PayPal in the spotlight

Malta hi wiehed mill-pajjizi fejn il-gvern Amerikan qed jissuspetta li qed jintbaghtu flus minn nies li jiffrodaw lid-Dipartiment Amerikan tat-Taxxi Interni:

..Bhala parti mill-investigazzjonijiet li qed isiru fl-Istati Uniti dwar flus li jintbaghtu barra l-pajjiz kontra l-ligi, Malti tpoggiet fuq lista ta’ pajjizi kunsidrati dubjuzi mill-gvern Amerikan li qed jindaga flus trasferiti illegalment f’dawn il-pajjizi permezz tal-kumpanija PayPal.Is-suspett hu li flus li ghand-hom jithallsu f’taxxa minn cittadini Amerikani qeghdin jigu trasferiti bl-internet f’banek jew istituzzjonijiet finanzjarju Maltin.

Il-qorti Amerikana f’Kali-fornja laqghet talba tal-gvern Amerikan biex iggieghel lill-PayPal, kumpanija ewlenija li taghti servizz ta’ pagamenti fuq l-internet, biex tipprovdi informazzjoni lid-dipartiment tat-taxxi interni tal-gvern federali Amerikan dwar klijenti taghha li ttras-ferixxew flus lejn pajjizi partikolari, inkluz Malta...

Austin Gatt vs Ryanair

RyanAir's chief operating officer Michael Crawley responds to Minister Austin Gatt's outragous remarks on low cost airlines:

I note, with some amusement, the comments made by the Minister for Industry, Austin Gatt, when he opened the Amitex Travel exhibitionon Thursday. In case his audience was misled in thinking he was referring to Ryanair when he spoke of a "particular low fare airline" I want to put the record straight. Firstly, Ryanair does not seek any subsidies or any preferential treatment against any other airline. The facts are that, as a result of its occupying a monopoly position, the charges at Malta International Airport are between three and four times those of Ryanair's average airport cost throughout Europe and indeed are 2.5 times those at London Stansted Airport..

Dr Gatt's protection of and concern for the status quo would be understandable but for the fact that tourism numbers in Malta have been broadly static for a decade and in reverse mode for the last two years, against a backdrop of double digit growth in many major European markets. For a country where tourism accounts for over 20 per cent of GNP, loss of market share and, more recently, an accelerating reduction in actual income earned from tourism is extremely damaging to the economy.

This year Ryanair will fly 42 million passengers, an increase of seven million over last year. We have offered to carry a small proportion of these passengers to Malta if the costs at MIA are brought into line with European averages. We seek no subsidies or preferential treatment. Yes, we are in business to make a profit but if that coincides with a massive beneficial impact on tourism in Malta and on the economy in general on the island, why is Dr Gatt protesting so much?

Net neutrality

In his PhD dissertation written three years ago, Toni Sant pointed out the threats to net neutrality in the arts, especially non-mainstream arts. The question of network neutrality is now an issue in the US following the attempt by members of Congress to push the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act, or COPE Act. Toni Sant explains:

..This new law could abandon a principle called "network neutrality" that prevents the major telecommunication companies (like AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, and Comcast) from deciding which websites work best for you, based on what site pays them the most. This means that while we currently enjoy equal access to any site on the web, we could be seeing major corporations and commercial interests sidestepping everybody else in delivering their wares. The scariest part is that the bill has the support of members from both sides of the house, even if there are many Democrats against it. CNET's News.com has an excellent blow-by-blow account...

If this law passes in America, it may eventually be adopted elsewhere too, possibly through a UN treaty like the one proposed via WIPO, which seems to be expanding relatively freely in the wake of the DMCA. Coupled with DRM, the end of net neutrality could result in more restrictions on creativity and innovation over the coming years...

Waste Directives

Writing for Electronic News, John F. Mason says Malta has had little time to figure out how to adjust itself to the overwhelming changes required by the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives and to transpose them into Maltese law:

The 10 member states that joined the EU in 2004 have been granted a 24-month deadline extension for two aspects of the directives. Instead of having to ensure that 4kg of e-waste are collected per citizen per year by Dec. 31, 2006, they have until Dec. 31, 2009. The same extension is valid for industry for recovery, reuse, and recycling. The main deadlines are, nevertheless, the same as for all EU states, which means that Malta should have transposed both directives by Aug. 13, 2004.

Lack of compliance never results in trade sanctions or anything of that nature. The breach does -- and did -- result in the Commission's taking Malta to court. "We are presently waiting for a judgment by the European Court of Justice," the Commission official said. "If the European Count of Justice confirms that Malta is breaching EU legislation and Malta still doesn't fix the problem, we will have to send Malta two official warnings and can then ask the Court to impose a fine. However, it is very rare that a procedure reaches the final stage and that fines are imposed -- in the environmental field, it has been the case only two or three times."..

