dawn il-problemi hemm bżonn li l-poplu – li s-socjeta’ civili – jiftakar li huwa s-Sovran.

Iva sovran. Fis-saltna tad-dritt, dik li tiggarantilna li il-liberta’ – il-poter bażiku – jinstab fil-poplu. Dak il-poter jiġi fdat lill-politici għal peridjodu ta’ żmien u huwa dmir tagħhom li jużawh fl-interess tal-ġid komuni.

Qiegħdin hawn għax dawk li fdajnilhom il-kuruna tas-saltna tad-dritt naqsuna lkoll. Naqsuna kull darba li ippermettew li jitmermru l-istituzzjonijiet li xogħlhom kien li jipproteguna. Naqsuna kull meta ippermettew li tissikket kull tip ta’ kritika jew oppozizzjoni. Naqsuna kull meta ħadu sehem dirett f’azzjonijiet sabiex jissiktu l-kritici. Naqsuna meta biegħu il-valuri tagħna lkoll sabiex igawdu il-ftit.

Qiegħdin hawn, fl-aħħar, għax kellha tkun xokk lis-sistema bl-assassinju atroci ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Issa ma nistgħu nonqsu la lilha u lanqas lil dak li ħadmet hi ukoll għalih.

Qiegħdin hawn proprju fil-belt fejn trabbiet biex l-ewwelnett ma ninsewx lil Daphne u dik il-ħidma tagħha li biha għenet biex jinkixfu l-problemi ta’ pajjiżna.

Qiegħdin hawn biex ma ninsewx. Għaliex nonqsu aħna mir-rispett lejn Daphne jekk inħallu l-memorja tagħha tintesa wara ftit żmien u jekk ma jsir xejn sabiex tinbidel is-sitwazzjoni preżenti li kienet ukoll il-kaġun li waslet għal mewtha.

Qiegħdin hawn biex inwasslu messaġġ fejn ngħidu li ilkoll kemm aħna nirrifjutaw li dan huwa THE NEW NORMAL. Li nirrifjutaw li dan huwa BUSINESS AS USUAL. Li nirrifjutaw li kull min qiegħed jgħolli leħnu dwar il-bżonn ta’ bidla jiġi sistematikament attakkat bħala traditur jew bħala partiġġjan. Li nirrifjutaw l-akkuża li xi roadmap ta’ xi politiku qed jiġi sabotaġġat b’din l-għajta għall-Ġustizzja.

Qiegħdin hawn bħala l-ewwel pass ta’ bidla importanti għal pajjiż li jrid jreġġa lura lejn is-saltna tad-dritt, bħala pajjiż fil-qalba ta’ l-ewropa b’vokazzjoni li jkun l-aqwa – iva – imma l-aqwa xempju ta’ liberta’, demokrazija u ġustizzja.

Qiegħdin hawn għal-vjaġġ twil. Il-bidla mhix ser issir minn jum għall-ieħor. Għad irridu nikkonvincu ħafna nies dwar kemm din il-bidla hija siewja għal pajjiżna, għalina u għal uliedna. Intom ilkoll li qiegħdin hawn tistgħu tkunu xhieda iżda anki attivi f’din il-bidla. Nista’ ngħidilkom li magħkom hemm ħafna Maltin u Għawdxin li, bħali,  jgħixu barra – Maltin ta’ Londra, Maltin ta’ Brussell, Maltin tal-Lussemburgu, Maltin tal-Isvizzera. Maltin li baqgħu marbuta sew ma dak li qed jiġri f’pajjiżna u li għandhom ħafna x’jikkontribwixxu għal din il-bidla.

Jien fost il-ħafna li kibru jaqraw il-kolonni ta’ Daphne fil-gazzetti u li ġejt ispirat minnha sabiex nuża l-pinna bħala arma politika.  Forsi irreciprokajt ftit din l-ispirazzjoni meta permezz tal-blog tiegħi, waqt iljieli ta’ diskussjonijiet jaħarqu fuq l-istess blog fi żmien l-elezzjoni tal-elfejn u tmienja, Daphne iddecidiet tiftaħ blog tagħha. The rest, kif jgħidu, is history.

Jien ukoll għadni immur  fuq il-blog tagħha b’mod awtomatiku sabiex nara x’inhu jiġri f’pajjiżi. Il-vojt li ħalliet warajha huwa enormi. Ma rridux ninsew li dan il-vojt inħoloq għax kienet tikteb. Għax ma beżgħet minn xejn u ħadd.

