The Stipends…. more or less

A fellow blogger (Alex Grech) recently pointed me to the interesting study of critical discourse analysis and I serendipitously ended up finding this article by a certain Teun Van Dijk called Discourse and Manipulation {{1}}. Oftentimes whenever our politicians speak to us and communicate their ideas we fail to notice how much manipulation is involved. In some books it is called being economic with the truth, in others it is called being deliberately naive and in others it is simply called “acting stupid”.

Former education minister Evarist Bartolo has been frantically facebooking links to articles on Maltastar and l-orizzont reporting his and his colleague Owen Bonnici’s latest pronouncements regarding the reduction in expenditure that the government envisages within the education sector. Owen Bonnici has developed a clear style of the deliberatively naive that tends to stick out more often nowadays. This Labour bonhomme aspiring to ministerial greatness has used this tactic once too often for my liking. Here is the piece that is worrying me:

Labour spokesman for Higher Education Owen Bonnici said on Thursday afternoon that last November Gonzi’s administration presented its budget for 2012 boasting that while other countries were facing problems and taking austerity measures, it was forging ahead and investing more in education.

Bonnici said that now government has reviewed the budget and is cutting its expenditure on the University of Malta (€2 million or -5%), the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) (€770,000 or -5%), the Junior College (€430,000 or -5%) and the Institute for Tourism Studies (-35%). The budget allocated to stipends for students will be reduced by €100,000.

No wonder Varist is ecstatic. He’d love to no longer be the only minister to have embarked on a drastic reform of the stipend system without any consultation whatsoever. The orizzont title goes one further than Maltastar: €100,000 Inqas fi stipendji. That’s 100k less in stipends. Varist and Bonnici went on a trip criticising the reduction in education spending when all the while they failed to highlight the most important issue: the reduction is in planned expenditure {{2}}. Which makes one hell of a difference. Neither is the government proposing to reduce your stipend dear student. The reduction is in what had been planned to be added to the budget for stipends.

Now there are two points I would like to make here. First of all this post should in no way imply that J’accuse is not in favour of a revised and reviewed stipend system. We believe that time has come for such a review but that the review should still take into consideration the incentive for higher education that stipends still are as well as the challenges faced since EU membership. Ireland, for example, has seen a spike in English students seeking cheaper education. I am still convinced that we could argue a special exception allowing stipends for Maltese residents with regards to a comprehensive policy of encouraging higher education in Malta but that discussion is for another day.

As for Owen and Varist. Well. What can I say. These two men are prattikament fil-gvern. I should hope that they are as aware as anyone else that the €40 million euro in cuts on what had been budgeted in November would be required whether the government was nationalist or labour. It is all well and good to criticise the nationalists for having trumpeted their education investment in November only to have been proved wrong by the Commission who has insisted on their cutbacks. That is legitimate.

What is not legitimate is the impression that Owen and Varist are clearly seeking to give that the 100,000€ cuts in the proposed expenditure on stipend will take the form of individual cuts – as in a reduction in the stipend. The current stipend is what it is and the 100k reduction will not affect it (see below in the technical addendum). Varist would love it to be stipendji sħaħ issue all over again. It is not. What I have not heard from the illustrious gentlemen from the opposition is what cuts they would propose to be made from the expenditure budget in order to fulfil EU requirements.

Every Labour spokesperson has shamed government for reducing spending in his particular department of (in)competence. Lovely. The naked truth of the matter is that there must be a €40 million reduction in expenditure. The planned budget MUST shrink. Are we to assume that once in government Labour will be the approximative budgeteer of the “more or less”?

Thanks. But no thanks Owen and Varist.

P.S. Yep. That’s j’accuse in the photo. Thanks to Mark Camilleri for unearthing this shocking reminder of the ageing process.

The Technical Addendum

The 2012 budget presentation can be found here: Budget 2012. It mentions an investment of €58.2 million in University and Junior college. In the Minister’s Budget Speech  we find that government had allocated €22.3 million for stipends. Compare that figure to the €0.1 million reduction that leads Owen and Varist to conclude that your stipend is under threat. I have looked through the PQs featuring Varist and Owen directed at Dolores Cristina with regards to the budget changes. There are only two as far as I can see: PQs number 32681 and 32678. Here is the full Q&A for PQ 32681:

L-Onorevoli EVARIST BARTOLO
staqsa lill-Onorevoli DOLORES CRISTINA (Ministru tal-Edukazzjoni u x-Xogħol):
B’referenza għall-Budget 2012 approvat minn din il-Kamra, tista’ l-Ministru tgħid kemm tnaqqsu flus min-nefqa fil-qasam edukattiv bħala parti mit-tnaqqis tal-€40 miljun mnaqqsa mill-gvern u liema line items tnaqqsu? Tista’ tagħti r-risposta line item line item?

