The National Identikit

J.G. Vassallo takes a historical look at Malta's national identity and asks a number of pertinent questions:

The Maltese State is 41 years young, but the Maltese nation has roots that are lost in the mists of earliest times. Who were the first inhabitants of the Maltese Islands and where did they come from? Was Malta first colonised by the temple-builders who put up the megalithic temples even before the Pyramids were built? Were there others before them? We know nothing about those people as persons, although we know a little about how they lived.

We know that Malta was invaded, occupied, pillaged by successive waves of different nationalities. Our heritage from different periods is sometimes scanty. Sometimes it is rich, particularly when the heritage, sadly neglected, is in stone. But was there a Maltese Boadicea or a Spartacus who stood up against the early invaders that ruled over our people? Or was there, at least, a Maltese Homer who sailed to horizons unknown? We have no clue..

What we know is that the Maltese are a nation unto themselves with their own language, traditions, and physical and other characteristics. The evidence suggests that the art of building in the far-off Stone Age reached a degree of skill and refinement unsurpassed in other megalithic and Neolithic locations. During the Roman period, Malta had the status of a “municipium” and we have it from Cicero that Malta was flowing with honey if not with milk..

What meaning do we give to our national identity today? What is the moral force that animates us today? Now that the doors of permissiveness have been thrown open, when the apostles of pluralism are claiming unlimited rights, when political polarization seems to have grown deep roots in Malta’s political and social milieu, is Malta held together by the cement of a long-established national unity, or is the cement disintegrating so that Malta will not be the same again? And will that be for the better or for worse? Is the Maltese nation the same united family it used to be or has it adopted a new set of values?...

David Ellul

From the Ob.Blog:

If you happen to be in Malta this Friday night, as I’m sure you’ll want to be, go see my friend Dave perform at The Labyrinth. They get it bang-on with this description:

The Labyrinth is introducing the incredibly talented Canadian singer and songwriter David Ellul as the resident artist on Acoustic Fridays. David’s repertoire is extensive and ranges from blues to rock and soft rock with some impressive mod-folk numbers of his own that are reminiscent of Bruce Cockburn

To get to The Labyrinth just head on over to Italy, turn right past Sicily to the first major land mass you see, land in Valletta and ask for Dave. Tell him Chris sent you.

Malta News Digest - September22-September28

Wednesday28: From Agenzia Giornalistica Italia, Italy-Malta bilateral meeting in Rome this October; Gianfranco Fini in Malta to discuss illegal immigration; From the Daily Telegraph, Malta appeals for EU help to stem invasion; Controversy surrounds the elections for the GWU leadership; Malta – a case study for the impact of land use policy; From New Zealand Stuff, New Zealand has negotiated an additional 1000 tonnes of beef access to Europe to compensate for markets lost in Malta and Cyprus
Tuesday27: EU delegation to investigate Malta crisis of illegal immigration; Malta’s fiscal deficit third highest in 2004; Anthony Manduca talks to the new US ambassador; 'Valletta compact' proposed for CHOGM, report on at cpsu.org.uk
Monday26: Airshow airplanes give last show on their departure; 209 illegal immigrants brought ashore; Michael Falzon interviewed by Gerald Fenech; Celebrating 20 years of environmental activism; Kitten in search of new home; Out of Africa by Klaus Vella Bardon; Ix-xelter tad-Duluri minn Daniela Attard Bezzina
Sunday25: From Reuters, Malta cancels all $8 mln of its Iraqi debts; More than 75 percent of Maltese women over 30 are overweight - WHO; MEPs attendance in committees; Ryanair chief tired of discussions that ‘go nowhere’; Fresh debate follows dead Constitution by Sharon Ellul Bonici; Malta to host EUTO tourism convention; Autumn leaves on the old arena by Lino Spiteri; Michaela Muscat speaks to Dutch anthropologist Jeremy Boissevain about the 1960s Church interdiction, and more; James Debono talks to GWU chief Tony Zarb; Michael Falzon (MLP) dwar il-preokkuppazzjoni tal-Maltin; 30 sena ilu: Wish You Were Here - Neither Here Nor There minn Kevin Saliba
Saturday24: Malta applies to join OECD as full member; Malta benefits from EU budget 2004; PN at sixes and sevens by J.G. Vassallo; Is-Serkin minn Wenzu Mintoff
Friday23: Reinventing our tourism by Alfred Mifsud; Barometru ta’ frustrazzjoni minn Argus
Thursday22: Foreign Minister appeal at UN on refugee rights; Celebrating Independence Day; Anthony Licari on the state of the country; Safeguarding Malta’s heritage by Christine Buttigieg

Influx continues

More coverage today by the UK's Telegraph on the Maltese immigrants crisis:

More than 200 stowaways arrived on the Maltese coast over the weekend, most of them on board a fishing boat whose engine broke down near the shore. "The landing of 235 immigrants in Malta is equivalent to the arrival of 23,500 people in Sicily," said Mr Borg. The island's only centre for the migrants is currently housing more than 1,400 people, police said. The Maltese government is putting up tents and will open a new centre soon, "but if the influx of migrants continues at this pace, this will not be sufficient," he said.

