Joseph goes to San Alwigi
St Aloysius College class photo featuring Joseph Muscat
The prime minister paid an official visit to St Aloysius College, where he went to school, today. He didn’t mention the fact that his first year there was not actually spent there at all, but taking secret underground classes in various homes and garages as the beloved Labour government which his family had voted into power sought to close down the school and had policemen posted around it so that nobody could climb out or in.
But I suppose needs must when the devil drives – and despite being safely installed as prime minister he’s got to keep proving to us that he’s really quite middle class, ay.
Except, of course, that it’s actually only a certain kind who speak as he does. I heard him on the radio yesterday saying “Nahseb li it’s yes.”
Cringe. That’s the way Laburisti used to think I speak, and they mocked me for it (except that, of course, I don’t speak that way at all and never did). Imma l-aqwa li we speak like duh switchers ay halli day identify wit us and day switch even more.
Anyway, I don’t think that’s the real reason he went back to his old school today. Here’s my expert and insightful view: given that he was always on the fringes, sucked up to the teachers to the detriment of this relationship with his peer group, had no gang of friends and backed away from the playing-field, and was almost certainly made to feel bad about it, I’ll bet he swore to himself that he would one day return as prime minister in ‘that’ll learn ’em’ mode.
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And, if I may, his entourage, Kurt et al. must have had to endure some serious gloating.
Serio et constanter, he’s anything but.
Did he ask to meet Pierre Grech Marguerat?
Does he even know why he should?
Hu go fik, Franco.
A serious journalist would have asked Muscat whether he knew the reason for the metal bars which were installed, back in the 1980s, in all the ground floor and basement windows.
It’s also an “hekk, hu go fik, Franco” gesture.
If the switchers switch even more, would that be a 360 degree switch? You know, like those U-turns they used to accuse the previous administration of.
MY expert and insightful view is that this is nothing but a piece of brilliant marketing.
Remember the tobacco industry and their advertising campaigns aimed at the young and impressionable? His audience at San bloody Alwigi may not be of voting age. But in five years’ time, some of them will be. In any case, they all have parents and siblings back home.
This is win-win for Muscat. There’s no way anyone in the audience can show disapproval. If I’d been a pupil there today I’d have wished to protest, but how can you do that when you’re twelve, with your classmates all drunk on Koolaid and some “prefect of discipline” breathing down your neck?
How pathetic! Please tell me you don’t seriously think that Joseph Muscat paid a visit to his old school just to get people from there to vote for him in 5 years’ time. You know students aren’t as close-minded as you think. Just a visit by the prime minister will not change students’ views of which party to vote for in the next election.
Oh thank God you’re back. Was getting worried.
Go on, post that school photo of him again, the one where he looks like the love child of Gollum and Myra Hindley.
Not being cynical, but it was said very recent that there are no funds available to carry on building a new school each year, or in some cases even maintaining present schools, which apparently are supposed to be in a very bad state, which therefore gives more reason to start visiting these schools, at least show that – look although we are not going to invest more in education, we do care… ‘the art of the possible’.
Bingo, Daphne! Right on the nail’s head.
Did he include Franco Debono in his entourage?
[Daphne – Franco Debono is not a member of the government.]
Seriously, doesn’t this man have anything better to do apart from these silly visits to massage his ego? Can someone please tell him to spend some solid time in Castille working for this country which is what we are paying him to do?
The fact that he never had a yellow door punishment indicates that he was out of the group. It is an undeclared secret that to show that you are part of the group, you need to gain at least one yellow door punishment.
One a week was the minimum requirement at my time
When there was the schools issue chuch schools opened late in November. There as only a short period before schools opened when lessons were held held in homes.
[Daphne – You are wrong. And even so, what are you trying to say here – that it was only a couple of months so that’s all right then?]
I am doubly sure of this. However if you you can show that I am wrong, I will admit my error.
On the other hand I expect am apology or a correction if whay you wrtote was incorrect. According to the report below an agreement between Church and State on this issue was reached in November 1984.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2010/04/25/t18.html
[Daphne – Read that article again, David. Another point: how old are boys when they start at St Aloysius? Nine or 10? In Oct 1983 Muscat was nine.]
According to the article the Archbishop ordered schools closed at the end of September 1984 and an agreement was reached on November 1984. Thus schools were closed for less than 2 months.
St Aloysius had two prep years, before Form 1. I understand there are no prep years now. Therefore children who entered the lowest grade, Prep 1, are usually 9 years old.
As I stated before the schools closure was in 1984 not 1983.
[Daphne – David, the government’s assault on church and independent schools began in late 1983 and carried on throughout 1984. I should know, given that I was arrested by the current Speaker of the House after a mass demo against this in the spring of 1984.]