Manuel Mallia’s Marsascala mobile police station moves to football pitch
Published:
February 15, 2015 at 11:42am
Remember him declaring this one open, along with Codruta and the kapillan?
After it got a good lashing in a recent gale, they’ve moved it to a secure location up against a wall (maybe they’re going to blindfold it and shoot it) – in the football pitch.
Look, let’s just laugh, because otherwise we’re going to be slitting our wrists.
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At least now the mobile police station can be used as a dressing room.
I would not even call that a football pitch. Look at it, have you ever seen a football pitch with an angle? Another marvelous idea by the Labour led Marsascala local council some years back.
I have fond childhood memories of that angled football pitch.
My friends and I spent many a Sunday afternoon having free-spirited football games, and yes, that angle, along with a few concrete benches on the other side (under the wall) posed a challenge which we took on our stride and did not let it ruin our fun.
At least we had somewhere to kick a ball (and a few legs), and not having to resort to finding an alternative place to enjoy ourselves.
Placing that eyesore there is really inconsiderate and this shows that the well-being of children has not been thought of.
Marsascala needs and deserves a permanent and proper police station.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49636/muscat_says_libya_crisis_poses_no_threat_to_malta#.VOCH8ebF9mM
‘….While defending Malta’s decision not to join the anti-IS coalition, the prime minister insisted that Malta’s neutrality does not mean that it would remain passive in the face of the Libyan conflict. Conversely, he said, the country must insist on the Libyan factions coalescing to find a solution…’
Don’t know where to start, so many half truths in this statement.
If he’s also chasing after Renzi, Muscat must specify whether he supports Italy’s position; that if Tripoli’s ex-Ghaddafi self-appointed government refuses to converge with Tobruk, Italy chooses to defend its interests and side with the latter, democratically elected administration. Tobruk also being the one recognised by proper states. The UN does NOT, as he tries to imply, recognise Tripoli, just the potential disaster with IS sealing off the entire Libyan coast.
Muscat must, in other words, commit himself to either the embassy in Attard or the exiled prime minister he had over last year for his collection of photo sessions.
So, what will Malta’s interests be, sticking to Ghaddafi’s henchmen or upholding the democratic process in Libya?
It becomes absolutely imperative at this point, to know what George Vella thinks.
If Muscat’s still voting neutrality to keep his Labour together, preferring to retweet Renzi’s definite stand to save what’s left of his face, IS becomes his responsibility as well.
‘..However, the Opposition leader argued that Italy’s announcement of a possible intervention in Libya is not enough, and that the EU must take up a stronger position.
“The situation is of increasing concern and which affects Malta very closely, more so after reports of ISIS militants taking over major cities. We expect the government to push for the EU to obtain a mandate from the United Nations to intervene in Libya, rather than just having Italy taking part,” he said…’
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49635/_act_now_before_its_too_late__simon_busuttil_on_libya#.VOCVWubF9mM
And sure enough,
The Italian defence minister expects Malta, along with the UK, France and others to take on a leading role in saving Libya from IS.
Not an invitation to ‘help Libyan factions coalesce together’ and concurrently remain neutral. The two are interlinked.
Even because IS now controls all ports and has taken to throwing people onto boats at gunpoint.
‘….”La nostra missione può essere significativa e impegnativa, anche numericamente”, dice il ministro, che ricorda come in Afghanistan siano stati mandati cinquemila uomini, in quello che era un Paese storicamente meno legato all’Italia. E che dunque a maggior ragione per Tripoli si dovrà fare di più…’
‘..Le regole di ingaggio andranno chiarite con gli alleati. Anche sui Paesi che potrebbero aderire alla coalizione per ora si parla soltanto di ipotesi, ma il ministro Pinotti ipotizza che “quelli dell’area” possano unirsi a “Francia, Gran Bretagna, Germania, Spagna, Malta” e sicuramente all’Italia. E che “sulla partecipazione diretta degli Stati Uniti si vedrà”…’
http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/mondo/libia-pinotti-pronti-guidare-coalizione-almeno-cinquemila-1094373.html
Or better when Libya is one of Italy’s strategic neighbours, the political imperative to act is a given.
Malta included as one of the core allies with whom other states in the area, the minister implies Egypt, might wish to join in the effort.
Just for the record, the minister is the one in the orange swing dress.
