Friday, 13th June 2008
FOR SOME VARIETY
I generally tend to leave this blog alone while the comments are still coming in. It's so interesting to watch the little elves spluttering at me, spewing out what they think are insults in what they think is English. According to the latest of these genii, I'm a non-peasant who spews out venom on anyone who is not blue, for instance, which is great fun to read and (try to) decipher. What you have to do is do a word-for-word translation into Maltese and you can see that the writer has Maltese as his first, and almost only, language.
Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I can't help musing on whether this means that there is an educational divide still in this country. For some reason, the people who write in not to insult me seem to do it in much better English than the ones who do it to call me names.
I thought I'd send in a new one, though, and not go after Muscat, so the little elves can re-group and, perhaps, take the opportunity to ingest some remedial English. Not much of a chance of that, of course, as what they will all do now is write to get back at me for these irreverent remarks, thus confirming my thesis. There's not much to write about in the political arena, really. As I write, the deputy leaders of the MLP haven't actually been elected, though Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela are in the lead, which must have jogged the machine into overdrive. There's nothing newsworthy about this, though, except to muse, ineffectually due to a lack of insight, about what possessed the relative majority (so far) of the delegates to show that they want these two gentlemen to help lead their party.
Still, there's the run-off to come before we will know if the machine has been successful in insalling its placemen, so discussion is postponed on this one. The sight of Muscat charging about trying to hug anyone who will stand still long enough is also something about which there's not much to say, really. I'd love to have been there when he tried to enfold Mintoff in his fond embrace - hopefully, the old buffer's big stick wasn't within reach.
To jump to a popular tune, I'd succumb to the temptation to talk about the way Joe Debono Grech has turned his back on the current version of the MLP, but here again, there's nothing to be said that hasn't been said by others and better. Incidentally, and not exactly relevantly, I received independent confirmation that Muscat went to St Aloysius in '83 or '84, precisely the years during which Mintoff and KMB were having their fun and games with the church schools. Perhaps that's what he went to see Mintoff for, then, to thank him directly for the great contribution he made to the promotion of educational values in this country.
No, this time around I thought I'd look at something different, just for a bit of variety, if you like.
The MHRA, which represents the movers and shakers in the tourism sector, have a new president in the form of Kevin DeCesare, who was reported to have said that "if you take the first four months of the year, you can see that the gain of the first quarter is practically wiped out".
This was while he was ladling out some cold water over the positive news about tourism. I'm not going to argue with DeCesare about the figures - I'm sure he knows more than many about what's going on - but could someone please, pretty pretty please, tell me how you can use the figures of the first quarter to wipe out the gain of the first four months of the year? Am I missing the point or was something being attributed to DeCesare that he didn't say, or do, again? Perhaps the tourism industry starts the year with the Chinese New Year?
That little conundrum aside, DeCesare's points were quite thoughtful and thought-provoking. One of the thoughts provoked in me, for example, was to have a bit of a reaction to his (fully justified) demand that Paceville be cleaned up, in every available sense of the phrase. Not to put too fine a point on it, the place is a zoo and not one full of cuddly beasts, either, and it is crying out for a stiff dose of zero tolerance. The thing is, why is the place such a dump?
Erm, lemme see. Could it be something to do with the fact that the bar owners do their utmost to attract people to their joints, the shop owners do their utmost to sell anything to anyone that turns a Euro or six in their favour, the club owners do their utmost to drag in the punters, the hotel owners do their utmost to fill their beds and the language school owners do their utmost to fill their class-rooms?
It's a touch ironic, isn't it, that while DeCesare and his mates at the GRTU do their own utmost to point out what's going wrong and demand a solution, many of their constituents are actually a large part of the problem themselves? It wouldn't really be fair to ask the physicians to heal themselves first, but sometimes the temptation to ask these people to stop moaning before they do something concrete to stop their own members from making things worse is quite strong.
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Comments
Your attention is drawn to gross inaccuracies you mentioned re the history of 1970s educational systems. Please check your data carefully before rushing into print.