Sinking Fears - David Rennie for the Telegraph; Three persons in court over arrival of 181 illegal immigrants; Gianfranco Fini in Malta to discuss illegal immigration

Non Serviam

J Magnus Ericsson has just completed his stay in Malta about which he has been blogging regularly. He has written about his first impressions; the Merlins over Malta events; his visits to Gozo and Comino and to Valletta and about his mobile phone worries in Mdina and Rabat. In this entry, he blogs about food, transport and religion:

..Personal displays of Virgin Mary, and Madonna & Child abound. Even bus drivers adorn their driving compartments with biblical scenes and sayings: Verbum Dei caro factum est!. I cannot get over the feeling of kitsch when I see Virgin Mary decorated with a string of electric lights that would mostly be found in cheap restaurants and in christmas trees. Churches are similar all over the island; Two belfrys surrounding the entrance, and sometimes the midship of the church has a cupola. The work of Gerolamo Cassar, the St. John Co-Cathedral, was so successful it was copied by every village parish.

Tha pastime par preference for women in Malta was said to be bingo. Still I was amazed to see a bingo party gather at the hotel, and bingo discussed on the bus by old and young women. Apparently there was something on the network TV, but I missed most of the conversation in Maltese.

What about the title of the posting then? For dinner at a good maltese restaurant I ordered quail for starter, and rabbit for main course. Typical maltese dishes. Through some impenetrable conversion on the way to the kitchen, the starter became snails, proudly presented to my table! Well, they were quick about acknowledging the mistake, but there had been so many misunderstandings this day, so I let it stand as a typical end of the day...

Conclusion of vacation

Muriel Pavlow's Malta Story

A protagonist of the 1953 film The Malta Story, Muriel Pavlow is back in Malta for the first time since filming the British drama that focused on the crucial battle for control of Malta during the second world war. The Malta Story tells the story of Peter Ross, a Royal Air Force reconnaissance photographer who gets shot down over Malta while flying to Egypt. Since he cannot get off the island, the British forces make use of his talents in their war efforts against the Germans. Ross sets out to find and photograph the location of the Nazi forces attacking the island and he ends up falling in love with Maltese girl Maria played by Muriel. The film mixes archival combat footage with documentary-style reenactments to create a realistic portrayal of the historic battle. Muriel Pavlow spoke to Fiona Galea Debono of The Times about her career and her impressions of Malta:

Cameras click and fans ask her for autographs outside the Malta at War Museum at Couvre Porte, where the protagonist of the 1953 movie The Malta Story is being taken on a tour... down memory lane. It is Ms Pavlow's first visit to Malta since and, half a century down the line, she finds the island used to be "much rougher in looks, but still retains a unique quality and personality. I hope they won't alter it too much. "I wanted to come back (after making the movie), but it just never happened. My husband was an actor (Derek Farr) and we were both very busy. Short holidays had to be grabbed and it wasn't quite as easy as it is now to book a quick flight..

In The Malta Story, Ms Pavlow starred as a local girl, Maria Gonzar, and actually looked and sounded Maltese - which is hard to fathom, given the petite lady is an English rose, speaking Queen's English. As regards the accent, "it wasn't easy and I couldn't do it now. (Well, I could if I studied.) But I had help and was introduced to a very nice girl, Maryann Kissaun, with whom I've made contact and am hoping to meet again. "They had flown me out here about 10 days in advance and I had spent that time with Maryann, listening to her. I'd read a couple of lines from the script and if I was doing something really awful, she'd tell me."..

There may be nothing very diva-like about Ms Pavlow, but neither has she forgotten that she was an icon, and still is, for many a man who, at the time of The Malta Story, were young boys. She is not in the least bit surprised by the attention, but still finds it "touching". "As a matter of fact, however, I do get very worried when someone is introduced to me, and hope they are not thinking of me as Maria, or in one of my roles in the doctor films, or in Reach for the Skies," as she wouldn't want to disappoint...

Muriel Pavlow's Malta visit was made possible by Merlins Over Malta, in conjunction with the Malta Tourism Authority, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The film is being screened at St James Cavalier this Wednesday 9.30 a.m. during the launch of the Malta Historic Cities Festival; more from MaltaMedia

Calypso's isle

It is widely believed that Gozo is the island of Ogygia, where the beautiful nymph Calypso kept Odysseus as a 'prisoner of love' for several years. In Homer's poem 'The Odyssey', Calypso promised immortality to Ulysses if he would stay with her, but Ulysses rejected her and escaped to his wife Penelope who had remained faithful despite numerous temptations. 'Calypso's Isle: The Experience of Odysseus' was written by Boston based Greek mythology teacher Tracy Marks as a reflection on the Calypso chapter in Jean Houston's The Hero and the Goddess and Alicia LeVan's online Calypso and Circle. From Calypso's Isle:

During his stay on Calypso's isle, Odysseus is never able to fully accept his situation. His body is alive, but only in regard to sensuality. Calypso holds him so tightly in her embrace, that he is not free to embrace her in turn. And because of his unresolved grief and trauma, his heart remains closed. In book nine of the Odyssey, he says of both Calypso and Circe, "They never won the heart inside me, never."

But at the same time, Odysseus is also compelled to surrender. Only in surrender can another part of himself emerge and lead him forward once again. Only in surrender can he feel and release the deep grief he has been carrying all these years, and own the feminine energy within himself. And by the seventh year, he is ready to move into the next stage, what Houston refers to as the stage of active longing. He weeps ceaselessly, for Ithaca and for Penelope.

The waters are his own now - his tears. The island is his own making - his loneliness. The feminine is within him now - his own deep feeling. At this point, he begins to own and express his own anima .... and in this emerging wholeness, a new voice, which encompasses both the masculine and feminine can begin to exert its authority...

