Ma rridux Messija, imma pluraliżmu

Meta xi ħadd jippreżenta ruħu bħala xi Messija jew salvatur. Meta xi ħadd ‘kariżmatiku’ u kapaċi fir-retorika u l-clichés. Meta xi ħadd jgħid li se jsolvi kollox għax hu ‘l-mexxej’, xi Napuljun li kollox hu, u hu biss, ftakar li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar jista’ jkun l-akbar ĦAXXEJ.

Minflok kellna ħafna li lagħqu kemm felħu. Għandna ħafna li jaraw dak li jissejjaħ ‘strongman’ jew ‘stabilità’ finta – iġifieri li persuna waħda tieħu d-deċiżjonijiet kollha hi bħala xi ħaġa tajba. Din hija l-attitudni ta’ ħafna nies li sfortunatament ma jagħrfux li l-konċentrazzjoni ta’ poter f’Prim Ministru twassal għal, jew deċiżjonijiet ħżiena, jew nepotiżmu jew inkella korruzzjoni f’għola livelli.

Napuljoniżmu. Is-sistema Maltija.

Dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli f’Ħ’Attard – x’ippruvajt nagħmel jien fl-2008.

Hawn taħt qed nirriproduċi post tiegħi fl-2008 dwar mozzjoni biex nipprova nwassal lill-Kunsill jikkontesta d-deċiżjoni tal-Gvern, l-Parlament u l-MEPA li jiftħu żoni ġodda għall-iżvilupp. Il-mozzjoni m’għaddietx. Fost dawk li vvutaw kontra kien hemm Charlo Bonnici, illum MP Nazzjonalista. Issa tard wisq – iż-żoni se jinbnew.

Dak iż-żmien il-PN u l-PL (u min ivvotalhom – għax il-vot ifisser appoġġ għall-politika tagħhom) riedu li żoni ġodda fosthom quddiem il-Kappella tal-Mirakli u fi Triq Dun Mikiel Xerri jingħataw għall-bini. Grazzi George Pullicino, grazzi Lawrence Gonzi, grazzi lill-membri parlamentari Laburisti li mhux talli ma opponewx iżda pproponew aktar artijiet biex jiddaħħlu fl-iskema tal-bini. Grazzi ukoll lill-membri parlamentari tal-PN inkluż dawk eletti mid-distrett ta’ Ħ’Attard li ftit ilu marru jippużaw mar-residenti meta fil-fatt dak li ġara u li se jiġri fiż-żoni fit-truf tal-irħula li ngħataw għal bini huwa TORT tagħhom ukoll.

Aktar fuq is-suġġett:

Ħ’Attard: dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli

Il-bikja tal-kukkudrill tkompli ………… dwar l-art f’Ħ’Attard

 

 

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Mozzjoni biex issalva lil H’Attard… 3 favur, 3 kontra + casting vote

Hawn taħt qed nirriproduci mozzjoni li m’ghaddietx (waqt laqgha tal-Kunsill ta’ H’Attard 19/2/2008). Tal-PN qalu li ‘harxa wisq’. Ghaddew mozzjoni ohra minflok li tghid li l-Kunsill Lokali jiehu pariri legali dwar l-art ta’ wara Villa Bologna biss… ma jridux jippruvaw iwaqqfu l-isfregju li qed isir f’H’Attard. Ma jridux jammettu li dak li qed jigri f’H’Attard u madwar Malta kollha huwa tort tal-politika tal-gvern. B’idi fuq qalbi nista’ nghid li ppruvajt.

