The trashification of Malta under Labour: the latest is the Gieh ir-Repubblika for a child singer
Earlier today, the prime minister received the beautiful and gifted songstress, Gaia Cauchi, and declared to the reporters in attendance that she “and her team” will be on the honours list for receipt of the Gieh Ir-Repubblika.
This is Malta’s most important decoration and given by former Labour governments to famous murderous dictators like Kim Il Sung, Muammar Gaddafi, Nicolai Ceaucescu and that other one in Tunisia.
Efforts have been made over the last 25 years to upgrade the quality of recipient and to take the granting of this honour more seriously.
But now it’s back to the Gieh ir-Repubblika pastizzi shop.
Gieh ir-Repubblika for a primary-school child whose feat, wondrous though it may be, is winning the Junior Eurovision?
This government is determined to dumb down every aspect of life in Malta to its own comprehensible level, the level with which it is comfortable.
Gaia is sweet, lovely, personable and a terrific singer, but she is a child. And she has won the Junior Eurovision. Are these the aspirational standards to which Muscat and his trashy Labour Party would hold the rest of the country?
There are Maltese people in their 20s out there breaking new ground in scientific research, who make far more appropriate nominees for an honours list. But Muscat’s standards and those of his party and government are the standards of Pop Idol, Big Brother and ‘I’m In’.
Larkin and Nico Abela tan-Nortfejs are the type he uses as his sounding-board. Larkin and Nico Abela understand Gaia Cauchi and Junior Eurovision. But the only scientific breakthrough that interests them is a new kind of polar jacket interface which they can supply for free to a prime minister who doesn’t want to get too wet.
58 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
Wisq probabbli ghogbot lit-twins.
“Daddy is going to give Gaia a big gold star.”
So now, by default, any non-EU person who buys a Maltese passport for Euro 650,000 will also be awarded the Gieh ir-Repubblika as a bonus. Because they are talented.
Wait a minute that’s not such a bad idea. Salesman Joseph could double the price of a passport by throwing in a Gieh Ir-Repubblika medal.
He could throw in marriage to a Maltese cabinet minister while he’s at it. At least three of them seem to have bought their wives on Amazon.
I’m numb with disbelief.
My (late) father was awarded the Gieh Ir-Republika after having worked himself to death for 60 years.
Bad choice, dad, you should have taken up singing and won a junior competition.
What’s all the fuss about? Surely after Gaddafi got a Gieh Ir-Repubblika, everything else is an improvement.
Next on the list – Wardakanta winners.
I just logged on to your blog after reading this http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131202/local/gieh-ir-republika-for-gaia-cauchi.497307#.UpzarBRwbIU, and noticed that your thoughts about the matter are exactly the same as mine.
I have nothing against Gaia, that’s not the point. But to give this little child the Gieh Ir-Repubblika you just have to be cuckoo.
The prime minister must be doing it deliberately, to degrade or downgrade the honour, just as Mintoff and KMB gave it to murderers and oppressors.
Gieh ir-Repubblika saret karta tal-incova.
And Joseph giveth unto the popolin.
Are there no knights in shining armour out there who notice these subliminal messages which are continuously digging away at our democracy?
Too late, he’s already as wet as they come.
Don’t be too much surprised if they try to use her to sell passports.
How? All the options are seriously illegal.
Gvern medjokri.
Surely he meant to refer to the Medalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika (MQR) and not the Gieh ir-Republika (SG).
They are not quite the same thing although Joseph Muscat KUOM would not know that, or at least, fails to make the distinction.
The concept of the state awarding medals to children is by no means alien to modern history. Very much to the contrary, this was and probably still is, a practice in communist regimes.
Now how about a real reward, such as the setting up of a scholarship fund that could come in handy if Gaia decides to train professionally as a singer? This would surely be something of much more value to her.
I could not agree with you more.
Even the Beatles only received a prestigious annual award but NOT Britain’s highest award when they were made Members of the Most Honorable Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1965.
Bestowing Gieh ir-Repubblika is certainly not appropriate in this instance no matter how sweet, lovely and a terrific singer Gaia may be and a lesser award should have been created for purposes and events such as this.
Whoever is advising the Prime Minister on such delicate matters including the selling of passports does not have the proper background to understand the magnitude such of erroneous suggestions and their long-term repercussions.