Tweġiba:
Ngħarraf lill-Onor. Interpellant illi l-Gvern ħa deċiżjoni konxja u responsabbli li jnaqqas €40 miljun min-nefqa tiegħu fid-dawl taċ-ċirkostanzi ekonomiċi internazzjonali li komplew jiddeterjoraw fl-aħħar xhur tal-2011. Il-Gvern ried ipoġġi lilu nnifsu f’pożizzjoni li, jekk il-kriżi ekonomika internazzjonali, jerġa’ jkollha impatt fuq pajjiżna kif ġara fl-2009, il-gvern ikollu r-riżorsi neċessarji biex jerġa’ jintervjeni fl-ekonomija u jħares il-postijiet tax-xogħol.

Il-Ministeru tal-Edukazzjoni u x-Xogħol ukoll qed jagħmel l-isforz tiegħu biex inaqqas l-ispejjeż tal-istess Ministeru, kif ukoll id-dipartimenti u l-entitajiet li jaqgħu taħtu. Dan qed nagħmluh billi nirrestrinġu r-reklutaġġ ta’ ħaddiema ġodda fejn dan possibli, nillimitaw fejn possibbli l-overtime u nsaħħu aktar l-effiċjenza fl-operat. Dan mhux qed isir bi tnaqqis f’investiment kapitali, ta’ servizzi essenzjali bħal professuri, lecturers, għalliema, learning support assistants, kindergarten assistants u professjonijiet oħra li jħarrġu u jagħtu sapport lill-istudenti jew ta’ għajnuniet differenti. Ir-restrizzjonijiet fir-reklutaġġ b’ebda mod m’hu se jimpattaw professjonijiet kruċjali fosthom ta’ professuri, lecturers, għalliema, learning support assistants, kindergarten assistants u professjonijiet oħra li jħarrġu u jagħtu sapport lill-istudenti.

Incidentally after consulting Fausto the expert researcher I also got a confirmation that  if one were to look at the Ministerial budget (item 5364) the estimate for stipends had already been reduced once  between 2010 and 2011 – also by €100,000.

Between the 2011 and 2012 estimates there was an increase of €0.5 million (500k). Now that the estimates have been revised (as per EU requirement and as Owen and Varist are complaining) for a reduction of 100k that still leaves a NET INCREASE in projected expenditure of €400k (€400,000) for 2012.  Where that increase will go, if it goes anywhere, is anybody’s guess and if anything suspicions should focus on creative budgeting but insofar as the original allegation regarding some vanishing stipends is concerned. Take it for what it is: hogwash. Or as we could politely call it… manipulative discourse.

Also. In case you were wondering. The Ministry of Finance also published a press release denying any decrease in stipends.

[[1]] Discursively, manipulation generally involves the usual forms and formats of ideological discourse, such as emphasizing Our good things, and emphasizing Their bad things. At all these levels of analysis it is shown how manipulation is different from legitimate mind control, for instance in persuasion and providing information, for instance by stipulating that manipulation is in the best interest of the dominated group and against the best interests of dominated groups.[[1]]

[[2]]Here’s how it works Owen and Varist. You had one apple. The government promised you two more apples last budget. The EU thought that the government was promising too much and should pipe down on its generosity. So now the government is giving you one more apple instead of two. You had one apple. You could have ended up with three apples. Instead you end up with two. That’s a 100% increase for you in apples but a 50% decrease in government generosity. Of course you choose to highlight the decrease. See? Easy peasy.[[2]]

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Il-palazz demokratiku

Ilbieraħ

Meta isseħibt fl-għaqda ta’ l-iStudenti Demokristjani Maltin kont fit-tieni sena tiegħi fil-kors tal-liġi. L-esperjenza tiegħi politika sa dakinhar kienet fl-MŻPN Għawdex (kumitat distrettwali) fejn fost l-oħrajn ħdimt għal żmien twil ma Chris Said u Nathaniel Attard. Il-politika li konna ħaddimna ġewwa Għawdex kienet kostruttiva u lokali -qabel ma waslu l-Kunsilli Lokali. Għal bidu kont isseħibt mal-Għ.S.L (tal-liġi) iżda il-ġibda lejn il-ħajja politika kienet kbira wisq u wara insistenza ta’ ċertu Fabio Pirotta (illum Brussel) dħalt f’din l-għaqda u għall-ewwel darba kont affaxxinat mill-ideat u twemmin politiku. Kellna ktieb ta’ Rafael Caldera maqlub għall-Malti li kien jitratta il-ħsieb demokristjan. Qaxxartu minn qoxra sa’ qoxra. U laqatni. L-iktar li  laqatni kien il-ħsieb bażiku u lajk li ma kontx qed nistenna li insib.

