Malta Taghna Lkoll: translation – ‘Give me some of that’

Published: February 20, 2013 at 7:40pm

On listening to those people chant Malta Taghna Lkoll with militant aggression rather than celebratory joy, are you left with the distinct impression, as I am, that what they are really saying is I WANT SOME OF THAT AND I’M GOING TO TAKE IT?

Their chant isn’t about unity. It’s about ‘Mhux fier, jien irrid ukoll.’

They’re going to be pretty taken aback when nothing changes for them, except when it changes for the worse.

MCAST




40 Comments Comment

  1. La Redoute says:

    They’re paid to go to school. Their primary concern is how much money they’re going to get. Their biggest worry is where they’ll park their cars. What bloody more do they want?

    • Jozef says:

      My business is elsewhere, clients in England, Japan and Italy.

      These youngsters need to understand that I won’t be alone in asking for their identity.

      It’s not discrimination, just can’t risk the wrong people. Not when it will be THEIR government.

      • Aunt Hetty says:

        That is what happens when politicians woo their voters with continual talk of rights, whilst forgetting to give a tiny mention to the word duties.

  2. Paul Bonnici says:

    The dignity of Labour supporters. We will see a lot more of this in 3 weeks’ time.

  3. Min Jaf says:

    The ‘student’ in the white top would not have looked out of place affixed to the prow of the ‘Hibernia’.

  4. Paul Bonnici says:

    Labour: ‘Malta taghna biss!’

  5. caflanga says:

    Imfissdin. Like the new Labour youth.

  6. AZ says:

    The PL’s slogan is probably the re-arranged version of “Malta taghna ukoll” which can trustingly be taken to mean that now its our turn to take over and do whatever we like.

    In fact many PL politicians have “mistakenly” uttered out their slogan using the word “ukoll” instead of “ilkoll” as the Great leader would have us believe.

    By the way how is it that none of the supposedly independent media (including regrettably The Times nowadays) seems to comment on Labour’s infiltration of every event which is taking place and whenever such an infiltration cannot take effect the great leader simply walks away?

  7. CB says:

    They want a fairer share of the spoils: “irridu li il-gid jitqassam ahjar bejn kullhadd”. Sure, I work harder so others may suck even more off people like me.

    We are going back to the ideologies of the seventies… unbelievable.

  8. Lomax says:

    What a mess that has been. And where the hell are the PN strategists? Isn’t the PN capable of rallying its own forces? Or is it a strategy to show PL’s true colours?

    • Jozef says:

      40% ‘undecided’ Lomax.

      • Gakku says:

        Undecided at this stage means I don’t want to say who I’m voting for. As a scientist I think it’s difficult to read into the polls with so many not responding, though I agree with Baxxter, it doesn’t look good.

    • Augustus says:

      Lomax, don’t underestimate the PN’s election machine. Everyone thought that we were going to lose the last election five years ago, remember?

      • H.P. Baxxter says:

        And they almost did. The polls never lie. This time it’s 53% for MLP and 47% for PN. Same as 2003. More’s the pity.

      • Paul Bonnici says:

        There are far too many disgruntled PN supporters who will probably not vote, this will mean a vote for the PL.

        No matter how much you hate the PN, go out and vote PN, unless you want Malta to go back to the dark ages of the mob.

  9. pablo says:

    This election campaign has gone down the sewer. There is only one real issue and that was the opening issue – the energy debate. This is where the country either swims or sinks. And its credibility is a major point.

    And I am saying that the PL/Konrad plan is a fake. Muscat and the PL inner circle know its fake. They meant it to be a fake. They have no intention of going ahead with it. They have no problem with faking it. They know that after 10 March, if they win, and they know they are going to win, any old fake excuse will do to see them do exactly what the present government has been proposing in the last few years.

    There is no interested private entrepreneur for their plan. Even this assertion is a fake. That’s why Muscat got mixed up with the before and after timing on this.

    Muscat has shown that he has no problem with lying about anything. He as fake as his fake energy plan.

    • Jozef says:

      Agreed.

      They know their catchment doesn’t give a toss to how bills will be reduced.