Because Joseph Muscat constantly succumbs to bad advice indicates that he is simply not politically mature enough and because of his stubbornness and superiority complex will probably never be so.
[Daphne – Children should never he given honours and awards intended for adults, whatever the situation. Honours and awards of this nature are by definition given for achievement over a long period, if not a lifetime, the few exceptions being those for heroism on the battlefield, which Malta does not have, which are not given to children anyway.]
Malta does have the Midalja ghall-qlubija (MRQ) which is a bravery award and can be awarded to anybody for acts that qualify as bravery – it is obviously not applicable to this particular situation but I thought that it should be mentioned seeing that you mentioned bravery. I also believe that this medal was only awarded seven times since 1997, twice posthumously.
‘Qadi’ in itself implies service and that in turn, implies a lifetime achievement. I was also rather surprised when the MQR was awarded to Ira Losco in 2008, as her contribution hardly having been a lifetime.
One may argue that her contribution was still much longer than that of young Gaia and therefore, she may have been a more suitable recipient of a ‘service’ award. I would still argue that Ira Losco’s well deserved award did come a decade or two too early.
[Daphne – I don’t quite think it was well deserved. Her fellow recipient that day was Igor Judge, which makes her inclusion all the more ridiculous and inappropriate. And he didn’t turn up.]
I think this should put things into perspective. Though still very young, Malala Yousafzai was awarded the Sakharov prize for freedom of thought after being shot by the taliban. She’s a true hero who deserve these kind of merits. Listen to her speach.
My fellow countrymen would do well to follow her teachings.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/nov/20/malala-yousafzai-sakharov-prize-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/12/malala-yousafzai-addresses-un-education
‘The cabinet unanimously decided on the award’, the prime minister told Times of Malta.
So now we have some insight into the momentous content of cabinet meetings under Joseph Muscat.
And we all know how they spent their Saturday evening – watching the Junior Eurovision from Kiev. Dialling in their 12 points to the Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
The cabinet meets tomorrow.
Allura billi taghha xi haga b’xiex tifrah lil Gaia ghamel xi haga kbira? Nahseb iktar int qed taqla’ t-trouble billi tikteb fuq affarjiet banali bhal dawn. Affarjiet hekk graw u daqshekk mhux tikteb fuqhom biex kull haga negattiva li ssib fuq il-gvern Laburista u Joseph Muscat tmur ixxandru anki jekk tkun xi haga bla sens u bla sugu, kif fil-fatt hu l kaz f’ din il post.
[Daphne – Il-vera m’ghandekx ideja ta’ x’inhi l-Gieh ir-Repubblika, siehbi. Ma naghtikx tort, ghax dak l-eroj imkittef taghkom, Mintoff, kien iddekora qabda qattelin bhal Kim Il Sung u Gaddafi bl-istess Gieh ir-Repubblika.]
‘Allura billi taghha xi haga b’xiex tifrah lil Gaia’, sorry to burst your bubble but a Republic’s Prime Minsiter ain’t no Santa Claus?
‘(T)aqla’ t-trouble billi tikteb fuq affarjiet banali’, seriously, how dare you address a journalist like that? Belarus is only a flight away, you’d feel at home.
Daphne, what is ‘imkittef’ please? No such word in my maltese dictionary.
[Daphne – As in dublett mkittef, a skirt which is obscenely small.]
Mkittef is to have something reduced in size by taking off repetitively small lumps of it. This is analogous to tnittef where solitary feathers are taken off a chicken to bring it to a bare size.
Imma kif ma jaghmilx wahda tajba il-Prim Ministru?
Gabna qisna il-buffi ta’ l-Ewropa. U tad-dinja.
Apparently it’s jealousy. I hate this country. I expressed an opinion to someone and apparently I am jealous of Gaia, jealous of a little kid who isn’t even the same gender.
A man, accused of being jealous of a child who wears a flouncy dress and a bow in her hair.
Apparently, we are all jealous because this talented brilliant young girl won the Junior Eurovision and got the Gieh ir-Repubblika for it.
Saret moda biex naqaw fil-hara f’dan il-pajjiz.
Joseph Calleja has sung in the best places to the best people. He started from the bottom and rose to the top, and wherever he goes he promotes Malta. But because he didn’t have the ‘good sense’ to participate in the Junior Eurovision he remains undecorated. And you know what?
