San Guzepp's Ferro Agosto in Brussels
Joseph Muscat’s decision not to come back to Malta before the summer recess of the European Parliament is causing unnecessary Constituional problems. Forget Brussels – Malta is where he should be now that he has been elected leader of a political party that is torn apart by problems.
We know that he is an essay in self-love, but surely he is not trying to tell us that the European Parliament cannot function without him? In that case, he’s in luck. There will not be any plenary sessions of the European Parliament between 10 July and 1 September. The whole of bureaucratic Brussels shuts down for six weeks between the middle of July and the end of August. Nothing, but nothing, happens in August in Brussels, except summer sales of bikinis and cotton mini-skirts. So Joseph Muscat can come back home to Labour safe in the knowledge that the European Parliament will not collapse without him.
Ah, but he has told us repeatedly that he will not return for now, and certainly not before September. Hmmmmm. He blames it on a report he’s writing. In the Internet age, can’t he write it at home with Lil Din and the twins? Maybe he needs to interview people. In that case, he’d better do it fast, because the entire Brussels bureaucracy vanishes for the whole of August, and Joseph Muscat will find himself wandering the hot streets of Brussels all alone, trying to interview people who are on holiday.
Well, it’s interesting to see that the only MEP left behind in Brussels for the entire month of August is going to be the newly appointed leader of Malta’s Labour Party.
So what’s the real reason he won’t come back before September (if that)? I think one of our intrepid male journalists should have faced him down and asked him that question, instead of salivating like lovestruck teenagers sitting opposite Jessica Rabbit.
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DCG, you’re sounding a bit jealous of the male journalist and the enduring lurve young Joseph has engendered in them…. and for the benefit of all the little elves who will jump on this because they will think there’s trouble in Paradise, I’M KIDDING!
@Yes, I know, Andrew – it’s been my lifelong ambition to get as many male journalists as possible to have the hots for me. Beside them, George Clooney fades into nothingness.
Perhaps what he means is he’ll vacate his MEP seat?
Try writing about that Daphne, you’d be closer to fact than fiction.
The report can be written by a junior secretary. It is just extracting the Brussels juice for a few more months before getting adjusted to the salary of Leader of Opposition.
Apart from that, in accepting Charles Mangion to continue as LoO it is breaking the MLP statute which states that the Leader of the Party is automatically the LoO. So as the current Leader has no seat in parliament and cannot be LoO than the Deputy Leader is according to the statute obliged to perform the function of LoO. Anglu has to be LoO but it seems he wants Charles to continue as LoO – is it stinky in the loo?
Everyone who is familiar with how European Parliament functions, knows that the zillion of reports written are drafted and written by the EU civil servants, technocrats and hired contractuals, and there is no way that any MEP will sit down and write a report on such a key issue, let alone somebody with a limited (or complete absence) knowledge in this area.
It’s all bluff, and the bottom line is money, perks and taking credit where none is due.
I have never beleived that Maltese journalists would be so naive and undaring. Nobody asks the real questions. All they do is go to press conferences and write down transcripts. Where is the Maltese version of Ms. Amanpour?
Point of Information: The European Parliament is based in Strasbourg, France and not Brussels, Belgium which is where the European Commission is based (in part). The European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors and part of the Commission are based in Luxembourg.
Is it because he’ll lose out on his pension??????
@Uncle Fester,
Just for the sake of correctness, the Official seat of the EP is in Strasbourg, but all the committee meetings, political groups’ meetings and other meetings are held in Brussels. In Strasbourg only the Plenary session of Parliament meets. The plenary session is held once a month, while 7 other mini plenary sessions are held in Brussels during the year. Nevertheless, rest assured that no MEP will be present, neither in Brussels nor in Strasbourg between the 17th of July and the 24th of August….Except for DRJM that is.
@Kev, if he’s going to resign his seat, don’t you think he had better do it before the EP shuts up shop on 10 July?
Uncle Fester – and your point is?
@Daphne. My point is that you just possibly where wrong or not quite correct on something, strange as that notion may appear to you.