In spite of its pending transposition of WEEE to law, Malta has not been asleep regarding the problem of waste disposal. In November 2002, the government established a company, WasteServ Malta Ltd., to organize, manage and operate integrated systems for waste management including integrated systems for minimization, collection, transport, sorting, reuse, utilization, recycling, treatment and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Part of the organization's solution has been to export waste to destinations outside the Maltese islands...Last month, to speed up the process, the EU gave WasteServ Malta 400,000 euros to buy technical assistance from Germany...

Bearing Malta's Cross

Despite an official request from the Maltese Government, Britain refused to take between 35 and 5o migrants from Malta, writes Andrea Perry for the Sunday Express:

Malta has been charged with trying to duck its responsibility for migrants, according to the UK newspaper, the Sunday Express. Writing in last Sunday’s issue, Andrea Perry focused on the problem of irregular immigration in Malta and the Maltese government’s call for help from the European Union. “Britain faces new influx of asylum seekers as holiday island tries to duck responsibility for migrants,” the journalist wrote, referring to Malta’s request to overturn the Dublin Convention so that the island becomes a transit country for refugees.

“If Malta were to become a transit country for refugees, other EU members states like Britain, Italy and France would be compelled to take the lion’s share,” the Sunday Express argued. The newspaper said that Malta first tried to resolve the problem amicably by asking fellow EU members to take 35 to 50 of its migrants each – Britain refused and only two other countries, Holland and Germany, agreed.

The article does give a fair overview of the situation in Malta and it highlights the problems that Malta is facing. However, the newspaper’s opinion writer makes it very clear that Malta does not have a strong ally in the UK. The newspaper’s leader headline, “We can’t bear Malta’s cross”, sums up the editorialist’s argument that Britain should not be forced to solve another country’s problems... "alta has appealed to the EU for help. But Britain, another country swamped by outsiders, should not be forced to take in more. We have already more than our fair share," he newspaper said.

It adds that Malta and Britain are facing the same problems. “Malta’s tradition of hospitality is being eroded by the enormous number of people arriving. Far right politicians are making capital from the crisis. “The same thing is happening here,” the leader writer concludes.

Strampop

Together with Chalee from Chalee's Soapbox, medical student Paul Cacciattolo who blogs at Paul's Post has failed to persuade the wiki administrator to introduce a new word that identifies a niche in the alternative rock genre. From Paul's Post:

..This new word, it must be said, is not something we came up with on the spur of the moment. It is not the product of infantile musings, the brain-child of students whiling away the time on some deserted quadrangle. We've come to feel that the word has an actual usage; more astutely, that its usage has a need for the word. This word is 'Strampop'. I will endeavour to explain..

Arguments have been volleyed for and against deletion, queries raised about its authenticity, and offence levelled at members of the discussion. Finally, in one fell swoop, the Wikiadministrator, embodiment of all wikinerds, everywhere, pressed his little button. Strampop has been erased from wikispace...The matter has even reached the eyes of Toni Sant, Maltese blog-idol, and he's put a mention of it on his blog, read by many, imitable by none.To be fair, strampop is a neologism. It goes against all that wikipedia stands for. Yet these five days, while seemingly fruitless, are far from futile. We've had a cause, and we've had excitement for it...

Monument to Agatha Barbara

A monument to former president Agatha Barbara was inaugurated yesterday:

Il-komunità Zabbarija l-bierah inghaqdet biex tat gieh lil Agatha Barbara li bla dubju ta’ xejn tibqa’ mfakkra bhala l-akbar personalità li harget minn hdanha, l-aktar minhabba li dejjem iddistingwiet ruhha bil-kisbiet kbar li ghamlet bhala mara li kienu lahqu l-qofol taghhom bil-hatra taghha bhala President tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta.

Agatha Barabara, il-mara mill-misrah ta’ Haz-Zabbar kif hi stess kienet thobb issejjah lilha nnifisha, kienet l-ewwel Maltija li qatt harget taghmel meeting fil-berah f’Malta, u l-ewwel li resqet quddiem l-elettorat Malti fi zmien meta l-politika kienet tehtieg aktar kuragg, morali u fiziku, minhabba d-diskriminazzjoni tal-klassi u tas-sess li kienet tezisti f’kull sfera tal-hajja.

Fl-1947 kienet l-ewwel mara li qatt giet eletta fil-Parlament (fejn dejjem baqghet tigi eletta sa l-ahhar elezzjoni generali li kkontestat fl-1981) u fl-1955 kienet l-ewwel mara Maltija mahtura Ministru tal-Kabinett. Fis-16 ta’ Frar 1982 imbaghad intghazlet bhala t-tielet President tar-Repubblika u sal-lum ghadha l-unika mara li serviet f’din l-oghla kariga li joffri l-pajjiz.

Il-memorja ta’ Agatha Barbara issa se tibqa’ hajja kif jixraq, anke fost il-generazzjonijiet futuri, permezz ta’ monument li sarilha fi Triq is-Santwarju f’rahal twelidha. Dan sar fuq inizjattiva li kien ha l-Kumitat tal-Partit Laburista ta’ Haz-Zabbar meta ftit jiem biss wara mewtha wassal biex inhatar kumitat organizzattiv, b’rapprezentanza tas-socjetajiet u ghaqdiet tal-lokalità, li ha hsieb jigbor il-fondi mehtiega biex seta’ jsir dan il-mafkar...

