Statistika li ħarġet dwar it-turizmu li jsir mill-Unjoni Ewropea lejn pajjżii barra l-Unjoni turi li ż-żewġ destinazzjonijiet li jilqgħu l-aktar turisti Ewropej huma l-Istati Uniti u t-Turkija.
Tal-aħħar qed taffaċċja sfidi ta’ konfront militari intern u estern, barra milli nħolqulha komplikazzjonijiet politiċi li għadhom għaddejja.
Ħaġa naturali li fiċ-ċirkostanzi attwali, iseħħ kanċellament ta’ vaganzi lejha. Jintgħażlu destinazzjonijiet oħra minflokha. Fosthom Malta.
Smajt li fl-aħħar ġimgħat rajna żieda mhux ċkejkna ta’ turiżmu kulturali lejna. Tant li l-operaturi sabuha diffiċli jingaġġaw gwidi.
Forsi ta’ min wieħed jinvestiga jekk dan ġarax ukoll għax “ibbenefikajna” mill-problemi tat-Turkija.
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Alla aqwa
Tiskanta kif uħud f’Malta jibqgħu jaħsbu li huma u l-familji tagħhom għandhom xi dritt “divin” biex jitqiesu għall-aħjar postijiet u jingħataw l-aħjar trattament, sempliċiment għax huma min huma. Matul is-snin, tgħallmu kif jesebixxu l-pretensjonijiet tagħhom bi prudenza akbar, jew b’vulgarità anqas. Imma għadhom magħna.
Tinduna l-aktar fi żminijiet bħal tal-aħħar sentejn jew aktar, meta fil-gvern ikun hemm il-Partit Laburista.
Tarahom lil nies hekk, jimmobilizzaw biex jiddefendu l-interessi sagrosanti tagħhom waqt li jinqdew b’kulma jkun moda. Jekk ir-reliġjon – tkun ir-reliġjon; jekk id-dehra ta’ mġiba progressiva, mela hi.
Donnhom iqisu li huma t-tfal ta’ xi alla aqwa.
M’hemm xejn li jesponina bħala soċjetà li baqgħet provinċjali u iżolata daqs il-pretensjoni ta’ nies hekk: u mingħalihom l-elite tal-magħżulin.
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Boehner
Ir-riżenja ta’ John Boehner minn Speaker tal-Kungress Amerikan kienet sorprendenti għall-aħħar, mhux l-anqas għar-raġunijiet li ngħataw għaliha.
Il-Partit Repubblikan jikkontrolla s-Senat u l-Kungress; jiġifieri mhuwiex qed jaqa’ żorba. Għat-tellieqa presidenzjali, il-partit għandu l-problema li jinsab mizgħud b’kandidati li minnhom qed jiġri ’l quddiem Donald Trump. Dan qed jaqleb l-aġenda politika Amerikana ta’ taħt fuq billi jippreżenta ruħu bħala politikant ta’ tip mhux tas-soltu.
Imma effettivament, bħala l-mexxej tar-Repubblikani fil-Kungress, Boehner sab ruħu taħt pressjoni ma taqta’ xejn mil-lemin “estrem” biex ir-Repubblikani ma jagħmlu l-ebda kompromess mal-amministrazzjoi ta’ Obama. Fil-politika Amerikana, it-tmexxija tal-pajjiż tiddependi minn arranġamenti ta’ kompromess bejn il-partiti l-kbar.
Boehner jew beda jidher bħala dgħajjef jew xi ħadd li lest joħloq rovina jekk akkost ta’ kollox, ma tistax tgħaddi tiegħu.
Biex dan ma jibqax jiġri, irriżenja. Issa hu jappartjeni għal-lemin “estrem” jew kważi.
Għalina li ngħixu ħajjitna f’sitwazzjoni politika polarizzata wkoll bejn żewġ partiti, dil-problema kbira li tinqala’ meta l-istess partit tiegħek iżommok lura milli toħloq kompromess tinħass stramba ħafna.
English Version – Turkey and the US
Data covering outward EU tourism show that the two destinations that attract most European tourists are the US and Turkey.
The latter is facing challenges arising from internal and external military confrontation, as well as political complications that have grown recently and are still unresolved.
In such circumstances, it is natural that holidays get cancelled and are replaced by other destinations. Among which Malta.
I’ve been told that in past weeks, a significant increase in cultural tourism took place. Some operators found it difficult to hire tourist guides.
Perhaps it makes sense to investigate whether we are “benefitting” from Turkey’s problems.
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A greater god
It is astonisihing how certain people in Malta cling to the belief that they and their families have some “divine” right to access the best job positions and to receive the best treatment overall, simply because they are who they are. Over the years, these people have learnt to stake out their expectations more prudently, or shall we say in a less vulgar manner? But they are still around.
This becomes most evident at times like the last two years and a half, when Labour is in government.
You can see how such people mobilise to defend their interests, which they regard as self-evident, while making use of all that is fashionable to push their case. If it’s religion, let it be religion. If it’s the projection of a progressive image, so be it.
Indeed, they seem to consider themselves children of a greater god.
Nothing exposes our society as provincial and isolated as these claims made by individuals who believe they form part of a chosen elite.
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Boehner
John Boehner’s resignation as Speaker of the US Congress was a total surprise, not least because of the reasons he gave for doing so.
The Republicans now control the Senate and Congress. They’re hardly in bad shape. True, for the coming presidential elections the party has a problem, with too many candidates and Donald Trump in the lead. He is turning the US political agenda upside down while positioning himself as a different kind of politician.
In effect, as Republican leader in Congress, Boehner found himself under strong continuous pressure from the “extreme” right to prevent the party from making any compromise with the Obama administration. In the American system, governance depends on compromise arrangements being successfully negotiated between the parties.
Boehner started to look weak, or alternatively a wrecker whenever what he wanted to achieve at all costs would not be done.
To prevent this impression from taking root, he resigned.
Now, he is quite close to the “extreme” right of his party.
For us who also live in a situation characterised by political polarisation between two parties, the huge problem that one faces when one’s own party prevents compromise with the other side, sounds very alien.
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