Errrr, Astrid – I think you've got the wrong building
Aw, sir - hawn wahda mara bil-megaphone hawn barra, tawweg bl-Ingliz. Ha nghidlha Move on pliss, orrajt?
We shall, we shall not be moved! We shall, we shall not be moved! Out comes the megaphone. Brrrmmm. “Ma nifilhux izjed!” Then a tap on the shoulder: “Ehm, Mrs Vella. I think you’ve got the wrong building.”
Hilarious.
Instead of going into session to discuss how they would communicate to The People their reactions to that night’s unveiling of the Renzo Piano project, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar spent last Saturday protesting against the Unbelievable, Outrageous Attack on Our Children’s Heritage outside an old building in Qormi.
They told the press that this building used to be an armoury for the Order of St John (“the knights” ) and that a block of flats was about to be built in its back garden. The protest was staged on Saturday for maximum exposure in the Sunday newspapers.
Then the planning authority issued a press release of its own: Astrid had the wrong building. The armoury is now the local police station, and the house outside which she stood blasting her troops with her megaphone is being restored by its owners for use as their home, with the necessary permits.
The Qormi armoury, meanwhile, has been scheduled since 1993 and is included in the planning authority’s cultural heritage list.
Well, you can’t really expect much better from somebody who went into battle over a ‘baroque house’ near Stella Maris parish church in Sliema. Baroque house, my Lidl barbecue (not that I have one).
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Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I don’t think this piece is factual or fair.
Maybe this gives a better idea.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090702/local/old-armoury-extension-to-be-preserved-and-restored
[Daphne – Not at all. Meanwhile, over at The Malta Independent, they cut to the chase: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=90383 ]
Touché
In one fell swoop…Jacques Rene Zammit (with your comment on his blog)…and Astrid Vella (here)
Go lass, go.
From The Times 2/7/09
“When contacted yesterday, Miriam Cremona, from the FAA, . . . . . . . . denied that the organisation had said the armoury would be demolished, . . . .”
“Qormi development destroys 18th century armoury – FAA.
Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar is “extremely” concerned about the destruction of the Qormi Armoury . . . . ”
Maltastar.com 28 June 2009 12:59
(couldn’t find original press release in FAA site. It hasn’t been updated for ages)
They’re too busy socialising and having tea to be able to keep a decent website up-to-date.
Typical amateurs!
Kollox jghaddi Malta, basta kulhadd rasu kbira u taparsi jifhem.
It should be noted that FAA had attacked the MEPA Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee, accusing them of having washed their hands of the case and not doing their duty. In fact, the HCAC had carried out a site inspection and imposed various conditions, including a bank guarantee (only for the extension since the armoury itself was not involved in any way).
Perhaps the FAA will now apologise to the HCAC members.
[Daphne – Dak li ghandhom, daqs kemm huma arroganti u bla dekor. Don’t forget that they think of themselves as the ruling class: never apologise, never explain. Qabda sriedaq iwerzqu.]
No regrets!
Mela sabithu il-megaphone?
Ask Astrid how many times a day she goes up Ghar il-Lembi Street, where she lives, from the Ghar id-Dud side, against the one-way traffic system. When confronted about this, she said that the “sindku tas-Sliema jaf u taghni permess”. Mhux qed nirreferi ghas sindku l-gdid. I used to live there.
[Daphne – Minn jaf kemm marret thanxirlu bil-baby gulli voice li ghandha. Il-veru kaz. Arrogant is as arrogant does.]
In the US not even the people’s representatives are given the chance to read congressional bills before a vote, let alone the people themselves: http://www.examiner.com/x-14613-Kansas-City-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m7d1-Clean-Energy-and-Security-Act-brings-auditors-into-your-home
By comparison, Malta is so democratic that even public and private construction is subjected to the people’s scrutiny (although we are practically blind when it comes to EU legislation – but that’s Malta’s democratic deficit: EU membership).
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090618/local/march-against-controversial-bahrija-development
Where were Astrid vella and Lino Bugeja in the 1980s when Labour ministers and MPs used to decide who built what and where? Both of them were over 18 and could organise protests but they didn’t even join in the protests organised by others. If you are from Rabat you will know that most of the people in this protest video are Rabat Labour supporters who were nowhere to be seen when a Labour MP biult his house on Roman remains in the same locality and still enjoys it because nobody cared to say anything then and nobody cares now.