UPDATED WITH REPLIES FROM LILIAN CIAPPARA: Here’s one complaining to John Bundy because she can’t afford her SWIMMING-POOL LICENCE

Published: November 25, 2011 at 11:55pm

No, this is NOT a joke. This comment was posted tonight on Affari Taghna’s Facebook wall, Affari Taghna being John Bundy’s Friday night show, which today featured Spray-On Hair Muscat talking about how he understands the economy and Gonzi doesn’t.

Lillian Ciappara

meta kelli ragel jahdem konna ghamilna pool id dar u bhal ma jaf kull min ghandu pool,l ilma nixtruh ahna, inhallsu d dawl ghaliha u manutenzjoni …inhallsu ukoll il licenzja taghha li ma nafx ghalfejn…imma nsomma kont inhallasha…min mindu ir ragel ha l pensjoni(jien ma niehux ghax dejjem hdimt bhala mara tad dar) ma nistax inlahhaq mal kontijiet tad dawl , ahseb u ara noqghod inhallas il licenzja….meta ktibt li mra. qaluli biex ma nhallas il licenzja irrid nibbatma jigiefieri nordom il pool…din raguni ..mela hasbu li ghamiltha b xejn …forsi l quddiem inkun nista nerga nuzha…ma nistax nifhem ghaliex ghandni nhallas licenzja ta 120 euro fis sena …ahna din kienet l isfog taghna as sajf ax ma nhobbux nohorgu min habba parking…grazzi

Voting Labour (and being dumb, it follows) Mrs Ciappara hasn’t worked out that a simple click on her name takes you straight to her own Facebook profile, where she has lots of lovely photographs featuring the many trips she takes (and the car she drives) when she can’t afford – jahasra – 120 euros a year for her swimming-pool licence.




71 Comments Comment

  1. Not Sandy : P says:

    Once Joseph is ‘IN the helm’ all will fall into place. Ser jirranga il-parking, allura Lillian Ciappara tkun tista terga tohrog, ergo tkun tista tordom il-pool u la thallas licenzja u lanqas kontijiet tal-ilma w dawl konnessi mal-pool. Rebbieha, mhux darba, darbtejn, imma tlieta.

  2. H.P. Baxxter says:

    That gondolier is the shizz.

  3. U Le! says:

    A ride on the gondola is easily 80-100 euros. She should opt out of a 45 minute ride and pay her licence instead. It is all about money management and priorities. Maybe Karmenu Vella will take note and eliminate pool licences in his mysterious election manifesto. Such selfish idiots!

    • ma tarax …li mhux se nhallas dawk il flus biex immur fuq il gondola….pls don t judge people if you don t know them…

      • D Farrugia says:

        Lilian then please enlighten us about how much you paid because I have been to Venice repeated times and I never managed to find reduced prices for gondola trips. Let us be honest…we grumble even when there isn’t the need to grumble.

  4. Allo Allo says:

    X’arukaza, qedidna dal-gvern. Eur 120 minn fuq il-pool taz-zghir u l-batut.

    • Anthony Briffa says:

      This Mrs. Ciappara is not aware that the famous swimming pool licence was imposed by the ‘salvatur ta’ Malta’ during the golden years, when he couldn’t even produce potable water for us, except the salty boreholes water.

      Vera patetici dawn tal-Labour. Partit tal-Mickey Mouse kif jghid John Bundy.

      Should JM become PM in 2013, we will have another tourist attraction because the whole of Malta will become Disney Land, kullhadd liebes ta’ puppazz,just to forget.

  5. Ghoxrin Punt says:

    Famous Maltese expression, wiccha u s***a l’istess, most definitely applies in this case..

    • tahseb…mela hallastili int..jew hatlek xi haga…jew forsi you are jealous…pls do not judge people you don t know

      • Jozef says:

        Jealous…….So according to Lillian the possession of a pool is the signature of a patrician.

        If there was an example of bigoted materialism this is it. Such grace.

  6. el bandido guapo says:

    While I fully understand what YOUR message is, Daphne, if it is true that one is expected to actually fill up a pool with rubble in order to be exempt from paying a licence, this is one hell of a stupid regulation.

    Surely keeping it empty should suffice, and it is up to the MRA / whoever to periodically inspect if desired to ensure that this remains so, rather than the pathetic “ah but some will abuse” excuse that translates into “we don’t have the resources nor the will to do our job properly” and also into the unbearably prevalent manner of dealing with this problem by the simple expedient of assuming that everyone is guilty and hence requiring them to prove innocence or perhaps incapability of committing the offence, rather than the other way round.

