A free ride off Uncle Paul
When the Archbishop’s Curia, through its Environment Commission, decides to hold a conference on the environment, there is one consultant who should stay well away for decency’s sake.
This is Marco Cremona, because he is the archbishop’s nephew. To Archbishop Paul Cremona, Marco Cremona is not primarily a hydrologist, but his brother’s son.
And so the archbishop lays himself wide open to the accusation that the Curia’s Environment Commission and its conferences are being used by Marco Cremona to promote himself, or that they are promoting Marco Cremona because he is the Archbishop’s nephew.
Even if there is nothing of this nature involved, it doesn’t look good. Marco Cremona is a bit of an attention-seeker and he won’t need any encouragement to use Uncle Paul’s Environment Commmission as yet another platform from which to target us with his ‘look how clever I am’ views.
He even did it from the top of Mount Everest.
It is a good thing that the Archbishop’s Curia takes an interest in the environment and provides a forum for this kind of debate. But surely it doesn’t want to ruin things or call its position into question by having the archbishop’s nephew use this as a vehicle for self-promotion. From where I sit, this is exactly what it looks like.
When Marco Cremona speaks in public, one is left with the distinct impression that it is not the environment which concerns him, so much as his public image as a renegade activist who is against everyone and everything because he is far smarter than everyone else and knows it.
I was overcome by a sense of the ridiculous, reading that the archbishop opened the conference and that “hydrologist Marco Cremona” then told us what he thinks – without any mention that the two are such close kin.
The conference was about the water-table and the quality of aquifer water. We did not need Marco Cremona to tell us that both quantity and quality are depleted, and that the main causes are over-extraction and seepage of nitrates from fertiliser.
We have known this for years, and if the Curia’s Environment Commission really did need a full-blown hydrologist to state the obvious, then they should have brought in somebody other than the archbishop’s brother’s son, not least because he has bored us sufficiently.
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Is this what they mean by “nepotizmu?”
Careful. That Cremona has friends in veru high places. Higher than Everest itself. Sorry, I meant Chomolungma or whatever it is the Sherpa call it.
I always like to hear Mr Marco Cremona talking about water etc.I believe that he is very knowledgeable about the subject
.I also notice that water conservation is not taken seriously.
.I only have to be in Birzebbugia to see thousands upon thousands of litres of water rushing to the sea.
Then in summer the mayor complains of how expensive it is to water the gardens of the area and hence all is dry.
And the mayor needs a hydrologist to solve his plant irrigation problem instead of harvesting rain water during winter in a reservoir.
These were my exact feelings too when I watched parts of the conference. H.E. the Archbishop should be mindful of the perception that his nephew could be trying to “jiehu rikba irhisa min fuq daru”.
But I have to add too that the Curia’s interest in enviormental issues is admirable.
Emmnuni, nithawwad jekk nidhaqxx jew nibkix meta titkellem il-Kurja fuq l-ambjent.
nithawwad jekk nidhaqx jew nibkix meta naqra kummenti bhal tieghek, ghax huma frott cinicizmu bla bazi u mhux osservazzjonijiet oggettivi.
Well, yes. I mean, ever since his Everest experience, whichever newspaper one opens, whichever radio station one hears, or TV channel one watches, there is somehow always the presence of Mario Cremona.
But I think the Maltese media, like all media, needs to fill up time slots. So these individuals actually come in handy.
Just like when the media was very much impressed by, and demanded the presence of, another person, some time ago, who, after operating on the then prime minister, became a Maltese rock star of sorts.
Talk shows, interviews, “glamour” magazines front pages, guitar playing. Any idea what’s become of him?
[Daphne – I can tell you this, Albert: Alex Manche wasn’t found tied up in bed and claiming that he was set upon by strange men with size 38 feet (I don’t know any men with size 38 feet), like the surgeon who operated on the Leader of the Opposition.]
Alex Manche` has been described as a renaissance man. His interests are legion and his bedside manner with patients is legendary. I know because he operated on me.
