Comments on: WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

By: Pauline

Pauline — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:54:31 +0000

I trust your sources for writing this article and for exposing your doubts about this case.

In cases of physical and sexual abuse, many victims are also psychologically abused. I know someone in person who had been both physically and sexually abused in the home environment.

Some priest knew about it, also some teachers and tal-Muzew. No one lifted a finger to help the victim get out of the abusive environment. Actually, they were trying to shut the victim’s mouth. Sometimes it might be difficult to escape the perpetrator.

By: R. Camilleri

R. Camilleri — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:00:56 +0000

While on the subject of the PL emblem, I have to say I wish the PN renamed their party. “Nationalist” does not sound too good nowadays and is certainly not in line with the party’s ideas.

By: gwap

gwap — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:38:31 +0000

“those men ” should have got life. Their short term of prison does not diminish the current young man’s crime. In my view 8 years is not enough.

[Daphne – Apparently, life is not applicable for that sort of crime.]

Why do you mention the Pandofino brothers by name but omit to mention the young man’s name here?

[Daphne – Because it means nothing to anyone. I can’t even remember it myself. The Pandolfino brothers, on the other hand, are notorious.]

If it’s in the public record on any reasonable judgement of fair play you should tell his name. By not doing so and comparing his term of prison to an older case and mentioning the names of culprits in the older case it may be construed that you are trying to defend him.

[Daphne – If I were concerned about how X, Y and Z might construe things I have written, I wouldn’t be writing this sort of thing in the first place,. I would stick to reviewing dog shows.]

By: ciccio2010

ciccio2010 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:47:56 +0000

Keeping its current emblem, but turning it upside down, should deliver Labour’s intended message and do the trick.

By: Riya

Riya — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:55:18 +0000

Prosit, Daphne, good article as usual. But court decisions in Malta are not always the same. Do we have a different law for different people? Or maybe different accusations by the police? I wish I am given an explanation on this issue by some experts in the field.

By: eros

eros — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:28:15 +0000

The first part of your article, which is about how a 14-year old boy can become ‘trapped’ into consenting sex with an older person, brought to my mind the excellent book that I read recently: Beyond Belief by Colm O’Gorman, the true story of a young boy in a very Catholic family in Ireland, who was repeatedly raped by a trusted family friend, a priest. A most compelling read, which I admit occasionally made me cry. Do yourself a favour and you might understand better how such horrible things can happen.

[Daphne – The point is that this man was not a friend, so the context of trust and familiarity was absent.]

By: TROY

TROY — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:38:29 +0000

I shall submit a design as well, and I will use a false name, considering that the Party whose emblem I’m helping to design is also using a false name – progressive and moderate.

By: K Farrugia

K Farrugia — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:20:05 +0000

“A ‘panel of experts’ will then draw up a short-list of what they think are the best designs, and then Labour Party members will be asked to vote by SMS.”

Labour has already rejected the proposals brought up by a (real) panel of experts regarding journalism issues. I wonder about the treatment this new panel of experts will receive.

Which technical implementation will be in place to ensure that only Labour supporters vote by SMS? Labour is renowned for their mismanagement of “progressive” IT systems. They don’t trust our highly structured electoral system, will they trust a voting through a medium which is accessible to everyone?

What if I am a die-hard Nazzjonalist who sends an SMS? I would then vote for your Hello Kitty design.

By: Jo

Jo — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:04:23 +0000

It seems to me that the courts have different measures depending on whether you are of Arabic origin or not. Before I pass any further comment how many years ago did this episode happen?

By: Intaglio

Intaglio — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:07:12 +0000

Re : Inexplicably paltry prison sentences. Would it help you understand better if I were to explain that the Attorney General, in remanding the Pandolfinos for trial, charged them with offences that fell within the remit of a magistrate’s court, as opposed to trial by jury. This automatically meant that the maximum sentence they could be given was 10 years. As to why he (the AG, that is) chose to do that is probably beyond the scope of this discussion.