And then after years of study and sacrifice a great number of them are unable to find a job. Anywhere.

I have a number of Italian friends who are all in their thirties and have not managed to find a decent job, up till now. Not even outside Italy.

One friend in particular managed to find a full time job in another country only a couple of years ago and she is holding on to it even though she does not earn a lot.

Her partner is doing some odd jobs somewhere else, in a different country – they only meet once in a while, either when they both visit Italy to be with their families or when one of them can afford to buy a ticket for a flight to visit the other.

They cannot plan to buy a place of their own and to get married and start a family because the amount they earn between them is just enough to get by.

Imbaghad jigi is-sur Parnis, il-Ministru tas-sawt, kwazi bid-dmugh f’ghajnejh fuq il-programm ta’ John Bundy fuq One jghid li jaf lil xi hadd li kellu jmur jahdem bhala receptionist f’lukanda wara li iggradwa. Jahasra xi tragedja dik. Kif qeridna dan il-gvern.

Fejn jafu x’inhi is-sofferenza li jghaddu minnha l-istudenti, sahansitra anke wara li jiggradwaw, fl-Italja u f’pajjizi ohrajn, dawn il-qabda imfissdin u idjoti li xjiehu u baqghu imwahhlin mad-dublett tal-mami?

Let the people decide, not you, Eddy.

Eddy, if it is so, then we shall get rid of you as well, because I am pretty sure that if Labour is in power, God forbid, you will not give your views repeatedly since all will be perfect and there will be nothing for you to whine about.

Best wishes to all.

Only idiots brag about their school results. And the more Franco referred to his secondary school report, the more he confirmed how stupid he is.

One of your best posts Baxxter. So true.

Coincidentally, earlier today I was speaking with a non Maltese friend, on the phone. Last week someone told her that Maltese students do not only not pay to go to university but also receive a stipend, so she called me specifically to ask me whether what she heard was true because she couldn’t believe it.

My friend felt utterly disgusted when I told her that, yes, what she had heard was indeed a fact but that there are people who still complain because they feel that what they get is not enough, and referred her to this blog. Needless to say, she was speechless.

This one’s dedicated to Franco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLYm9n5Nytk

It’s from the album “I know who I am now” by Clinton Paul.

He’s been going on about The System this and The System that and rebelling against The System and The Noble Fight Against The System for the best part of two years.

He IS the goddamn system.

Franco, read my lips, if you can read: YOU ARE THE SYSTEM.

Top student at St Aolysius, then on to the University of Malta’s Law Faculty, then lawyer, with an office in Valletta, then PN candidate then PN member of parliament then parliamentary assistant.

System all the way. S.Y.S.T.E.M.

And wearing a standard-issue lawyer’s suit and haircut, to boot.

YOU ARE THE SYSTEM.

If you really wish to “rebel” against The System you could try topping yourself off, or resigning your sordid parliamentary seat, giving up your legal practice, giving up politics, and setting off for Nepal on a journey of self-discovery while smoking ganja and whirling a prayer-wheel.

Only someone, somewhere’s already done it, so it too is System.

Rebellion? Bollocks. System? Bollocks.

Oh God spare us the cant. Afraid of the socio-economic system?

In Malta we have it easy, mate – you will realise that if you ever go to study abroad.

Students the world over would kill to have the comfort that we have in Malta – living at home, washing and cleaning provided, 600 euro gift-card every year, 80 euro a month to cover petrol (or for messy nights in Paceville on the weekend).

Just try using your arguments on students anywhere else in the world and see if they take you seriously.

When there was a reason to protest, Maltese students went out in droves to Valletta to protest against a nasty socialist regime that was hell-bent on picking on them.