Tag: #malta2013

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Campaign 2013

Snapshot # 3: The voters anonymous

The noise from the election campaign is becoming just that. It’s just like listening in to a mass meeting by a storm of locusts – noisy as ever but rarely makes sense. It happens every election. We kick off hoping to discuss issues, plans, projects and directions for the economy and society but more often than not we end up discussing scandals, allegations, ad hominem accusation and more such filth. This time round there is no shortage of finger pointing: amateur sleuths, wannabe lawyers and born-again-doubters are suddenly all into scandals and -gates. I’d pinpoint the genesis of this particularly heavy wave to the moment when the Sliema Local Council began to fall apart.

Now we have Oil Procurement gate replete with presidential pardons and alleged implications at ministerial level. We have Abela-gate with secret recordings allegedly uncovering a politician openly admitting what could amount to influencing the police force. We have the double edged sword of Zarb-gate: on the one hand a union caught trading in influence and on the other hand an alleged collusion between the businessman involved and the nationalist party. Meanwhile serious accusations of suspect funding to both parties have been swept under the carpet conveniently as each party prefers to concentrate on its scandal of choice – leaving questions about how millionaire campaigns are funded suspended in thin air.

This post can easily be misconstrued as being an attempt at minimising the importance of having an efficient system that uncovers any kind of fraudulent activity. It is not my intention to do so. What I intend to point out though is that much of this caravan and circus will eventually peter out come the 10th March. The horror, the shock and the awe that some politicians feign when confronted with proof (as demonstrative a proof as is available) will soon be relegated to the general “forget-me” bin only to be recycled five years down the line. Honestly. Do you remember the fuss and fantasy generated by Mistragate last time round? What of it?

The truth is that such shenanigans and uncovering of modus operandi of politicians and friends of politicians only SEEM to have become nastier. In reality our political system is geared to co-exist with the circles of power that surround it. Whether it is the police, the legal system, the big business or the unions, alliances are made and broken and fool you are if you think that any of the lot is innocent of such tomfoolery. The charade of investigations and holier-than-thou pronouncements (or as Toni Abela would have it… my banana is cleaner than yours) is just that.

My question and next point is how much does that influence the voter. All these theatricals are for the voter’s inconvenience in the end. They are meant to point out the inadequacy of the other side because the other side is Corrupt/Hapless/Undisciplined (take your pick). Does the voter care? Reading Roberto Saviano on La Repubblica I had a chance to confirm what could be a Mediterranean or even a European trait. Oftentimes the voter is just as enmeshed in the power circles that are at work. The difference in the voter’s case is that he falls further down the line of enjoyment but still feels the compulsion to confirm his participation and thus develop a legitimate expectation. It’s all about a job, a sick relative or a parking space.

Yes. Often the voters’ priority (beyond the obvious partisan impulse) is based purely on one particular service (or inversely is the result of one particular disservice). Is it a refused MEPA permit for altering one’s balcony? Is it a refused rebate on a taxed imported car? Is it a refused access into a school? When you hear the opposition complaining about the “power of incumbency” what they are complaining about is the fact that they have less clout in this not so covert black market where promises to fill gaps in voters’ needs are traded. Do not be deceived. The trading is across the board – opposition or government. The promises are there for everyone. Because Malta Taghna Lkoll is really a euphemism for the politician’s position in the system of cogs and wheels that gets this republic going. It’s not just Labour’s slogan. It’s everybody’s.

Voters will not really be impressed by the many -gates. They either had made their mind up before the scandals surfaced or had their ideas confirmed by the plethora of accusations. In some quarters pundits will try to sell the idea of a “responsible” vote one that supposedly is made in the best interests of the country. It’s a load of bull really. Those very pundits are motivated by the cogs and wheels that get this country going. Knowingly or unknowingly their vote is pre-conditioned by this state of affairs.

A responsible vote is one that tries its damn best to change the system. It is one that requires at least 2000 anonymous voters in one district voting on the basis of what the nation needs and not on the idea that they will get some form of personal reward. Sadly the power of incumbency of the old style politicians will probably mean that the responsible voter loses out. Again.

 

 

 

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Campaign 2013

The J’accuse roundup on SBS

Yet another appointment down under with Marlene Cassandra Galea. J’accuse’s comments on the week in the campaign are once again available for streaming on the SBS site or by clicking on the link below. For some reason I feel obliged to explain to whoever reads (or in this case listens) to my blog that all opinions expressed in J’accuse are mine and mine only and are expressed in my personal capacity. They are in no way attributable to anyone else – particularly to anybody who works with me or (quite obviously) to the institution where I work.

