Pressjoni

Nisimgħu kritika ta’ spiss dwar l-operat tal-aġenziji regolatorji f’oqsma differenti, mill-protezzjoni tal-konsumatur sal-ħarsien tas-saħħa fuq il-post tax-xogħol. Ċerti nies fil-ħerqa tagħhom biex imaqdru lil pajjiżhom m’għandhom l-ebda skruplu jeżaġeraw dwar hekk, bħal fil-każ tas-servizzi finanzjarji. Kritika oħra hi aktar ġustifikata, bħal fil-ħarsien tal-ambjent u tal-wirt urban.

Biss hemm punt kardinali li m’għandux jintesa. Fl-aħħar ħames snin, l-ekonomija Maltija kibret b’aktar minn 54 fil-mija, b’aktar min-nofs. Tkabbir bħal dan mhux biss hu bla preċedent fl-istorja moderna tal-pajjiż. Minnu nnifsu joħloq pressjoni enormi fuq l-istituzzjonijiet publiċi ta’ tmexxija u sorvelja. Dawn tfasslu u nżammu għaddejja sa ftit ilu skont tbassir ta’ bidliet wisq iċken minn dawk li qed jaffaċċjaw.

Effettivament, niddubita kemm qed jirnexxilhom ilaħħqu mat-tkabbir għaddej. F’dawn iċ-ċirkostanzi, li jsiru żbalji billi jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet ħżiena hu sfortunatament minn ewl id-dinja. Essenzjali: strateġija maħsuba biex tilqa’ għal dil-problema.

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AĦBARIJIET IMBAGĦBSA

Il-problema tal-aħbarijiet imbagħbsa ma bdietx illum. Ilha teżisti minn kemm il-bnedmin ilhom jużaw l-informazzjoni fil-kompetizzjoni għar-riżorsi u għall-poter.

Li hu differenti illum joħroġ mill-ħeffa u l-firxa li biha aħbar imbagħbsa tista’ titwassal lill-popolazzjoni globali. U kif b’mezzi tekniċi li dejjem jissaħħu, l-istess aħbar tista’ tkompli tiġi mġedda u ripetuta.

Fl-istess waqt, qed ikunu jistgħu jitħaddmu programmi enormi diġitali li jivverifkaw x’qed jaħsbu biljuni ta’ nies dwar suġġetti li dwarhom jinħarġu l-aħbarijiet imbagħbsa. B’hekk it-tbagħbis isir bil-ħsieb li jinfluwenzawhom dejjem aktar f’kif iqisu l-affarijiet, f’kif jivvotaw jew jikkonsmaw.

Wieħed ikollu jiddubita jekk hemmx xi rimedju għal din is-sitwazzjoni allarmanti. Donnu li l-umanità riesqa lejn żmien fejn l-għażliet u d-deċiżjonijiet jittieħdu skont kriterji ssettjati minn ponn nies li jikkontrollaw l-apparat vast li bnew biex ir-realtà tintwera u tinħass b’mod falz.

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ŻEJTUN

F’laqgħa miżmuma ż-Zejtun il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, kelli ċ-ċans niltaqa’ wkoll ma’ ħafna u ħafna ħbieb li magħhom min jaf kemm ħadt sehem f’kampanji politiċi llum minsija. Anke minn dal-lat biss, kienet esperjenza sabiħa.

Aktar minn hekk, kienet interessanti sew id-diskussjoni politika. Fi żmien il-logħob tat-Tazza tad-Dinja ma tistenniex daqstant interess f’suġġett bħal li kellna għal-laqgħa – il-baġit tal-Unjoni Ewropea għas-snin 2020 – 2027 u s-sehem ta’ Malta fih. Suġġett li jinħass tekniku u mbiegħed għal kollox minn x’jaffettwa lill-Maltin fil-ħajja tagħhom ta’ kuljum. Mentri filfatt jista’ jkollu – u se jkollu – impatt mhux żgħir fil-Malta tas-snin imsemmija.

Tkellimna f’ċertu tul dwar hekk. Kif wieħed seta’ jistenna, l-interess iffoka l-aktar fuq l-impatt li Brexit u l-immigrazzjoni se jkollhom fuq il-finanzi futuri tal-Unjoni Ewropea.

English Version – Pressures

Criticism is frequently expressed about the performance of regulatory agencies in different fields of activity, from consumer protection to health safeguards at workplaces. Some, in their drive to rubbish their own country, have little scruples in exagerrating their criticism, as with financial services. In other cases, criticism is more justifiable, such as in the protection of the environment and the urban heritage.

However, a cardinal point must be kept in mind. During the last five years, the Maltese economy has grown by more than 54 per cent, by more than half that is. Such growth is not only unprecedented in Malta’s modern history. In and of itself, it has created enormous pressures on the public institutions that have operational and oversight functions. Up to quite recently, they were designed and kept on track on the basis of assumptions related to much smaller economic and social changes than the ones they now face.

Effectively, it is uncertain whether they are succeeding to cope with the ongoing growth. Unfortunately in such circumstances, mistakes can be made quite “naturally” and the wrong decisions are taken. There is a vital need to devise a strategy that counters this problem.

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Fake news

Fake news is not a problem that emerged in our times. It has been around since for as long as people used information to compete for resources and power.

What is different today results from the speed and instant spread with which fake news can be projected to a global population. And then, with the use of technical processes which are being improved non-stop, that same news can continue to be updated and repeated.

Meanwhile, digital programmes having enormous power are available to research on what billions of people are thinking about topics being subjected to fake news treatment. So faking can be carried out more effectively by reinforcing the influences that shape the consideration people give to events, as well as how they vote or consume.

It is doubtful whether any remedy can exist to correct for this alarming state of affairs. Humanity seems to be entering into an era where choices are made and decisions taken on the basis of criteria set by a handful of individuals who control a vast apparatus designed to show reality in a false light and to get it understood by people in a fake manner.

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Żejtun

At an event held in Zejtun last week, I had the opportunity to meet many many friends again with whom I had participated in so many longstanding, now forgotten political campaigns. Even if just for this, it was a memorable experience.

Moreover, the debate we had was quiteinteresting. At a time when World Cup matches are at their peak, one could not expect so much interest in a subject like the one we were focussing on, namely the EU’s budgets for the years 2020 – 2027 and Malta’s share in them. It’s a topic that feels too technical, too distant from what concerns Maltese families in their everyday lives. Yet, actually and as a matter of fact, it can have –will have – a not insignificant impact on the Malta of the years at reference.

We had a lengthy discussion about this. As was to be expected, the emphasis was on how Brexit and immigration will affect EU finances in the future.