Geography in the Odyssey; Cleysi from Italy fell in love during a Malta vacation and hopes to have more luck than the legendary Calypso

The right to admit people?

The Lonewacko Blog is 'a non-"liberal" coverage of immigration, Iraq, terrorism, multiculturalism, Los Angeles, California, privacy, and occasionally celebrities and wacky humor...'. This post takes a cue from the recent article on the UK's Telegraph that dealt with the illegal immigration challenge faced by Malta:

..Specifically, they're trying for the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Sicily, thence to mainland Italy. However, they frequently run out of fuel and wind up in... Malta. They go on to provide a few quotes and a poll that doesn't exactly put the Maltese in a good light. (The picture above is of the ever-attractive actress Justine Bateman who is of Maltese descent. Because of my good memories of Family Ties I'm going to give the Maltese the benefit of the doubt. I'm sorry, I know this is a news story, but I just couldn't resist.) And, other Europeans countries are trying to pass the buck, and the EU rules aren't working in Malta's favor.

Whatever the other factors involved, Malta shouldn't have to deal with this situation. There are two ways to do that: ensure that those in Libya stay where they are, and ensure that they know that there's no work or benefits for them in Europe. Malta - like the U.S. - has a right to determine whether they're going to admit people or not.

Granting refugee status, EP Civil Liberties Committee; The Foreign Minister at the UNGA; MLP calls for EU help; The CNI position

Mike and Michele's Global Wanderings

Malta is the latest stop on Mike and Michele's global wanderings. In this post they discuss a visit to the Cathedral and to the Hypogeum:

..Malta is a bit like Italy, which makes sense considering the location of the country. On the first day we rested quite a bit since we got up at 2:00am to catch the flight to Malta. The next day we went to an incredibly ornate church where I had to wear a borrowed skirt and shawl since I had on shorts and a tank top. Of course when I went to mosques in Turkey I would wear a head covering, pants, and long sleeves, but I didn’t think to do this in Malta. Turns out that 98% of the country is Catholic and understandably, they want you to show respect when in a church by covering your legs and arms. Everything in St. John’s Co-Cathedral was decorated and I mean everything. Every bit of the floors, walls, and ceilings had paintings...

Goodbye Turkey, Hello Malta!
Mike and Michele's webshots
Update: Check in only at noon

Throwback to the past

Potossolo is not too impresed by Malta. It reminds him of Italy fifty years ago:

...I maltesi sono essenzialmente strani, sono la stranezza per antonomasia, sono una eccezione emergente. In questo sta il succo della faccenda, e forse anche l'interesse. Tutto il resto è Italia fine anni '50, anzi, addirittura Italia 54, prima che nascessi io. Un tuffo nel passato prossimo, nelle commedie in bianco e nero, con Totò e Fabrizi.

I maltesi sono forse anche un po' "montati". Un po' spocchiosi, come quelle chiese enormi che costruiscono in tutti i loro paesi, quasi uguali. Si vede che è difficile pensare, di se stessi, di essere "qualsiasi". In un certo momento capita di essere in situazioni favorevoli (capita prima o poi a tutti) e subito a pensare di essere dei ganzi, dei prediletti, dei predestinati. Bisognerebbe pensare solo: oggi è capitato a me, poteva capitare a te, e non sarebbe cambiato granchè. Tale è la caducità e l'insussistenza del mondo!

Pomeriggio a Gozo

Saveguarding Malta's heritage

Christine Buttigieg of The Malta Independent spoke to Pierre Cassar of Heritage Malta. He tells her about the limited resources available for the upkeep and protection of Maltese heritage sites. Some excerpts:

I think that along the years there has been more awareness amongst the public regarding the uniqueness of what we have, particularly our megalithic temples. Despite Malta’s small size we have three listings in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Valletta is one of them, the Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum has a stand-alone listing, and the megalithic temples of Malta and Gozo are grouped in another listing. Technically this is what we have to offer to the hundreds and thousands of tourists who visit our island. Sea and sand can be found anywhere in the Mediterranean but the megalithic temples are unique to our islands.

Let’s get back to the public’s perception of our heritage. The turning point came in early 2003, if I’m not mistaken, when acts of vandalism were committed on the Mnajdra temples. Here we realised that our cultural heritage was at risk and that eventually led to a specific focus by the government to protect these sites and to basically bring them to the top of the agenda in cultural heritage. Nowadays we have a lot of interest from schoolchildren and we believe that if we invest in children we will be on the right track to safeguarding our heritage..

Security was stepped up in practically all sites with specific focus on the megalithic temples because we believe that what happened was a disgrace to society. Not just to local society but to international society at large. We are currently in the process of stepping up security not just through human resources but also through technology. But these things do come at a price and our budget is quite limited. So we have to establish priorities and our priority at the moment is to upgrade our sites while making them more accessible to the public..

..I think there are some upcoming artists who have a particular liking to archaeology because of the megalithic temples. It is interesting that people, particularly foreigners, request to have private meditation sessions in the temples. They believe that the temples have a strong spiritual aura and they travel from all over the world to experience this. Some local artists have made it a point to focus their themes and works on the rich archaeological past of our islands...

