Id-diskors tal-President

Id-diskors tal-President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca fl-okkażjoni ta’ Jum ir-Repubblika din is-sena kien eċċellenti. Hi wriet tajjeb kif u fejn l-imġiba politika fostna qed taqbeż il-limiti tal-korrettezza u qed timmina kull rieda tajba, kull sens ta’ lealtà lejn il-miri u l-valuri li suppost huma komuni għalina lkoll, kull rispett lejn l-integrità personali tal-“avversarju”. Dan qed isir lil hinn mill-imġiba partiġġjana qawwija u sħuna li konna drajna nsegwu matul is-snin.
Mhijiex raġuni li tispjega kollox din li ġejja: Imma nemmen li tispjega ħafna. Il-mod kif joperaw l-hekk imsejħa midja soċjali u kif infirxu qed iżid il-volgarità u l-qrusa li biha jitqiesu u jiġu diskussi l-kwistjonijiet publiċi. Il-biċċa telqet f’nofs is-snin tmenin tas-seklu l-ieħor meta fiċ-ċinema Amerikan splodiet il-volgarità.
Illum dak li fl-imgħoddi kien isir wiċċ imb’wiċċ u laġenba – jiġifieri ż-żeblieħ personali, il-gideb jew in-nofs veritajiet, l-insinwazzjonijiet – illum jitperreċ fil-miftuħ fuq l-internet, anke b’mod anonimu. Dan qed javvelena d-diskors dwar l-għażliet li jkollu quddiemu n-nazzjon.
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L-Imrieħel
Int u ssuq mill-bypass tal-Imrieħel, fuq ġenb tat-triq tara l-binjiet impressjonanti ta’ uħud mill-aqwa impriżi f’Malta.
Jekk ifettillek issuq warajhom, fejn xi żmien ilu kienet qed tiġi żviluppata żona industrijali, issib ruħek f’ġungla.
Toroq imħarbta mimlija karozzi u trakkijiet. Azjendi industrijali bieb ma’ bieb ma’ emporji fejn in-nies dieħla u ħierġa biex tixtri materjali għad-dar. Direzzjonijiet imħawda dwar fejn tista’ ssib xiex. Hwienet tax-xogħol li donnhom saru ħwienet tal-ikel. F’kull kantuniera, it-traffiku ġġammjat.
Jekk hemm ħtieġa ta’ prijorità x’imkien għal ippjanar u ordni, hu f’dawn l-inħawi. Mela f’Paceville.
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Strasburgu l-ġimgħa l-oħra
Is-swieq tal-Milied ta’ Strasburgu huma magħrufa sew. Jiġbdu ħafna nies. Din is-sena qalgħu daqqa.
Daħal rapport li kien qed jitħejja attakk terroristiku fuqhom. Fiċ-ċentru tal-belt, ma tħallewx jidħlu karozzi tal-linja jew privati. It-trammijiet iva; biss kellhom jibqgħu jsuqu ’l barra bla ma jieqfu. Sadattant, suldati jew pulizija armati tpoġġew fil-punti minn fejn tidħol in-nies u ċċekkjaw lil kull min resaq biex jaraw li mhux imgħobbi bl-isplussivi.
Kont hemm il-ġimgħa li għaddiet. Deherli … u ma stagħġibtx b’hekk … li s-swieq tal-Milied did-darba kellhom ħafna anqas nies milli niftakar fi snin oħra. L-ispirtu ta’ festa deher kajman.
Ħaġa naturali li ġara hekk. Bl-ebda mod l-awtoritajiet ma setgħu jinjoraw it-theddida, hekk kif saru jafu biha.
Il-belt ta’ Strasburgu – bħal Pariġi, Nizza u Brussell – qed ikollha tagħraf kif it-terroriżmu mhux biss hu theddida għas-sigurtà, imma wkoll iġib miegħu danni ekonomiċi qawwija.

English Version – The President’s speech

On the occasion of Republic Day, the President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca gave an excellent speech. She demonstrated well, how and where political behaviour in Malta has been overstepping all limits of correctness and totally undermining good faith, all sense of loyalty towards aims and values that we should share, as well as all respect towards the personal integrity of “adversaries”. This has been taken way beyond the partisan and heated exchanges to which we had grown accustomed over the years.

The following does not explain fully why this has happened – even if I believe it accounts for much. The way by which the so-called social media operate, and how they are spreading, is increasing the vulgarity and the bitterness by which issues related to public policy are considered and discussed. The process was triggered in the mid-eighties of the previous century when vulgarity exploded in US film making.

What in the past used to be done face to face and sideways – namely personal denigration, lies or half truths, innuendos – is today openly carried out on the internet, not least in anonymous mode. This is poisoning most discourse about the choices that face the nation.

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Imriehel

As you drive along the Imrieħel bypass, you can see on one side the impressive headquarters of some of Malta’s most important companies.

If you opt to drive at their back where up to some time ago, an industrial zone was being laid out, you’ll discover a jungle.

Dilapidated streets choked with cars and trucks. Industrial entities alongside emporia where people congregate to purchase home fixtures. Confusing signposts to tell you where to find what. Workshops that seem to have morphed into snack bars. And at every corner, traffic jams.

If there is any place which as a matter of priority needs planning and ordering, this is it. Forget about Paceville.

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Strasbourg last week

The Christmas markets at Strasbourg are well known. They attract many visitors. This year, they got a bad hit.

An alert came over that they were being targeted for a terrorist attack. So, for private cars and buses, the city centrre was made out of bounds. Trams were allowed in, but they had to drive on without stopping. Meanwhile, soldiers or police personnel, both armed, were placed at all points where people could walk in to check whether those who came forward were wearng explosives.

I was there last week. It seemed to me that this time, unsurprisingly, there were much less people around than I could remember from previous years. The festive spirit seemed to have gone rather flat.

If so, it was a natural outcome. In no way could the authorities ignore the threat, once it became known.

The city of Strasbourg – like those of Paris, Nice and Brussels – has come to understand how terrorism does not only threaten security, but it also inflicts huge economic damage.