Townhouse lament

Marisa Micallef laments the Maltese townhouse

I am baffled, confused, hurt. After all, I’m a good-looking townhouse, double-fronted (although that works against you these days because apparently I’m more suitable for redevelopment into flats that way), built and brought up in a well-located street in Sliema. My stonework is now a bit grimy, my blue shutters faded and sunburnt and windswept to a nondescript grey. And I even once boasted a smart gallarija and pretty carvings too.

So why on earth are these grey, badly dressed, pot-bellied guys putting some white, plastic-covered note on my side to say I’m going to be pulled down and replaced with more ugly flats? That’s all I can see around me anyway – ugly flats. Why am I not worth keeping, I wonder? Why am I not loved anymore?

I remember being carefully and lovingly built by hand by craftsmen that make today’s contractors look like cowboys. When the first family moved in, we were packed. A large, noisy family of six kids. The mother died young, giving birth to number six. Then the father married the wife’s younger sister (quite a common practice in those days) who produced another four, but somehow I managed to keep them all happy. Ten children packed into three bedrooms. It was a home full of drama, laughter and people dropping by, something that these tiny nuclear families I see moving into these box-like caves called flats never experience today. No wonder Sliema’s population has fallen, despite all these flats. Rooms are just empty compared to my time.

Mind you, Sliema was different then, too. It was elegant, quiet, peaceful. And people loved us. People loved the Maltese townhouse, and the Sliema specimens were among the most fabulous of all. The Sliema townhouse looked so grand compared to what was built before. Each one of us had something individual to show...

Mike's Beat

Michael Briguglio is a sociologist, drummer of Dripht and was elected on a Green ticket on the Sliema Local Council. He has finally decided to join the Maltese blogosphere and will be sharing his views on music, politics and life at Mike's Beat. In this post he expresses solidarity with victims of racist violence:

Yet another car has been burned in what may be another possible case of arson. Whether this is linked to the attempted intimidation of persons who speak up for the rights of immigrants has to be seen. I cannot but express my solidarity to all those who have been victims of intimidation during the past weeks. I've seen for myself the damage done to one of the victims in my hometown Sliema. Walking past a burned car and facade brought me a deep feeling of sadness..

I am in deep disagreement with the Far Right. I absolutely cannot agree with ideologies that promote exclusion, inequality and division. However, I think that far right groups have the right to participate in a democracy. In a democracy, everyone should have the right to present one’s version of the truth. Yes, I would fight for the right of my political adversaries to speak..

If exponents of the Maltese Far Right truly want to disaccoiate themselves from the possible arsonists, they should disallow any writings which encourage hatred, violence or terrorism from their fora, even if such writings are ‘private’ or anonymous. Alternatively, the state should observe the law and take appropriate action..

I have no problem with debating with exponents of the far right. Indeed, when Zminijietna organised a seminar on racism a few months ago, this did take place. Various exponents of the left and right sat together and debated. True, there were some noisy interruptions, but hey, this takes place in Xarabank too!...

ImagineGozo

ImagineGozo.com is a new site on the MaltaMedia Online Network. It features images of Gozo and Comino in 19 albums offering a spectacular virtual tour of the northern Maltese Islands from the perspective of a photographer who has lived there long enough to appreciate all the traditions as well as the contemporary elements that make these islands so unique. All photos are by Joe Zammit:

Born in Gozo in 1949, Joe Zammit migrated to Toronto aged 19. He joined the multi-cultural radio station CHIN 100.7 and started hosting radio shows in Maltese. He also produced TV shows for Graham Cable TV-FM. During his stay in Canada he started experimenting with 8mm movies. He returned to Gozo in 1991 and started producing video documentaries about Gozo. He joined Calypso FM in 1993 and worked for the station until June 2004.

Zammit has been roaming around Gozo snapping pictures for the past three years. His photos have appeared in websites, magazines, newspapers and in the Teżori fil-Knejjes Maltin, a series of books published by PIN. Zammit, who is currently producing radio shows for numerous stations, is married to Rose and they have two children. He has been the President of the Gozo Canadian Emigrants Association since 1996.

Abroad for beginners

Magic Malta is 'abroad for beginners', writes David Firth for Surrey Online:

We roared through crowded, sundrenched streets,with only a blast of hot air through an open window for respite. Welcome to public transport Malta style. Forget air-conditioned hire cars.A 1960s Leyland Tiger bus is the way to travel to sample the sights and sounds of this Mediterranean island..

I was once told Malta is "abroad for beginners" - because English is one of this tiny country's two official languages. But that's an advantage,and catching the bus offers a chance to chat with locals and discover the island's old-world charm. The Maltese tell you their country is one of the most densely-populated places in the world, and on the east side it's crowded and colourful..