Malta News Digest-September15 to September21

Wednesday21: From the Daily Telegraph, Malta in the grip of immigrants tragedy; Malta marks Independence Day; Ryanair would guarantee 2 million passengers to Malta; Times poll backs EU action against spring hunting; Reno Borg dwar dak li jghaqqad lill-Maltin; Malta injorata fl-UE; Malta applies to join OECD
Tuesday20: New measures of financial aid for the agricultural sector; Opposition leader lists 23 reasons for Cabinet reshuffle, more by Alfred Sant; New roads financed by Italy, and MLP criticises road design; EU tourism policy to be unveiled in Malta; Kenneth Zammit Tabona on the sorry state of Valletta and St James Cavalier; Jose Herrera on the national interest
Monday19: From Xinhua China View, Senior Chinese official arrives in Malta for good-will visit; Like Germany, like Malta by Marisa Micallef
Sunday18: From the Financial Times, Malta cashes in on patent quirk to take on drug giants; Malta has lowest rate of sexual assault-UN; Czech Republic answers Malta's appeal for help on immigration; James Debono interviews Manwel Micallef about his GWU ambitions; EU kicks ball into government’s court over Spring hunting; Karl Schembri on the looting of underwater heritage artefacts; More on the politico-religous unholy wars of the sixties; Bubble, bubble, is the Akkademja tal-Malti in trouble? by Noel Grima, and a response by Trevor Zahra; In less than six years, our borders will be open by Daphne Caruana Galizia, and more; Lessons from Japan by Alfred Mifsud; B'daqqa ta' pinna mohbija, minn Charles Flores; Nafdaw l-Ewropa iktar mill-gvern Malti - intervista ma' Robert Micallef
Saturday17: From Canada's auto123, Brazil's Pizzonia in Malta for Formula 1 public relations; False pretences by J.G. Vassallo
Friday16: Government’s 50,000 additional tourist target ‘unachievable’ by David Lindsay; John Dalli jikkritika lill-gvern; Michael Parnis dwar Malta fl-UE
Thursday15: The editorial of the Malta Independent discusses the latest Eurobarometer survey; Experts urge Europe to set up pandemic flu task force; Prime Minister addresses UN General assembly; Euro website launched

Sinking fears

Malta fears it will sink under growing tide of migrants from Africa, writes David Rennie on today's Daily Telegraph. He states that the European Commission recently cautioned Maltese ministers in private not to expect to resettle large numbers of refugees in the rest of the EU:

The holiday island of Malta is in the grip of an accidental tragedy: it is directly in the path of a growing and potentially vast flow of asylum seekers from sub-Saharan Africa to southern Europe. Its proximity to Libya, 180 miles to the south, threatens the identity and culture of the islanders. Thousands of refugees have made the crossing in recent months. Libya has said that there are 1.5 million sub-Saharan Africans on its territory and many have their sights set on Europe. Many asylum seekers are fleeing persecution in Darfur and Somalia and unknown numbers drown as they cross the Mediterranean.

The invasion of Malta is accidental: the boats are heading for the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Sicily, which offer direct access to the rest of Italy. But many of them run out of fuel or are hit by bad weather and seek a haven in Malta instead. Boats have reached the island almost every night this summer. Under European Union law, asylum seekers must stay in the European country they first arrive in. Although Malta is no bigger than the Isle of Wight, it is a sovereign member of the EU, so anyone who lands is stuck there.

Malta joined the EU last year and is now sounding the alarm in the hope of receiving urgent assistance from the union. Government leaders and military chiefs told The Daily Telegraph that their island was being swamped. Tonio Borg, the justice minister, said: "What was a problem has evolved into a crisis." Five years ago Malta received only 24 illegal migrants. This year's total stands at more than 1,100 so far, with about 30 arrivals a night - the equivalent of 165,000 asylum seekers reaching Britain...

Smugglers profit as Libya opens up to the west - David Rennie writes that Maltese officials are sceptical about Libyan efforts - "The proof can be seen in Valletta's tiny naval base, tucked under the city's medieval ramparts. The base is unseen by the British and German tourists thronging the elegant piazzas and limestone arcades of the old city only yards above. Down at the quayside, a stone's throw from a marina packed with gleaming yachts, the latest arrival bobs on the blue Mediterranean waters..."

Barbara Haworth-Attard

Barbara Haworth-Attard is a novelist living in Ontario, Canada with her Maltese husband. She blogs at Barb's Journal. According to this note, she is currently busy writing a Malta inspired ´nannu/nanna´ story. From Barbara´s website:

Barbara Haworth-Attard is a native of Elmira, Ontario, presently residing in London, Ontario with her family.June 1995 saw the publication of her first junior novel, Dark of the Moon. Since then she has written twelve novels in the historical fiction, fantasy and contemporary genres for middle-grade and young adult readers. Her thirteenth book, "Forget-Me-Not" a sequel to "Love-Lies-Bleeding" is due out this Fall 2005 from HarperCollins Canada. Also this fall Henry Holt and Company will be bringing out the US edition of "Theories of Relativity." This book has also been sold to Editions Thierry Magnier of France. Barbara also writes short stories, her most recent being in the Red Deer Press 2005 anthology The Horrors.