Ippermettuli insellem lill-familjari kollha ta’ Daphne f’dan il-mument. L-ebda kliem ma huma biżżejjed biex jimlew il-vojt li qed tħossu. Ma hemm l-ebda mod aħjar kif nirrispettaw il-memorja ta’ Daphne ħlief li nissuktaw f’din it-taqbida għall-Ġustizzja.

Aħna is-socjeta’ civili. Il-poplu magħqud qatt ma jkun mirbuħ.

GRAZZI.

Categories
Mediawatch Rule of Law

The Progressive Left

Listen to what Malta’s left has to say. Listen to the political arguments on the systemic failure. The neoliberal experiment has failed. This is the answer to the assertion of the lackeys of the government who go on television to tell anyone who still has the patience to listen that “is-sistema ta’ Muscat hadmet”. 10 electoral victories, an increasing electoral majority. The lawchitect with questionable grasp of basic constitutional principles repeated this again and again on Xarabank.

The real world begs to differ. Aside from the criminal corruption that is festering within the system there is also a socio-political reality that is best expressed by the Leftist Movement assembled under Paul Boffa’s statue today. Theirs is a damning criticism of the trojan horse politics that Muscat used to capture the system. Theirs is a reminder that outside the world of business and barons and friends of friends there is a Malta that is desperately in need of clean politics.

This too is part of the change. Graffitti and all the other NGO’s gathered today outside Castille are part of this new revolution. The road to the New Republic is long but we are in this together. Till the end.

Categories
Mediawatch Rule of Law

Id-Dehen lil min jaħkimha

Ruzar Briffa

Għaliex 40,000+ qatt ma huma se jkunu biżżejjed biex jirbħu lura ruħ pajjiżna

Kattolċi, Latini u Ħaddemin

Il-Malti huwa poplu nisrani. Hekk għadha tistqarr l-ogħla liġi ta’ pajjiżna : “Ir-reliġjon  ta’  Malta  hija  r-Reliġjon Kattolika Apostolika Rumana.” (Artiklu 2, Kostituzzjoni ta’ Malta). L-innijiet taż-żewġ partiti li jissieltu għat-treġija tal-pajjiż it-tnejn jassumu li qed iwettqu r-rieda t’Alla. Min (il-laburisti) iwettaq ir-rieda t’Alla tal-għaqda bejn il-bnedmin u min (in-nazzjonalisti) lesti jissieltu għal arthom “Għax Alla magħna”. L-innu nazzjonali ma hu xejn ħlief talba lill-ħallieq sabiex iħares l-art u lil min imexxiha.

Il-Malti huwa poplu nisrani. Hekk għadha tistqarr l-ogħla liġi ta’ pajjiżna : “Ir-reliġjon  ta’  Malta  hija  r-Reliġjon Kattolika Apostolika Rumana.” (Artiklu 2, Kostituzzjoni ta’ Malta). L-innijiet taż-żewġ partiti li jissieltu għat-treġija tal-pajjiż it-tnejn jassumu li qed iwettqu r-rieda t’Alla. Min (il-laburisti) iwettaq ir-rieda t’Alla tal-għaqda bejn il-bnedmin u min (in-nazzjonalisti) lesti jissieltu għal arthom “Għax Alla magħna”. L-innu nazzjonali ma hu xejn ħlief talba lill-ħallieq sabiex iħares l-art u lil min imexxiha.

Anki fiż-żminijiet ta’ llum dan il-wirt reliġjuż għadek issibu jekk tigref ftit taħt is-saffi tal-maskra tal-modernita’. Jekk xejn għadek issib dik it-tama li l-mexxejja tal-pajjiż jsaltnu bid-dehen tant mixtieq sabiex kemm “is-sid” kif ukoll “il-ħaddiem” jistagħnew f’għaqda. Id-dehen lil ħakkiem, il-ħniena lis-sid u ‘kk Alla jrid naqra saħħa lill-ħaddiem.

Dun Karm kiteb il-kliem tal-innu fl-1922 u meta fl-1941 dan sar l-Innu nazzjonali konna għadna taħt il-ħakma tal-barrani. Peress li Dun Karm ma kienx ħa gost meta ippruvaw ibiddlu xi versi forsi għalhekk il-kelma “jaħkimha” baqgħet – anki meta Malta ħelset mill-ħakma barranija u l-poplu ta’ ħaddemin u sidien beda jagħżel hu lil min imexxih.