Tislijiet

Ralph Cassar

 

MOZZJONI

Il-Kunsill Lokali ta’ H’Attard, wara li ezamina l-Pjan Lokali ghac-Centru ta’ Malta hu tal-fehma li ma saritx konsultazzjoni kif titlob il-ligi dwar l-ippjanar qabel ma gie approvat dan il-Pjan Lokali;

Peress li l-bdil f’daqqa fl-gholi permess ta’ bini f’parti kbira ta’ H’Attard qed johloq inkonvenjent kbir ghar-residenti kif ukoll hsarat fit-toroq li l-Kunsill Lokali bil-budget limitat tieghu ma jistax ilahhaq maghhom;

Peress li l-Pjan Lokali kif approvat ifisser li zoni li fihom diga hemm koncentrazzjoni kbira ta’ bini bhal l-inhawi ta’ Triq il-Qarsajja, Triq il-Linja u Triq Dun Mikiel Xerri, fost ohrajn, se jinbidlu f’zoni b’aktar u aktar units residenzjali;

Peress li skond ic-Censiment ta’ l-2005 f’Malta hawn diga bizzejjed bini vojt u mhux utilizzat (53,000 unit) u l-Pjan Lokali gie approvat qable ma gie ippubblikat ic-Censiment;

Peress li l-Gvern approva l-pjanijiet lokali b’mod irregolari ;

Peress li l-bdil fiz-‘zoning’ li sar f’H’Atard jipprovdi ghal bini f’zoni li qabel kienu immarkati u kkunsidrati minn kulhadd bhala zoni hielsa mill-izvilupp, bhal fil-kaz ta’ Triq Lorenzo Manche;

Peress li tali bini fi Triq Lorenzo Manche,u f’zona diga b’koncentrazzjoni kbira ta’ bini se jtellef mill-karattru tal-inhawi u jghatti parti sew mill-hitan li jdawwru gnien ta’ Villa Bologna, dan il-Kunsill jirrisolvi:

Li jiddefendi d-drittijiet tieghu bhala rapprezentant tan-nies ta’ H’Attard billi jibda proceduri legali immedjati biex titlob il-qrati jiddikjaraw il-Pjan Lokali (Central Malta, 2006) bhala invalidu u null u biex tinfetah mill-gdid il-konsultazzjoni dwar dan il-pjan.

Proponent
Ralph Cassar, Kunsillier

Sekondant
John Bonnici, Kunsillier

Jobs not austerity

This picture shows a protest in the UK – one of the posters speaks volumes – ‘NHS NOT TRIDENT’ – it seems there is money for missiles but not for the Health Service… we must be careful we don’t move in that direction here!

In the EU a neo-liberal approach and a politics of austerity has ruined the lives of millions and eroded our democratic fundamentals. We must not be afraid to stand up to policies which put multinationals, banks and the speculative financial markets first, at the cost of common people, workers, SMEs, young entrepreneurs and the vast majority of people.

It is and it will be difficult because people have been fed the mantra that even mildly regulating the giants will lead to some kind of disaster. In fact it is the other way round – unregulated speculative markets have led to a disaster which the EU taxpayer – the vast majority of whom are normal wage-earners – who had to carry the expense of bailing the ‘giants’ out.

They will call us all sorts of names, they will invent stories and keep pushing their failed ‘trickle-down’ economic theories.

They will say that social expenditure is a waste of money, but at the same time they expect to get away with paying no taxes on their financial products.

They will emphasise stories of abuse of the welfare system, yet they do not mind gambling on the markets, risking the wellbeing and jobs of thousands upon thousands of people.

They will claim that a 0.01% tax on speculative transactions/derivatives etc. will scare away ‘investment’, yet they do not mind fluctuating markets with essential commodities changing prices so much that whole economies teeter on the brink of collapse. In the meantime normal consumers pay 18% in VAT (compare that with a proposed 0.01%  Financial Transaction Tax!).

They say that renewable sources of energy are ‘too expensive’, too undeveloped – and at the same time pour money into fossil fuel giants – of course that is where the profit is! They do not mind the ecological problems followed by the huge social problems their money is leading too.

Because of all this, I’m voting Green this May.

Disgraced BP oil executive heading for Maltese waters

The ‘tagħna lkoll’ skip is filling up fast. After our previous Nationalist government’s cavalier style of governance, with stories such as the Mater Dei/San Raffaele disaster, cost over runs and stories of corruption. After World Bank blacklisted companies such as Lahmeyer International  were engaged by the pious Nationalists and the smoking gun of the BWSC power station, not to mention the sale of Mid Med to HSBC for peanuts, Joseph Muscat is trying hard to keep up with the Jonses.