@Daphne – Yes, but he might as well take a summer vacation as an MEP first – no big deal there :o)
The way you describe it gives a distorted view to the many sheep that flock to your salon. You must admit that you twist and distort the truth beyond its elastic limitation.
By the way, the European Parliament shuts down on 17 July (actually it’s 25 July, but the last week is what is know as “Yellow Week” – that’s when MEPs visit their constituents.
@Uncle Fester – The European Parliament is based in both Brussels and Strasbourg (with an administrative building in Luxembourg).
Brussels is the main base, where the committees meet, the groups hold meetings and where mini-plenaries take place. Once a month, however, there is a 4-day plenary session in Strasbourg. That’s when whole staff caravans and their “cantines” are moved from Brussels to Strasbourg and back, costing the European taxpayer an extra 250 million euros annually.
Daphne, I think you meant Ferragosto (not Ferro Agosto). The Italian word was derived from the Latin phrase Feriae Augusti which means resting during August.
You need to sharpen up a bit your Maltese and Italian! ;)
Have a nice week!
Thank you, Mary Borg – you’re right about the title. I don’t speak Italian though, so it’s not a matter of sharpening it up. I never felt it worth learning the language just for the occasional visit to Italy. I don’t need to sharpen up my Maltese; it’s pretty good as it is.
@Daphne. To help you understand yourself: Tax-Xelin u Tal-pepè huma żewġ laqmijiet tas-Slimiżi. It-tieni wieħed ġej mill-fatt li n-nies ta’ Tas-Sliema kienu meqjusa bħala ta’ klassi għolja u li jħobbu jitfgħu ħafna kliem bl-Ingliż. B’hekk b’pepè jkunu jridu juru ċertu snobbiżmu. Hemm min jgħid li l-kelma pepè ġejja mill-fatt li s-Slimiżi kienu jsejjħu lil missierhom papà b’ċertu tgħawwiġ ta’ l-ilsien minflok missier, pà jew tà kif kienu jsejjħulu n-nies t’irħula oħra. B’hekk ħadu l-laqam tal-papà li bit-tgħawwiġ ta’ l-ilsien inbidel f’pepè,
Uncle Fester – Kun ghaf li l-bicca l-kbira min tas-Sliema tikkonsisti minn nies li m’huma xejn bhal ma’ tghid int, specjalment dawn l-ahhar snin, fejn tas-Sliema saret mimlija bin-nies min kull rahal ta’ Malta. Barra min hekk, dejjem ghidt li kull min jghid li n-nies ta’ tas-Sliema huma “tal-pepe” ghadu ma’ skoprix il-bicca l-kbira ta’ dar-rahal.
Incidentalment, ahna li twelidna u trabbejna tas-Sliema, ma’ nghidhux “papa'”, u l-anqas “dedi'”, izda “daddy” …
Kuntent, issa?
Actually, Uncle Fester, my entire family is from Valletta.
I am Sliema born and bred and damn proud of it!
Daphne`s comment about not speaking Italian confirms something I observe regarding knowledge of languages. Those who are raised at home speaking English seem to totally neglect other languages. Ironically they are thus much more insular then they even dare to imagine!
The pepe issue is so ridiculous – and the newer generation that are starting to ‘codeswitch’ and boasting about it are just pathetic…
I was surrounded by people of that type at school and funnily enough they always scored much lower grades in their english exams both at o level and a level if they even get there…
so much for ‘daddy’ and not ‘pa’ …
Albert Farrugia: What rubbish. You presume to know an awful lot for someone who did not grow up in the same household as Daphne, I and out two other sisters did. English was not the only language heard in our home and speaking only English does not make one insular, though being block headed does.
Whats up with the generalisations today? I guess I’ll join in.
@Albert Farrugia:
Your a fine one to talk about insularity!
@Uncle Fester
For one, I think being tal-Pepe is far better than being a “hamallu baxx” like “n-nies t’irħula oħra”.
In my view, the “tal-Pepe” association is simply the result of some tar-rahal inferiority complex(or just plain “hdura”)that persists today albeit in a lesser form.
@m
The ‘codeswitching’ in this comment is dedicated to you.
@Albert Farrugia
That Daphne does not speak Italian does not confirm a rat’s arse, I consider English to be my mother tounge, yet speak fluent Maltese and Italian! I also communicate well in French and Spanish.
