Why wasn’t Clive Waters at the Cenotaph this morning?
Published:
November 10, 2013 at 8:20pm
Clive Waters, who tried to make it in Soho in the 1950s and failed, and has now returned in splendour to an office round the corner as high commissioner
At the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall this morning, Malta’s wreath was taken up by a young man, probably a junior diplomat at the Malta High Commission.
Clive Waters/Norman Hamilton was nowhere to be seen.
Exactly what is going on?
Meanwhile, here’s an exclusive video of Malta’s high commissioner in London.
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In the sixties,all Maltese migrants who worked in the Soho area had a bad reputation.
A colorful reputation as perpetuated in pulp fictions, b- movies and the tabloid press.
If you were Maltese and ran a business in Soho you had to be tough because the Police were bent or the local boys would try to extort money from you. But Maltese in Soho didn’t just run ‘walk ups’ and brothels, I can list half a dozen good restaurants and casinos before the cooperates moved into Soho.
For a time Norman worked as a DJ, singer and promote nights clubs around Soho circa 58 to 62. (He was in his late teens). I hardly think that makes him unsuitable for his current position, He is actually a very nice man.
I don’t get this attack on his character at all. This all stems from the fact that Daphne doesn’t get invited to the parties held at Malta high commission in Piccadilly anymore.
If you really want to get judgmental about Maltese who have a bad reputation, then you really need to look at the bunch you been sending over since 2005, there in a different league compared to the originals (and what gets me is that there all from good homes.) I’m encountering young girls and boys ( Maltese citizens!!) working as escorts, drug using, and making the most of the UK’s social welfare system. You all seem to have a good moan about Norman and illegal migrants when you to though, huh.
[Daphne – I was never invited to parties at the Malta high commission in London. I don’t live there. Also, I have never been interested in parties and rarely accept invitations, and am most unlikely to start now.
Nobody is attacking Norman Hamilton’s character. As somebody who has lived in London most of your life, and in Qui-Si-Sana before that, you should know that jokes cracked at the expense of politicians and public figures is an entirely normal and essential part of democracy and free speech.
What young people from Malta do in London is irrelevant to all but them and their parents. They hold no public office and are not accountable to you or me. But thank you for giving us the timeframe for Clive Waters’s stint in Soho clubs.
If he were a nice man he would not have thrown his lot behind Labour right throughout the worst of it. Never make the mistake of confusing the manners and accent of a good social background with ‘niceness’.]
Norman nice?
Who was the one playing ‘Run rabbit run’ on MTV all day when the MLP got into power with more seats but fewer votes than the PN in the 1981 election?
Who was the one sitting behind the caption ‘Bongu Malta Laburista’ on the same station on the same date?
That’s correct, because if one is from Qui-Si-Sana (and forgive my sarcasm) you should never make the mistake of confusing the manners and accent of a good social background with ‘niceness’!!.
I think it is relevant how Maltese people should act abroad because they represent their country and identity especially those holding positions of responsibility.
[Daphne – That’s rich, coming from a Maltese who operated in Soho in the days when it gave all Maltese a terrible reputation. Grown old and discovered God and good behaviour, have you?]
When I mean young, nowadays that’s anyone between 20-30 age group and they should know better with their behaviour. Hold on, Maltese public figures what does that mean these days, anyone who has a Facebook following of a million.
[Daphne – An ambassador/high commissioner holds public office and is not just a public figure, and no, having a Facebook account does not make a private individual a public figure, unless they use it for that purpose.]
My pleasure, because again he is a nice bloke and (freedom of speech) but you can’t associate him to sleaze or Maltese pimps of that time through hearsay which this blog thrives on.
[Daphne – This blog does not thrive on hearsay but on facts. Nobody said that Norman Hamilton was a pimp. However, if you have information to the contrary, do let us know. What I said is that he worked the clubs in the late 50s/early 60s, and you were kind enough – as his contemporary in Soho – not only to confirm that but also to give me the exact years.]
He was not successful or greatly known among Soho circles because success dictated you had to be tough; he was a flippin DJ. But hey, I too do not get invited to parties at the Malta High Commission for obvious reasons and I’m not fussed about it, I’m told their buffet is not all that anyway. Oh, Norman had the flu Sunday.
I lived in central Europe at that time and arrived in the UK much later. But the bad reputation persisted decades after that. Nowadays it’s much better, because apart people in their old age, few know about Malta (except the package-holidayers).
Our present treatment of wildlife and liberal tolerance of irregular migration is that of a civilized country. Wake up.
What does Kenneth Zammit Tabona have to say about this.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-11-10/news/government-reverses-move-of-national-museum-of-fine-arts-to-auberge-ditalie-3139272704/
“Can I have my flat now, please?”
Zammit Tabona (JZT is so much easier) seems to have moved on though: http://www.maltabusinessnetwork.com/profile/jztabona
From the photos on the George Cross Island Association website http://www.georgecrossisland.org.uk – All Hallows 2013 page, the man representing Malta at the Cenotaph today was Clint Borg.