    Come to think of it, actually having to pay a licence for having a swimming pool is even more incomprehensible.

    • Antoine Vella says:

      I’m afraid I don’t agree with you. the licence is for a pool not a water-filled pool so it doesn’t make any difference whether the hole in the ground actually contains water or not.

      I don”t understand why there should be a pool licence (well, I do: fund-raising for government) but there it is.

      This is a bit like the television licence: even if you never switch on the telly you’re still supposed to pay it. It’s thankfully being abolished as from next year – another “small solution” for a “big problem”.

      • el bandido guapo says:

        “I’m afraid I don’t agree with you. the licence is for a pool not a water-filled pool so it doesn’t make any difference whether the hole in the ground actually contains water or not. ”

        I’m not sure whether you do or don’t agree with me, to tell the truth.

        My point was that yes, apparently the licence is for a pool, but that that is not right.

        If I own a car but decide to stop using it, I have the option to “garage” the car and hand in the number plates, no further licence is payable until I decide to start using it again.

        Filling in a pool with rubble is the equivalent of having to crush your car if you temporarily don’t want to use it.

      • Antoine Vella says:

        I meant that i do not agree with you that, with the law as it is, emptying a pool should be enough to stop paying the license.

        On the other hand I agree that there shouldn’t be such a license in the first place.

        Of course, if such a license were to be removed, Labour would protest that it’s being done to please “the rich”.

    • Joe Micallef says:

      In a country where there is widespread abuse of the water resource what is incomprehensible is that the licence costs Euro 120. Also the onus of responsibility should always fall with the owner of the asset.

      Moreover what morons like this lady cannot even begin to understand is that when Joey speaks of “polluter pays” measures she may easily be faced with a larger bill if she keeps her pool

      • Jozef says:

        He scrapped that principle as soon as he started ranting about the indiscriminate consumption of water and electricity, which water production by the way, requires electricity.

        His promise, if carried out, will wreak havoc with the investment made by those private individuals who installed solar water heaters and PV panels in their homes. Is he aware there’s a whole new cluster of SME’s and tradesmen involved in this business?

        There’s already been a slowdown with potential clients adopting a wait and see attitude. Joseph’s pledge is turning out worse than Sant and his VAT promise. Remember the ‘incertezza’? Joseph beat Sant to it, before even being elected.

        He started his rampage the moment he came out with his ‘class’ action against car tax, the indiscriminate criticism and gloating at the public transport reform, and intends to destroy any notion of what’s left of that principle by promising the dismantling of MEPA.

        Joseph subscribes to materialism through and through, ‘I am what I consume’. What’s ironic is that both Mintoff and his European socialist partners would be horrified.

        If we don’t carry this anomaly to the forefront of the political agenda, we face some very serious social conflict and risk becoming a Eurosceptic dropout.

    • Pepe` says:

      @ El Bandido. So are you suggesting that a 5.0 litre Bugatti remains untaxed, unless the state can prove that it’s being driven?

  7. Lomax says:

    “L-ilma nixtruh ahna, inhallsu d-dawl ghaliha”: Who else should pay for one’s own swimming pool water? It is already a tragedy that Silvio Parnis’ employer is listed as Maltese Parliament.

    This woman seems to be against paying for her own “sfog”.

    I don’t blame her. Let’s start subsidising people’s sfogi. Let’s start with mine – I love travelling but it is sometimes expensive so, what the heck, I expect the State to pay my travel costs for me.

    • Devil's Advocate says:

      Lomax: The government DOES subsidize your “Sfog”. It pays low-cost airlines to come to Malta. It paid them over €60 million (from your and my taxes by the way) over the last 5 years. On some routes, 25% of LCC users are Maltese.

      On the other hand swimming pool users pay using polluter pays principles for electricity, water, chlorine/ph etc, besides maintenance, equipment, land etc. Pool owners relieve the nation’s resources like beaches making more space for tourists, parking etc. Why tax them more?

      It is the same principle of private hospitals and schools. The government is finally accepting that this segment relieves the national infrastructure and has started giving tax-rebates. Pool owners are taxed instead (tax was doubled last year).

      I’m afraid the lady has a point, especially since her husband recently retired and money for the holidays is undoubtedly much scarcer. Owning a pool does not automatically mean you have huge deposits of disposable income. Big misconception.

      • Jozef says:

        Health care and education are a basic right, swimming pools aren’t.

        As for the resources required for the maintenance and upkeep, one only has to look at the increase in the number of illegal boreholes, when agriculture diminished. The numbers just don’t add up.