Mexxejja

Il-kult tal-mexxejja tkattar mill-indipendenza ‘l hawn. Il-partiti ma jiddejqux jgħidu li għandhom “mexxej” b’kult kważi messjaniku li jdawwar lil dawn ta’ l-aħħar. Il-mentalita tal-ħakkiema baqgħet tieħu r-ruħ u l-mexxejja u l-partiti tagħhom ħadu post il-barrani ħakkiem. Repubblikani iva, ċittadini ħielsa bid-dritt tal-vot iva, imma qajla fhimna li s-sovranita’, li l-poter, li s-saħħa aħħarija hija f’idejn il-poplu. Intlifna fit-tribalita’ insensata tal-partiġġjaniżmu sfrenat u ma bqajniex ngħassu fuq dawk li fdajnilhom ir-riedni tal-pajjiż.

Sadattant is-sid li tant tlabna li jkollu ħniena rabba l-ħażen u sawwar xibka ta’ poter mal-mexxejja tagħna u ftit ftit ħa posthom fuq it-tron u d-destin tal-pajjiż kien f’idejħ. L-iżviluppatur, il-businessman, il-kuntrattur – kollha saru l-għajn li minnha kellhom bilfors jixorbu il-ħakkiema. U minkejja il-wiegħdiet ta’ żmien aħjar, ta’ xogħol, ġustizzja u ta’ liberta’ bil-mod il-mod il-ħaddemin u ċ-ċittadini sabu arthom mibjugħa biċċa biċċa. Sabu ġidhom imberbqa, drittijiethom imkasbra u sfaw barranin f’pajjiżhom stess.

Quddiem il-wiegħdiet ta’ għana, ta’ frugħa u ta’ l-aqwa żmien il-Malti għażel li jinsa’ jixtarr minn fejn suppost ġej dan il-ġid kollu. Għażel li l-aqwa li t-triba tiegħu hija minn fuq, li butu jidher li qed jistagħna u li jiġri x’jiġri dawk m’humiex fil-poter. Imbagħad għall-bqija jara Alla. Iva Alla. Dak tad-dehen lil min jaħkimha.

Tħażżinna wisq

Imma tħażżinna wisq. Jekk qabel il-mexxejja kienu diġa tilfu l-għaqal u bdew iberbqu ġidna f’isem il-progress. Jekk qabel l-arloġġ tal-lira, iż-żieda tal-500 ewro u l-ispekulazzjoni bla rażan kienet bdiet żifna kerha mal-kuntratturi u sidien. Issa kull sens ta’ kontroll tar mar-riħ. Issa il-meritokrazija li tant ittrumbettaw dwarha qed tintuża biss biex jitnaffru l-istituzzjonijiet, biex jissikket kull kontrol, biex ħadd ma jikxef li mid-dehen ma baqa’ xejn.

Meta Ministru u l-Kap tal-Kabinett tal-Prim Ministru jinqabdu bi struttura finanzjarja li se tirċevi 5,000 ewro KULJUM suppost dan ikun biżżejjed għall għaref Malti li ma jħallix min jitnejjek bih biex jgħidilhom iwarrbu l-barra.
Meta imbagħad isir jaf li l-flus ġejjin minn kumpanija li sidha huwa parti minn konsorzju li lilha ingħataw ħafna flejjes tal-poplu, allura hemm is-soltu il-Malti iqum kburi u jgħid “Issa Daqshekk”.

Meta isir jaf li l-kuntratt tax-xiri tal-fuel jorbot lil Din l-Art Ħelwa li tibqa tixtri bit-telf għal tmintax il-sena (dan kollu waqt li l-Ministru u Schembri jibqgħu idaħħlu 5,000 ewro KULJUM) allura hemm is-soltu l-Malti patrijott, għaqli u b’saħħtu joħroġ b’għajta waħda – BARRA!

Lanqas ma hemm għalfejn li l-Malti jistenna li tinqatel b’mod oxxen ġurnalista sabiex jinduna li issa inqabeż kull limitu ta’ diċenza. Jinduna li żmien il-ħolm spiċċa. Li issa hu għandu jieqaf lil kull min irid minkejja kollox jibqa jkattar dawn l-oxxenitajiet.