The Nationalist Administration NEVER abolished the 11+ Selective educational system as the current one is known. This implies that students have to pass a qualifying exam at age 10/11 to be admitted into a Junior Lyceum. On the contrary, it was the Socialist government that abolished this system in 1973 to replace it with an experimental cheap copy of the British comprehensive type. In 1974 even written exams were abolished. This signalled the start of a stampede coming from level-headed parents to transfer their issue to Church schools still using the former system.
In 1970 the NP Administration introduced secondary education for all. Before then, students who failed their 11+ had to continue their studies in primary schools up to the school-leaving age of 14. This reform established Area Secondary schools enabled such students to continue studies at secondary level.
In 1982 Mintoff realised he had botched up a successfully-proven system. He re-established Junior Lyceums - a carbon copy of the pre-1973 system called by a different name .
The MHRA statement is quite clear : "if you take the first four months of the year, you can see that the gain of the first quarter is practically wiped out". That ABC did not get it is no great shake. We only get at him when he is off about his mastery of the English Language (we all suffer from some kind of dillusion i suppose :) or when he bums away at you know who, think it is funny...
The MHRA are saying that the increase for 2008 over 2007 registered in the first three months was wiped away (quasi) by the April figures. eg
Jan 2007 25 Jan 2008 26
Fe 2007 20 Feb 2008 21
Mar 2007 30 Mar 2008 45
mela increase in forst quarter of 17 or 26%
issa when April figures came in (no easter this year)
Mar 2007 45 Mar 2008 31
therefore, absolute increase in first 4 months of 3 or 2.5% only
so at least to this elf, the mhra statement makes sense.
regards
Let me spell it out - a quarter, or three months, is indeed one month shorter than a trimester, or four months. So, if Easter falls in the third month this year, rather than in the fourth, tourist arrival figures for the first quarter may be inflated compared to last year. However, one would expect a lower figure for the fourth month - which this year is Easterless.
I find it rather funny that the elves were so wound up in the english language that they missed such a wonderful opportuity to take the mickey.
ABC, you fuddled your 12 divided by 4. And that in the same article where you claimed that there is an "educational divide still in this country". Now, methinks, that's a silver platter to the elves if I ever saw one.
And yet they weren't the wiser. I wonder - does it feel like shooting fish in a barrel?
Ignorant people should not be ashamed of their ignorance. They don't know any better. Ignorant people who feign to be intelligent would soon be caught in the act. An old Chinese adage says "It is better to remain silent and be assumed ignorant rather than to open your mouth and remove all doubt".
Non-ignorant people who tend to find fault for their own academic inadequacies and lay the blame on their old school are a different kettle of fish. It is a fact acknowledged by all that the education imparted at the Lyceum in the 1950s and 1960s right up to its dismemberment by the Socialists in 1972 under both Labour and Nationalist Administrations was excellent. Your quip that standards went down under the NP Administration is banal and baseless. Such fault finders merit not only to be shamed but also pilloried!!
Finally, for a double-barrelled surnamed medical professionist who ended his career as Medical Superintendant, you don't seem to have done badly at the Lyceum under a PN Administration.
I use "inaccuracies" as a substitute for "blatant lies". I come from a wage-earning family, not any "elite", never depended on privileges but earning, by my own efforts, for my educatio. I do not belong to any caste system, certainly not the new "elite" created by Mintoff and KMB under the pretence of removing "class distinction".
I never implied that Malta is not part of the Commonwealth but I deny that "it was always so". We were civilised Roman citizens at a time when Britons were still painting themselves with woad. Pritcoe confirms that the term "third world country" did not even exist when I was attending the Lyceum in the late thirties and forties.
Pritcoe confuse "salinity" with "chlorination". The latter is a necessary public health measure widely employed throughout the civilized world. On the other hand Malta's unacceptably high salinity and scanty intermittent tap water supply were an unnecessary health risk imposed on the nation by a stubborn insistence on sole dependence on underground water and destroying it by an excessive rate of extraction. Next question, please.
Yes, my dear Andrew, I still remember days in Mellieha (and other places) when certain people carried water to their houses from a tap in the streets. I am 62 years old. Water started flowing into these houses during Mintoff's government 1955-1958, together with financial help for bathrooms and kitchens. So, no, I am not Dr. Who.
As to Mr Prictoe, I, as an elf, do not like to ridicule persons, especially the deceased. So, in this particular case, he acted like one of you honourable ladies and gentlemen who thrive on such malicious and unethical writings.