F’dak li kien jikkkonċerna id-dilemma ta’ politika konfessjonali li inkwetatni mhux ftit dak iż-żmien, solvejt il-problema. L-interpretazzjoni tiegħi ta’ Caldera kienet waħda li tasal biex tara l-politika demokristjana bħala waħda msejsa fuq l-element soċjali tat-twemmin nisrani. Element soċjali li joħroġ mill-prinċipju essenzjali tal-filosofija nisranija – fejn il-viżjoni soċjali hija intrinsikament marbuta madwar is-saħħa tal-individwu u l-kapaċita tiegħu li jirrispetta lil għajru.

Ma domtx ma integrajt ruħi fil-grupp u ma domniex ma bdejna rivoluzzjoni ċkejkna fi ħdan l-SDM. Konna grupp magħqud illi ħsibna illi din l-għaqda għandha skop edukattiv u propożittiv li jmur lil hinn mill-menu politiku offert fil-pajjiż. Fuq kollox kellna viżjoni. Bdejna billi għamilna ftit “spring cleaning”. Għamilniha ċara li ma konna se niddependu fuq ħadd u ma konna ser inkunu l-vużċi ta’ ħadd ħlief tal-prinċipji li inħaddnu. Kien ovvjament l-idealiżmu taż-żgħażagħ. Parti importanti tal-bidliet li għamilna kien li għażilna logo ġdid u motto ġdid meħud minn Caldera. “Il-palazz demokratiku ideali ikun magħmul mill-poplu sħiħ“.

Min jaf kemm issarajna bejnietna biex naslu għal dawn il-bidliet. Il-bidliet pero kienu bażi ta’ programm usa’. Bħala għaqda politika il-missjoni tagħna kienet ċara li inwasslu messaġġ. Kien madwar dak iż-żmien li seħħew ir-riformi fl-istatut tal-KSU. Biex inkunu ċari dawk ir-riformi kienu qed isiru xorta. Li għamilna (jew forsi nista ngħid li bdejt nagħmel (mhux biex nitfantas imma biex nerfa’ r-responsabbilta) hu li offrejna li nikkontribwixxu fl-emendar tal-istatut. Il-programm tagħna kien wieħed ċar u trasparenti imsejjes fuq prinċipju doppju kruċjali: ir-rapprezentanza u l-parteċipazzjoni.

Forsi taraw issa minn fejn konna ġejjin. Ma kienx kliem fieragħ ta’ Caldera. Il-palazz demokratiku ideali kien wieħed li xtaqna inwettqu fiċ-cokon tas-sistema rappreżentattiva tal-istudenti. Il-mudell li spiċċajna adottajna kien wieħed maħsub fil-konfini ta’ dawn l-ideali. Inutli nerġa intenni dak li spjegajt elf darba. Eżekuttiv elett biex ikun kompetenti fil-management tal-istrutturi rappreżentattivi. Żewġ kummissjonijiet maħsuba biex jirrapreżentaw kemm jista’ jkun kull interess studentesk – hux politiku soċjali jew edukattiv u kummissjoni oħra li bħala studenti universitarji ma ninsewx id-detto “All work and no play….”

Biex tħaddem struttura bħal dik trid tifimha u trid dejjem titlaq mill-kunċett li kull ma jsir isir għall ikbar interess tal-istudenti. Il-palazz demokratiku ideali huwa palazz għax iħaddan lil kullħadd u jaħdem f’isem u għal kullħadd. Il-palazz demokratiku ideali m’għandux bouncers mal-bieb.

Illum

Dak il-proġett tagħna issa wasalt biex ngħid li ma ħadimx. L-ideali li kellna ma tħaddnux minn min ġie warajna. Din m’hix kundanna. Hija stat ta’ fatt. Ironikament is-sistema ilha ħafna tiġi ikkritika minħabba il-“first past the post” għax fl-eżekuttiv jitla’ blokk wieħed ġeneralment – u allura jgħidu li hemm kriżi taż rappreżentanza. Ironikament ukoll bosta huma għaqdiet li għandhom leħen u post awtomatiku fil-Kummissjoni Politika Soċjali li (suppost) tfassal il-politika tal-Kunsill illi jgorru dwar ir-rappreżentanza.

Falliet l-iktar is-sistema għax rebħet mentalita li diffiċli tikkumbattiha. Il-mentalita partiġġjana illi toffri iz-zunnarija ta’ karriera fil-partiti bħala kunsilliera jew membri parlamentari żgħażagħ via il-fast track ta’ xi post fuq it-think tank ta’ partit meta l-inka fuq iċ-ċertifikat tal-gradwazzjoni għoddu mank kellu ċans jinxef.  Iż-żmien fl-universita meta ż-żgħażugħ (jaqq kemm nobogħda dil-kelma) suppost qed jifforma l-ideat tiegħu u jaħseb b’rasu issa bdew jgħadduha bħala estensjonijiet robotiċi tal-falliment politiku. Jimitawhom kuljum. Il-jiħadisti tal-poplu partiġġjan isinnu l-azzarini tal-gwerer ta’ ħaddieħor fil-palazz tal-istudenti. Dażgur li falliet is-sistema.

