The island of saints and fireworks experienced yet another tumultuous bump on its road to democratic fulfillment yesterday. By late morning you were either looking deep into your soul and trying to decipher the reason why it would still be possible for some of your co-islanders to sport (ha!)...
Thought for Food
posted by Jacques René Zammit
The British election campaign kicked off in earnest this week. The Tory chief has been caught red-handed eating a hot dog with the use of a fork and knife – and nowadays that kind of information hits the headlines just as readily as a decision on nuclear disarmament. Cameron’s...
The Bird Brainer
posted by Jacques René Zammit
This Saturday vote No. Simple. Just vote No. You don’t need to be told why in truth, unless you are one of the horde of energumens who believe that “hunting is a right”. Legally we should not be here. The ‘derogation’ we are reluctantly discussing should never...
Or words to that eff...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Was it Michael Falzon who insisted that we do not call an amnesty an amnesty? You know that measure being touted by the Taghna Lkoll government whereby any environmental and planning injustices can be righted by the payment of a proportionally small fine? Well he wants us to call it a fine or...
The Infamous Vote
posted by Jacques René Zammit
It’s great that people like Joseph Calleja, the Archbishop and other ‘VIPs’ such as Vanni Bonello have lent their support to the “NO” vote. I do find it a little disturbing though that there have been calls from some quarters for more “famous” people...
Passport Kings and J...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
An article published on Bloomberg on March 11th speaks about Christian Kalin – the Passport King – and how he managed to turn from editor of a guide to doing business in Switzerland to a key figure in the budding passport industry, as well as a main protagonist in the infamous...
Dix
posted by Jacques René Zammit
– Dès les Considérations inactuelles Nietzsche s’était calmé, il avait compris qu’il n’est pas possible d’infliger au lecteur une quantité exagérée d’idées, qu’il faut composer, lui laisser reprendre son souffle. Vous aussi, dans Vertiges des...
Politics, for exampl...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Yes, Giovanna Debono should resign. Her position in parliament as a representative of the people is untenable so long as her husband is under investigation for abuse of office. The sad truth is that the moment a minister employs his or her spouse or close relatives within their own ministry...
The War on Hunting i...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
It might seem to be hotting up. What is it about this nation that turns any democratic decision making exercise into an internecine battle? As the referendum approaches we get to watch the two sides and their different approach to convincing people to cast the vote in their favour. At some...
The Money of Politic...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
In the current whirlwind that is the Swissleaks scandal we risk missing the wood for the trees. Public opinion is easily distracted by petty insinuations and suppositions that run on the lines of taste and “intuition”. Assumptions are always preferable to sound facts and are the...
The Blame Game &...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Opposition leader Busuttil was lambasted from some quarters for having dared suggest that the whole Enemalta procurement scandal was actually abused of as electoral fodder by Muscat and his men. What Busuttil suggested was really not too hard to understand – if the information was...
I.M. Jack – th...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Gone fishing or the Public Accounts Committee I caught a glimpse of the proceedings at the Public Accounts Committee sessions. Inelegant and clumsy are the first words that come to mind. It was never meant to be a fashion statement or synchronised swimming, sure, but the overall impression...