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2014/07/and-heres-manuel-mallia-feeling-like-a-very-big-cheese/
If only Manuel were still around. He’d show them.
Found this gem.
‘…La responsabilità dell’attacco è stata rivendicata dallo Stato islamico come vendetta per la morte in carcere negli Usa il 2 gennaio scorso di Abu Anas al-Libi, l’organizzatore degli attentati contro le ambasciate americane in Kenya e Tanzania del 1998, la prima azione terroristica attribuita ad Al Qaeda, in cui furono uccise 200 persone. Un tweet diffuso da un gruppo affiliato all’Is ha indicato i diplomatici stranieri ospitati dall’albergo di proprietà maltese come obiettivo dell’assalto di Tripoli. Fonti della Valletta hanno invece riferito che nel mirino dei terroristi c’era il premier del governo parallelo libico, Omar al Hassi, che al momento dell’assalto era all’interno dell’hotel e che sarebbe scampato all’agguato dopo essere stato evacuato dal retro….’
According to ‘Valletta’ the target of the Corinthia attack was al Hassi, leader of the parallel government, even though IS claims otherwise.
It gets stickier;
‘…Secondo il direttore della sicurezza centrale di Tripoli, Omar Khadrawi, fedele ad Hassi, l’Is non c’entra nulla con l’attacco al Corinthia. A suo avviso i responsabili sono ex rappresentanti delle “guardie rivoluzionarie di Gheddafi”, che punterebbero a minare la reputazione di Tripoli come città “tranquilla e sicura”. Secondo fonti dei servizi maltesi, invece, dietro l’assalto potrebbe addirittura esserci la mano del governo basato a Tobruk – riconosciuto dall’Occidente – proprio per colpire il rivale Hassi…’
The security chief of Al Hassi blames Ghaddafi’s personal guard to destabilize Tripoli and so remove any remnant of the exiled government, ‘Valletta’ however, goes a step further and implies Tobruk – recognised by the West – was behind the attack.
Two faced Muscat or what. So much for his neutrality and bringing together the two factions.
La Repubblica is anything but a right wing newspaper.
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2015/01/27/news/tripoli_terroristi_assaltano_hotel_tre_morti-105887122/?ref=search
http://maltarightnow.com/news/2015/02/15/e90-miljun-tal-poplu-libjan-maqbudin-ghand-il-bov/
‘…Minkejja li issa għaddew numru ta’ snin, il-Bank of Valletta għadu qiegħed iżomm għandu kważi €90 miljun li kienu ġew iffriżati minn żewġ kontijiet bankarji oriġinarjament proprjetà ta’ Mutassim Gaddafi, iben l-eks Dittatur Libjan Muammar Gaddafi, u li meta nstabu kienu jgħajtu lill-accountant Joe Sammut, eks Kandidat u eks Teżorier tal-Partit Laburista, li jaħdem minn uffiċċju fil-Mosta.
Sorsi infurmati tajjeb qalu lil il-mument li l-Ambaxxata Libjana f’Ħal Balzan qed issegwi mill-qrib ħafna kull żvilupp relatat ma’ dawn il-flus li fil-prinċipju hemm qbil li huma proprjetà tal-poplu Libjan u għalhekk dawn il-flus għandhom jingħataw lill-Gvern Libjan biex jintużaw fl-aħjar interess tal-poplu Libjan…’
Two faced twat is what Muscat is.
”L-Ambaxxata Libyana qed issegwi” great choice of words, who is doing the checking, the building, if the people at Balzan (or is it actually Attard?) are allegedly not recognized as representing the Libyan government?
Could someone ask the Prime Mister and the Minster for Foreign Affairs why they have allowed the embassy building to be occupied by representatives of the unrecognized government?
But the problem is min hu il- gvern Libjan bhal issa?
I think that the loot should stay where it is until the Libyan crisis is sorted out rather then handing them over to some faction who will end up ‘investing’ them in more ammo and terrorist propaganda.
At present, the people at the official Libyan embassy are Islamic squatters and not the representatives of the true government the civilized world recognizes as legitimate.
Just Me, the only recognized government is the one in exile, what Muscat has actually done, when portraying the Tripoli faction as some legitimate representative, was to ignore George Vella’s repeated warnings.
They told us the UN recognizes both, Grech Mintoff seeing to it on Times of Malta.