As the sun rose in the sky,the July heat became unbearable - so we beat a hasty retreat. We crossed the city to Floriana, which is home to the Argotti Botanical Gardens.The gardens feature huge cacti and succulent plants,and give panoramic views of Valletta's suburban districts.The sea, however,offers a cooler alternative,and two of Malta's "natural wonders" make a great play of its beauty - The Blue Grotto and the Blue Lagoon...

RelationDips

A new book by Natasha Turner entitled ‘RelationDips’ focuses primarily on outlining the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, writes Giselle Borg Olivier:

..Its main aim is to help people clear their mind from all the cobwebs they have created through the misconceptions and misperceptions of the term 'love'. Its aim is to help empower the relationship with oneself and others. According to the author this book is mostly targeted towards people whose heart has been severely bruised but are determined to heal their own wounds; many people may lose all trust and shut down on love or else become addicts to pain and unconsciously look out for relationships that will fail. Great importance is also given on the awareness of every form of abuse.

The book is divided into four sections. The first part of the book is targeted to all those who are still single and searching for that particular someone in life. The second part of the book is targeted to all those who are in involved in a relationship. The third part is directed to all married couples and the fourth part envelopes everything through spirituality...

Fireworks festival

To commemorate the second anniversary of Malta’s accession to the European Union, the first edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival is being held in the Grand Harbour:

..Three Maltese fireworks factories and two foreign companies will be competing with one another and with two foreign pyrotechnic firms with their respective pyro-musical displays. The winners of this Festival will be selected by a team of international pyrotechnic experts and will be announced on the 1st May. The general public will have also the chance to vote for the display of their choice via an sms tele-voting system. Apart from these displays, throughout the two festival nights seven local fireworks factories will also be demonstrating their abilities in the field of traditional Maltese fireworks. These displays will also include mechanical ground fireworks displays...

Festival logistics

Incentives for Tourism

Looking through the archives of the Online Times this week, Julian Zarb was not amazed to see over eight pages of articles about the hot theme of the month. He discusses the package of incentives announced to encourage low cost airlines to use Malta as a destination to and from European Cities:

..The package also included incentives for industry to develop new marketing techniques and programmes. But a number of articles and letters were seeing further into the future as many hoteliers and tourism entrepreneurs are seeing the sense in developing incentives and initiatives as part of a structured plan for the industry in Malta and Gozo. There has been a tendency, in the past, to develop incentives for tourism as part of some crisis management plan – certainly, this was the case some twenty years ago!

Last Wednesday, the Times carried a report about the reactions to the incentives package announced by Government on Monday. It was agreed at an extraordinary meeting that by the end of April, a task force made up of Government and the Association would prepare a plan that could address the present situation in tourism that included a look at increasing bed-nights in proportion to revenue increase calculated at some 12 million Malta Liri.It was also agreed that there should be a clear plan to achieve growth by the Malta Tourism Authority as well as accelerating the branding project by the Authority...

One Bishop?

Could Vatican reforms lead to Bishop Mario Grech becoming head of a single diocese for both Malta and Gozo? From It-Torca:

Meta ftit gimghat ilu thabbru numru ta’ mizuri mill-Vatikan ghal rijorganizzazzjoni ta’ l-amministrazzjoni tal-Kurja f’Ruma, beda jizdied it-thassib li jistghu jintlaqtu ukoll il-gzejjer Maltin mir-riformi li jehtieg isiru fiz-zminijiet li gejjin..

Tezisti biza li d-djocesi ta’ Ghawdex tistà tintlaqat direttament minn din il-politika ta’ ‘streamlining’ peress li hemm min qieghed iressaq l-argument li mhux vijabbli li Malta jkollha zewg Kurji u zewg seminarji seperati meta Malta fiha nfisha hi wahda mill-izghar djocesi fid-dinja. Diversi djocesijiet ikbar minn Ghawdex digà tnehhew minn djocesi..

Il-Professur ta’ l-istorja ekklezjastika Giacomo Martini jkompli jikteb li fiz-zminijiet moderni meta m’hawnx problemi ta’ distanzi jew trasport, l-ezistenza ta’ djocesi seperata ghal Ghawdex tidher bhala ‘anakronizmu’ u li l-argumenti li kienu jgibu l-Ghawdxin ta’ dak iz-zmien m’ghadhomx jghoddu ghaz-zminijiet tal-lum.

Osservaturi tal-Vatican qalu lil it-TORCA li l-popolarità ta’ l-Isqof il-gdid ghal Ghawdex Mario Grech tista’ ssahhah lil dawk li qeghdin imexxu din l-idea ta’ djocesi wahda ghal Malta u Ghawdex. Dawn jemmnu li l-Isqof Grech jista jkun il-kandidat ideali biex ikun nominat Arcisqof ta’ Malta u Ghawdex ghaliex Grech hu mahbub mill-Ghawdxin u ghalhekk jista’ jinnewtralizza ftit mill-oppozizzjoni li tkun mistennija ssir ghal decizjoni bhal din...