@M
I never boasted about being from Sliema, even though as I said earlier I am proud of it. I certainly never tried to hide it and never felt superior in any way. Now if some people feel inferior for not having a good command of a Maktese official language then that’s their problem not mine.
Really, Albert Farrugia – not speaking Italian makes me insular? I think you will find that the only people who speak Italian outside Italy are some Maltese. In the case of older generations, this would be because they came from pro-PN families and considered Italian to be their mother tongue (I assume you are not one of those). In the case of those raised in the television age, it’s usually because they watched RAI more often than TVM. Italian lessons at school are not the reason, otherwise we would all be fluent in French, too. People who speak good English rarely need to learn another language, which is why the English are so poor at languages. They have no motivation.
@Amanda Mallia. Ghall-informazzjoni tieghek nofs il-familja tieghi huwa minn tas-Sliema minn zmien il-buznanniet biss ma nikkunsidrawx rwiehna “tal-pepe” ghax ma nhossux li ahna superjuri ghal hadd. In-nofs l-iehor tal-familja huma mill-Belt bhal ta’Daphne w l-istess hadd ma ghandu kumpless ta’superjorita bhal ma ghandha Daphne.
@Corinne Vella. I believe that there is some truth in what Albert Farrugia is saying. English speakers tend to be less proficient in other languages. Maybe it is because it is so easy to communicate in English that they don’t have to try to learn another language. Whether that necessarily makes them insular is another matter. I don’t believe that for a second.
@Daphne,
Actually a chunk of Switzerland and San Marino speak Italian too :)
Uncle Fester: You make a distinction that Albert Farrugia does not make. What he said earlier is that Maltese people who speak English are insular, so there really is no truth in what he’s saying.
Quoting David Buttigieg:
“I consider English to be my mother tounge”
Priceless!
@ David: That’s true. Most precisely in the Ticino region. Italian is also spoken in surrounding countries like Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Romania and Slovenia. In fact if you visit these countries it would be much easier to communicate in Italian than in English.
Former African colonies still speak the language too.
@David Buttigieg. And don’t forget Vatican City State!
Albert implying Daphne is insular, is a bit like Stalin saying he thought the Pope was a dictator.
She may be obsessive and worries a subject to death – a bit like a rogue terrier and a dead sheep, but insular.. never. :)
To Albert Farrugia et al
At the risk of pulling the temple down over my head I find myself unable to resist the temptation to join in this mindless discussion on which language is the most useful to have. In addition the language Taliban will surely come after me, but here goes.
Given a choice between which language should be preferred between Maltese, Italian and English I would opt hands down and with both feet for English. Maltese would come a close second, as long as English is the first choice. Italian – sorry, I’m happy that the Italians have such a beautiful language, but I have done without it for most of my life, so thank you, let the Italians keep it and continue to struggle to learn English.
At work I have never had to communicate in writing in Maltese, simply because the people at the receiving end would not understand a word if I did so. At home and socially I use both English and Maltese, depending on the context.
One of the most curious things I observe is that the language Taliban become very excited when English words or words derived (and/or corrupted) from English are used in Maltese conversation, but they never seem to have any objection to words of Italian origin.
Knowing only Maltese and Italian makes one insular. Knowing English enables one to communicate with most of the world. Unfortunately there seems to be in motion a concerted attack on the use of English with the so-called aim of protecting our Maltese heritage. This kind of reasoning has resulted in the use of bad English in younger people, an increase in parochialism and an exaggerated sense of our importance on the world stage.
I respect people who can write grammatically correct Maltese and would have liked to have been able to do the same. However I am not going to tear my hair out over the fact that I cannot do so. I suggest that we accept the fact that Maltese is fine and an indispensible tool to communicate with other Maltese, but it should stop there.