False claim, George Vella knows fully well the only recognized government is the one exiled in Tobruk.
There’s a link between the Labour party and this chaos, and it’s name is Joe Sammut.
Now Muscat says he convinced Italy to act, really, no wonder the Italian defence minister expects Malta to come clear.
Italy has ca. 40 billion worth of interests in Libya, Muscat comes across as protecting Libyan cash stashed in Labour’s favourite bank.
The press in Malta should really be ashamed of itself.
Sorry about this Daphne, but the absolute confusion and panic reflected in Maltatoday’s reporting must be documented. Latest edited proclamation.
‘Fluid’ situation as it is.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49643/international_community_must_urgently_tackle_libyan_crisis__government#.VODZOebF9mM
‘…The government also explained that Malta’s insistence also led to other countries, such as Italy, to declare itself ready to take action and intervene in Libya under a UN mandate. Italy’s announcement came hours after advances by a faction in Libya that has sworn loyalty to Islamic State militants on Friday….’
Oh really, to think Muscat was blaming Tobruk as reported in La Repubblica in my post above.
So now it’s Malta leading the coalition against IS or what?
Balzan’s busy today. Miriam Dalli had an article detailing Muscat’s grand vision at 7.28am this morning. That’s after Busuttil brushed aside the PM’s titubant posturing during the recording of Balzan’s program.
Poor Joseph, his worst nightmare is here.
Jozef, thank you for being the only Maltese passport-holder to take an interest in something that’s happening in our own backyard.
And thank you for giving me this splendid opportunity to say “Oh bollocks” to that bit about how it was Malta’s insistence that got Italy to act. Bollocks. It was France.
France’s reputation among the anti-Islamist Libyans is in tatters. After all, it was France that removed Gaddafi, and it was that power vacuum that allowed the rise of the Islamists.
Now France took the lead in combating Libyan ISIS on Libya’s southern flank in January 2013 (the heady days…). It knows it cannot take the official lead in combating ISIS on Libya’s coastal strip, because all the world’s cameras will be there (unlike the Southern Algeria/Niger/Libya region, which is too rugged for even the most intrepid hack).
So Italy is to be the figurehead. But Italy hasn’t the military capability for this sort of operation. So once again the European lead nation will be France, with the US filling in all the essential (and neglected) gaps (intelligence, logistics, refuelling, communication).
The trouble is, I don’t know how long anyone can keep it up. France is way overstretched, and Hollande’s alacrity in deploying the full number of troops allowed for internal duties (hoping to garner votes, no doubt) has made a desperate situation even worse. The Italian public has no appetite for expensive and protracted military operations. Likewise for the US public, and this time round, also for the US administration.
I think it likely that in the usual post-baby-boomer way, we’ll see a short, sharp air campaign, perhaps followed by a deployment of ground troops. The after a few weeks, Egypt and Qatar will step in (a bit like the Mali model). Only for them to be driven out by renewed fighting.
The Blessed George of Vella called such a situation “fluid”, I think.
The bottom line, as always, is money. European governments are skint. Wars cost money. And for which purpose? So Corinthia Group’s board of directors can make a few more millions? I’m not being flippant here. Italy may have economic interests in Libya, but the others?
What is painfully clear is that Muscat’s Labour may be hindering any proper ceasefire between Tripoli and Tobruk.
Never was an EU, one that manages a proper geo-strategic design, as urgent. One that recognizes who the stooges are.
Seeing how he must apply double speak; UN equals neutrality, EU equals adversary and immigrants are EU business, is something which cannot be tolerated anymore.
I’m afraid we’re back to the days when RAI was the only source of news for anything North Africa.
Let’s hope Minsk works.
http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/mondo/libia-lappello-delle-milizie-litalia-ci-aiuti-contro-lisis-1094579.html
What Misurata thinks of Muscat’s efforts to pacify the opposing factions.
I’m going out on a limb here, but there is no need for geo-strategic design in North Africa and the Middle East. This hand-wringing and calls for action are just European angst.
Sooner or later, things will reach some fluid steady state and North Africa will go back to the collection of impoverished statelets it was before Ottoman colonisation.
But trade will go on, to Europe’s advantage. Isn’t that what really matters?
North Africa isn’t China.
In the words of Louis Nolan, there, my Lord, there lies your enemy.