It’s better if he never gets the Gieh ir-Repubblika, rather than have to share it with Kim Il Sung and a 10-year-old Junior Eurovision singer.
The way I see it is this. It was worthless when Mintoff gave it to Gadaffi and it was worthless when Eddie Fenech Adami gave it to Ira Losco.
Honour in Malta is without value and that is why this award is given away like pastizzi.
[Daphne – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090104/letters/did-ira-deserve-medal.239486#.UpzvWycueV4 ]
Jeez. Don’t get me started. I’ve had it up to here with the “jealousy” thing in this blimmin’ country. Criticise anything and you’re jealous. Apparently we are meant to go through life liking everything and everyone, and praising everything and everyone. And “providing solutions, not pointing out problems”.
All these cockups in just nine months. The mind boggles if one thinks what they will conjure up in 5 years.
Mhux fair. Gaia giet l-ewwel minn hmistax gewwa l-Ukraina u jaghtuha Gieh ir-Repubblika u n-Nuxellina tigi l-ewwel minn 250 gewwa Ghawdex u ma naghtuha xejn.
Who’s next for Gieh ir-Repubblika? John Dalli?
And Peter Paul.
Dak ghal President.
Turncoat Peppi of Xarabank or Joe Demicoli?
Ray Pitre. He’s the only one to appear on a Labour billboard and get nothing for his pains.
Viktor Yanukovych, President of the Ukraine. He will be visiting next week. Perfect timing with the award of the Gieh ir-Repubblika.
Justification: for ignoring the plea of the Ukrainian people who want to join the EU. “Ghax il-partnership l-ahjar ghazla.”
What utter nonsense!
I think it’s quite irresponsible and abusive to tart up a pre-pubescent child and teach her to strut like an adult. What consent could this child have possibly given in the hands of pushy parents.
It’s all seems like music to the ears of perverts.
Kenneth, have the balls to comment on this latest dahka sfaccata f’wiccna.
This government is enjoying poking fun at the lot of us and we’re expected to stick it for another 51 months.
I’ll grin and bear it – I’ll get my own back in little ways that give me satisfaction: not giving my custom to any switchers, not buying Times of Malta ever again, not giving a cent to L-Istrina, not watching PBS.
Petty, maybe, but it’s going to help pass the time and make me feel better.
And Peter Paul.
Eżatt kif qed nagħmel jien.
Why are they hell bent on spoiling that lovely little girl with the golden voice by making her grow up so quickly? I am sure she would have preferred a trip to Disneyland with her immediate family instead.
Is he wearing a couple of Nortfejs padded jackets under that suit? His upper arms need more Photoshopping than his wife had for ‘that’ photo shoot.
He reaches the indubitable peak of his career, and immediately lets himself go like that? I don’t get it. More than meets the eye maybe?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131202/local/gieh-ir-republika-for-gaia-cauchi.497307#.Up0FbX-9KSM
Fuq sidru t-shirt b’ salib tal-kavallieri ha jibqa, Joseph Calleja.
Mela ha nkun “jealous” u nghid kelmtejn fuq Joseph Calleja.
Calleja huwa hemm fuq fost l-aqwa. Imma FOST, mhux l-uniku. Xi cuc, anzi hafna cwiec, isejhulu the next Pavarotti. Mhux se jkun hemm the next Pavarotti u lanqas the next Maria Callas u lanqas the next Coco Chanel u lanqas the next Jackie O, ghax dak iz-zmien spicca. Illum hadd mhu uniku. Lanqas Joseph Calleja.
Dak point The First.
Point The Second huwa li Joseph Calleja kien famuz u brillanti u bravu u mimli talent gotbless ferm qabel ma gie nnutat mill-Maltin. Imbaghad kanta darba f’Malta u sar superstar. Mas-superstardom beda l-laghqizmu. Anzi il-mutual laghqizmu. Il-Maltin – Norman Hamilton, Peppi Azzopardi, il-Prim Ministru, via Alec Lapira – jadurawh, u Joseph Calleja jilghaq lura. Kollox ostensibly, naturalment, ghax ma nimmaginax x’jista’ jahseb fuq il-marmalja tal-Astra u l-Aurora ragel li kien on very intimate terms ma’ nisa bhal Anna Netrebko.
Imma pprovda steady supply ta’ Bel Canto stil Sicily, 1900, lill-“poplu Malti”, ergo huwa mahbub.
