Antoine, u jekk ikollok “xi haga hazina fid-DNA”?

No rational mind could blame for not respecting most of you here, Tim.

Consider this article. It starts with the EU’s funding of Malta’s biometric card system (EU funding always sounds nice, conveniently forgetting that we contribute huge millions to those same funds). Then, after some minor details, it goes into shock-horror mode over fingerprinting – which is commendable, of course, and here I stand with Daphne.

Yet she then embarks on a wild goose chase, adding a bit of salt and gadget for taste, ultimately finding solace in Austin’s bland reply.

The source of this piece of tyranny is never questioned. It is taken for granted that it’s something the Maltese parliament is concocting, while Austin plays his violin.

Yet a link to the relevant EU regulation, which is binding and which has even been published in the Official Journal, is treated as a ‘conspiracy theory’ – worse, even: it never happened!

Only the ‘Commission Decision’ concerning technical specifications is yet unpublished… and it’s not because they’re having second thoughts.

I’ll leave you all in peace. I never imagined your standards could be as low as this. You really have nothing to laugh about. Stagnati f’illuzzjoni helwa, helwa, tant li l-ebda sajjetta ma tqajjimkom.

The UK might not have ID cards but the “police enforcement” cameras all over the country read your car’s registration number and effectively shadow your every movement.

Moreover, at points of entry, vehicles and people are unknowingly scanned. I can confirm this because I have just experienced it.

I was stopped as I was about to board a ferry in my car. After the usual questions, “Did you pack everything yourself? bla bla bla”, I was asked to open the boot.

When the customs/immigration/security whatever personnel saw what I had, they said “Ahh that’s what it was.” Four shockabsorbers with coil springs which must have looked much like a weapon of mass destruction on an X-ray image. Talk about paranoid. They have earned it though and can now boast of a healthy, home-grown terrorist network.

Riya – kolla tal-mastrudaxxa would be easier to detach, but you’re covered in Araldite. I can’t help you with your problem, I’m afraid. Try painting your box pink.

That is actually done in several places.

….and how about when one is in the wrong place and at the wrong time… It happened…. to me, and it’s no joke I tell you.

Watertight you said? Here in Malta? Come on. Another ‘gadget’ shall soon be introduced in M.I.A. Yeah that ‘see through scanner’. Mur ara kemm se jitnejku bin nies, in-nies ta’ dwana, meta juzaw dan l-apparat fuq xi tfajla/mara etc li jafu, tghid il-membri tal parlament u l-kleru jkollhom jghaddu min din is- sigurta eletronika?!…….