The engagement of the Indian consultant Shiv Nair, also debarred by the World Bank for his very upright and ethical business methods is case in point. (http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/businessdetails/business/businessnews/Indian-energy-guru-Shiv-Nair-is-Malta-s-energy-consultant-20130722)

Now, the skip has been topped up with another person who failed to admit responsibility for one of the worst oil drilling disasters – the Gulf of Mexico explosion in April 2010. Tony Hayward failed to admit responsibility for the disaster that killed 11 workers and the damage to the environment. Here is an excerpt from a report in Britain’s Independent:

The BP chief executive had claimed the spill – which could yet end up as the biggest in the history of offshore exploration – was “tiny” by comparison with the amount of water in the area. Yesterday he insisted that it will not stop deep water oil exploration “in the same way as Apollo 13 did not stop the space programme, nor have serious airline accidents from time to time stopped people flying”.

His comments came after President Obama attacked the “ridiculous spectacle” of BP and other oil companies failing to take responsibility during recent congressional hearings into the disaster. Speaking on Friday, Mr Obama said: “I will not tolerate more finger-pointing or irresponsibility… there is enough responsibility to go around. And all parties should be willing to accept it.”

The President vowed: “I’m not going to rest or be satisfied until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil in the Gulf is contained and cleaned up, and the people of the Gulf are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods.”

Mr Hayward is under a fierce attack from campaigners who say his days must be numbered. Speaking to The Independent on Sundayyesterday, John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace, said: “His job is on the line. I’ve never seen the head of an international company come under such a sustained attack from the President of the United States. The buck stops with him and he can duck and weave as much as he wants, but he’s not going to get away with it.” Mr Hayward described the environmental catastrophe as a “transforming event” that would result in significant changes to the oil industry.

Thousands of barrels of oil a day have been gushing from a seabed well since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on 20 April, killing 11 workers. With a relentless stream of into the sea from a broken pipe nearly a mile below the surface, the spill has now grown to cover some 3,650 square miles of ocean.” (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bp-boss-defends-company-against-obamas-attack-1974692.html)

This is the man who is CEO of a company Muscat is giving oil drilling concessions to. Surprise, surprise, he’ll be also a guest speaker at the Economist conference in Malta this week (6-7 March): http://www.inbusinessmalta.com/speakers.

The people others have rejected because of misconduct, carelessness and their sheer irresponsibility, get picked up by our government. Great. Excellent. To use the Prime Minister’s own words: what an innovative and positive government!

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PS Another direct quote from the Independent:

A British geologist who has been with BP for 28 years, Tony Hayward has tried to clean up a legacy of law suits arising from a major refinery fire in Texas and an oil spill in Alaska, since succeeding Lord Browne as chief executive in 2007. Here are some of the other controversies he has been embroiled in:

2007 Signalled his intention to abandon the “Beyond Petroleum” mantra of his predecessor in a speech at Stanford University in which he said too many people at BP were “trying to save the world”.

2008 Called for the Arctic and other areas to be opened up for oil exploration.

2009 Came under fire from environmentalists over BP’s membership of the American Petroleum Institute (API) – which lobbied against Barack Obama’s energy and climate change bill.

2010 Said BP will press ahead with its controversial tar sands project in Canada, condemned as “dirty oil” by environmentalists that claim it produces far more greenhouse gases than normal oil extraction, and results in large amounts of toxic waste. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bp-boss-defends-company-against-obamas-attack-1974692.html)

More information about the Gulf of Mexico disaster, BP and Tony Hayward:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10674728/BP-loses-appeal-over-9.2bn-Gulf-of-Mexico-payouts.html

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bp-oil-spill

http://www.nrdc.org/energy/gulfspill/

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/04/bp-oil-contracts_n_4381909.html

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/businessdetails/business/businessnews/Former-CEO-of-BP-Tony-Hayward-for-Malta-conference-20140217

http://qz.com/85324/bps-tony-hayward-gets-his-life-back-as-chairman-of-glencore-xstrata/

Arrow Pharm: socialising losses, privatising profits.

