GUEST POST: A Xarabank Story

It’s Friday evening, 8th January, and we’re sitting on a bus driven by Joe aka Peppi Azzopardi. The destination? Probably the Auberge de Castille.

One of the commuters is holding a dog on his lap and telling his moving story. Yes, his mother was unwell at the state general hospital and she is extremely fond of that dog. Yes, he is aware that there are rules against dogs in hospital wards. But hey, what are rules for? His mother has a right to see her dog. After all, she is ill – unlike, presumably, every other person in bed in that hospital.

So he took the dog to the hospital anyway, because his mother has a right to see it despite the rules. The security guard on the door was a real pain. He did not let him in with the dog. So the angry dog-owner had a light-bulb moment. Ring Peppi ta’ Xarabank! And he did. Peppi was really wonderful. He told the dog-owner that he can contact Neville, who is the Minister’s secretary, and Neville will sort things out.

Really? “Yes,” Peppi says, “Neville is really orrajt!” So the dog-owner phones Neville. Neville says it is fine. Go ahead, Neville says, and if you are stopped refer to me again. That’s easy. But…”Excuse me,” says the security guard again, “dogs are not allowed in the hospital.”

Ha ha ha, call Neville, you stupid guy. The security guard calls Neville and yes, the dog-owner can see him nodding. The dog-owner is allowed in with his dog! God bless Neville. God bless the Minister for choosing Neville. Mother is thrilled as she was never expecting this. Her dog has come to see her in her hospital bed, in the ward.

This is a true story. Look, here is a video of this great event – the dog in the ward.

All the commuters on Peppi’s Xarabank watch the video and clap their hands. They are all moved. One or two even shed a tear. Peppi is now smiling as the bus moves a few metres towards Chez Joseph. “If you really need anything,” he says, “Neville will help you for sure.” He stops short of giving out the amazing Neville’s phone number. But that’s easy to obtain. Peppi will provide that in case of emergency. Remember Peppi is orrajt and all his friends are orrajt too.

We are now at the stage that we are so surrounded by such wide abuse of power that we are now unable to see it for what it is. Abuse of power is “being orrajt“. And worse, this abuse of power is promoted as something wonderful on a much-viewed television show on the public service broadcaster.

What is the message? Forget rules. You have a right, even if a rule needs to be broken. Rules might be there for the common good, but you are more important. Dogs are not allowed in the hospital, but you and your mother are special so Neville has waved his magic wand and obliged the security guard to let the dog through. But if Neville does the same for somebody else and his dog, you can make a point of objecting on the basis that dogs are not allowed. So let’s get rid of that annoying rule altogether and allow everyone to bring their dogs into hospital wards. Why not? It would be so orrajt.

I was fuming, watching that on television. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. This is what sensible people now expect, but know won’t happen.

The Minister has got to reprimand Neville, pointing out that not even the Health Minister is empowered to over-rule hospital regulations, let alone Neville.

The security company has got to issue a warning to the security guard, pointing out sternly that he cannot bend the rules and that orders must come only from his superiors, and that Neville is not his superior. If he bends the rules because Neville rang him, what other rules might he be bending?

The nurses and doctors unions should lodge a strong protest about this incident and separately, about the way it was glorified on Xarabank.

As for that Peppi Azzopardi, he should be reminded that the public service broadcaster is there to educate and not to promote bad behavior, breaking the rules and abuse of power.

That Xarabank experience simply confirms how we have accepted abuse as a way of life. It’s very worrying indeed. It is the chronic syndrome of the Maltese mentality: anything could be solved by phoning the right person at the right time.