Erħilhom allura meta jasal żmien l-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali jibdew bit-tfiegħ ta’ tajn u ħama. Hekk jagħmlu l-kbar u hekk tgħallmu ż-żgħar. Ilbieraħ segwejt ftit li ġara fl-AGM bejn nostalġja u oħra. Hemm qiegħdin. Sistema lesta biex timplodi imma li ma timplodix għax ikun hemm xi ħames mitt bażużlu jitilgħu għar-rent-a-vote. Parteċipazzjoni? Falluta.

Imbagħad issegwi il-mini “dibattibekki”. Għandu punt min qed jitlob iktar trasparenza fl-accounting. Wara kollox jiġu eletti managers biex imexxu bil-għaqal. M’hi skuża xejn li għaqda li tħaddem eluf ta’ ewri ma żviluppatx sistema miftuħa ta’ tendering – u anki immur lil hinn u ngħid li imisshom għandhom kumitat indipendenti aġġudikativ elett minn fost il-KPS. L-istupidaġni tal-kjass li inqala fuq xi kummenti dwar il-GUG kien xempju tal-partiġjaniżmu sfrenat. Mejtin biex joħolqu il-Julian Galea fatto in casa qabdu ma kumment frivolu ta’ Kummissarju Edukattiv fuq Facebook. Issa ħalli li l-kummissarju wera nuqqas ta’ maturita u inġenju f’dan il-każ imma il-punt kruċjali hu li li kieku l-Pulse jafu x’isarraf l-istatut kienu ikun jafu li l-liasion kollu li għandhom bżonn l-Għawdxin jitwettaq fi ħdan il-Kummissjoni Politika Soċjali. Imma le. Irridu nitfgħu il-bżar fl-għajnejn u kullħadd jaf kemm jiswa l-block vote Għawdxi hux sur Mercieca?

Oltre il-block vote hemm il-possibilta ta’ riforma. Reġgħu ċiku briku. M’għandi xejn kontra riforma. Kif diġa għidt… nasal biex naqbel li s-sistema falliet. Il-ħasra hi li nara wisq djufija fis-sejħiet tar-riforma. Jekk ir-riforma hija ibbażata fuq xi kunċett imwiegħer ta’ fair meta fair ifisser li jkun hemm xi rappreżentanza proporzjonali kemm biex kullħadd ikollu biċċ mill-kejk allura lura sejrin mhux il-quddiem. Mingħajr prinċipji sodi immirati lejn garanziji taż rappreżentanza u parteċipazzjoni it-triq tista twassal biss gżall-mera kompleta tal-politika falluta nazzjonali li tilfet kull tip ta’ kredtu mal-poplu. Dik il-politika li twassal biex ikun hemm rekord ta’ nies li jagħżlu ma jivvotawx għax il-paroli medjatiku kollu ta’ Wenzu u Ġużi ma jservux biex jikkonvinċu lll-votant b’garanzija ta- rappreżentanza xierqa.

Riforma iva. Kombrikola biex ikun hemm ċejċa għal kullħadd le. hemm bżonn li l-istudenti jgħarfu x’ifisser tkun student b’ideat innovativi. Hemm bżonn jiftakru x’inhu l- iskop tal-eqdem Kunsill f’Malta u jaħdmu biex l-istrutturi tagħha jerġgħu isiru denji li jħaddnu fosthom il-mexxejja u l-idealisti tal-futur. Fuq kollox dawk il-fehmiet bażiċi li slitna minn Caldera hemm bżonn jaslu fuq fomm kullħadd.

Il-palazz demokratiku ideali ikun magħmul mill-poplu sħiħ.

 

addendum: VoxPop magħmul minn Insiteronline

 

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Sunshine

The tragic circumstances of the death of Osama Al Shzliaoy will undoubtedly rock the boat on a number of issues that are periodically touched upon in our public debates and politics. Sunshine was knocked down “outside a nightclub” (pace Times report) and succumbed to serious head injuries a few days later. Coming as it did hot on the heels of the court case that practically exonerated a bouncer from any wrongdoing in a death caused in similar circumstances the comparisons and conclusions will be inevitable.

Whether it is Fabrice Muamba or Osama Al Shzliaoy who is battling for life in a hospital, the effect is always such as to inspire great manifestations of solidarity. English football, fresh from weeks of scandals involving racism that peaked with the Suarez-Evra debacle needed the events of the Tottenham v Bolton encounter in order to be shocked into sensibility about respect for your brother. Or did it? Whether the global displays of affection are simply a passing fad related strictly to the facility with which an sms, a text message or a tweet is sent out remains to be seen. After all football has been there before – many times – only to revert to the booing, the banana throwing farces that are a shame for the sport.

