Preċedenza

Stagħġibt ftit kif il-Prim Imħallef deherlu li bħala kwistjoni ta’ priorità għall-bidu tas-sena kellu jqajjem punt dwar it-“tnaqqis” fir-rank protokolari ta’ parti mill-ġudikatura. La qajjimha kif qajjimha, bilfors hekk tiftiehem, bħala materja prioritarja.
Niddubita kemm hi, fi żmien meta s-sistemi ġudizjarji Maltin għadhom daqshekk opaki u mitqiesa minn ħafna ċittadini bħala lok ta’ dewmien u difetti proċedurali. Fuq hekk, minkejja li fl-aħħar snin sar xi titjib, għadna fost il-pajjiżi tal-Ewropa fejn il-qrati jaħdmu bl-anqas effiċjenza. Jaqbdek il-bard tisma’ ċerti stejjer ta’ nies li jridu ġustizzja u jibqgħu mdendla.
F’das-sens, anki r-riforma mibdija xi tliet snin ilu mill-gvern jidher li nqabdet fi sqaq.
Dil-kwistjoni hi ħafna aktar kruċjali mill-mistoqsija dwar jekk il-Prim Imħallef u sħabu jisħoqqilhomx joqgħodu tliet siġġijiet aktar lejn ix-xellug jew il-lemin fl-ewwel ringieli tal-katidral ta’ San Ġwann waqt iċ-ċerimonji.
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XI STORJA?
Gazzetta ewlenija qieset li storja dwar kif il-Parlament Malti qed jordna b’10,000 ewro ta’ suvenirs fil-forma ta’ pulzieri bl-istampa tal-bini fuqu tal-Parlament, tant hi importanti li poġġietha fl-ewwel paġna. Issa kull Parlament għandu xi forma ta’ suvenir li l-Ispeaker u uffiċjali għolja tiegħu joffru lil dinjitarji li jżuruhom minn barra. Fiż-żmien, kont iddobbajt xi waħda jew tnejn minnhom.
Mhux talli l-istorja tal-pulzieri ma timmeritax l-ewwel paġna, talli mhi storja xejn. Imma f’ċerti oqsma tal-midja hawn sforz persistenti u pwerili biex juru f’dawl ikrah, mingħalihom, kull ħidma tal-istituzzjonijiet fi żmien gvern Laburista.
Dil-biċċa tixbah il-pwerilità tal-argument l-ieħor li ntuża b’mod prominenti mill-istess oqsma: il-Prim Ministru Muscat m’għandu l-ebda dritt jippresiedi fl-Unjoni Ewropea jew jara kif jivvalorizza l-presidenza ta’ Malta tal-Unjoni, għax kien jimmilita kontra s-sħubija tal-pajjiż fl-Unjoni.
Imbagħad issib min jgħidlek kif mhux minnu li l-establishment Nazzjonalista għadu sal-lum mikdud sempliċement għax iħossu spossedut mill-poter, li jippretendi hu tiegħu b’xi dritt divin.
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FILLON
Fi Franza, l-pronostku hu li għat-tieni rawnd tal-elezzjoni presidenzjali, se jibqgħu f’kompetizzjoni bejniethom Marine Le Pen tal-Front Nazzjonali, lemin “estrem”, u Francois Fillon, tal-partit lemini tar-Repubblikani. Dan tal-aħħar imbagħad jirbaħ tajjeb, għax il-votanti tax-xellug jivvotawlu.
It-taħwida li nara hi din: Veru li Fillon se jirnexxielu jieħu lura parti sostanzjali mill-vot Katolliku li l-partit ta’ Le Pen rebaħ fl-aħħar snin, l-aktar fiż-żoni rurali tas-sud. Imma Fillon qed jippreżenta programm ta’ “riformi” li ma kinux idejqu lil Mrs Thatcher. Fost il-miżuri li jipproponi, irid inaqqas l-impjiegi mal-gvern b’xi nofs miljun. Il-votanti tax-xellug se jitilqu jiġru bi ħġarhom biex jivvotawlu għal proposti bħal dawk?

English Version – Precedence

I was quite surprised to learn that the Chief Justice considered he should as a top priority at the beginning of the New Year, make a strong point about the “downgrade” in the protocolar rank of certain sections of the judiciary. Since he decided to highlight the matter the way he did, necessarily one must conclude that for him, this is a priority issue.

One must doubt whether that can be the case, at a time when Maltese judicial systems are still so opaque and considered by so many citizens as a locus for delays and procedural pitfalls. In this area, while recently there have been some improvements, we still figure among the European countries where the courts operate with least efficiency. It is disturbing to listen to the accounts of people who are seeking justice and who are left dangling.

In this context, it seems that the reform launched some three years ago by the government has been sidelined.

That’s a much more crucial concern than the worry expressed by the Chief Justice on his own behalf and that of his colleagues: whether they merit or not, the honour of being seated three seats more to the left or right in the front rows at St John’s co-Cathedral, when ceremonies are in full swing. Come on.

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Non-story

A leading newspaper considered that the story about how the Maltese Parliament was spending 10,000 euros on an order for cuff link souvenirs carrying images of the new Parliament building was so important, it placed the item front page. Now most Parliaments have a souvenir of some kind, which their Speaker and high officials offer to visiting foreign dignitaries. Over the years, I did receive one or two.

Not only should the cuff links story not have made it to front page – it should have been considered a non-story. However, in some sections of the local media, there prevails a persistent and puerile effort to display in a bad light – that’s the idea – all that institutions do, for as long as Labour is in government.

Another such instance of puerility was displayed recently when a different line of attack was prominently developed by the same media sources. It went as follows: Prime Minister Muscat and his government have no right to preside over the European Union, or to make sure they get value added from Malta’s presidency of the Union. This because he militated against the country’s full membership of the Union.

And yet, you find people who deny that the PN establishment is as of now, still deeply aggrieved simply because it considers itself dispossessed of the state power that its members believe belongs to them by some divine right.

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Fillon

The forecast in France is that at the second round of the French presidential elections, the competition will be between Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front, “extreme” right, and Francois Fillon, representing the right wing Republicans. The latter will then win handsomely, as left wing voters switch their vote to him.

There could be a complication in this scenario: It is true that Fillon will likely win back a substantial portion of the Catholic vote which Le Pen’s party has assembled in past years. But Fillon is proposing a “reform” package which Mrs Thatcher would have endorsed. His proposals include one which seeks to cut government employment by some half a million jobs. Now, will left wing voters rush to endorse such a way forward?