Hawn Malta mdorrija bil-firda politika li ġieli twassal għal atti u diskorsi ħorox ta’ disprezz u għal antagoniżmu bejn persuni u gruppi. Kien hemm żmien ta’ atti ta’ vjolenza u ħolqien ta’ skwadristi, li ilu li ntemm. Xorta għadna bl-impressjoni ta’ klima politika polarizzata bla tarf, għalkemm issib min jgħid li minħabba ċ-ċokon tagħna, dejjem inżammu ċerti limiti ta’ imġiba għax f’kull familja hemm membri msieħba ta’ partiti opposti.
Forsi jagħmel sens li nifhmu kif polarizzazzjoni ħafna aqwa minn ta’ pajjiżna saret mitqiesa bħala “normali” f’pajjiżi oħra… bħal fl-Istati Uniti.
Il-battibekki bejn il-President Trump u s-senatur Mc Cain jagħtu xhieda ta’ kemm l-antagoniżmu politiku jista’ jwassal ’il bogħod, mhux l-anqas il-miżuri li ħa Mc Cain biex jiżgura li Trump jinżamm bogħod mill-funeral tiegħu u biex jidher li dil-ħaġa saret apposta. Issa dawn it-tnejn suppost membri tal-istess partit…
INDUSTRIJA
Nifhem li fi żmien ta’ tkabbir ekonomiku qawwi ħafna, ftit jieħdu gost b’min isemmi x’mhuwiex jirnexxi jew min joqgħod ifettaq fuq kif l-affarijiet setgħu jitwettqu aħjar.
Ninstema’ qisni Kassandra, l-profetessa Griega tal-malawgurju, meta nirrepeti li fl-iżvilupp ekonomiku ta’ pajjiżna il-manifattura baqgħet taqa’ lura.
Qabel, kienet titqies bħala s-settur li jrid jissaħħaħ akkost ta’ kollox. Illum, m’għadhiex priorità.
Skont l-aħħar statistika, sena fuq sena kkalkolata fuq ix-xahar ta’ Lulju, il-bidla annwali fl-indiċi tal-produzzjoni tal-manifattura kienet hekk: Għas-sena 2016, tnaqqis ta’ 7.3 fil-mija. Fl-2017, żieda ta’ 0.7 fil-mija. F’dis-sena 2018, tnaqqis ta’ 6 fil-mija.
L-aqwa tnaqqis seħħ fil-produzzjoni ta’ oġġetti ta’ konsum, li l-aktar iħallu valur miżjud: għat-tliet snin bejn l-2016 u dis-sena, it-tnaqqis kien ta’ 13 fil-mija, 2.9 fil-mija u 9.9 fil-mija rispettivament.
Bla kumment.
LULA FIL-ĦABS
Diffiċli għal min jinsab barra l-pajjiż jasal għal ġudizzju sħiħ dwar kif qed jiġi trattat Lula, l-eks President tal-Brażil. Jinsab il-ħabs wara li nstab ħati mill-qrati ta’ korruzzjoni. Tilef l-appelli kollha li seta’ jagħmel kontra s-sentenza li ngħata. B’riżultat tagħha, l-qrati barrewh milli jikkontesta għall-elezzjoni presidenzjali li jmiss, fejn kien mitqies bħala kandidat prim.
Nies ta’ rieda tajba, mhux kollha tal-partit ta’ Lula, jinsistu li ġie milgħub mill-avversarji politiċi tiegħu. Bosta politikanti oħra akkużati b’reati ħafna agħar minn ta’ Lula għadhom igawdu kull libertà u attivi qatigħ fil-politika. Hu qed jiġi kastigat għall-bidla favur il-foqra u dawk li huma soċjalment żvantaġġati li ġab fil-politika Brażiljana.
Dawn in-nies għadhom iqisu li Lula hu l-bniedem li jistgħu jafdaw biex tassew iħares l-interessi tagħhom.
English Version – Harshly Partisan?
In Malta we are accustomed to political strife that sometimes triggers harsh acts and speeches which generate contempt and antagonism towards each other between people and groups of people. For some time, now long past, acts of violence took place, as well as the deployment of paramilitary squads. We still have the impression that our political climate is hugely polarised, though you also find those who argue that given our tiny size, certain limits on political behaviour have always been kept, since practically every family had members who belonged to opposing parties.
Perhaps it makes sense to keep in mind that a much stronger polarisation than ours has come to be considered “normal” in other countries, like the US.
The disputes between President Trump and senator Mc Cain show how far political antagonism can be stretched, not least in the measures that Mc Cain took to ensure that Trump stayed away from his funeral and to make it clear that this was done on purpose. Now, both men are supposedly members of the same party…
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INDUSTRY
One understands why at times of very strong economic growth, there will be minimal appreciation for those who mention what is not keeping up with the rest, or who nitpick about how matters could be carried out in a better way.
I must sound like that Greek prophetess of tragic outcomes, Cassandra, when I repeat that in the country’s economic development, industry is still experiencing a decline.
In the past, it used to be considered the sector that needed to be promoted at all costs. Today, this is no longer a priority.
According to the most recent data, year on year, based on the month of July, the annual change in the index of production for manufacturing overall was as follows: For the year 2016, a drop of 7.3 per cent. For 2017, growth of 0.7 per cent. For this year, 2018, a decline of 6 per cent.
The largest drops happened in the production of consumer goods which account for the greatest value added: During the three years between 2016 and this year, the annual declines stood at 13 per cent, 2.9 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively.
There is no need for comment.
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LULA IN PRISON
People living outside Brazil find it difficult to arrive at a full judgement regarding the treatment being meted out to ex-president Lula. He is in prison having been found guilty of corruption and having lost all the available appeals against the sentence he was given. As a result, the courts barred him from contesting the forthcoming presidential elections where he had been considered a star candidate.
People of good faith, not all belonging to Lula’s party, insist that he has been set up by his political adversaries. Many other politicians facing accusations much more serious that Lula’s are still at liberty and fully active in politics. He is being punished for having brought about a radical change in Brazilian politics in favour of the poor and of those who are socially disadvantaged.
These strata of the population still consider Lula as the only person they can trust to really protect their interests.
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