Actavis, Arrow, Watson: the same shareholders, same US company. These have benefited over the years from massive tax breaks, tax holidays and tax incentives, and other incentives such as payments for training and R&D out of national funds. Did you know that there are schemes whereby such companies get a refund of the 35% corporate tax they pay on profits, on distribution of these profits to shareholders, which means that they effectively pay only 5% in tax?

In other words they benefited from ‘corporate welfare’, which incentives are admittedly sometimes necessary (emphasis on ‘sometimes’!).

The company is doing very well with revenues and profits increasing year after year, but corporate greed is never satisfied. To make even more profits they will now shed 110 workers in Malta (not to mention in other countries). Is it time to ask for them to pay back the tax breaks and other public funds they sucked up?

The Arrow Pharm story is sadly another textbook case of corporate greed. Socialising losses and privatising profits.

This case calls for the implementation of a Financial Transaction Tax across the EU. We must make these companies carry the costs to society of their greed – the shedding of workers in the pursuit of ‘share-value’. Speculation on the financial markets is having its effects – even here in Malta. Government intervening to find replacement jobs is all well and good – here again it is the ‘losses’ being carried by society (as represented by Government) – but the discussion and action must go beyond this. The FTT is one concrete measure.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140205/local/arrow-pharm-set-to-sack-110-workers.505607#.UvI4_z28DCc

http://ir.actavis.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=65778&p=irol-newsArticle&id=1660722

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=65778&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1360928

Id-demokrazija bażika u l-Isqof Scicluna

(sors tal-istorja li qed nikkummenta fuqha: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Bishop-Scicluna-calls-for-secret-ballot-on-civil-union-bill-20140114)

Meta Isqof jidħol fl-isfera pubblika billi jitkellem fuq attwalita, r-risposti għal kliemu ma jistgħux ikunu għajr risposti politiċi, fis-sens kollu tal-kelma.

M’għandix għalfejn ngħid li l-Isqof Scicluna għandu kull dritt jgħid li jrid, fuq liema suġġett irid, meta jrid u kif irid. F’soċjeta demokratika dan għandu jkun ovvju. Ovvjament kulħadd għandu d-dritt jirrispondieh.

Mhux se nidħol fil-merti tas-suġġett li fuqu tkellem, iġifieri l-unjoni ċivili. Lanqas ta’ jekk kienx hemm min qagħad jilgħab bil-kliem qabel l-elezzjoni – dawk jarah hu. Il-pożizzjoni tal-AD ( u tiegħi) hija ċara daqs il-kristall.

Lanqas se nidħol fid-diskors tal-Isqof li hemm Alla għassa ta’ kulħadd ‘qed jarana’ – qiesu xi ‘big brother’jew xi surmast tal-iskola  – dak l-istil ta’ diskors jarah hu.

Imma l-Isqof, bi kliemu wera li m’għandu l-ebda idea ta’ x’inhi d-demokrazija rappreżentattiva. Mill-iżgħar kunsill lokali sal-parlament nazzjonali, sa Brussell fil-Parlament Ewropew, in-nies jiddelegaw is-sovranita tagħhom u jagħżlu rappreżentanti biex minflokhom u f’isimhom jiddeċiedu fuq liġijiet, tmexxija u nfieq ta’ flus pubbliċi.

Mela peress li dawn ir-rappreżentanti qed jirrappreżentaw lil ħaddieħor – il—“ħaddieħor” għandhom id-dritt li jkunu jaqfu kif qed jiddeċiedu r-rappreżentanti tagħhom. L-għajta tal-Isqof Scicluna għal voti sigriet fil-Parlament Malti (xi ħaġa li diġa ma tistax issir), hija idea anti-demokratika. In-nies għandhom id-dritt ikunu jafu kif jivvutaw fil-Parlament ir-rappreżentanti tagħhom, irresittivament minn kif u fuq liema suġġett jivvutaw. Ir-rappreżentanti eletti għandhom id-dmir jispjegaw kif ivvutaw u għaliex ivvutaw bil-mod li jkunu vvutaw.