But what about Osama? Sunshine seems to have been guilty of wanting to have a good time in Paceville. I had an Estonian guest over the weekend and I asked what she thought about Malta. This blonde from the North had great memories of the island (could be the fact that her beau hails from there) but I was particularly struck by here awe at the size of Paceville. That’s all really – awe… that so much entertainment can be found in so little a space. It does strike you as sick that depending on the colour of your skin and the tint of your hair you could come away with such a different experience from Paceville.  It’s not the Estonian’s fault of course.

We saw it in the evidence given in the last court case where the defendant championed by an aspirant parliamentarian (minister perhaps) had a panoply of witnesses from the entertainment industry prepared to swear on oath that the black man in question (sic) was a regular troublemaker. The court listened and the jury acquitted. The jury mind you. Men from the street – your average man called upon to believe a sworn oath for what it is and then to fulfil their duty. The jury system might have become an anachronism in this day and age – particularly with the selection practice that has developed over time.  Could the jury system be a problem causing an imperfect application of the law?

But back to Osama. Was his death foretold the day the Abubaker jury went out? Was there suddenly a license to kill “immigrants”? Does it tell us anything about racism? Knee-jerk reactions will put their proverbial two and two together and conclude that the fault lies at the feet of lady justice. It’s the law that is to blame isn’t it? And a life nowadays costs approximately 500€.

But that is too easy. Too simple to be true. I see intolerance before I see racism. I see discrimination between a caste of people who can be above the law and others who will suffer the consequences. The bouncer and the bouncer’s world is not the simple world of racism where “black” is discriminated against. It is the “I do what I want” because I am backed by powerful people. It is the world where rights are eschewed for brute force and naked muscle.  Even more worrying is that the brutes will find their rent-a-politician who will mentally muscle his way past the pestering laws with one hand only to blame the legislation and call for reform from the benches of the opposition with another.

The problem behind the deaths of Abubaker and Osama is not racism. It is intolerance and lawlessness. Paceville is just another petri dish where this is brought to light. I believe Deguara when he says that “he is not a racist”. Not a racist in Lowellian or Nazi terms. Deguara just has his list of priorities as a bouncer. His priorities were twisted and they would lead him to use disproportionate force in what he believed to be execution of his duties. The comfort zone of protection for people in his “profession” would even lead to exaggerations – there are no checks and balances because there are people out there who will stick up for you. On oath. In court.

Then Osama gets beaten up and is left for dead. It’s the bouncers again? Are the suspects bouncers? We have read that the suspects are Romanian. Sure. Foreigners. They’re only trouble. Right now the problem is putting the issue in perspective. What is the criminal we are looking for? What is the crime?

There is violent aggression in a very public place. Racism would classify it as a hate crime. Was Osama killed because he was black? Was he killed because his aggressors felt they are above the law? Or was this another crime in what has become the cowboy, unregulated world of entertainment in Paceville?

Our reaction to this crime is just as important as the laws that we will apply. All too often we create ghosts that are not there that distract us from the real problem. Will the sad case of the death of “Sunshine” Osama be relegated to another case of noisy distraction?

 

markbiwwa has also blogged on the subject here.

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Rush coming up

Jiġu mumenti fejn nipprova nimmaġina meta’ kien il-mument li waqafna nimxu u bdejna niġru. Niġru fis-sens li ma niefqux biex naħsbu u li inħallu il-mezzi ta’ komunikazzjoni jaħsbu minflokna. Filli konna hemm nifirħu bl-emanċipazzjoni tal-individwu u li issa kellu il-poter f’idejħ u filli kull ħajt virtwali u kull forum possibbli qed jintela’ bil-vomtu kwotidjan mingħajr ħafna ħsieb.

Fausto sejjħilhom graffitti. Sewwa qal. Anki jekk f’idejn esperti anki il-graffitti jafu jġiegħluk taħseb. Imma illum mhux graffiti biss għandna. Għandna il-kummenti, il-kontrokummenti, l-osservazzjonijiet mundani u personali. Għandna is-search engine u l-wikipedia. Għandna l-aħbarijiet “on tap” u l-“opinion polls” instantanji. U fil-baħar ta’ “data” l-individwu emanċipat safa dik il-gżira li John Donne qalilna li ħadd ma hu.

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Iħħakkjaw il-kont elettroniku ta’ Bashar Al-Assad dittatur ġewwa s-Sirja. Skoprew li waqt li mijiet ta’ Sirjani kienu taħt attakk ġewwa Homs, id-dittatur u martu kienu qed jordnaw il-linef u d-DVD ta’ Harry Potter minn fuq x-xibka ta’ l-eteru. Jaħasra kemm miet kmieni Salvador Dali. Kienet tkun xena surrealissima li seta jiġbed ma Picasso. Biss biss Pablo kien ikollu jkabbar it-tila ta’ Guernica biex ma jpinġix biss il-bombi neżlin imma anki l-vann tad-DHL jew UPS qed iwassal il-linef fid-dar tad-dittatur.