Renaissance roots

The literature of the new EU member states is a remarkable testimony to Europe's shared heritage, writes Julian Evans of the Guardian:

The words for "mother" and "writing" in Maltese are semitic, the words for "father" and "literature" from Romance roots. But 200 years of English influence have supplied Maltese culture with irony, understatement, nuance (and class snobbery). As a literary idiom Maltese superseded Italian in the late 19th century in the work of Dun Karm Psaila, a priest and Malta's national poet. Today, poets such as Immanuel Mifsud and Maria Grech Ganado write in Maltese and seek English translations; Mifsud is being translated by the Irish poet Maurice Riordan. The first literary novel in Maltese, Anton Manwel Caruana's social-political Inez Farrug (1889) was succeeded by a craze for Gothic tales with titles like Maria, or the Baron's Vengeance .

Maltese independence in 1964 may have liberated its writers finally to explore what being Maltese means - but until EU-supported translation funds allow them to be read in other languages, our best glimpse of Maltese life is in Trezza Azzopardi's unsparing but lyrical novel of a Maltese immigrant family in 1960s Cardiff, The Hiding Place.

Erika Brincat

Malta born lawyer and poet Erika Brincat is the author of three books of poems: ‘Gateway to Infinity’ is about mystery, magic and love while ‘The Bridge between Heaven and Earth’ is an account of her travels in Malta, Atlantis, Egypt and India. ‘Leela’s Game’ is her latest publication. Earlier this year she had a conversation with the late journalist Julian Manduca. She gave him an account of her views on sprituality, eroticism and writing poetry:

Every individual should have the freedom to create their own religion, incorporating all that is in tune with them. Modern day lives have become so complicated, so intricate, we need to recreate our own guidelines. But no, I don’t follow any particular spiritual direction. For me it’s not about choosing between Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism or Paganism but embracing all of them in some way. The essential message remains the same. Anything that celebrates life and adds some spice to it is spiritual in itself. Some people don’t philosophise about it, don’t write or read about it - they simply dance it, enjoy it and live it!..

I started off writing poetry purely for myself. It just happened. If I did not put pen to paper I would not be able to sleep - I would be a very restless soul! But then something propelled me to share them and I have no regrets whatsoever. Some poems are purely personal, others are universal, and anyone can relate to them in their own way. I like to think we are immortal beings having a temporary experience! Why bottle up all our fears and emotions till they poison us inside? Better to express them, to share them, release them and let them go..

Frans Sammut wrote about you: “The young poet strives to explain her feelings and ideas by making use of myths carrying erotic connotations precisely by deriving lofty spiritual meanings from their voluptuousness.” What can you tell us about the erotic qualities of your poetry? Life would be very dry if it had no love, no eroticism in it! In essence we are all sexual beings. Both men and women yearn to be whole, and naturally eroticism has a great part to play in that. If poetry is the yearning of the soul, than without doubt it will have some erotic qualities to it. It seems I have managed to avoid the question! Maybe the poetry speaks for itself...

Frans Sammut on Erika Brincat

Storming the beaches of Malta

An article by Charles Flores about this summer's jellyfish invasion has caught the attention of David Loewinger, a student dentist blogging from Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. In his article, Flores insists that the authorities can do more to keep the jellyfish away from Maltese beaches. From The Jellyfish, my dentist and I:

Is it not symptomatic of this nation, caught as it is in its present lethargic and laissez faire frame of mind, that while others find no difficulty in inventing unique ways and means to keep the big, deadly shark away from their popular beaches and bays, we have let the innocent-looking, squidgy, little jellyfish terrify our swimmers and holiday-makers for most of this summer?

It really has been a summer when the innocent pleasure of swimming has been reduced to a catch-me-if-you-can game with the invading jellyfish. “We have such beautiful water,” one irate acquaintance bellowed the other day, “and yet most of us seem afraid to go into it. It has never been like this.”..

The same jellyfish problem has occurred in most of the popular beaches in Malta and Gozo this summer; it is a phenomenon that has badly hit the Mediterranean, a long-suffering, moribund sea for too long subjected to national and international abuse. On one particularly bad day, it was maintained that the endless rows of jellyfish came in at eighteen feet deep. The spectacle of children netting them up in their multitudes and watching them dry out and shrivel to death on the beach was a familiar piece of entertainment for frustrated swimmers who quite understandably refused to go into the sea.

Diving amongst jellyfish - Wired Temples

Taking on drug giants

Malta cashes in on patent quirk to take on drug giants writes Andrew Jack for the Financial Times:

In a chilled low-pressure room that contrasts sharply with the humid Maltese weather outside, a poster reminds the white-coated staff of Actavis that they have just six weeks to finish work on a new drug.

Every day counts as the 320 employees of the generic-drugs manufacturer finalise their latest launch, exploiting an anomaly with patents that is turning the tiny Mediterranean island into an unexpected investment location for the pharmaceutical industry...

McFarland's Malta

Nathan McFarland, who blogs at nmcfarl, posted this observation about his Malta visit:

We've made it to Malta - after a very very long plane ride, interuppted by a few very very plesant hours in London. Malta is hot - and old - and largly being replaced with apartment blocks. The hotel is very very nice. The Capital, Valletta - is pretty amazing, quite a bit more fun than the Clubbing district of Paceville that the hotel is in --- though clearly Paceville is the draw for most of the huge tourist population here :) ...

Tapestries at St John's Cathedral from nmcfarl

Observations on Maltese wildlife

Nick and Maisy from London blog together at 20six. They visited Malta a few weeks ago and in this review Nick blogs about the odd buses, the UK high street stores in Sliema and the rip offs at the airport duty free. In her Malta review, Maisy writes about timeshare salesmen and her difficulties in finding Maltese food at the restaurants. She says that Maltese people are obsessed by door knockers and balconies. In this other post, Nick comments on the 'Maltese wildlife':

Malta has only three major animal types: the Cicada, stray cats and horses. The first are EVERYWHERE and make a god-awful racket all day long. I never realised a couple of fat moths could make so much noise without apparently moving. Give me the friendly chirrup of a grasshopper any day. The pests manage to get away with their behaviour because of observation part 2: there are (almost) no birds at all on the island.

