I would differentiate between nerd and rebel hamallu.

Nerds play by the rules. They learn the rules, play the game by the rules and any game they play will be played well.

The rebel hamallu doesn’t play any game by the rules because he’s not really interested in playing the game but in cheating the game.

They will never play the game well: any game.

As Joseph Muscat explained at St. Aloysius – he thought it was clever: When he forgot his “undervest” (Rule 1), he went to his friend’s house and saved himself the journey back home, plus the cost of it.

The truth is: he wasted both time, effort and lesson input by “not playing the game by the rules.”

It was true then, and it’s just as true now.

Give me a nerd who plays by the rules any time. Rebels end up chasing their tails and not playing any game well.

Nerds and geeks are actually an aspiration within that context. It’s the full knowledge of the rules that take them forward.

It’s the precision that they can apply in the preparation they know they need to have which supplies the advantage over the rebel: whether hamallu or cool.

“Why not” does add spice, but that’s not how one runs a country where people’s lives are dependent on responsible choices of Government.

@ Neo

“Labour had been infiltrating government entities for five years. Slowly but surely.”

Agree with you there. Not only Government entities, but others too.

Not all civil servants, certain people have been recruited having a criminal record. PQ please!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqi6eRD8vyQ

Chris Engerer’s place is called ‘Paradise Bar’, you know like ‘stairway to heaven’ stuff – how very appropriate.

Now guess who ‘Puff’ the Magic Dragon is.

A few other posts were made available to employees of public sector organisations. However, part from the drivers who could be sourced from outside the Public Service or the public sector, only three officers could be appointed from outside the Government.

I recall a good few cases where this check revealed convictions, which meant that the appointment was immediately dismissed.

Anything drug-related, for example, meant that the proposed engagement stopped before it even started.

In cases where an act was committed several years before, was a first offence, did not involve a jail sentence (suspended or otherwise) and by its nature did not demonstrate a predisposition to deceit or criminal intent, then such individuals were assessed on a case by case basis.

I am referring here to situations similar to that of Claudio Grech given that a ridiculous attempt was made to equate his case with that of Mr Engerer.

All in all, under the previous government there was an awareness that we were dealing here with ‘positions of trust’, and that therefore the integrity and reliability of persons appointed to these positions had to be assured. This lot are making an absolute mockery of this principle.