U ta’ Harry Potter mhux tajba jew? Kemm hi belha din Asma (hekk jisimha martu l-Ingliża) kos. Tordnalek il-kopja legali tal-film ma jmurx tikser il-liġi u tidħol fuq xi Pirate Bay tniżżel it-torrent. Fejn taf, jekk jispiċċaw quddiem il-Qorti Kriminali Internazzjonali ikollhom akkuża inqas għal xiex iwieġbu il-koppja Al-Assad. Massakru ċivili – IVA, korruzzjoni u tkasbir tad-drittijiet – IVA, download illegali – LE ta… dak ordnajtu fuq PLAY.COM onorevoli… delivery b’xejn kieku kont fl-Ewropa.

**

Irrekordjaw lil Julian Galea. Irrekordjaw lil Joanna Gonzi. Joanna ma ħarġitx għall-elezzjoni. Julian ma setgħax jirtira l-kandidatura. Ivvutawlu xorta. Imbagħad irriżenja. Għax ħass li aħjar. Ivvutawlu xorta. Dik l-iktar biċċa affaxxinanti. Kellhom kollox għad-disposizzjoni tagħhom. Il-massa tal-medja wasslitilhom kull bit u byte tar-recording. Ivvutawlu xorta.

Ħal-Qormi għandhom sindku ġdida. Naqra naive. Imsieħba f’sit ta’ “hostesses” taljani. Hostesses kienet saret kelma sinonima mal-Kavallier tal-Italja li ħadem tant għal ġieħ u unur in-nisa tal-Italja. Li ma nifhimx hu jekk dawn in-nies humiex konxji tal-konsegwenzi tal-preżenza tagħhom fuq ix-xibka virtwali. Fil-Festschrift Immanuel Mifsud tagħna stampa ċara ta’ dak li sejjaħ bħala il-konfessjonarju ta’ Foucault. F’J’accuse semmejna kemm il-darba kif kien hemm perijodu fejn il-blogs servew ta’ mera ħarxa li uriet il-kruhat tas-soċjeta tagħna. Ma konniex nafu jekk aħniex lesti għalihom dawn il-veritajiet.

Bħal Alice fil-pajjiż tal-meravilji sirna, diffiċli tifhem dak li hu veru u dak li hu virtwali. Forsi la nifhmu li dak li ilna insejħu virtwali huwa biss estensjoni tal-veru forsi hemmhekk biss nimxu l-quddiem.

**

Cyrus Engerer il-politikant bla kostitwenti bena dar fuq Facebook. Mill-kampanja tad-divorzju il-quddiem bena persunaġġ virtwali. Cyrus il-laburist li qiegħed bilmod ilmod iżarma l-ewwel maskla reali li kien bena fil-bidu tal-karriera politiku tiegħu meta kien Cyrus in-Nazzjonalist li forsi (forsi) kien jirrekordja lil kollegi tiegħu meta’ jkunu f’xi dagħdigħa ta’ bejn il-ħbieb – just in case.

Franco Debono imur il-parlament bħala deputat nazzjonalista. Anki Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando. Imbagħad meta taqbżilhom u jridu jiftħu l-mitraljatriċi tal-kritika jidħlu fuq Facebook jagħmlu xi status update. “Does RCC have a blog?” kienet waħda mill-aħħar enigmi ta’ Franco. Sa fejn nafu aħna m’għandux blogg RCC. Konna nistednuh għall-bloggata guest – imqar għall-kurzita biex naraw x’ikollu xi jgħid.

Sadattant blogs oħra li nibtu waqt il-falsa stikka tal-elezzjoni li qatt ma kienet mietu fuq ommhom. L-azzopardinicky’s tal-mument kienu posposti għal mument opportun. Kien kmieni wisq biex iżżomm ritmu ta’ elezzjoni. Dan jafu Muscat li issa inbela f’nassa ta’ prattikament prim ministru kostanti sa mill-inqas is-sena d-dieħla.

**

U Simon Busuttil li ma jridhiex tas-suċċessur predestinat qed jisħaq fuq komunikazzjoni. S’issa kull meta tniffes, tniffes biex jgħidilna li jew iridu jisimgħu iktar jew iridu jikkomunikaw aħjar dak li qed jagħmlu. Għax dak li qed jagħmlu huwa tajjeb.

Li għadna ma smajniex minn Simon Busuttil huwa jekk hux se jkollu messaġġ li jwassal, hux se jkollu kontenut ġdid, jew inkella aħniex se jkollna biss reċiklaġġ u stinar fuq messaġġi li ilhom li intilfu fil-kaos tal-eteru. X’se jisma’ Simon? Il-graffitti fuq il-ħitan?

