I think the point being made is that no one could vote out Gaddafi.

Under Mintoff people had to wait years to be given a telephone line and once you had a phone, calls often turned into conference calls!

Big Brother was everywhere and you had to watch what you said. Electricity cuts were a daily occurrence. Water in the taps was rusty, scarce and rationed. Church schools were forced to close down. University education suffered and there was a brain drain with doctors and other professionals leaving the island for the UK.

Arabic was forced down students’ throats because introducing Arabic in schools was Mintoff’s way of pandering to Gadaffi. To this day many Maltese have an aversion to Arabic because of the way they were forced to study it, not to mention an anti-Libyan sentiment because of Mintoff’s close ties to Gadaffi.

We had to ‘smuggle’ Cadbury chocolate into the island because the locally made Desserta (using inferior Chinese ingredients) was like sandpaper. Only one brand of toothpaste was available which tasted awful.

Colour TV’s s were not allowed as they were considered an extravagant luxury as were expensive cars. Yet all the government ministers enjoyed watching Dallas in colour and driving around in their Mercedes.

For me, it’s a great honour to vote this Saturday and I know who and what I’ll be voting for. I know that what I do will affect even those who don’t have a vote.

Perhaps… and that’s a big “perhaps”… here in the States we’d have better representation if we all DID vote!

Daphne – I used to live in Malta and met you once or twice. My husband was the president of Fimbank. I’m a friend of Samira’s and saw this on her Facebook page. I always LOVE your articles!

[Daphne – I remember you well, Cecile.]

Amin

But I always say rights don’t come without duties.

When it comes to voting one has “a duty” to vote!

Failing to vote means failing one’s civic duty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a5DyasFyc3s#