Holy Saturday celebrations pave way for Easter; Easter greeting Cards

Passport to Malta

Annie Ferguson from St. Louis, Missouri recently graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism with a minor in Geography. To complete her degree she is doing an internship at the Sigonella navy base in Sicily. This is the diary of her weekend trip to Malta:

..Altogether, there were 22 of us going to Malta. We got to the airport and all checked in and headed up to the "International gate." If you would see this airport, you would laugh. Its tiny and ghetto and their actually trying to make it into a liggett International Airport. Sitting in the airport was a blast, we were all meeting each other and I was hanging out mainly with the guys from Public Works (Seabees) and Joe. Our flight was ready and we had to walk down to the shuttle bus to ride 100 ft across the tarmack. Goofy huh? We were flying Air Malta. It was a really nice plane and we left at 6:00pm.

The plane ride was gorgeous flying over Southern Sicily and watching the ocean. It was only about a 40 minute plane ride and damn....Malta is small! We flew in, grabbed our stuff, went through customs, got my passport stamped (YEAH, i can stay at Sigonella for 3 more months now!!!), and met up with the tour guide lady who was driving us to the airport. We crammed into 2 vans and headed to Bay Street in St. Julians...

Stefania Rabitti's Calypso island

In her long blog entry Stefania Rabitti reflects about her visit to Malta:

Ci sei stata a Malta ? Andiamo ? Così è iniziata l’idea di questa breve vacanza ….. partenza prima dell’inizio dell’estate vera, quando ancora le ferie sembrano lontanissime, proprio il momento perfetto per godersi il riposo, la tranquillità e la quiete del mare. Cosa rende quest’isolotto nel centro del mediterraneo, a poche ore dall’italia, un luogo splendido e magico? Credo sia assolutamente l’aria che si respira in questo periodo quando ancora i turisti non sono arrivati in massa … aria decadente, malinconica, romantica …. Assolutamente molto romantica !

La Valletta è un insieme di stradine strette che salgono e scendono, che collegano piazzette, scalinate e i bastioni. Passeggiando lungo le mura si può godere del magnifico panorama sul mare aperto, sulla costa, sugli edifici in lontananza e sul porto vecchio. Le panchine sulla passeggiata tra upper e lower Barrakka Garden, magistralmente rivolte al tramonto, sono una scenografia perfetta per sedersi, mettersi viso al sole e fermarsi a godere l’ultimo tepore della giornata, osservare le manovre delle navi in porto, gli ultimi preparativi dei pescatori prima di partire per la battuta notturna, lasciarsi avvolgere dal profumo di gelsomino e pitosforo.

Alle spalle gli edifici costruiti di tufo si incendiano di tutti i toni dei gialli e contrastano spettacolarmente con il cielo blu, sereno e terso. Sono numerosi gli scorci totalmente pervasi da questo romanticismo …. Il porto, i giardini, i vicoli, tutti i bow-windows esterni ai palazzi … nulla è esente da magia ! ...

Knotology

Born in Brazil and now a US citizen, Ivete Tecodor has just been to Malta with her boyfriend Adam. From Knotology:

I'm typing from Adam's laptop in the lobby of our hotel in Malta! Wireless hi-speed is amazing, especially when you can just log in wherever you take your computer. Who knew we'd get so addicted to the internet??

Anyway, Malta is amazing -- a bit windier than I'd like, but the sun is shining down brightly, I've sunned myself a bunch already, and we're only half-way done with the vacation week. I'm not sure I'll actually get much of a tan, but as we say back home (as in, in Brazil), I "got aired out" in the sun, and that's even more important. We've also gone on tours to see the island, which has a lot of history dating back to Roman times...

The value of property

Figures released by the European Mortgage Federation show Malta’s rise of property prices by over eighteen per cent was higher than both France and Spain. From Webwire:

If Malta can combine the attractions of a Mediterranean holiday island with a modern infrastructure and high tech friendly business in a low tax environment, today’s property prices could look like a bargain in five years time. The introduction of low cost flights to Malta from the UK will open up the possibility of more buyers looking at the island for holiday homes that could be used for long weekends, and the Malta hotels industry could reap the benefits of the 3 and 4 day tourist seeing the island as a viable place to visit.

Malta has traditionally seen the majority of her visitors from the UK, but this could be changing to a more diverse mix in future years. Last year saw a record number of visitors from Italy, and increased enquiries have been received at estate agents across the island from Scandanvia, Holland, France and Belgium, helping to increase the demand for Malta properties. After some years of wondering how Malta would fit into the modern world, property agents, hotel owners and the Malta holidays industry are beginning to see the future with some optimism.

Easter week

From the MaltaMedia special feature on Easter week:

It's no surprise that cameras are continuously clicking in order to catch on films these creative, festive and emotional scenes tinged with some type of religiosity..

Faith can be witnessed outside the church's building especially at this time of the year. People who prefer acting in the streets rather than in closed theatres are in for a special treat where live processions and pageants are the order to the day. On Good Friday Malta is turned into Roman and Jewish pageantry. In the inner core of villages one comes near Pontius Pilate and Barabbas! Sometimes the procession has nearly the whole biblical story and hence may include Adam and Eve too. People do some odd penitence such as carrying heavy weights or walking barefoot! Some cover up their faces as they pay the price for a special grace they received.