 

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Campaign 2013

Mistura

Jista’ jkun li l-qasam tas-satira fil-politika Maltija ħa spinta kbira waqt din l-elezzjoni. Li ma tantx naraw (jew aħjar nisimgħu) f’Malta huwa kummentarju ta’ tip ieħor li jmur lil hinn minn dak tal-kummentarji professjonali u/jew amatorjali. Qed nirreferi għall-influwenza dgħajfa tal-media mużikali bħala għodda ta’ riflessjoni. Il-mużika tintuża iva bi skop politiku biżżejjed insemmu l-aħħar kummiedja medjatika tal-PN li ħarġu bl-idea tal-karaoke tal-innu elettorali. Kull sena ukoll ikollna il-Festival tal-Indipendenza li diffiċli tieħu bis-serjeta u nimmaġina li hemm xi ekwivalenti Laburista ukoll.

Pero il-kantawtur – dak li jaqta’ feles mill-immaġni popolari u jdawwarha f’rima u mużika li taf tagħti immaġni daqs l-aqwa poster satiriku – jekk mhux iktar – huwa kważi assenti mix-xena mużikali Maltija. Diffiċli li tqiegħed ix-xogħolijiet ta’ Joe Demicoli fl-istess keffa għax jekk xejn huwa komiku u anki slapstick. Kellna il-one hit wonder ta’ Bundy li madanakollu kien laqat il-likk. Xi gruppi oħra li f’mumenti iktar kwieti tawna kliem u mużika miżgħuda b’temi soċjali forsi ma jħossux l-urġenza tal-kontribut immedjat.

Sieħbi Antonio Olivari ġibidli l-attenzjoni għal din il-biċċa mużika tal-grupp Mistura. Nieħu pjaċir noffri lil J’accuse bħala pjattaforma oħra biex tixxandar din it-tip ta’ mużika. Nittama li jkolli okkażjoni nagħmel hekk għal oħrajn ukoll. Inħalli lilkom tgħarblu l-kontenut.

 

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Campaign 2013

The Love Labour’s Lost

Enough. Really. There’s only so long that you can keep a straight face and try to fit into what this sad excuse of a political caravan considers to be politically correct. Joseph Muscat’s  five year honeymoon with the electorate as heir to the throne is coming to an end. Sadly, he is winning. Sadly, he is managing to con his way into Castille. I’ve had it up to here with “defending” this blog from accusations of being “inherently nationalist”. It’s a waste of time and resources.

What this blog tries to do (and quite frankly I think it manages) is to point out the realities that are hidden behind the marketing ploys and messages that the PLPN system has refined to quasi-perfection. When we look at Joseph and Labour we do not see it in contrast to Lawrence and PN but rather we try to give the party and its leader a chance to shine in its own right – to prove itself on its own steam.

So what remains once you remove the repetitive mantra that boils down to “how bad, corrupt and dangerous the PN is”? Nothing. Our verdict on the energy plan is a damning “Could Do Better (hopefully)”. Then we have to suffer the pain of hearing about how Muscat’s measures are all inspired by some latter-day Keynesian fiction of putting more money in pockets. What money though? If you stand up and say that the “savings” on the electricity bill will not go a long way to reviving an ailing economy then you are either nationalist or ignorant. This is not me blaming Labour for whatever is happening in the Standard & Poor’s rating department (tort ta’ min?). This is me not believing that Labour is the solution to the problems that they themselves are so keen on highlighting.

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Thank you for reading… you might like this link once you’ve finished with this post: A time for lemons

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Whenever Muscat comes up with a new proposal – take free child care – he forgets that nothing comes for free and that someone, somewhere will be paying it. Will the savings on the new power bills be paying for the child carers wages too? It’s insane. It’s like standing and watching the Pied Piper charm a village into oblivion. He’s done his homework all right. From where we are standing (and that’s a safe distance from the two camps) we can easily see why the warts and arrogance of the PN crowd will always outweigh any measure of reasonable doubt with regards to who can best manage the country and its finances – especially once you throw in the “twenty-five years have hurt” bit into the equation. But is that enough?