Interestingly, the George Cross Island Association refer to Mr Borg as Acting High Commissioner.
Actually, why do we need a High Commissioner to the UK if our foreign policy is now centred around China, Russia, Azerbaijan, the Gulf states, the Middle East and African countries – basically those countries where we can sell EU passports?
It’s not like we are going to sell any EU passports in Britain.
It’s actually more likely that the British will sell us their EU passport.
I don’t believe he’s presented credentials yet: as you pointed out a few days ago, we’re bound to hear a great deal about that when it happens.
The question is: has the UK accepted his nomination? The receiving country issues what is known as an agrement (in French) to signal it’s approval of an ambassadorial candidate. A former Soho operative is hardly what the Court of St. James is used to dealing with.
[Daphne – Yes, he’s on their list already.]
Judging by the way Mr Hosni Bey, owner of Metropolis development in Gzira, spoke on TVM news tonight, leaves little doubt he will be one of the first applicants for citizenship.
No wonder the government is so determined to keep the list secret.
Undoubtedly the talented new citizens will be accorded private meetings with Dr Muscat, wearing his hat of leader of Partit Laburista. Fits like a glove.
The Soho interlude catching up, perhaps?
On further thought, why exactly do we need embassies (or high commissions) in EU countries if Malta’s foreign policy is now concerned only with non-EU countries?
And will it be long before the government hands over the running of all its non-EU embassies to Henley & Partners, who can convert those embassies into offices where they can sell EU passports on behalf of the Maltese government? Isn’t the essence of Malta’s foreign policy under Labour that of selling EU passports for cash?
That would be killing two birds with one stone, because George Vella had been reported saying that he would use embassies to attract investment into Malta. Since the Maltese government wants us to believe that selling EU passports is equivalent to an Individual Investor Program, George Vella’s objectives would be achieved.
Is he or he is not high commissioner?
On the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs he’s listed as H.E. MR NORMAN HAMILTON, High Commissioner – Designate. So I presume he didn’t present his credentials to Her Majesty as yet.
The narrator did make some mistakes when it came to German colonies, but describing Malta.
“And now it’s the turn of these High Commissioners…the wreaths will be laid by High Commissioners, the equivalent of ambassadors from these countries…”
“The next group, led by Malta, the island which was awarded the George Cross for the courage of all its citizens during the Second World War, when they sustained continuous bombardment for day and night, for many months; beside them…”
Muscat’s diplomatic focus is on Chinese-red. Not Europe. And definitely not the UK.
http://www.anony.ws/i/2013/11/10/PO4qb.jpg
http://www.anony.ws/i/2013/11/10/gKlfR.jpg
I meant “not when describing Malta”, of course.
What German colonies?
Erm, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle?
No, seriously.
The narrator kept repeating Germany had colonies during the Second World War. It jarred a bit given they lost the lot after Versailles.
Perhaps he meant the conquered territories?
These people have no sense nor knowledge of obligation.
Maybe Hamilton is the man on the streets of London for passport sales.
Who is/was Clive Waters? Did I miss something?
[Daphne – It was Norman Hamilton’s stage name when he was a crooner in the late 50s/early 60s.]
A crooner? I thought he was a DJ or a gogo-boy.
I saw him looking lost in ta’Xbiex.
Tried to make it in SoHo in the 50s? We’re all ears.
[Daphne – He went there to sing in clubs and wound up as the ‘caller’ in the doorway to one of them. This is way before my time, but there are several contemporary accounts among his peers. It was probably the early 60s actually, because he’d have been around 20 or so.]
What is a doorway caller? It’s not the same as a gentleman’s fluffer is it?
[Daphne – It’s one of those men who stand outside clubs and call other men in.]
Apparently he even spent some time as MC presenting the ware at “strip joints’.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080126/interview/the-evergreen-presenter.193545#.UoA-WXaxI5s
Daphne, wonder boy Norman Hamilton is still not accredited to the UK as he still has to present his credentials to the Head of State, hence he could not represent our country at this excellent and moving ceremony.
Hamilton’s not alone
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-11-11/news/maltas-new-unesco-ambassador-snubs-general-conference-3150053381/
I would say that Hamilton is in very good company indeed.
If Mr. Hamilton has not yet presented his letters of credence, the invitation to the ceremony would not have been issued in his name but either in that of the previous High Commissioner or, if he has left the UK, in that of the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. Presumably, the person you mention is the latter — I have not seen the photo.
“AND HAS NOW RETURNED IN SPLENDOUR TO AN OFFICE ROUND THE CORNER AS HIGH COMMISSIONER”
It is important to highlight that the Maltese high commission is to be found nowhere near Soho – now home to offices, restaurants, music shops and sex shops – but in Piccadilly (opposite The Ritz). Why one chooses to have an ‘office’ in one of the most prominent and expensive pockets of London is beyond me (this applies to other capitals too). I would only accept if it was a tourism office. But it doesn’t matter – it’s the taxpayer forking out.
[Daphne – Soho sits on Piccadilly, Joe. And the High Commission is opposite Fortnum’s, not the Ritz.]