M’għadux żmien li inħallu f’idejn Alla. Maltin ta’ rieda tajba. Maltin laburisti, Maltin nazzjonalisti, Maltin li m’għadx għandhom partit. Kollha għandhom jingħaqdu u jirbħu lura r-riedni tal-pajjiż. L-ebda maġġoranza ma qatt se ssewwi dan id-deni u ħażen li biha iċċappsu il-ħakkiema.

Fuq kollox m’għandhom iħallu lil min jipprova juża l-vot tagħhom bħala xi tip ta’ permess biex ikompli jistagħna minn fuq darhom.

Nagħlaq b’poeżija ta’ Rużar Briffa. Poeżija miktuba fi żmien ieħor, taħt mexxejja oħra imma li taf titfa’ dawl fuq il-kriżi ta’ llum.

Categories
Mediawatch

(Personal) Space Invaders

Ferragosto or Santa Marija, as it is known in our parts, is the top summer holiday. The heat feels like it is at its hottest and the feeling of living in the most densely populated islands on earth is exacerbated by the manifestations of mass movement that are the villeggjatura and festi. There has not been much of a political armistice this year, at least not as much as usual, and this has thankfully meant that the momentum gathered towards the beginning of summer by various civil society actions did not peter out with the onset of the hot damning sun.

Space seems to be a common denominator that underlies the main occurrences on the island. It began with trees. The trees were condemned to be removed because the autocentric society that we live in needed more space in which to put our traffic jams. Once the alarm was raised over the latest action of intransigence, then it would be little time before the spaces on our facebook walls would be taken over by example after example of other barbarian assaults on the scant flora that our nation can still boast of. A sense of awareness had been created and the anger was finally harnessed.

Pioneer activists wanted the online indignation to be transferred away from the ether to the physical spaces and the momentum is being continued with a date for the 7thSeptember when the angered will meet again to fill spaces with their bodies. 

Space is what our few beaches have as an important commodity. The news that the government of the expanding middle class (Invictus) has negotiated the return of 10% of certain bays to the people was announced as though this was some kind of triumph for the and by the people. That the remaining 90% should also be the people’s space and is part of the foreshore that should not be subject to commerce seems to have been ignored.

An angry businessman in another part of the island was called pastaz by a Minister’s portaborsefor the simple fact that he had complained of the invasion of an idyllic space by part of the ever-growing army of campervans in Malta. That’s something I never quite understood – campervans in Malta? Why? In any case the chances of the powers that be accepting the fact that the abuse of public spaces to feed the supposed middle-classification of the islands is a no-no are close to zilch.

Old, traditional public places are in danger of being morphed by the government’s frenzied approach to development. Rows of houses in Rabat under threat by the unplanning authority that together with the motor vehicle authority (read transport malta) has declared war on the Maltese landscape. Their invasion of space is beyond the barbaric. The determination to succeed is strengthened by the far from meritocratic filling of spaces by the Invictus elected. No stone will be left unturned. Every day brings a new item of news announcing the perversion of Maltese space for the satisfaction of the middle-class laureates.

Access to property is tougher and tougher – making that personal space all the harder to come by. Meanwhile the annual exodus to the ‘sister island’ will surely mean more complaints of lack of space, lack of place, lack of air. The air they breathe incidentally is ever so unhealthy much to the chagrin of the asthmatic community – never enough space in the lungs to take in the much-needed oxygen.

The open seas around the island are also full of ‘invaders’ of another kind. Bodies upon bodies will be bartered by governments and NGOs for the sake of understanding which space they are entitled to scrape a living upon. 

At PN HQ they have already started planning ahead about which space to fill for the traditional Independence Day celebrations. The Fososmight seem dauntingly like too large an expanse for the second largest party in Malta so they will try to make do with the space in front of the HQ in Pieta’. Much space for irony there. 

No irony was lost when newly anointed Minister for Pinkwashing paraded a made-up Malta-LGBTQ flag with the rainbow colours replacing the Red part of the Maltese flag. Yet another exercise of facile endearment risked turning sour as the nationalists (not the PN ones) felt angered and offended by what they considered to be a desecration of a national symbol. 

Old men and ministerial lackeys also seem to be offended on a daily basis by the continuing manifestation of solidarity with the cause of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The calls for justice are manifested in a small space opposite the law courts and they are also removed on a daily basis by those who cannot seem to be able to survive the fact of being reminded daily that justice has not been served.

There’s a general feeling of suffocation. It’s claustrophobic. Something has got to give. Watch this space.