One cannot ignore the fact that the Curia included Marco Cremona because they feel safe he will not let them down because of the family relationship and his earned trust.
I don’t know of any foul smell around him. I don’ say this because he is part of my extended family.
I also do not think he should be left out just because he happens to be the archbishop’s nephew.
Meanwhile Marco Cremona continues his personal war on farmers. The man is incorrigible.
He will do whatever it takes to attract attention including wage war on farmers.
Qed jaghzaq fl-ilma.
Putting aside the fact that he is the archbishop’s nephew, don’t you think we should have more people like this guy?
[Daphne – God forbid. This tiny hole is jampacked with attention-seekers already. The fact that they’re not all trying to cram into the limelight or climbing Mount Everest to get it does not mean that Malta has no other hydrologists, Mark.]
Water is his subject of expertise. What he writes about and speaks about in public is water. If a conference about water is being held, he has to be one of the speakers.
[Daphne – No, he doesn’t. He may have led you to think that he is the only one, but he is not.]
While most people would mind their own business and work for one’s own progress, Marco dedicates a lot of time working for the good of the country.
[Daphne – That’s not how I see the situation at all. All I can see is rabid self-promotion.]
I would encourage him. The Archbishop should have had no problem with saying that they were related
Mark, were it he did this for the good of the country, it still requires objectivity and avoiding any bias. His profession carries some very strict guidelines when it comes to speaking in public.
He wasn’t at all professional when, during an interview on TV, he stated Malta should immediately opt for gas and not HFO, omitting to mention the infrastructural costs, the risks associated with supply without a pipeline in place and the fact that government intends to convert Delimara to gas.
An engineer takes into consideration all prerogatives, anything else is opinion which his warrant precludes.
And to make matters worse, he did not mention the most important step that needs to be done to recharge our aquifers; which is the proper management of valleys and the maintenance of existing infrastructure. The British showed us what to do 120 years ago, and we’re not even able to maintain that properly.
Instead of thanking our farmers for the local produce, he attacks them, we should all go buy our greens from Lidl, that will solve all our water problems.
Mark Anthony Falzon has a very interesting take on the church dabbling in politics to stay relevant. I tend to agree. Whoever goes to church wants spiritual guidance not tips on water conservation.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111204/opinion/Oh-Lord-grant-me-relevance.396748
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111210/local/archbishop-warns-against-theft-between-generations.397701
The Times reporting of the event is disgusting. Half of the report deals with what Marco Cremona says, and they even present him to their readers as ‘Dr’ when he has no doctorate.
A report on one of the TV stations referred to a speech by the Water Services Corporation CEO, at the same conference. Readers of The Times would be more interested in knowing what the Water Services Corporation thinks and plans to do than in reading the details of Marco Cremona’s personal opinion.
It is shameful how The Times allows itself to be used as a PR tool for individuals with an over-inflated ego. A free ride indeed.
He was in The Sunday Circle , stooped on a sofa, promoting the online version of the magazine.
He gave me the impression he works with the Water Services Corporation. I didn´t know he has a private business and now everything he says I must take in this context.
Sincerely, I’ll gladly have Marco Cremona than practically all those ‘honourable’ ladies and gentlemen currently warming ‘our’ parliament’s benches.
[Daphne – Unless you know something I don’t, Marco Cremona is not standing for election to the Maltese parliament.]
Don’t mind anyone seeking any (alleged) limelight if he/she can be the catalyst to effectively address – what in my opinion is a crucial element of Malta’s environmental andeconomic survival.
Dear Daphne,
No, I have no knowledge whatsoever that Marco Cremona wishes or plans to enter into the bi-partisan political fray.
My comment was directed towards the integrity, commitment, and expertise that I believe Marco has – the same values which I do not see in most parliamentarians – let alone at cabinet level.
[Daphne – The curious thing is that he gives me the opposite impression. Maybe it’s because he hits all the wrong buttons by being like a character from Absolutely Fabulous, but without the fun and humour.]