Sena deċiżiva?

L-2019 se tkun sena deċiżiva għall-Ewropa? Hekk qed juru uħud mis-sinjali.

M’aħniex qed nitkellmu fuq xi rtirati kbar. Lil hinn mill-Brexit, anke jekk dwar kif din se tkun solvuta xejn ma għadu ċert sal-lum, l-irtirati ma jidhrux li se jqanqlu wisq l-aġenda.

L-akbar sfidi se jitqanqlu dwar jekk iva jew le, l-Unjoni Ewropea tistax tagħti tweġibiet koerenti għall-mistoqsijiet dwar l-operat tagħha. Dwar l-immigrazzjoni u dwar l-awsterità… M’hemmx għalfejn ngħidu li t-tnejn jibqgħu kruċjali għal kif l-Unjoni se tiftiehem bħala forza għall-aħjar jew għall-agħar miċ-ċittadini tagħha.

Imma mill-ġdid: lil hinn minn hekk: Kif se tagħmel l-Unjoni Ewropea ħalli ssib l-appoġġi ta’ għaqda fi ħdanha biex tkompli twettaq il-kontrolli fit-tmexxija ekonomika taż-żona tal-ewro? – u biex tagħmel dan mingħajr ma tkompli titlef mir-rikonoxximent li gawdiet fl-imgħoddi bħala pilastru tas-solidarjetà soċjali?

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TSUNAMI

Iċ-ċaqliq tal-art, il-volkani li jiżbroffaw, il-mewġ enormi ta’ ilma baħar li javvanza minn kullimkien… huma katakliżmi li seħħew u għadhom iseħħu fl-Indoneżja fl-aħħar snin u li setgħu jseħħu fil-Mediterran fl-istess żmien. Qed ibassru li fenomeni hekk x’aktarx se jkomplu jinqalgħu.

Għandna nibqgħu kkakkmati quddiem dawn id-diżastri maħluqa min-“natura”? Għandna nistennewhom jaħqruna b’rassenjazjoni? Għandna naraw kif se nevitawhom, nikkumbattuhom?

Fil-każ tal-Mediterran, hu mistenni li tsunami se jinħoloq meta parti mill-muntanja Etna tikkollassa. Il-lava jikwi jinbela’ mill-ilmijiet, joħloq mewġ enormi li jiknes kollox quddiemu.

Tliet mitt sena jew aktar fil-futur min rah? Inħallu lid-dixxendenti tagħna jaffaċċjaw dad-diżastru… jew inħejju għalih minn issa? Maġġoranza fostna se tgħid: ta’ warajna jieħdu ħsieb problema li se taffettwa lilhom mhux lilna…

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PRESEPJI TAN-NADUR

Rajt numru ta’ presepji li taw xhieda, aktar minn kollox, ta’ ħidma ppjanata minn qabel, ta’ kreattività soda, ta’ impenn fil-ħidma organizzattiva li trid titwettaq. Inħadmu minn żgħażagħ entużjasti fil-familji, minn għaqdiet volontarji u minn artisti u artiġġjani ta’ kalibru.

Ma kinitx l-ewwel darba li bqajt impressjonat b’li urewni fin-Nadur u f’irħula oħra Għawdxin. Fuq kollox, hemm ċerta kburija umli fil-preżentazzjoni ta’ dawn il-wirjiet li żżid mal-gost tal-ispettatur. Hu jibqa’ bis-sentiment li l-wirja qed issir bi sforz kbir biex tpaxxih u tissorprendih, tqajjimlu l-interess, tagħtih sehem aqwa… aktar personali u dirett…fiċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Milied u tal-Ewwel tas-Sena.

Nibqa’ niftakar dak li qalli żagħżugħ quddiem il-presepju kbir li werieni u li bena għal dis-sena: fissirli dwar il-presepju li biħsiebu jfassal u jibni għas-sena d-dieħla.

English Version – A decisive year?

Will the year 2019 be a decisive one for Europe? Some signals seem to point that way.

However, huge retreats from previously held positions are not the real issue. Beyond Brexit, even if how thatmatter is going to be resolved cannot be clarified at this point of time, the repositioning of policies should not create too many problems as the agenda is being shaped.

Rather, the bigger challenges will arise over whether, yes or no, the EU can supply coherent replies to questions that have arisen over its way of doing things. Such as on immigration or austerity policies… It hardly needs repeating that both these matters remain crucial in determining whether the EU is going to be perceived as a positive or negative force by European citizens.

But again, beyond this:

How is the EU going to secure the support and unity in its ranks that it needs to implement the control systems introduced to manage the euro zone? Can it do so without continuing to lose the recognition it had acquired in the past as a pillar of social solidarity?

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Tsunami

Earthquakes, erupting volcanoes, enormous surges of seawater that rush in from everywhere… such catclysms have occurred in past years in Indonesia and are still happening, like they could have meanwhile been occurring in the Mediterranean. The forecast is that such phenomena could come on line shortly.

Should we remain on the defensive, simply waiting for looming disasters caused by “nature”? Should we meekly wait for them to punish us? Or should we try and see how to avoid and contain them?

As far as the Mediterranean is concerned, it is likely that a tsunami will gather when part of the Etna mountain collapses. Superhot lava will be swallowed by the waters generating enormous waves that will sweep up everything in their path.

Who cares about what could happen in three hundred years’ time or later? Should we not leave it to future generations to face up to such a disaster… or should we prepare for it as of now? A majority will say: it’s up to our descendants to deal with a problem that will affect them, not us…

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Cribs at Nadur

I visited a good number of cribs which more than anything else, gave witness to well done pre-planning, to a strong sense of creativity and to a commitment for organizing a worthwhile event. They were put up by enthusiastic young people and their families, by voluntary associations as well as by gifted artists and artisans.

This was not the first time I was impressed by what I was shown at Nadur and in other Gozitan villages. Above all, the feeling of humble pride displayed when these exhibitions are being presented, cannot but increase the pleasure of visitors. They remain with the impression of a show that has been assembled with much effort in order to give them enjoyment, to surprise them, to stimulate their curiosity, and to give them a stronger… more personal and direct… share in Christmas and New Year celebrations.

I will remember what a young man told me as we viewed the huge crib he had built for this year: he explained what his plans already were for the crib that he hopes to design and build next year.

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All best wishes to the editor, staff and readers of The Malta Independent, as well as their families, for the New Year 2019.