It is really a pity that I was not invited for the second opening. A lapsus by the kappillan or who was responsable for this glorious event? Or maybe, this took place in a hush hush manner? God only knows.
How is paved area with a curved wall a “football pitch”? Are you saying that just becasue there are 2 rusty poles stuck in the ground. You could also call it “pole dancers’ arena”.
Meta m’ghandomx x’jaghmlu l-lizija sejilghabu l-ootball biex jibqghu ‘fit’.
Those may be goalposts but that certainly is not a football pitch.
Forsi biex tigi attrezzata u sservi bhala latrina – jew, ghall-inqas, bhala ‘dressing room’.
As a Marsaskala resident, I congratulate the authorities for putting the porta-cabin police station away from prying eyes.
One door only i.e. no emergency exit.
That door and ramp sure look like they are great to manoeuvre a wheelchair up and through. What is the width of that door?
Does that tin can include a toilet?
That is really not a good place to put it. Children there often play football and it will be a nuisance for the police in there.
His goal has been reached.
Goal!
I would give Owen Bonnici a star for correcting the ‘much’ to ‘many’ in his Tweet.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49637/no_maltese_nationals_among_tripoli_evacuees#.VODVuebF9mM
The Italian government charters a Maltese vessel to evacuate its citizens.
Muscat calls on all Maltese to leave Libya yet Virtu Ferries confirms none ‘demanded evacuation’.
Taf int, it-Taljani fitti u jgibuha bi kbira.
Watch TVM2 right now. They are transmitting the” Karnival 2016” defile’. Watch the sticker.
And there was silly me thinking that we are still in 2015.
Will the police and players finally be on a level playing field or will some players continue to have more clout than others?
Let us say that a police officer gets hit in the head with a ball, while going out of the mobile police unit.
What is he going to do? Arrest the kid who miscalculated the shot?
The officer would have been in a ball park of sorts, after all.
L-aqwa fl-Ewropa.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49638/malta_in_joint_rescue_operation_of_around_1000_migrants#.VOD9i-bF9mM
‘..Meanwhile, an AFM spokesperson played down any fears of any major development in Libya, and explained that the joint rescue operation is a usual practice between the Italian and Maltese authorities, and “not a reaction to a major development in Libya.”..’
So how does he explain ‘immigrants’ wounded and the Italian Coast Guard threatened by armed men on a smaller boat to leave the craft these people were in?
If Muscat must insist on business as usual, the least he can do is look up the press before tweeting absolute rubbish.
These people are fleeing for their life, Libya’s hell, and all we get is Muscat avoiding reality like the plague.
‘…Gli scafisti hanno minacciato i nostri marinai per riprendersi il barcone vuoto e riportarlo indietro per poterlo riutilizzare. “È un ulteriore salto di qualità nell’orrendo traffico di donne, uomini e bambini nel Mediterraneo”, ammette il ministro Maurizio Lupi…’
http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/immigrati-sbarchi-senza-fine-12-navi-puntano-su-lampedusa-1094403.html
On CNN they are reporting that a fresh video has been released showing the live beheading of a score of Egyptian Copts in Libya, accompanied by threats made to Christians.
The authorities still believe that we are uninformed about what is happening next door or that we depend solely on what they chose to feed us on PBS news.
Il-post fejn tinsab il-Marsaskala mobile police station (dak il-kontejner skomdu li hemm fil-football pitch) tassew qieghed ideali, peress li ftit li xejn huma dawk il-persuni li jafu li HEMMHEKK tinsab midfuna l-Ghassa tal-Pulizija ta’ Wied il-Ghajn. Litteralment INVIZIBBLI. U x’kull wahda wkoll nisma’.
Rigward it-TIELET STAZZJON, min jaf fejn sejra tispicca. Sewwasew, dalwaqt inkunu fi zmien ir-Randan. Tghid tispicca f’post aktar prominenti u dinjituz? Mejjet biex naqta’ l-kurzita’.
We are now in Tardis heaven.
Muscat’s attitude is the classic example of of the ultra cautious (if that is the best word) urging his neighbours forward towards danger while he himself shelters behind their backs, complaining that he can’t do anything himself because the sight of blood makes him feel sick.
or a toilet
Why is it so difficult for many Maltese to appreciate the beauty of city planning when done correctly?
http://youtu.be/Hy4QjmKzF1c