Other than a few foul pigeons in the capital and the occasional sparrow, Malta is barren of aviaral life - even in the so-called bird sanctuary. This was very odd to experience, especially the lack of seabirds given the bountiful supply of fish. Apparently any birds are regularly hunted down by the locals, which kind of explains some of the food being served up in the local cafes.

This has, in turn, lead to the local cat population surviving almost exclusively on the generosity of hotel guests, though survive (& survive well) they do. Most seemed to be cute gingey ones, which obviously has come about as a result of natural selection and the hotel patrons preference of marmelade cats to black ones.

The only livestock anywhere on the island were the drawn looking horses drawing horse drawn carriages. Poor things looked to be kept in shoddy conditions in most cases. Whilst we sometimes smelt manure, we never once saw any cows, sheep or goats - odd, considering one of the local delicacies is goats cheese.

Cat enthusiast Helen writes about stray cats in Malta

Eating on the balcony

'You just wouldn’t believe how much history a small group of islands can have', writes Richard deMeester, a travel blogger at "any way the wind blows …":

..The lady at the B&B said she had a nice room with a nice view. Talk about underrating. Amongst the cheapest accomodation in Valleta (the capital) and with the best view we have ever had from a room. Directly opposite the magnificent Fort St Angelo, built in the 16th century by the Knights of StJohn. The whole historic harbour lay before us, so no wonder we stayed six nights and ate quite a few meals on the balcony. Some local wine and cheese was also consumed...

BootsnAll Travel

Fred Parry writes for BootsnAll Travel, the 'ultimate resource for the independent traveller':

I was getting apprehensive, having seen little but snow-covered mountains - French, Austrian, Swiss and Italian - stretching as far as the eye could see. So it was with profound relief that I finally spied three tiny dots of land in the middle of the Mediterranean which, as we descended to land revealed the walled fortress city of Valletta, and other places of potential interest. I would spend two weeks in the island nation of Malta, generally unknown on this side of the Atlantic, in spite of its supreme importance in the history of western civilization...

There are three, quite different islands: rocky, rugged and historic Malta; tiny, green fertile Gozo; and minuscule sandy Comino. Malta is about the size of Martha's Vineyard or the Isle of Wight, and all three together could fit into Montreal Island. The total population is similar to Calgary or Albuquerque, but there are many more expatriates living in Australia and North America. Everyone speaks English as well as Malti. I was initially attracted by Malta's incredibly rich history...

Malta Tags from BootsnAllTravel

Malta News Digest - September8 to September14

Wednesday14: From Reuters in Valletta, Europe urged to create influenza task force; From Cambridge Evening News, Island's pride as Spitfire flies again above Malta; Professors all by Alfred Sant; Dalli vs Gonzi fuq Radio 101
Tuesday13: Malta ‘needs yearly growth of 2% more than EU average until 2025’; Spaghetti Western by Leo Brincat; The story of Don Ross by Henry Brincat; Dorothy Dunnett fans to discover sites of historical novel; Wara s-shubija ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea: Il-poplu Malti tilef il-pacenzja – Tonio Fenech; Il-vizzju minn Toni Abela
Monday12: Preserving the history of transport by Gerald Fenech; Majorities and entrenchment by Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici; Gavin Gulia talks to the Times on illegal immigration; Imfakkar l-eks-Ministru n-Nutar Guzè Abela
Sunday11: Gaddafi visit may coincide with CHOGM by Noel Grima; Malta cautious about Europe’s glasnost by Karl Schembri; Getting the EU down to people level; Evidence of a new awakening by J.G. Vassallo; 350 or 35 words? by Marisa Micallef; Wellman goal brings praise from Swede internet gamers; For whom the bell tolls - and more on Lino Spiteri and Guido DeMarco - in the 60s by Michaela Muscat; The lost battle on hunting; Pre-1947 Cultural identity, history and myth; Malta's regional problems by David Borda; Emmanuel Micallef dwar x'se jaghmel; “Pin, int qatt rajt lir-Regina?” u Il-qaghda llum: 1987 Revisited minn Charles Flores
Saturday10: Eurobarometer survey finds support for Malta's EU membership continues to decline, more from MaltaMedia and L-Orizzont; European Influenza conference meeting in Malta
Friday9: 89% of respondents in Times online poll want a change in Government cabinet; Malta registers lowest rate of female employment in Europe;Riot at Ta’ Qali Stadium condemned by Croatian media; Euro changeover website launched; Flying or falling by Harry Vassallo
Thursday8: Maltese Islands celebrate the 8th of September; From CNN International, Croat 'shame' after draw in Malta + 103 Croatians arraigned following violent outbursts; Dutch and Maltese seek bilateral collaboration on illegal immigration; Famous Eastenders actress in Malta; A difficult speech by Ranier Fsadni; Rispons baxx ghall-ghajnuna lill-Amerikani

Maressa's thoughts

Maressa Zahra from Zebbug is a staff member at The Tattoo, a global journal for teen journalism. She also writes for The Writing Kid website. In two weeks time, she will be a fresher at university studying commerce. In view of her passion for writing she recently started a blog. From one of her posts:

I am one of those incurable bookworms who can't tolerate reading one book at a time. Currently I'm reading three - one is about journalism by a famous journalist herself, Jill Dick, another is Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, and the other is a transcript of the speeches at some World Youth day. The latter book set me thinking - especially one speech about freedom.