If one likes food then there are very special and unique Maltese delicacies. The kwarezimal and the figolli top the list yet other food items are also present such as the Lent's ftajjar; Karamelli; hot cross buns and Pastarjali food are also present. Although in Lent the traditional Maltese fast, yet the street vendors are as busy as bees in keeping up with the heavy demand!...

An oasis carved in stony Malta

M.J. Smith writes in the International Herald Tribune about George Pisani and his family who have transformed a lime-stone quarry into 'a sunken garden' worth 2.5 million liri. From IHT:

The house is named "Il Hofra" - "the hole" in Malti - and once you walk around back, you know why. George Pisani and his family have turned a lime- stone quarry about 25 meters, or 80 feet, deep into a sunken garden. There are terraces, fruit trees, a fish pond seven meters deep and, at the rear, a fountain that turns out to be part of an elaborate water-management system. The Pisanis have lived here, about seven kilometers, or four miles, from Valletta, the capital, for 13 years - almost always accompanied by varying numbers of workmen.

When they first arrived, what is now the house was the operations center for the quarry. Pisani said they expan- ded the house by 60 percent; it now totals about 400 square meters, or 4,300 square feet, and is spread over two floors. It is listed at 2.5 million Maltese liri, or more than $7 million. The first floor includes formal living and dining rooms, a small office and a sprawling eat-in kitchen. In the family room, where one wall is covered with rough stone book- shelves, Pisani gestured toward the French doors and a pool beyond, saying, "We brought the outside in." But, as in much of Malta's fortresslike architecture, the stone walls are thick and the windows are small by contemporary standards...

Charles Xuereb the Communicator

Charles Xuereb talks to fellow author Charles Flores about his upbringing, cultural influences and his colourful career. They are both giants of modern Maltese journalism :

..Aktar ma beda jghaddi z-zmien, aktar Charles beda jhoss li postu kellu jkun fil-midja, jew talanqas f'wiehed mill-mezzi ta' komunikazzjoni umana. Triqtu sal-lum hadet dik il-moghdija - beda bhala gurnalist fl-istampa, dahal jghallem fl-iskejjel u sar midhla tar-radju sakemm stabilixxa ruhu fil-qasam tat-televizjoni mhux biss bhala prezentatur simpatiku u produttur ta' hila, izda anke bhala quiz master eccellenti tal-bixra ta' Mike Buongiorno fl-aqwa tieghu. Dawk il-jiem sbieh tat-tfulija li qatta' jirrakkonta u jistaqsi lit-tfal shabu fuq l-ghatba tad-dar fi Triq Brighella kienu hallew il-frott taghhom..

"Kont bdejt niehu sehem attiv fl-ghaqda tad-dibattiti u dhalt fil-pika bejn l-istudenti ewlenin ghal min kien se jkun kapaci jaqra l-ixkaffi kollha tal-kotba qabel kulhadd. Niftakar lil Charles Abela Mizzi, li wara sirt kollega tieghu fil-qasam tax-xandir nazzjonali, jaghtini l-ewwel lezzjonijiet tal-Malti fil-livell Sekondarju u kien sahansitra ghamilni l-prefett tal-klassi, sakemm tlabtu jnehhini ghax ma kienx qed jibqaghli hin ghall-qari. Warajh kelli lil Guzè Chetcuti. "Fil-klassi mieghi kelli lil Gorg Borg, illum poeta maghruf mis-snin sittin. Niftakru jghallimni r-regoli tal-poezija li issa kont bdejt nithabbeb maghha."

Dak it-tfajjel kwiet izda determinat u konvint minn triqtu, beda diehel fiz-zghozija. Mal-Malteen u l-ghaqdiet tat-tfajliet u l-guvintur flimkien, kellu ukoll il-passjoni ghall-qari tal-kotba dwar James Bond, ikona ohra tas-snin sittin. "Ian Fleming kien awtur mill-aqwa u x-xoghlijiet tieghu m'ghandhomx jitqiesu bil-lenti tal-films li saru dwarhom," qalli bilgri meta nfurmani li ghandu l-kollezzjoni shiha tal-kotba ta' Fleming.

Kien ghalhekk wasal il-waqt tat-tieni nofs tas-snin sittin meta Charles Xuereb dahal ukoll fil-qasam letterarju ta' pajjizna. Iz-zghazagh tal-'mixed youth clubs' issa kellhom interessi godda. Twieled il-Moviment Qawmien Letterarju. Charles Xuereb sahansitra hareg l-ewwel ktieb tieghu - Kalejdoskopju (1969) - flimkien ma' Pawlu Cachia u certu Charles Flores. L-gheruq lahqu xxettlu. Bdiet titnissel karriera li ghadha sejra sal-lum. Il-komunikatur naturali m'ghandux kwiet. Charles Xuereb li nafu...