      The other distraction, the ‘manifest elettorali’ roadmap and what have you will be the ad hoc promises.

      Going by the recent dynamics, there’s still outstanding issues to who gets what. We’ve seen where that leads.

    • Paul says:

      As a matter of fact the new power station is not even in Joseph’s electoral program. It will be easy for him to say he never promised it. Then his only hope of reducing the bills will be by opting for the interconnector, and hence PN ‘s option. Idiots.

    • maryanne says:

      It is a mistake on the part of the PN not to continue discussing the issue.

      Labour has conveniently set the topic aside once the flaws in the project are there for everyone to see.

  10. Cportelli says:

    What kind of ‘people’ shout shame on you to a prime minister who isn’t breaking up the country or trying to lock them out of the European Union? I’m embarrassed for them.

    • ciccio says:

      Someone on the Fourth Floor must have given instructions across the Malta Labour Party about the use of that “Shame on you.” It’s most spectacular use was when Konrad Mizzi turned on Minister Tonio Fenech yelling “Shame on you Minister.”

  11. just me says:

    Exactly 2 years ago, 2 Libyan pilots deflected to Malta at the beginning of the Libyan uprising.

    They were given protection by the Maltese government and they are alive today thanks to the brave decision taken by Dr. Gonzi.

    In contrast, the “fearless leader” Joseph Muscat remained quiet and showed no support towards the government regarding the decision taken.

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130220/local/libyan-pilot.458475

  12. Compassion says:

    Off topic but I was quite upset by your labelling Kevin Drake lazy in a previous blog post.

    I do not know him or anything about any appointments he has held, his failed marriage or political affiliation. However, if it is the case that he is not in a position to work due to his condition and cannot afford medication, he should not have to go lobbying any of the political parties, for free medication as it is a moral duty of the state to provide assistance to the weaker members of society.

    [Daphne – Kevin was lazy before he got ME. Now that he has ME, he is ill. He was actually a whole lot worse than lazy, but those details are not for me to divulge as the privacy of third parties is involved. Suffice it to say that you shouldn’t speak where you don’t know (and I do). This government has done something far, far better for Kevin than give him free medication. It has allowed him – out of the compassion you talk of – to keep his very senior position at the Malta Tourism Authority, on a full salary, despite his very obvious inability to meet his responsibilities. You can buy a lot of medication with that. Perhaps he would prefer it if they had let him go and given him free medication instead. He has nobody to support but himself, and he earns the sort of salary that some people must raise a family on.]

    ME/chronic fatigue is not the only condition that has the potential to wreak havoc with a person’s life. Although in Malta we take diabetes for granted, when blood sugar levels are high, the sufferer experiences fatigue. Thankfully, diabetes can be controlled with medication, insulin shots, proper nutrition and excercise. It does however, make having a social life awkward as alcohol is a big no no and carb laden meals too.

    Another condition that causes fatigue as a side effect of most medication is depression. A depressed person on medication has to fight off the fatigue to function at work, is often judged as lacking enthusiasm for the job due to lethargy, and becomes a social outcast due to poor hygiene habits and a negative outlook on life in a society that places so much importance on being positive. That which a healthy person can do effortlessly requires great effort for a depressed person and often alientes signficant others who cannot cope.

    Dementia does not cause fatigue but it takes the patience of a saint to hang around a sufferer who asks you to repeat things leaving you thinking, they are not bothered to listen to others or simply plain stupid.

    Just my 2 cent’s worth. Please let’s not be quick to judge. Ill health is just about the worst thing a human being can experience and it is all the worse when it’s chronic. The cost often involves unemployment, breakdown in human relations, loneliness, physical/mental/emotional pain and a loss of dignity.

    [Daphne – Yes, I agree. But lots of people are ill, and they don’t find it necessary to do what Kevin is doing. Another thing you don’t know about him is that he has a seriously spiteful streak which predates his condition. I think what we are seeing there is not the illness. It’s the spite. As though he hasn’t caused his wife enough pain already over the last many years. He’s going to keep right at it, God bless him.]

    • anthony says:

      ME is a congenital disorder.

      It is a more politically correct terminology for an inadequate personality.