Yes. We are victims of our winner takes all electoral system. Yes I will end up being labelled “nationalist” a the end of this rant even though it is not intended to tell you to Vote PN but simply is an exposition of why I can not Vote Labour. The worst part of Muscat’s plan is the rhetoric. It’s the one based around “Malta Taghna Lkoll” and the falso buonismo that really gets on your tits. It is the dumbing down of argumentation by aiming for the questionable mantra of setting aside disagreement for the sake of the country. It is built on relativist opportunism where opinions count more than facts and has a fairy tale wishy washy feeling all round.

Lawrence Gonzi has gone on record yesterday stating that “Muscat is so ashamed of Labour that he speaks, dresses and acts like a Nationalist.” What is that supposed to mean? The only truth I see in that statement is that Muscat has hooked on to what kind of façade is appealing to the electorate and has taken to mimicking those who have hitherto been the masters of the PR. It has nothing to do with dressing “like a Nationalist” or “like a Labourite” (although the fact that Gonzi thinks that way is worrying in itself) – but rather it has a lot to do with knowing what appeals best to the electorate that you are trying to win over. Xinxilli we’d call them in Maltese.

If we really wanted to play the “blame game” (tort ta’ min) then we’d find out that the new Labour outfit – more noise and colour than substance – is just what the spin doctor had ordered of the PN team for the last couple of elections. They’re in sync now – promising the earth on the eve of an election, turning their enemy into a monster in the process (iva Narcy, ibezzghu… kollha kemm huma), and investing heavily in special effects (remember how the campaign kicked off). This time round the money factor swung heavily in favour of the PL – our wonderful entrepreneurial sector having sniffed a possibility of change are now hedging their bets with those fantastic donations that will never be seen in the accounts that Labour never really publishes.

What does that say to all of us? That Labour is change? If Labour is about change then I’m Mother Therese reincarnate. This election is once again not about change. It’s about Same, same but different. It could not have been otherwise – our system is fine tuned to force us into the Hobson’s Choice equation every five years. The dilution of real politics has been a constant for over ten years now and there seems to be no hope in sight unless somebody is brave enough to break the mould.

As for Labour. Chapeau for the campaign – it is deceptively brilliant. I’d hate to be in Joseph Muscat’s shoes the moment the carcades peter out, the last firework explodes and the door of his office opens for the first day in Castille. I’m sure that on that day his promise of resigning if things go Pete Tong will not be of any consolation.

To anyone.

P.S. Happy Birthday Joseph.

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Campaign 2013

A time for lemons

This morning’s Sunday paper sequence had a not too comfy surprise in store for the blue side of this election campaign. As the mass meeting attending acolytes packed their flags and horns for the second of their electoral xalati we read in MaltaToday about yet another scandal exploding in GonziPN’s face. A bloke who goes by the name of Frank Sammut and who has up until now enjoyed the veil of anonimity is at the centre of this scandal. Apparently while sitting on some board that is entrusted with the procurement of oil for our greater benefits (and with the wherewithal to purchase such oil – to the tune of 360 million euros annually), Sammut also allegedly acted as “consultant” to one of the oil companies, pocketing loadsamoney in the process.

Smashing isn’t it? Here we were again with yet another Silvio Zammit sounding story. Maltese “businessmen” who do what they do best when linked with political masters. In this case Sammut is an appointee – a nationalist government appointee. If the “hard proof” that Saviour Balzan is crowing about right now is real then shit has really hit the proverbial fan and I don’t think that the PN machine will pull off another JPO spin to cover up Sammut.

Let’s leave that story and its facts unfold for now. We cannot do much at the moment except take note. I am sure that Monday will bring much more information. Meanwhile we now have an even bigger quandary when it comes to the election and more particularly the energy sector.

On the one hand you have Labour and Konrad Mizzi’s “plans” that look like they leak unpreparedness from whichever point you look. This blog need not apologise when it reaches the conclusion that Mizzi and Labour do not seem to have their act together and are not able to cough up enough guarantees that their plan works.

On the other hand you have PN who can be all smiles and expert when it comes to shooting down Labour’s plans but who are a huge fail when it comes to managing their very own personnel. Most importantly it becomes increasingly harder for the nationalist party to sell their pitch that they operate in the interests of the nation and not in the interests of many groups of many men with an interest in having their part of the pie. And insofar as this particular point is concerned it is of no consolation that should Labour be elected there would still be pie sharing but by different people.