Craft and Honour

The recently lauched 'Of Craft and Honour and a Templar’s Chronicles' is a dual novel by George G. Buttigieg that combines the Templars with international masonic intrigue. The Malta narrative is set in the summer of 2008, while the other narrative takes place in 1307 with the arrest of the Templars in France:

...Another significant appreciation of the book was made by Prof. Barber, an Emeritus professor of history, who specialised in Templar Studies, medieval heresy and the Crusades. Among his more popularly known books one finds The Trial of the Templars (Cambridge UP, 1978, new ed, 2006).

Prof. Barber explained how Buttigieg’s Templars, in spite of their individual weaknesses, seem a different breed to the Da Vinci’s Templars, and he contrasted and compared the issues of philosophy and religion between the 14th century Templar Chronicles and the modern part of the book. To quote his words, “This book is not simply a detective novel, entertaining as that is, but it is also a vehicle for consideration of fundamental ethical and religious issues, neatly delineated by two interlocking stories set in very different periods of time.”

A present-day approach was taken by Prof. de Marco when he evaluated some of the principles which emanate from the book including tolerance and the elimination of prejudice both in the religious sphere as well as in international politics as exemplified by the Israeli-Palestinian situation which is also drawn into the book. He spoke of the clash of civilisations and explained that civilisations and cultures do not clash but are made to clash by individuals. ..

The author, George G Buttigieg, an obstetrician and gynaecologist by profession, described how writing for him was a form of catharsis where his imagination liberated him from life’s daily problems. He asked readers to delve deeper into the book as many religio-philosophical issues mentioned in the narratives deal with the raw reality of life. He also gave a brief description of the Templar’s history and its alleged metamorphosis into freemasonry and he evaluated this notion between the 16th and 19th century ending with the modern period...

Raw reality of life

Finding the Unexpected Overseas

Matt Ellsworth invites readers to share views about interesting discoveries made abroad. From ExPatFacts:

While shopping in a flea market in Chile years ago I was surprised to find an 1832 U.S. half dollar. Then I remembered that all Atlantic-to-Pacific sea traffic had to circumnavigate South America until the Panama Canal was opened in 1914. Remnants of far-off societies can still be found all along the coasts. This episode raises the question: what odd and unexpected things have you found overseas in your expat experience?

I have been surprised by: Mennonites on the Pampa, German colonies in Chile, Italian colonists in Argentina, Palestinian settlers in Mexico, bookstores in Istanbul filled with antique books in English, warm winters (relatively speaking) on Vancouver Island in Canada, the amazing history of Malta, Spanish-speaking Jews from the Netherlands, bagpipes in Galicia, and more. These are things they don't tell you about in school, or even in special area orientation classes. Please share your discoveries.

Coping with the influx

Addressing the European Parliament, Maltese President Edward Fenech Adami on Wednesday said Malta needed more European Union funds to cope with the influx of asylum seekers seeking to enter the bloc through Malta. The Maltese Governments policy on detention was criticised by the President of the European Parliament. Report by Deutsche Presse-Agentur:

..'Europe cannot leave countries of first arrival for illegal immigrants to deal with the huge problem all on their own,' Adami told members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The EU must overhaul its immigration policy, Adami demanded, adding that after a recent visit on Malta, European lawmakers promised to try and change current EU law.

'We have some 2,000 people on Malta who want to go to other countries in Europe and for them the detention period of 18 months is simply too long,' Adami said, referring to the time that asylum seekers are detained in Malta under local legislation. But unless the EU provides Malta with more financial help, the period illegal immigrants are kept in detention centres can not be shortened, Adami said.

He added that detaining refugees was also being done by the Maltese authorities to ensure that people did not escape to Italy which Adami said was 'always pointing the finger at us.' European Parliament President Josep Borrell said at a joint news conference with Adami that the EU would help Malta to tackle the flood of asylum seekers but added that the Maltese government must shorten the detention period. 'In other EU countries illegal immigrants are held for just two weeks...we in Europe have common values and we also need common procedures,' Borrell underlined.

EU money must be made available to help countries facing the problem of illegal immigration, Borrell said, adding that the parliament will push for more help from the bloc. The Strasbourg parliament on Thursday is expected to vote on a resolution calling for all detention centres on Malta to be closed. After a recent trip to Malta, a delegation of Euro MPs described the centres as 'horrible, intolerable and frightening.'...

More from MaltaMedia and from l-orizzont

Ciampi visits the Knights

In a visit to the Knights of Malta, the President of Italy Carlo Azeglio Ciampi discussed the state of the world with the Grandmaster of the Order. From AGInews:

"Mutual comprehension among countries, open dialogue and harmonious co-existance are something in which Italy strongly believes." That's what President of Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi said during an official visti to the seat of the Holy Order of the Knights of Malta. Italy feels to have this duty, as a member of the European Union, which was created for the stability and reconciliation among the nations", Ciampi added. In fact, "in a world devastated by inegualities, crisis, and conflicts, themessage of peace and solidarity of the Order stimulates the sense of responsibility of the whole international community, so as to base ethical principals at the foundations of its actions." During an intervention made difficul by recent surgery to his throat, Andrew Bertie, the Grandmaster of the Order, recalled the great historical merits of Italy with regard to Smom. "The tie between Italy and the Order - he explained - fuels a growing collaboration also concerning the problem of our world."