      In Italy sufferers are more bluntly referred to as ‘ nato stanco’.

      In the AngloSaxon world it is now ME/CFS.

      An acceptable euphemism for a personality disorder that can be very disabling.

      • Marie says:

        ME really is debilitating, that was most unkind of you to say. My sister in law got fibromyalgia in her early 30s. She tries her best to keep her household ticking, but there are days when she could literally scream in pain.

        Kevin Drake only has himself to blame for being totally on his own now, for the rough way he treated every woman who was ever good to him.

        Besides his salary could easily cover food, heating, medication and a cleaning lady twice a week.

      • Compassion says:

        @Anthony

        I’m not going to go into the merits of whether Kevin Drake deserves to keep his job or not. However, is ME recognized as a disorder and is medication freely available and offered by the state?

        A lot of invisible illnesses cause untold suffering and I don’t believe sufferers can live with dignity on a disability pension.

        My question is: are there any assisted employment schemes for sufferers? It is not fair for an employee who is ill to have to rely on the good will (sometimes absent) of an employer to stay on a job out of compassion.

        It is far better to be upfront about one’s condition, take a pay cut but receive assistance in finding lighter work, or working reduced hours. We do not need to take drastic stances where one is either ill and working full-time out of an employer’s compassion or ill and out of work.

        Some conditions make it possible to lead a quasi-normal life. Work also provides human interaction which an ill, stay at home person is deprived of, at times making their condition worse.

        For conditions such as depression, psychotherapy and regular massages help. I would not expect the state to fund these but a pay cheque can.

        It is just sad that invisible illnesses make it that much harder for the sufferer to keep a full-time job and lead a normal life.

  13. Stan says:

    This is what I’ve been thinking from day one. They should be chanting ‘Taghna wkoll, taghna wkoll’, as if who is in government owns the country.

  14. Aunt Hetty says:

    ”Malta Taghna Lkoll: translation – ‘Give me some of that’ ”

    You are so wrong.

    The translation is – ” I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW AND FUCK YOU”.

  15. Compassion says:

    If he is not performing on the job but has been kept on out of compassion he is way luckier than most people I know. Sadly, most though not all private sector employers will give an ill person the axe and questions about health in pre-employment questionnaires if answered truthfully will only eliminate the person from the list of eligible candidates.

    We’ve come a long way in helping persons with apparent physical disabilities, find employment and live with dignity but not when it comes to the invisible diseases. I’ve heard stories where a diabetic stripped naked in a shop because her blood sugar levels went down and had no recollection afterwards.

    • H.P. Baxxter says:

      Screw compassion. If it had been someone else, someone not as well connected, they’d have been chucked out, even in the civil service.

      • Gakku says:

        Not so sure about that Baxxter. From my experience the civil service is way too accommodating to lazy people.

  16. ciccio says:

    You are absolutely right, Daphne. It means I WANT SOME OF THAT AND I’M GOING TO TAKE IT.

    It is politics for the disgruntled.

    If there is something to which you are not entitled by right, Labour promises to give you some of it by other means.

    • DGB says:

      But, in all sincerity, do you actually think Joseph is going to give anything to these faithful chanters of his?

      I think not. He just uses you and then throws you away. And we all know he is very clever at doing this.

  17. Oops says:

    Muscat preaches meritocracy. Then everything should remain as is now.

  18. bystander says:

    I can distinctly hear ‘Four legs good, Two legs bad’.

  19. AllIWantIsToLiveInPeace says:

    Have you noticed how similar the ‘Malta Taghna Lkoll’ and the old (1975 to 1988) ‘Repubblika ta Malta’ emblems are?

    If you mirror the latter about the vertical and replace the red and white dghajsa with the ‘Malta Taghna Lkoll’ flag (which looks like a big red and white ship), they are remarkably similar in overall layout and symbolism.

  20. Toninu says:

    The thing is that if Malta wasn’t theirs too already, they would say “Malta Taghna Ukoll”, claiming something that’s yours by right but which you’ve been deprived of so far.

    Malta taghna lkoll is just implying that Malta is already everyone’s … how much it will remain if PL is in government I doubt.

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