  8. Grezz says:

    Oh! So the woman can afford a convertible car, a swimming pool, holidays abroad … and can’t afford to pay her swimming pool licence?

    It’s a bit like buying a fancy car, then claiming you can’t afford to pay its licence or upkeep.

  9. Dee says:

    It must be whiners’ night on One radio tonight. First it was Astrid , now it’s Mario Tabone Vassallo and his Bla Kantunieri.

  10. kevin zammit says:

    The gondola ride would have covered for a year’s licence.

    Poor Lillian.

    It’s like having a Porsche and complaining that you cannot pay for the petrol.

    • dery says:

      A gondola used as a water taxi to cross from one side to the other only costs a couple of Euros. I regularly used them to save time.

  11. Pecksniff says:

    Is there some competition going on for “Dumb, Dumber Dumbest” in connection with Affari Taghna ?

    Chris Said should order all local councils to immediately hold courses, if need be compulsory, on the lines of “Facebook Pitfalls or How Not To Make a Dumbass of Yourself”.

  12. The chemist says:

    Forsi tista tordom nofsa u b’hekk thallas biss 60 euro. Din tista tkun parti mil pjan misterjuz ta Karmenu Vella.

  13. Mark says:

    Miskina. Gabitli qalbi gulgliena.

  14. anthony says:

    At least she did not complain that she cannot afford to buy food.

    Judging from the pics this would have been pretty hilarious.

  15. CG says:

    Yes but honestly why is a licence required for a pool? I don’t really follow the logic cause it seems like everything we own/earn is double and triple taxed.

    [Daphne – It’s a sort of luxury/environmental tax, paid by volume.]

  16. Stacey says:

    I would imagine her pool, car and trips abroad when all paid for on one salary and under a Nationlist government.

    Does she expect to have the same life style on one pension?

    What was her lifestyle under Labour? What’s more, what does she expect her lifestyle to be on one pension under a new Labour government?

    Well I guess she might vote Labour just to fill up her pool and not pay her pool licence.

    PROPOSTA NUMRU 52: DAWK LI GHANDHOM IS-SWIMMING-POOLS JIEHDU ILMA U DAWL B’XEJN U MA JHALLSUX LICENZJA.

  17. La Redoute says:

    Proposta numru 52:

    An education programme to teach everyone the basics of economics and financial planning.

  18. Pepe` says:

    And one wonders whether she’s declaring her income from hosting foreign language-students.

  19. David Ganado says:

    According to Mrs. Ciappara’s profile, she is also interested in hosting students. If she actually does, then she definitely has the money to pay her pool licence.

  20. xmun says:

    My my, is this the poverty that this government has thrown us into?

  21. TinaB says:

    Dumb, dumb and dumber.

    It makes me cringe each time I think that Lillian Ciappara and her ilk are likely to give a mandate to the PL to govern simply because they are not able to look further than the tip of their nose. Miskina Malta.

  22. Allo Allo says:

    It seems that this licence fee goes back to when Lm50 had some value. I think that now that the issue has been brought on the radar screen, its about time it is revised.

  23. Tim Ripard says:

    She certainly seems to eat well too.

  24. gb says:

    Further googling also reveals:

    http://www.localyte.com/profile/154150–Malta—-Mellieha

    “live in the centre of malta Attard but have another residence in mellieha north of malta. i live close to mdina old capital . I love to host students from different countries, In mellieha I have an apartment which I can rent to foreigners.”

    • Jozef says:

      Marelli kemm ghandha bizniz. Tghid Joseph ihalliha tahdem? Min jaf kemm hergin ircevuti.

      Tridx naghtuha sussidju tal-maintenance tal-apartment in Mellieha, biex nsahhu il-prodott tat-turizmu?

      Bambin tini l-pacenzja.

  25. GiovDeMartino says:

    She should apply for some sort of social benefit.

  26. edgar says:

    How about eating much, much less Lilian. You will become half your size and have enough money for the licence.

  27. Peppi iehor says:

    Did they actually tell her “ibbattma”?

    Ibbattma does not mean what she says it does. It is a technical term used in the construction of water cisterns (“gwiebi”).

    It is a verb that means render (screed) with cement and trowel until there are no cracks (thus making it impervious). (Not to be confused with “ballat” used traditionally to make a “deffun” roof waterproof.) Ach! Traditions! Traditions! La la lala lalla… (Tevye eat your heart out!)

    When was the swimming-pool licence introduced? Is this an unexpected expense for this lady?

    Governments constantly look out for something to tax, and I find myself wondering how long it will be before there is a resurrection of the infamous “window tax” that William lll levied in England, to make up for losses in revenue. Of course, in modern terms it might be christened something else like “MEPA” perhaps.