Kieku Joseph Calleja kien l-iktar countertenor, jew harpsichordist, jew baroque haute-contre celebri tas-seklu, lanqas kuncert imgiddem ma kien jaghmel Malta, u kien ikun skonoxxut totali f’pajjizu.
Bhal dak li qallu, talk about being at the right place at the right time, with the right repertoire.
Over and out.
Maltastar: Attakk fahxi u moqziez fuq ir-rebbieha tal-Gunjer Ewrovixxin min blokker prominenti li hija ‘bakkjata mil Gvern….errr… Opposizzjoni Nazzjonalista.
And that’s to mention nothing of the fact that’s the whole thing’s counter-productive anyway. Gaia, sweet and talented as she is, is not old enough to know what the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika even is. It would have been better to give her talent the recognition it deserves by offering her a scholarship to study abroad, and if she has the drive to make it and do Malta proud, then give her an award.
I hope this sweet, talented child will remain innocent and act her age.
All this pomp and blown-out-of-proportion attention makes me wonder whether we’ll soon see her dressed and behave like an eighteen year old, with an over-blown self-esteem, so typical of our many Maltese singers and personalities.
I am happy that Gaia won. It is very nice but unfortunately this Gieh Ir-Republika has ruined everything.
Aren’t there rules and conditions for winning this award? I am sure there is some age limit like it can be awarded to 18 and over?
When you compare Gaia’s achievement with adults who have worked a whole lifetime and really made a name for Malta throughout their life it makes this gesture to award an 11 year old girl really out of place.
What about the committee – did they all agree?
I cannot understand why are you making so much fuss on this Daphne. Why does this little girl do not deserve Gieh ir-Republika? Isn’t it true that she made all really maltese proud and happy for a once.
Quote from the Gieh ir-Repubblika Act:
3. (1) The Xirka shall consist of the members and honorary
members whom the President of Malta on the written advice of the Prime Minister, shall from time to time appoint, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this Act.
(2) Only Maltese citizens shall be eligible to be appointed as
members of the Xirka and only persons who are not then Maltesecitizens shall be eligible to be appointed as honorary members of the Xirka.
(3) Appointments as member or honorary member of the Xirka shall be made for exceptional merit in the service of Malta or of humanity.
Muscat’s mentality is beyond puerile. He’s recommending awarding the award on the basis of a child, winning a children’s song contest.
I always treated the awards of the Republic with disdain, this just cements my view.
The point to be made is that Gaia very deservedly would have probably appreciated a reward appropriate for her age rather than be included in a list which beggars explanation as to how it came about.
With her outstanding talent she would have surely attained state recognition at a later stage of her life. What was the rush?
Decizjoni Populista ghal-ahhar immirata biss lejn il-Gahan Malti u ta’ tahtu. F’hiex kellu jigi pajjizna.
Biex naghmluha cara certi Nazzjonalisti ma kienux fjur, kellhom il-hazin taghhok wkoll, imma din il-pateticita’ ma rajniha qatt. Vera kaz ta’ naqlalek ghajnek u tifrah.
Haga wahda jiddispjacini li din il-povra tifla kellha tidhol f’din il-kontroversja ghal xejn. Issa li kieku ta scholarship u ghalaq halqu ma kienx ikun ahjar. Din it-tifla ghajnuna finanzjarja ghandha bzonn ha tmur il-quddiem u mela Gieh ir-Repubblika.
Ugigh ir-Repubblika
F’gieh ir-Repubblika ! I am afraid this charade will only serve to further devalue the Gieh ir-Repubblika. With all due respect to this little girl’s achievement, let’s please put things in their proper context.
Didn’t PN do the same thine by giving it to Ira Losco in 2008? As well as dancer Tanya Bayona in the same year? Also, Enzo Guzman got it in 2011.
All I want know is what’s the difference between Gaia getting hers and the ones I mentioned above? As far as I can see there isn’t.
[Daphne – Maybe the fact that she’s 11 and so too young for a lifetime achievement award? But frankly, none of them should have got it. It just doesn’t fit the situation. Why a singer or dancer and not a surgeon?]
I agree. It should be a surgeon or a scientist or anyone who really contributed society. Just saying that the nationalists made the same farces before. Doesn’t make this one right by any stretch.