Comment of the morning
Posted by Johannes –
Here’s an elementary classroom exercise.
Compare and contrast the following:
Minister of Culture – Mario de Marco v Jose Herrera
Chaiperson Valletta 2018 – David Felice v Jason Micallef
Students are expected to highlight the strengths of the people in question, their cultural acumen, their leadership skills, and their foresight.
Now here’s something which just occurred to me: The Malta Independent shouldn’t have asked Kevin Drake and Kenneth Zammit Tabona what they think about Jason Micallef’s appointment. The newspaper should have asked them who they prefer and think is best of the two: David Felice or Jason Micallef.
They wouldn’t have been able to reply with an obfuscating ‘we have to give him a chance’ to that one. And because of their own particular social and professional networks and their last remaining shreds of integrity and credibility, they would not have been able to say that they like them both equally, and certainly not that they consider Micallef fitter for purpose.
And as I am writing this, from the perspective of somebody who has known both these two men literally all my life because we grew up a corner away from each other in Stella Maris parish, Sliema (Kenneth in Ghar id-Dud Street, me in Milner Street and Kevin in Amery Street), the difference being that I never knew Kenneth as a child because he is eight years my senior but Kevin is my precise contemporary and we used to play together on the streets as children, something else just occurred to me.
Both Kenneth and Kevin were boys raised alone from around the age of eight by single mothers (the reasons were different, but the outcome was the same) who admirably worked hard for the money that kept body and soul together at a time and in a neighbourhood where this just didn’t happen.
I do not suggest that this has any significance, but it has just struck me now that this is the most extraordinary and peculiar coincidence, considering that this is the 1960s and 1970s we’re talking about and not the present-day.
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On another note and in the series Malta Taghna Lkoll:
“Under the national career’s redundancy scheme, launched in 2011 in the wake of a massive downscaling of workforce prompted by Air Malta’s restructuring, employees claimed as much as €60,000 on condition that they are not recruited in a public administration over the next three years.
MaltaToday is informed that a various number of former Air Malta workers who claimed the redundancy scheme are today employed as consultants with several ministries.” (MaltaToday)
Here is reply to Johannes’ examination question.
“I’m too lazy to write 500 words in reply to the question, so I will present my reply graphically like a football pools table:
Minister of Culture – Mario de Marco v Jose Herrera: 1, Result 10-0.
Chaiperson Valletta 2018 – David Felice v Jason Micallef: 1, Result 10-0.
While at it, here is my prediction – free of charge – for the upcoming decider:
Prime Minister – Simon Busuttil v Joseph Muscat: 1, Result 10-0.”
Once again I have to ask why could not David Felice remained chairman and Jason Micallef given a seat on the board? I have now asked the question in English, so that, perhaps, Kenneth or Kevin can provide the answer.
I think that David Felice should step down and not accept the “role” Herrera is planning for him.
He should let good old Jason get on with it and make a mess – let’s try him out properly if we must. Let’s give him a chance.
It all ties up, doesn’t it? Malta wanted to try out Joseph and he wanted the opposition to “assist him”. Now Joseph and Josè (they sound like backing vocalists in a boy band) are trying out Jason, with Marshall and Felice working backstage.
Imma dawn bis-serjeta?
I may just phone Obama to propose that he appoints me Secretary of State with Madeleine Albright as my assistant – who knows, he may try me out.
I think that David Felice has been humiliated enough. He should step down and not let them use him.
I think he should remain and keep at it.
Make Jason go ballistic.
He proved good entertainment bitching on ONE about the Eurovision.
Jason could have been appointed chairman of the Eurosong, but not of the V 2018.
Precisely. Chairman of Eurosong – C*nt ghall-Ewropa.
I totally agree with L Gatt The excellent capabaliites and integrity of David Felice should be making way for the skills of the new Chairman
Let him prove himself on his own merits he should be able to do it. Give him the chance from scratch to batch Its now or never after all the people gave them the mandate to govern
That’s the whole point, the PS for culture knows full well that someone like David Felice, who must have put a huge effort into getting this done right, will not simply walk away and let Jason make a mess of this important event.
David Felice can’t bring himself (yet) to let go of his baby.
That is one of the excellent traits of the Felice family. They do not just walk away from their project with the risk of seeing it sink. They are too attached to their work.