Let me not beat about the bush - I don't agree with the system that sends people to prison if they've been found guilty of whatever they've been accused upon. Why, you may ask? Well, I really don't believe two wrongs can make a right ( ie. that a wrong can mend another). Is prison mending the wrongs these people have done? If you've been robbed, you still have the shock; if your brother's been killed, he won't come back, just because the murderer is in prison...The system is failing. Rather than focus on taking away the freedom of these people, why not focus on teaching them life-coping skills, and preparing them for their eventual re-entry into society?...

Teens can make awesome writers...if they are willing! by Maressa Zahra

Scorpion Tiger Attack

Kim Kyung Su/Peter from South Korea who blogs at Scorpion Tiger Attack recently visited Malta to speak at a conference. He blogged about his visit:

Malta. Don't know what to think of this place other than the hotel staff seems to be quite nice. Taxi-drivers make the ones in Seoul seem like a bunch of pussies by overcompensating for the fact that they are manning a family sedan and perhaps it's the unpleasant realization that their dream of becoming a stock-car racer has fizzled away like a bottle of Pellegrino that's been left uncapped for a few hours. I digress again.

My only notable experience here (so-far) was when I was waiting in line to have my passport stamped at the airport and a trio of middle aged Germans pulled out a rather salty little comment out of their backpacks about how Malta and Morocco were indistinguishable from one another. This prompted the official to bark back... I remember thinking how Koreans back home have this completely misguided stereotype of Europeans being 'refined' and something to admire...Everyone on Air Malta looked like they were from Paramus, New Jersey or Columbus, Ohio...

Some thoughts on Malta and more

The return of an ex-bomber

Graham Phillips, an 85 year old ex-bomber pilot who fought to ensure that Malta did not fall under Nazi control, is to return to Malta with 600 other veterans. It will be his first visit in Malta since December 1942. Andrew Robinson writes for the Yorkshire Post:

He flew missions on D-Day, bombed Germany and strafed enemy positions at the victory at Alamein. But for former Flight Lieutenant Graham Phillips these missions cannot be compared to the suffering and heroism he witnessed on Malta – dubbed "the unsinkable battleship" by Churchill.

Now, over sixty years after he completed his last drop of food to the starving Maltese, the ex-bomber pilot is to return to Malta with 600 other veterans who ensured this strategically vital island never fell under Nazi control. Mr Phillips, now 85 and living in Leeds, who has not set foot on Malta since December 1942, made numerous supply drops to the island over two years. He and his crew were attacked several times in the air and on the ground.

He recalled: "Dropping food on Malta was bloody dangerous. We just did not know when Jerry was coming over. We just got in and out quickly. We were just doing our bit to help Malta." During the war he flew dozens of dangerous operations over Egypt, Libya, Germany, France and Crete during stints with 162 Squadron and 109 Squadron, and was tasked with special duties such as locating and destroying communications posts.

He says the Maltese showed particular bravery and deserved their George Cross. "Malta had a terrible time. I wonder to this day how they survived. People were nearly starved out – their in-built courage was extraordinary. "Long after the war, I met a Luftwaffe veteran who told me that he and his comrades dreaded being sent on an operation over Malta. That says it all – the Maltese and all the Allies fought so hard to save this small island."...

Blogging at the European Parliament

The European Parliament is officially acknowledging the increasing power and importance of blogging. As part of the activities that will accompany the launch of its new website, the European Parliament has decided to hold three round table debates today and tomorrow dealing with the fast-moving developments in digital society. The first will be held this afternoon with the title 'Web logs: competition, challenge or chance? Who's afraid to open Pandora's Blogs?' Participants in the debate will include several well-known journalists, bloggers and experts in the field with an active interest in the relationship between digital technology and democracy. The event will be broadcast live here on the EuroParl website this afternoon starting at 3pm via web streaming. More on the round table debates:

To mark the launch of the Parliament's new website, on September 12 and 13 EP live will be broadcasting three round table discussions on issues related to the internet. The panels will consist of leading European journalists, academics and MEPs who will offer their expertise on the opportunities and challenges of the internet age.

"Deutsche Welle" journalist Guido Baumhauer will moderate the first debate on blogging on Monday afternoon. This will look into a range of issues from the massive explosion of personal content on the net to the rise in citizen media and the relationship of the citizen with the traditional media. The panel will also take a look at some of the ethical issues arising from weblogs, including privacy, how companies regard blogging and potential conflicts arising from traditional journalists who become bloggers...

Parlament Ewropew - bil-Malti

England - Italy relations

The Fifth International Conference on Anglo-Italian Literary and Cultural Relations is being convened this week by the Institute of Anglo-Italian studies at the University of Malta. From TMIS:

“At the dawn of the 19th century, Italy had, for 200 years, been the universal art gallery, wunderkammer, museum, classroom, repository of Europe’s heritage,” writes Roderick Cavaliero in his recently published book Italia Romantica, a lively and vivid historical account of the Romantics’ love affair with Italy. Indeed English writers, artists and scholars have drawn so extensively on the culture of Italy in the field of literature, art, architecture, painting and music that it has become difficult to assess and evaluate the nature of this extraordinary influence.