@C. Cauchi
Why such a show of emotions whenever this language business is mentioned? If you look carefully around you, you will see – and you seem to confirm it – that those who are raised speaking only English seem to have no interest in learning other languages. They might know some Maltese, but other languages are a no-no, they are “unnecessary”. Now although English is the most spoken language in the world as a second language, this is absolutely not so in Europe. Contrary to what many think, very few Europeans really speak English, beyond a very rudimentary knowledge. Thus, knowing only English means that one is totally cut off from what is going on, and what is being written and discussed in mainland Europe. Since so very few maltese read italian or french or german or spanish. Thus they are, yes, insular, as they are trapped within the confines of what we call “the English-speaking world”, which in the Europe we belong to, consists of only the UK and Ireland, not counting Malta.
Fact 1: Malta must be one of the foremost countries in the world as regards foreign-language speaking. Italian, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Arabic have become quite commonly spoken.
Fact 2: I agree with whoever said that proficiency in a foreign language depends on its exposure, especially when you’re young. I grew up watching Italian TV most of the time, so I never had difficulty undertanding or speaking Italian. My son grew up watching Cartoon Network and MTV, so whilst at home we speak in Maltese, he understood and spoke English (and most of the swear words, courtesy of Eminem and MTV!) ever since he learnt how to speak.
Fact 3: Although English may arguably be the only language you need to master in this day and age to be able to communicate world-wide, I find it stupid and neolithic to relegate Maltese to a dead language, as some ‘Maltese’ are wont in doing. Firstly, Maltese is a beautiful and unique language, and secondly, our language, and actually, all mother languages, is what makes us different from other countries. Should we be ashamed of being Maltese?
A well-known company has set up in Malta a call-centre catering for its English customers. Obviously, proficiency in English was a must when recruiting its staff, but can someone please explain why this company insists in having its staff speak solely in English, even while talking amongst each other?
@Albert Farrugia
You said: ‘Since so very few maltese read italian or french or german or spanish. ‘
By that you mean reading the mentioned countries’ media and literature? If so, you are right, and I agree.
@Mary Borg – when was the last time you visited Croatia, Serbia and the ‘African colonies’? No, you won’t be able to communicate in Italian.
As for the people who speak Italian in Switzerland – they are culturally and ethnically Italian. That’s why they speak Italian.
@Charmaine,
I stand by what I said and proud if it!!
It’s the same with most of my friends and so many people!
Cheerio!
Albert Farrugia: The English speaking world consists of all people who speak English. That includes everyone who can use English to a reasonable degree – even those in the countries you call “Europe” that are not “the UK and Ireland”. You make an unreasonable assumption about English speakers being insular. It is not the lack of knowledge of another language that cuts one off from a stream of ideas. It is a lack of interest in other points of view that is to blame. It is possible to be a fool in many tongues.
@ David Buttigieg
I wasn’t doubting what you said at all.
It’s evident that you haven’t yet noticed the amusing side of your sentence “I consider English to be my mother tounge”…
;)
@ Daphne… I have been to Croatia and the surrounding regions more than once in the last six years and I assure they do speak fluent Italian. In fact Italian is one of the official languages of the country. Most of them watch the same TV programmes that are broadcasted in Malta as well.
I also forgot to include Albania. In fact, most Albanian immigrants living in Italy have been exposed to Italian culture since tender age.
@ Uncle Fester: Right we forgot to mention the Holy See too.
@Daphne Caruana Galizia
Let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time a young man asked the village wise man:
“Master, which is the most beautiful language in the world”?
“There is no such thing”, replied the old man.
“But, when I talk to God, I speak in Spanish.
When I call my mother, I talk to her in Italian and I use French when I make love to my women”
The wise man continued: “English is the language I use with my beloved pets and when I meet a soldier I address him in German”
The old man’s parting advice was: “Young man, do not bother to converse with anyone who cannot speak at least two of these languages…..they are not worth your time”
Ferro Agosto! What a howler!
What’s next? Bronzo Settembre?
@Ray Borg: live in the land of parables, do you? I notice that your old man doesn’t include the Maltese language in the list of those worth speaking, and that your wise man inhabits a personal tower of Babel. And of course he would speak French when having sex – but then cliche is a French word, isn’t it?
Oh Daphne, dear Daphne
You missed on every important point here. The wise old man did not mention sex at all. He spoke about making love and that takes a lot of tender conversation. Sex, on the other hand, needs much less talk and hardly any tenderness