So there you have it. The clueless vs the corrupt. Which brings me to the little party with the big manifesto. It’s a long long read. I still haven’t digested it all and there are quite a few points I definitely disagree with (here’s two: I’m not for any glorification of the president and his powers nor am I for any political party wishing to interfere in how student unions are run) but hey alternattiva have a concrete set of proposals.

The way I see it when it comes to economy and energy AD have concrete ideas. Better still the ideas are based on principles such as taxing progressively, a social conscience and studying solutions based on renewable, clean energy. It’s all there waiting to be put into action or at worst to be copied by the empty vessel parties in five or ten years time. The media will try to minimise AD’s contribution to the usual shocking positions on drugs and LGBT rights.

The truth is that there has never been a moment more than today, more than now, when the role of a third party – possibly as a minor partner in a coalition government – could be crucial to returning any semblance of sanity and direction to our political system. Now, more than ever, should the intelligent beings who do not flock blindly to mass meetings or cheer their leaders at “debates” on Xarabank really be investing their vote in the third party.

Electoral Manifesto (Alternattiva Demokratika)

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Campaign 2013

Your politics are ruining my country (and its future)

“Futur fis-sod” they say, or “Malta taghna lkoll”. Slogans, they’re strong and they’re loud. They get repeated like some mantra gone wrong and woe betide anybody who dare criticise any of their darlings because you are immediately tagged as an undercover agent for “the other side”. Malta’s very own version of McCarthyism has now polluted the airwaves and the ether. We’re only a few days in the campaign and quite frankly the debate between dumb and dumber has only made us numb and number.

I dared praise Ranier Fsadni’s article in the Times only to find my status host to a mass of foam mouthed angry mob stirrers – angry because apparently Ranier has not been equally magnanimous in his criticism of the way things are done. Quite frankly I do not believe that I need to defend Ranier but I rather like the point he made – which remains a good point independently of Ranier. His point was simply that the media should be more demanding of our politicians. The sly fox did not come down in favour of one party or another – he simply put it to the reader that “trust” is not enough in these matters.

Raphael Vassallo plastered line after line of research that he came across in his line of investigation. Which is fine. What I cannot understand is how some of the flaws that people like Raphael point out suddenly become ok because, you know what, even the nationalists have been guilty of committing them. So that’s all right isn’t it? Fast tracking EIA plans? Can be done because MEPA does it already. Oh goody goody.

I don’t know where to start any more. The parties have even got a monopoly on how they roll out their plans and projects. I criticised Labour for being too shallow on Gozo – and praised the PN for having concrete proposals. Apparently Labour’s proposals on Gozo are pleasures yet to come. Who cares if the plan for the elections means that you will only know what Joseph Muscat will do to create jobs on the sister island come the last week of campaigning? Which is a load of bollocks. AD are supposed to roll out their FULL ELECTION PROPOSALS tomorrow. Do we really have to wait for the PLPN to drip their electoral proposals slowly like some form of chinese torture?

And one final thing. There are way too many sudden declarations in favour of this policy or that for my liking. The parties have to make their mind up on that one too. Either their policies are a well thought of step by step process built within a holistic framework or they are just being invented as the campaign unfurls.

Which also leads me to this sudden discovery by other pundits of our greatest sickness. I saw that Daphne Caruana Galizia the other day was complaining about the Maltese mentality that “having an opinion automatically means that it’s right”. Well thank Jupiter that the message that we have been drilling from these columns for aeons is finally coming through. Maltese relativism combined with this dumbing down of the nation is a direct by product of the PLPN vision of politics. Joseph Muscat has put this development on a fast track with his “m’hemmx ilwien u kuluri” , and “il-Malti jahdem u jistinka allura bilfors il-progetti jirnexxu”. It’s a project, it’s Maltese and it will create work because he says so. No questions asked.

This is the Brave New Political world for which various rent-a-pundits and sudden activists are suddenly foaming at the mouth. There are those who will take whatever their party says like it’s the bible truth. Others are just rabidly egging on the team that has to get into power if only because twenty-five years have hurt and you cannot trust the conniggling bastards in blue. The world begins and ends at the feet of Norman Vella and Peppi Azzopardi and the ridiculously sterile BA guidelines. And if the leader bows out of a Xarabank appointment then let’s make a fuss of it… because Xarabank taghna lkoll.

Their politics is ruining the prospects of this country and its future.