More a book than a fairy tale

How could you ever imagine an enterprising Maltese migrant kid called Gratzio Peter Vella flogging horse droppings in Canberra would one day have a chance at Slipper glory, asks Bart Sinclair writing for FoxSports News in Australia:

There is always a good background story after a Golden Slipper victory, but there will be a book in the Gratz Vella take if bolter One Time wins. Vella, 48, is Maltese. His only interest in horses at a young age in Canberra was the money to be made from selling manure. "My brothers Sam and George each had a billy cart which we wheeled around the pony clubs. Then we graduated to the stables," Vella explained. "Once we had the cart filled off we'd go knocking on doors selling to people for their gardens."

Vella got to know Canberra trainer Robbie O'Sullivan, who offered him a job working in the stable. In his late 20s Vella started working for John Morrisey, and spent 20 years in that stable. "He let me train a horse or two in my own name as well but I was his stable foreman for a long time," Vella said.In that period, Vella had a small taste of the Golden Slipper hype through the Morrisey-trained Speed Week - which finished seventh in 1998. Six years ago, Vella stepped up to the plate full time in his own right. One Time is an $81 chance for the Slipper, but that won't stop connections hitting Rosehill big time. There's talk of a coach being booked to transport all the owners, family and friends from Canberra...

Curbing hunters

Malta will finally have to curb hunters who kill millions of migrating birds, writes Environment Editor Michael McCarthy in today's Independent (UK):

Many more spring migrant birds may soon be able to get through to nest in Britain and other European countries because curbs are finally being introduced to prevent one of the biggest dangers they face on their journey from Africa - massacre in Malta. Restrictions are finally on the way for the savage and concentrated wildlife slaughter that is the annual shoot of wild birds on the small Mediterranean island. European Union law is at last catching up with a killing frenzy that has virtually no parallel on the continent..

The Maltese Government has tried to ignore the Birds Directive but the EU Commission in Brussels has increased the pressure on the island to conform. Late last week, faced with an imminent threat of being taken to court by the Commission, the Maltese caved in. The Government issued its Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations, 2006, to give the EU Directive force in Maltese law...

Corinthia in Africa

The Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul is preparing to launch a popular package that promotes tourism in the city of Banjul, writes Pa Modou Secka in The Banjul Independent:

In an interview with The Independent (Banjul), The General manager of the hotel, Victor Zahra said, Corinthia Atlantic hotel international is a Maltese company, which started as a restaurant some 40 years in ago in Malta. He said it expanded in various parts of the world and is currently operating in over 24 countries, including Libya, The Gambia, Togo, Lisbon, Russia, etc.

The General Manager said the government has been investing a lot of money around the Senegambia hotel area to promote tourism. Hence Corinthia (Atlantic) is seeking to contribute towards the socio-economic development of tourism in The Gambia, it sees it prudent to promote tourism within the Banjul Division. Corinthia Atlantic hotel, he said has contributed a lot in maintaining the round-about at the Arch 22 to make the vicinity more attractive to tourists coming into the city.

He said the Maltese company belongs to a Libyan Group "Lafico", who are undertaking the refurbishment at Corinthia (Atlantic) hotel in Banjul, adding that there are other hotels being managed within the Lafico Group. He said hotel is in the stock exchange in London, the United Kingdom, to generate cash and income. As an expert in hotel management, he said he is trying to promote Corinthia Hotel and tourism in The Gambia.

Concentration camp

The Safi Barracks detention centre in Malta is a gigantic cage where the migrants live like beasts, writes Laura Eduati for ThePeoplesVoice.org:

..When the Maltese army opens the locks, dozens of Africans run towards them shouting "Freedom! Liberté!" They come near them with anxious eyes, in an uninterrupted chorus, "Help us, we can non longer live inside this place, we are suffering too much." Over the bars they have hung a sheet with the writing: "God will judge Malta for what it is doing to the migrants."

The odour of their bodies, washed with a single bar of soap that must last a month in frighteningly filthy washrooms, is hard to bear. In the rooms where they sleep on dirty mattresses, the luckiest of the lot actually has a sheet that has by now become yellow with dirt. They have been living here for months without even knowing the reason why, without being able to see doctors, lawyers or even volunteers from non-governing organisations. An hour of air a day, sometimes even that is denied to them if they "do not behave."

Without a book or a newspaper to read, or a pen to write with; there is a television in the corner of the "recreation room," but there is not even one bench to sit down upon and the only channel is in Maltese. "We will become crazy in here." Some of them have actually already gone crazy. They could no longer withstand the wait, 18 months of imprisonment because they are illegal and with the only chance of getting out being to obtain political asylum in Malta...