Comments on: That's right, there's no racism in Malta

By: cikki

cikki — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:22:47 +0000

Unfortunately there are too many laws in Malta which are passed and then seldom enforced. Drunk-driving is but one example. When I lived in the country in Scotland, nobody drank more than they were allowed and then drove home. They were terrified of losing their licence, although the chances of seeing a policeman on a country lane at night were one in a million. Can the same be said of Maltese drivers at the weekend? As far as I know the same law applies here.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:29:08 +0000

cikki,

There is in fact a law against it but it’s not always enforced. The problem is not that there are no laws but not enough people stand up to the bullies.

By: cikki

cikki — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:46:55 +0000

Re Lippu Schembri

How do all the “I am not a racist but…” reply to this?

Should there not be some law to stop this shameful
behaviour from happening?

By: Lippu Schembri

Lippu Schembri — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:54:49 +0000

Hello,

I would first like to say Malta is such a wonderful country and the people can be very accommodating. I am half BLACK and half white MALTESE and I believe there is still a lot of racism in Malta (and within my own family who happen to be Maltese). But at the same time you would also have those who are just careful with those who seem to be a bit different. I was in a restaurant having dinner with a girl I met in Malta and paid the bill with my credit card, when the waiter called the manager over and demanded i hand over the STOLEN credit card and leave the restaurant, as I could not possibly have a Maltese surname. I have been refused entry to a lot of clubs in Paceville by doormen and have been refused service in Bank of Valletta. I have also had the same bus experience as the guy above; I speak Maltese as I was raised in the south of Malta and I understand the custom so why am I treated differently? And why are good Maltese allowing this to happen?

By: Sybil

Sybil — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:22:41 +0000

Did the son of this Rita Axisa give up her seat to the dark skinned would be passenger and in so doing , give a good example to others?

This letter reminds me of a similar one written last year where a gentleman bemoaned the fact that a bus driver had left a dark-skinned passenger stranded because of insufficient funds for a bus fare. It did not occur to this altruistic gentleman though that he would have sounded a lot more convincing and credible if he paid the bus fare of the dark skinned guy instead of watching him remain stranded and then gloating over the alleged racism of the whole Maltese nation in the Times. By the why this guy writing the letter at the time thought that people did not know that when he wrote that letter he was a past member of a local rent-a-crowd leftie/euro-funded ngo group and an active member of a pressure group well known for having a senior member caught not practising what he preached. C’est la vie. No one is perfect I guess.

By: Tony Pace

Tony Pace — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:41:47 +0000

Andrea
Chinky chinky ??? and he probably thought he was oh so funny. They are cowboys and peasants and there is only one solution which will work ………, but as it’s this time of the year, I will just wish you Andrea, Daphne and all your bloggers good health in 2009. I for one can say that your continuous posts have been interesting, informative, stimulating and most of all entertaining. Auguri

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:17:09 +0000

Koppja turisti telghu tal-linja mghobbijin mhux hazin.
Ir-ragel staqsa lix-xufier “is dis to di hajpogijom?”
“U poggijhom hemm Cali ” wiegeb pront pront ix-xufier.

Is-sena t-tajba lil-kulhadd.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:21:43 +0000

You can say that also about the Malta Resources ‘Authority’ .

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:05:53 +0000

@Tony Pace
Some Maltese bus drivers get away with brutishness. Once, on the bus towards Sliema I had the pleasure of watching following scene: A young Asian couple tried to board the bus and the driver, one of those toothless wonders in a dirty shirt, shouted at them: “Hey, hurry up CHINKY, CHINKY!”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:12:03 +0000

“No it wouldn’t. If I had been there, that’s exactly what I would have done.”

In that case I salute you. Although it would make a bigger statement if most of the bus made a big deal about it, otherwise it just looks like some crazy bleeding heart liberal crazy woman making a fuss rather than what it should be, a definite NO against racism.