A number of eminent British and Italian scholars will assemble at the University of Malta to read papers on the influence of Italy in English literature and culture. The Fifth International Conference on Anglo-Italian Literary and Cultural Relations is being convened by Professor Peter Vassallo, Head of the Department of English and Director of the Institute of Anglo-Italian studies at the university. The conference will be held in the University House Conference Room on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 September from 9am to 4.30pm. Scholars will focus mainly, but not exclusively, on a variety of topics relating to the central theme of Anglo-Italian cross-cultural influences.

Anglo-Italian Conference details here

9/11 attacks podcast remembrance

The fourth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States was commemorated today by the MaltaMedia Online Network with more podcasts by Toni Sant. From MaltaMedia:

These include eyewitness accounts from New York. “It gives me great pleasure to announce the first podcasting series in Maltese from the MaltaMedia Online Network,” said Toni Sant, MaltaMedia’s founding and creative director, in his blog. “Our first series deals with 9/11 from a Maltese perspective. The podcast series is based on the various webcasts that appeared on MaltaMedia.com in the wake of the attacks on the USA and eventual so-called war on terror. Click here to access the podcasts.

At the time of the attacks Toni Sant was living in New York and saw the tragedy unfold in front of his eyes. The new series consists of 23 podcasts with a new file is being made available daily. Although the recordings have been available as part of MaltaMedia’s special feature on the September 11 attacks, these are being transformed into the popular new podcast format. The series starts with seven reports from the first week after the attacks in September 2001... Toni Sant's participation in the Bed-In for Peace organized by Amy Burk and Andy Cox in New Zealand is the theme of a podcast released on September 11, 2005...

More from Toni Sant's blog

The latest Malta Eurobarometer

The latest Eurobarometer survey about Malta was published Friday morning by the European Commission and was widely reported by the Maltese media. The report oulines a number of key public opinion trends on key issues such as EU membership, the European Constitution, trust in Maltese institutions, the economy and life expectations of the Maltese people. The two political party radio/TV stations both led their news bullettins with the findings and conclusions of the report but obviously looking at them from different angles. The PN media focused on the Maltese people's support for the Euro (50%) and Turkey's European dimension (57%). The MLP media focused on the negative opinion about the Maltese economy (77%) and the lack of trust in the Maltese government (From 57% trust in 2003 down to 40%).

The most detailed reports were carried by L-Orizzont and by The Independent both of which were cover stories. Church newspaper Il-Gens also had a cover story but unfortunately the paper does not have an online version. The links and titles of some of the reports that appeared this weekend:

Malta Independent - 'Results of Spring 2005 Eurobarometer survey published: Support for EU membership falls further to 40%'
L-Orizzont - 'Stharrig Ewropew ta' l-opinjoni pubblika Maltija: Pessimizmu ekonomiku'
The Malta Independent on Sunday - 'Negativity on the increase in Eurobarometer survey'
MaltaMedia - 'EU membership support in Malta down to 40%'
Di-ve - 'Maltese think the country should adopt the EURO, Eurobarometer suggests + press review
Maltarightnow - Jizdiedu l-Maltin favur il-Euro'
In-Nazzjon - 'Jiżdiedu l-Maltin favur l-Euro; 57 fil-mija jahsbu li t-Turkija hi geografikament parti mill-UE'
Il-Gens: 'Jonqos l-appogg tal-Maltin ghall-UE'

Read the latest Eurobarometer Malta report here

The Year of the Mediterranean

The adoption of the Barcelona Declaration on November 28, 1995 marked a turning-point in relations between the European Union and its Mediterranean neighbours on the southern and eastern shores. A partnership was launched on a basis of joint ownership, dialogue and cooperation. In commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Barcelona process and following a Tunisian proposal, 2005 was declared The Year of the Mediterranean. From a speech by the Maltese President while hosting his Tunisian counterpart two months ago:

In their own way, Malta and Tunisia have continually strived to promote the aspirations of the peoples of the Mediterranean in international fora, such as the United Nations and its agencies, as well as in regional diplomatic conferences, such as, the Euro-Mediterranean (Barcelona) Partnership, the Mediterranean Forum, and the Conference of the Western Mediterranean Countries, also referred to as the Five-Plus-Five Initiative.

I stress Malta’s belief in the ‘centrality’ of the Euro-Mediterranean (Barcelona) Partnership as far as the EU’s policy for the Mediterranean is concerned. With this year being the Tenth Anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean (Barcelona) Partnership, Malta hopes that the Summit scheduled in Barcelona this November would focus on tangible deliverables so as to bring about a real partnership. This implies enhancing the Partnership to enable it to address the economic, social and humanitarian, as well as security issues that countries in the Mediterranean are facing in the contemporary situation.

Malta believes that the Five-Plus-Five Initiative should be an informal, pragmatic and a visible forum. My country also intends to examine with its partners in which manner the European Neighbourhood Policy/Action Plans could be used to strengthen the social welfare systems of partner countries. I am pleased that Malta and Tunisia will submit a Joint Paper on Culture and Development. I am also pleased that the meeting will discuss the Tunisian proposal on the Year of the Mediterranean...

Anna Lindh Euro Med Foundation;

The snowman

International Noir Fiction is a blog that includes reviews and ideas on crime novels mostly from outside the U.S. In