**

Ilna niġru. Bl-Ingliż ngħidu “to rush” u qlibniha tirraxxja. Bħal dak li bela’ l-ecstasy u ma baqax jagħmel sens. Għax il-moħħ jaħseb sew meta jirrifletti u mhux meta jispara bl-addoċċ. Il-moħħ huwa l-ewwel għodda. Id-dinja virtwali – dik l-estensjoni tad-dinja reali – għandha potenzjal qawwi. Enormi. Pero jekk naqbdu niġru biha ma ndumux ma nsibu l-ewwel ħajt u nibqgħu deħlin dritt ġo fih.

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Ċensu

Ħa ngħidilkom ghaliex meta smajt l-aħbar li ħalliena Ċensu Tabone ħsiebi mar fil-parapett. Kont kbirt biżżejjed biex inkun nista nitlaq ‘il bogħod minn taħt għajnejn il-ġenituri. Dak iż-żmien Marsalforn kien għadu r-renju inkontestat tat-tfal fejn kull bieba kienet miftuħa, kull parapett kien jilqgħek u l-omm ixxurtjata tal-mument kienet issib kotra tfal jiġru ħafja wara l-bieb qed iħejju għad-doveri imqarba tal-jum. Sajf jew xitwa, Milied, Għid jew Karnival konna niltaqgħu. L-Għawdxin ta’ barra, il-Maltin imnissla minn Għawdxin u l-Għawdxin D.O.K.

Il-btala kienu jfissru il-bidu tad-divertiment. Roti jiġru mas-saqajn mill-Menqa sal-breakwater u tfal ma kullimkien jiskopru d-dinja u lil xulxin mingħajr ebda biżgħa u  l-uniku rażan kien il-homework li għadu ma tlestiex (jew jekk kont kemm kemm ikbar l-istudju għall-O level li għadek trid tagħmel). L-irkejjen kollha konna nafuhom – miz-zuntier tal-knisja ta’ Dun Marjan sal-buskett ta’ fuq il-parking li għalina kien bosk infinit. Kien hemm rokna speċjali għal dawk fostna li konna ninzertaw dawk il-ġimgħat kmieni tal-Għid qabel ma jaslu il-Maltin. Kien parapett enormi (kollox suġġettiv meta tkun żgħir) li kien jmiss ma’ tarf in-niżla tat-triq li mir-Rabat twassal għal Marsalforn.

Hemm, f’dik il-kantuniera bejn il-Marsalforn Hotel  u l-Lantern,  intlagħbu l-ikbar logħbiet tal-ballun li qatt raw dawn il-gżejjer. Kemm il-darba niżlu jilgħabu il-Liverpool ta’ Dalglish u l-Juventus ta’ Platini lanqas ma tista’ tgħoddhom. U fis-skiet għażżien ta’ tard filgħodu qabel ma tinstema’ kbira l-għajta għall-ikel kien ikun hemm elf għajta oħra ta’ “goooowl”… Ma kienx isir logħob biss meta’ l-persjani tad-dar tal-parapett kienu miftuħa għax dak kien ifisser li kienu ġew is-sidien u s-sinjura żgur ma kenitx tieħu gost bit-tambir tal-ballun jirbombja kontra l-injam (tal-ġild jekk jogħġbok mhux xi SuperTele kwalunkwe).

U l-ħafna drabi meta l-logħba tal-ballun tkun imprattikabbli minħabba l-wasla tas-sidien ma kien ikun ġara xejn. Għax il-wasla tagħhom kienet tfisser li waslet ukoll il-familja estiża ta’ tfal u neputijiet. Allura erħilna ilkoll lejn il-wied… kollha kemm aħna… Ċensu (jnr), Mikela, Francesca, Mark, Joe, Andrew, Nicky, Nicola, Paula, Joanna, John u… u … il-lista kienet infinta daqs il-familja enormi… (skużawni jekk insejt lil xi ħadd). Ta’ tfal li aħna konna insibu dejjem biex negħdew.

U meta fis-87 rajthom bit t-shirt ta’ Ċensu Tabone, dak li kien in-nannu ħa lewn ieħor. U bqajt insegwih kemm dam fil-politika minn dakinhar. Segewejtu avolja kien għażel li jibni fuq il-parapett u jestendi d-dar. Hekk jew b’hekk sa dakinhar żmien il-logħob kien għadda u Marsalforn kien sar iktar post fejn infittxu l-ewwel namrati. U mhux se tmur tinnamra fil-parapett tal-Ministru hux?

Ċensu ma baqax biss in-nannu ta’ sħabi iżda sar ukoll il-politiku li missu ikun xempju għal dawn l-iskuża ta’ politikanti li għandna illum. Sar President u wettaq dmirijietu lejn il-pajjiż. Baqa’ jitkellem b’dak l-aċċent inimitabbli Għawdxi li kien jagħmlu iktar ġenwin. Il-figura tan-nannu Ċens kienet saret dik ta’ – kif isejħulu l-Ingliżi – a statesman. Tajjeb li jibqa’ imfakkar hekk.