Forsi hemm min jgħid li madanakollu fl-elezzjonijiet u fir-referenda l-vot huwa sigriet. Mitt darba u elf, iżda f’dawn il-każijiet m’hemmx ‘delega’ – huwa ċ-ċittadin individwali li qed jeżerċita s-sovranita tiegħu u jiddeċiedi. M’hemm ħadd li qed jiddeċiedi f’ismu.

Ma stennejtx li l-Isqof Scicluna ma jafx b’dal-prinċipju bażiku tad-demokrazija rappreżentattiva. Membri Parlamentari li mhux lesti juru kif jivvutaw mhux posthom fil-Parlament. Fortunatament dak li qed jitlob l-Isqof Scicluna ma jistax isir bir-regoli parlamentari.

 

Trasport: minn froġa għal balbuljata?

Dwar il-froġa kbira ta’ Austin Gatt fit-trasport ma tantx hemm x’iżżid. Dwar in-nuqqas ta’ politika serja għal mobilita sostenibbli: kemm fuq l-art, kif ukoll bil-baħar, u sistema ta’ trasport pubbliku integrata, b’emfasi fuq żoni ħielsa mit-traffiku, kif ukoll politika pro-attiva favur mezzi alternattivi ta’ trasport fis-snin li għaddew lanqas wieħed għandu fejn jitfixkel għax ma tantx kien hemm xi inizjattivi innovattivi fuq xiex titkellem.

Kull meta, anke fuq livell lokali f’Ħ’Attard, ippruvajt naħdem fuq ideat bħal ‘home zones’ ma Transport Malta, ma tanxtx sibt entużjażmu jew koperazzjoni. Anke fuq sempliċi sinjali tat-traffiku jaqlgħulek qalbek.

Biex ma nsemmix l-postijiet li fihom ma kull nifs tżossok qed tifga: l-Imsida, l-Ħamrun, l-Fgura. Xi ħadd se jieħu d-deċiżjonijiet kuraġġużi biex jonqos t-traffiku f’dawn iż-żoni? L-indikazzjonijiet huma li mill-frejjeġ ta’ Gatt sejrin għall-balbuljati ta’ Joseph – Muscat u Mizzi.

Mill-ktejjeb dwar il-Budget 2014 li tqassam fid-djar:

“INTEJBU T-TRASPORT F’PAJJIŻNA”

“Taxxa tar-reġistrazzjoni tal-karozzi” – jgħidilna li dak li mhux suppost tħallas se jingħata lura. Tajjeb – hekk għandu jkun. Mhux aċċettabbli li dak li tħallas żejjed jibqa’ ma jingħatax lura.

Iżda mbagħad iż-żewġ punti l-oħra jgħidulna hekk:

“Prijorita lill-proġetti li jnaqqsu t-traffiku – Numru ta’ proġetti maħsuba biex inaqqsu t-traffiku madwar il-pajjiż, bi prijorita lill-flyovers.”

“CVA fil-Belt Valletta iżjed flessibbli – Parking b’xejn fil-Belt wara s-2.00pm u fi tmiem il-ġimgħa.”

Mela l-pjanijiet biex inaqqsu t-traffiku mhux xi ftehim ġdid li qatt ma jasal għal xi servizzi żejda ta’ trasport fil-ħinijiet u lejn u mill-postijiet tax-xogħol jew postijiet traffikużi. Il-pjanijiet mhux se jimbuttaw in-nies imorru l-Belt bit-trasport pubbliku. Il-pjanijiet mhux biex ineħħu t-traffiku mill-qalba tal-ibliet.

Jekk qed nifhem sew il-pjanijiet biex “intejbu t-trasport f’pajjiżna” huma:

* flyovers għal aktar traffiku;

* u aktar karozzi fil-Belt Valletta.

Imma qed naqra ħażin? Imma qed nitkellmu l-istess lingwa hawn jew le?

