The most unexpected aspect of the controversial permit for the redevelopment of a rural room in Qala, was the reaction by Nationalist MP Marthese Portelli. Her resignation from the Planning Board, after voting against the project, was a big move with wide ramifications. It raises fundamental questions about the role of politicians in the planning […] More
On Sunday morning, residents of Senglea and Cospicua braved the rain and gathered in a street rally. They demonstrated against the proposal by the American University of Malta to swallow up existing open spaces in their towns, by constructing new dormitory and administration blocks. The final decision is set to be taken in November by […] More
The dust is settling after a week of collective acts of sympathy, solidarity and respect. Two years have passed since the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Where does it go from here? Daphne has not been forgotten. Her voice is louder now than before. It can be heard from Valletta to Sydney, London, Berlin […] More
Joseph Muscat walked up the Auberge de Castille staircase to his new office in 2013 as the man with a roadmap. He knew where he was going. Six and a half years later, he gives the opposite impression. He no longer appears to have any idea where he is heading at all. He said he […] More
This week British members of parliament railed against their Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying that his incendiary and divisive language could embolden people, particularly extremists. They said that many of them already receive threats, including death threats, from members of the public angry about Brexit. Johnson’s language was taken to pose a threat, by charging […] More
Two of our very few, experienced women politicians are on their way out of the Maltese Parliament – Helena Dalli and Marlene Farrugia. Two seats might not sound like much, but Malta’s House of Representatives currently only has 10 women MPs in total. If Helena Dalli becomes EU Commissioner for Equality next month, which seems […] More
Will he go or won’t he? When Joseph Muscat had announced that he would step down after two terms, the leadership contenders within the Labour Party began to get on their marks. Next, the competitors crouched down to get set and began their campaigns. But Muscat has just announced he will not fire the pistol […] More
Last Saturday’s environmental protest brought together many different parts of society, of all ages. So far it is unclear whether the rally will have any noticeable effect on government decisions or actions. In a radio show the following day, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat promised that the next national budget will include environmental measures to improve […] More
Loud street protests are all over the news. People were out marching, demonstrating against governments. Peaceful protests in Hong Kong have been going on for months but have become increasingly complex and violent. Partly, the protests there are calling for greater democratic freedoms. Closer to home, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets […] More
A glimpse of a small arm tattoo recently took people unawares and reminded them of the book ‘Invicta: The Life and Death of Daphne Caruana Galiziaʼ, published shortly after her assassination in 2017. I took my copy of the book off its shelf, and sadly revisited it. This month, Daphne would have turned 55 years […] More
Leadership style matters. The same situation can be handled very differently depending on the approach. Some people are lenient, others are strict, some are fair and others not. The rules often don’t even need to be changed, for big changes to be felt on the ground. Good governance makes a difference. Last Monday, I attended […] More
In the blazing summer sun, anger at the building frenzy just adds to the heat. Hot on the heels of the Central Link project, two controversial development proposals in Gozo, at Qala and Sannat, are now in line for approval. Taking note of the public mood, Adrian Delia appeared on national television last Thursday and […] More
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