Comments on: Ta' Astrid ghandhom bzonn il-flus

By: Barbara Bode

Barbara Bode — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:58:09 +0000

On Friday, March 6, “P” wrote: “I know for a fact that animal welfare organisations, for example, sorely need such help from the government but have never succeeded in obtaining it. I stand to be corrected on this but it would appear that FAA is receiving preferential treatment.”

Correction: The SPCA of Gozo, an animal welfare organisation (no matter which way you spell it) has had the services of a wonderfully supportive and helpful bilingual man seconded from the public service for a number of (more than three or four) years.

By: mc

mc — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:41:47 +0000

@P Min jitwieled kwadru ma jmutx tond. FAA have misinformed people and attacked individuals far too often for them to change their ways. Assuming that a public officer will be seconded to FAA, every time they accuse an EIA expert of incompetence, abuse or worse on the mere pretext that he is paid by the developer, they will be committing yet another obscenity but this time using public funds.

By: Tonio Farrugia

Tonio Farrugia — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:27:41 +0000

The question seems to have been asked repeatedly, but has not been satisfactorily answered. If the would-be project manager is to be seconded from the public service, who approved this sponsorship and on what grounds? Maybe “the people” should speak up and have this decision reversed.

By: P

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:01:56 +0000

@ mc – I appreciate your concern. Yes, the project manager will be paid from your tax money. Kindly note what FAA itself says above: “Situations Vacant: Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) seeks a Project Manager who would be seconded from within the Public Service.”

That is why I asked FAA to dirty its hands with the implementation of projects and do something positive rather than sit back and attack any project they do not like as well as the people behind it. I’m really tempted to ask for the immediate resignation of Astrid Vella and her committee since it seems that they have “incurred significant expenses” that they could hardly afford. They are using people’s money.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:08:23 +0000

Unless there has been a recent change in government policy it is extremely difficult for an NGO to obtain a seconded civil servant to help with its activities. BirdLife has a number of such employees but they are working exclusively in the nature reserves which are government property. They also guide schoolchildren during field visits organised by the Ministry of Education so basically they are still working for government, albeit under BirdLife’s day-to-day management.

I know for a fact that animal welfare organisations, for example, sorely need such help from the government but have never succeeded in obtaining it. I stand to be corrected on this but it would appear that FAA is receiving preferential treatment.

By: mc

mc — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:03:15 +0000

“Does seconded from the public service” mean that this person will be paid for from government funds? If so, I think someone within government must have lost a bolt or two to agree to this. It is madness to use tax money to help a bunch of weirdos embark on misinformation campaigns attacking any project which is not to their liking and dragging through the mud anyone who expresses an opinion or does something which is not to their liking. It is my tax money and (as FAA people would put it) we …. the people ….object!

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:54:42 +0000

It says ” In the spirit of charity” – shouldn’t we donate, lest some Canadian is scandalised by our behaviour?

By: Tony Pace

Tony Pace — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:46:05 +0000

For any crappy reason, if anyone asks the question:
“who we gonna call?”
the answer is obviously gonna be:
The FAA
u halluna….

By: Graham C.

Graham C. — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:12:51 +0000

Oh they want money now. Really?

By: P Shaw

P Shaw — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:42:37 +0000

“….The plans for the creation of a one-storey car park for approximately 75 cars under St. George’s Square in Valletta are also being reconsidered following FAA’s bringing the existence of a network of passages to the attention of the authorities”

The Times is full of opinion pieces claiming credit for this “discovery”. What a bunch of immature amateurs, and what a village mentality. They do not have any self-awareness and they do not care how idiotic they are perceived to be. The most important aim is to claim credit and be constantly in the limelight.