Minn froġa għal balbuljata.

Għal lira (jew Ewro?) addio kollox…

Il-kontradizzjonijiet inkredibbli, mhux inqas dawk tal-PN…

Dwar il-Mistra: MP tal-PN Ryan Callus, waqt laqgħa tal-bord tal-MEPA jitlob li tonqos l-intensita tal-bini (halliha li l-permess ‘outline’ kien diga hareg fi zmienhom, u l-istupru ta’ Malta ilu għaddej żmien), fl-istess waqt il-President tal-PN Anne Fenech tirrapreżenta lill-ispekulaturi …u tgħaddi tagħha.

Dwar il-bejgħ tal-passaporti: il-PN jopponi, iżda fl-waqt Francis Zammit Dimech (MP, PN) u kandidata tal-PN Therese Comodini Cachia jirrapreżentaw lir-rivali ta’ Henley, li huma wkoll jixtiequ jbiegħu l-passaporti.

‘Xogħol privat’ …kollox sew… xogħol privat u prostituzzjoni tal-prinċipji wkoll. imma kif jgħidu… għal lira (jew Ewro?) addio kollox!

Int lil min ivvutajt?

Ironika li s-Sindku ta’ Hal Balzan u l-Kunsilliera Nazzjonalisti imorru protesta fuq zvilupp eccessiv meta kienu huma stess li flimkien ma’ votanti Nazzjonalisti ohra li bil-vot taghhom poggew fil-Parlament il-persuni li wettqu politika ta’ zvilupp bla razan.

Ironika li l-Kunsilliera Laburisti imorru l-istess protesta meta bil-vot taghhom u ta’ votanti Laburisti ohra poggew fil-Parlament persuni li qed jaraw kif ikomplu IZIDU l-hekk imsejjah “zvilupp”.

Ironika kif xi nies jindunaw issa li z-zoni ta’ zvilupp zdiedu u z-zoni fejn jista’ jitwaqqa’ l-bini u jsir bini b’aktar sulari zdiedu, meta dawn id-decizjonijiet ittiehdu mill-kabinett ta’ Gonzi fl-2006 – 7 SNIN ILU! Daz-zmien meta xi hadd jaghmel xi lment nistaqsieh b’wicci minn quddiem: imma int, lil min ivvutajt?

L-ewwel jappoggjaw lil min jaghmel policies favur l-ispekulaturi imbaghad jorganizzalek protesta… hallina Montebello tridx!

“Ieqaf ftit u aħseb jekk bil-vot tiegħek inti kontx wieħed jew waħda minn dawk li appoġġajt lil dawk li dejjem iddefendew l-ispekulaturi. F’dak il-każ għalfejn qed tipprotesta? Ħares fil-mera u għid: it-tort kollu tiegħi!”

Aktar bini, grazzi għal Pullicino, il-PN u l-Labour

Beda l-bini f’għalqa f’tarf Ħ’Attard, faċċata tas-Saint Catherine’s Pharmacy (l-isfel mill-kappella tal-Mirakli), f’dik li sa qabel l-2006 kienet art barra ż-żona tal-iżvilupp. Fl-2006 l-Parlament approva l-hekk imsejħa ‘razzjonalizazzjoni’ bil-Gvern u wieħed mill-agħar Ministri tal-Ambjent li qatt rajna jiġġustifika aktar u aktar bini, bl-Oppożizzjoni ta’ dak iż-żmien tkompli mal-Gvern u tipproponi aktar art għall-iżvilupp hi ukoll. Prosit! Kburi li ma nappoġġjax lil PNPL. Kburi li mal-AD għamilna li stajna biex inwaqqfu dal-ġenn.

Kburi li opponejna dal-ġenn tan-Nazzjonalisti appoġġjat mill-Labour. Ħasra li ħafna nies jindunaw b’dak li qed jiġri wara li l-fatt ikun sar u mingħajr ma jafu jkunu taw l-arja u s-saħħa lil dawk responsabbli għal dan il-ġenn.