  28. mc says:

    Is this why Joe Muscat wants to reduce utility bills? Is it for Ms. Ciappara to save a few euros when she tops up her pool with tap water?

  29. maryanne says:

    According to Joe Vella Bonnici: “This is not a Budget that combats poverty.”
    http://www.timesofmalta.com/…/The-outlook-remains-negative.394967Cached

    Is this the kind of poverty that he has in mind?

  30. dery says:

    This is a case of pure ‘qziez’. The woman is showing off her swimming pool. Reminds me of another woman who works in St. Julians and drives a luxury car however she refuses to pay for parking so spends hours going round trying to find a parking spot. I drive a humble car but will gladly pay for parking to avoid the trouble and waste of fuel involved in trying to find a parking spot.

    • qziez xejn…mela tafni qalbi…ghandek tkun taf li dik il karozza ilha ghandi 17 il sena..u lilha ghad ghandi.. nixtieqek tiltaqa mieghi niehdu kafe flimkien imbaghad iggudika jekk inhiex showy jew qziez…kemm sejra zball qalbi…inselli ghalik

  31. Marku says:

    Jahasra Gonzi qed joqtolha bil-pizijiet.

    • ghazis marku…lil hadt ma jien se nhalli joqtolni ax bilghaqal bizzejjed bien insostni il familja…imma nahseb hadt ma jiehu gost ihallas ghal dak li ga hallast ghalih u ghadni nhallas..meta tigi tghix bil pensjone erga kellimni..inselli ghalik

  32. Charles says:

    Nitqazzez u nitqalla nara dawn it-tip ta’ nies.

    Fl-istess hin ninduna kemm il-pajjiz mexa il-quddiem.

    Li jkollok nies igergru ghax ma jistghux ihallsu il-pool hija indikazzjoni cara ta’ x’livell ta’ ghixien ghandu il-pajjiz…..fl-opinjoni tieghi.

    Haqqu min jibghata xaghrejn iz-Zimbabwe lil din il-mara.

    • m ghandekx ghalfejn titqalla,,,kull ma ghandi ma sraqtux..imma ax ir ragel hadem u bata..xoghol iebes kellu ,mhux fuq l iskrivanija…ghalkemm anke dawn jista jkollhom xoghol iebes..ghalhiex meta gejna bil pensjoni ma tkunx tista zzomm dak li dejjem hdimt bil ghaqal ghalih minghajr qatt ma sraqt lill hadt…iz zimbabwe nixtieq immur ukoll imma ma nistax fil present

  33. Paul Bonnici says:

    Wow this woman is getting some stick here – well she asked for it! She should not hang her dirty laundry in public.

  34. ciccio2011 says:

    Lillian Ciappara should get Sargas to install one of those floating power stations in her swimming pool to produce electricity at half price. She will then be able to afford both the electricity bills and the swimming pool licence.

  35. Mark says:

    Lillian Ciappara, injuranta bhal Carmen Caruana, tal-labour mifqughin bihom. Issa, jekk xi darba jitla Joseph, Lilly, kollox bl-irhis ha jkollok, u jekk tibqa teqred, x’aktarx li Joseph, kollox b’xejn jaghtik.

    U l-partit tal-labour iddisprat li ghandkom, idawwar l-ekonomija fuq it-taqtiq, it-tgemgim, u l-fukkin qrid tieghek.

    Tidhru kemm intom batuti, il-gurnata kollha itaqtqu fuq Facebook. Ghandekx id-dar mimlija Leptops Lill, sahansitra wiehed waterproof ghal hdejn il-pool, ma tmurx tahrablek it-topik fuq l-gholi tal-hajja, waqt li tkun qeghda tghum? Ja parasitti.

  36. oldtimer says:

    Lillia, titbabbaqx daqshekk. Bl-istudenti u bil flat tal-Mellieha, plus il pensjoni tar-ragel (li hadem hafna) tkun tista tkampa.

    Fil-kaz is-social services qeghdin hemm biex jghinu lil dawk li ma jistghawx ilahhqu mal-hajja. Tikkonfondix – m’intix se tmut bil-guh.

  37. TinaB says:

    @ Mrs Ciappara – You’re acting like a spoilt brat. While the world is going through one of the worst economic recessions you’re moaning and blaming the government simply because ” you cannot afford” to pay your yearly 120Euros swimming-pool licence. Are you actually aware of the difficult times and hardships people in many other countries are suffering right now? I think not.

Leave a Comment