Imma għalija jibqa’ l-ewwel haġa li tiġini f’moħħi. Dak il-parapett….

Strieħ fil-paċi nannu Ċens.

Min hawn nixtieq nagħti l-għomor lill-familja kollha ta’ Ċensu Tabone – wieħed mill-aħħar politiċi popolari tas-seklu għoxrin.

 

 

 

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The Julian Galea Electors

Julian Galea is the only PN candidate in Sliema to have survived the mess from the previous council. On any other day he would have been hailed as a resilient survivor instead, like an ugly wart, he has become the latest manifestation of the obsessive symptoms of Maltese electoral practices. Galea’s infamy began when he was unlucky enough to be entrapped into a recording of vile pronouncements expounding quite succinctly his base intolerance for anything Labour (Apparently, if you believe Galea this happened two years ago in a meeting between PN candidates – bravu Cirillu). It was too late to withdraw him from the electoral lists (even death is not strong enough to nullify a candidate’s listing once the nominations are closed).

We all know where it went from there. It’s not like no one had heard about Julian Galea’s insipid pronouncements – Labour made it quite a point to have them broadcast all over the place. Armed with the knowledge of Galea’s behaviour any voter in his right mind would have desisted from even mistakenly marking the little square on the ballot beside the candidate’s disgraced name if only to spare him the ignominy of having to remaining in the public eye for an extended period of time.

Julian Galea was – how shall I put it kindly – not just not presentable but also supposedly unelectable. The only persons you’d expect would put their mark near his name in the hope of his getting elected to the Sliema council would be scheming Labourites hoping to capitalise on his glaring presence. Yet….

Julian Galea got 233 votes. Two centuries and a third. He “only” lost 60 votes from his previous tally in 2009. True he got elected on the 17th count when he had still not reached the quota of 517 having obtained 376 votes in all (inheriting 143 from other candidates). What would have been a miserable performance must be seen from another perspective though.  Who were those 233 souls who still rallied for Julian and his phobias?

Forget the noise from the pundits trying to desperately fit the Local Council shoe onto the twin ugly sisters’ General Election feet. This has nothing to do with labour/nationalist swings. It has nothing to do with the supposed “changing of Malta’s political demography”. Here you had the plain and simple reality of what makes up the bulk of Maltese politics.

On the eve of the elections we tried to warn you in “The Ugly Dress Rehearsal“. J’accuse described what the voter should be looking at in the candidates:

It should be obvious to anyone who stops to think for a moment that the ultimate consideration therefore when casting one’s vote is the competence and potential of the candidate. To summarise it more succinctly: It is not WHO is behind the candidate but rather WHO HE IS and WHAT HE STANDS FOR. 

Did the voters do any of that? Do the results of the Local Council Elections show us a discerning voter who is involved in large scale swings and confidence issues and is busy sending “messages” to this or that party? Not really no. You might enjoy the charade of conflicting interpretations that the PLPN circus is likely to feed you over the next coming weeks. You might love the myriad interpretations: “PN must listen. Labour has gained inroads in the North. Time for change.” Lahdidah.

In reality what happened is much simpler. Occam’s razor again. It rained. Heavily. Most people had had enough of the circus (except maybe Silvio Zammit). They just could not be bothered. Who bothered to go out to vote? The die-hards. They are the people who wouldn’t miss a trip to the ballot if they were dying. It’s ingrained. Their vote is tattooed on their brain. And then in Local Councils there are what we can assume to be the core of voters for each candidate. Families, neighbours, close friends who feel obliged to get their man in.

That is how Julian Galea, no matter what he says or does will keep getting at least around 250 votes every time he contests the Local Council elections. It is anything but an assessment of his capacity to convince voters to vote for him. If you want a litmus test for that just look at AD’s darling Mike Briguglio. In 2009 Mike got 457 votes and was not elected (Edward Cuschieri – PN – got elected on the 10th count in that election even though his first preference votes numbered 222). This time round his tally was 485 votes. Not much of a shift was there? That 28 vote increase transformed AD’s failure into success. Or at least we would like to think so.

Another way of reading the results – and by this I mean most of the results is that they are about as prophetic and indicative as tea leaves at the bottom of a teacup. Voters have neither swung nor used their votes to express any particular concern. Even less should we be worrying about those who did not bother to turn up.  Protest vote my foot. At this rate the only conclusion that I am willing to draw about these absentees is that they saw nothing available to make the trip to the ballot box worth it. More than a protest vote it is a lazily calculated snub at what  is on offer on the menu. I’m guessing there will be much less of these when the General Elections come along.

So there you have it. What have the LC Elections in 2012 taught us about your average voter? That he still remains that – average. The intelligent voter stayed at home this time round. He is still out there however.

 

Will the parties take note?

 

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