And precisely how old are you, that you had no running water? Are you Dr Who or something?
Inaccuracies for you yes. i was talking about the majority of the island and not about the lucky few elite, like you, who managed to obtain the amnities you mentioned. Class distinction was the order of the day then but there were people like you who enjoyed, and still enjoy, to be known and treated as the high class. This is what Mintoff and KMB cancelled from most of the Maltese mentality, although one can feel it slowly creeping back again nowadays. But, obviously, you were not an ordinaryy village boy then. but a "blue-eyed" one.
@ Peter Prictoe:
No not Agatha Barbara. She was, like me, socialist and codemned to the abyss by the 'righteous', honourable gentlemen and ladies, like you. But, maybe, the immaculate Giovanna Debono, not to mention directly, in a rather degrading manner like you did, names of deceased PN ladies who might still have living relatives.
@Francis Saliba
Further thoughts:
You refer to
"water-bourne sewage diposal"
Well the colonial power had provided a sewage ring around the Grand Harbour back in the nineteenth century and it still functions.
You mention: "...a constant supply of wholesome sweet tasting water delivered through taps and not spasmodically by bowser and tasting as if it had been collected straight out of Mellieha Bay."
In pre-war days Malta's water was chlorinated but acceptable though immediately after hostilities ceased we used to tanker in water to Malta from Plymouth. That was before the days of reverse osmosis of which Dom Mintoff said it would be cheaper to make whisky rather than water. Valletta gets within an inch or so of London's annual rainfall but Malta's water pours into the sea. That brackish stuff that comes ouit of your taps is an expensive disgrace.
All credit to modest Borg Olivier who demanded and obtained Dominion Status for Malta at the coronation in 1953 but I think Manwel Dimech had the right idea for Malta before World War One.
"Your contribution is full patent inaccuracies"
What on earth does that mean?
You wrote :" When I was receiving my education Malta was part of the Commonwealth"
It always was and still is
You wrote: "The term "third world country" did not even exist then. "
I do not know how far back you go but the expression was coined in 1952
Joseph Grech-Attard wrote:
"But, maybe, now, gonziPN might bring back the levels to pre 1971 in the next 5 years or more, at a price of course, unless some 'white lady' appears again in some town or village!! Good luck."
Would that be the ghost of Agatha Barbara?
The administration of the country requires money. Taxes and fees are the answers. The result are the social services set up by the M.L.P., always opposed by the P.N., even the non contributory Old Age Pensions so needed not to see old people begging for alms, were defined by the P.N. as money for drunkards.
In view of the existing taxes, paying for certain services would be considered as a double payment, health services for example. With a contribution of 260 millions by the tax payers for a hospital surely deserves a better service, better planning.
But are we always being given a fair exchange for what we pay. Reading daily multiple complaints in the press, it seems not.
I like to quote, others just write words.
I have to admit that your comments regarding elves and their level of education is, to say the least, off the mark. I am one of those elves presently attending University; and I can speak, and write, four languages fluently. Without giving out any more information about my education, I feel aggrieved that one of your stature in society has stooped to such low levels and remarks in his opinions. Everybody is entitled to his own opinions, but to have such degrading opinions about half of your own nation, as the elves represent nearly 50% of the votes, speaks volumes about your character traits.
With regards to tourism; while stays in Malta have increased in days and number of tourists, this was offset by the amount spent in Malta by the same tourists. To simplify it, since apparently maths is not one of your favourite areas of education, we are not better off just because more people are coming to Malta and spending more time here soaking up the sun and admiring the scenery. We want them to spend more, something which is not likely to happen in the near future.
Bizarre, when proposed by the MLP it provoked a vociferous reaction. Under the P.N. the principle was welcome with open arms.
Referring to levels mentioned by others. Under the P.N. system admission to secondary schools was completely changed. The Lyceums were abolished, area secondary schools took their place until the MLP was reelected, listened to public opinion, and reintroduced the Lyceums. The Lyceum Vassalli at tal-Handaq under the late Mr.J.Testa was a model. Looking around one can witness the results. Other Lyceums and secondary schools for girls were set up. Area secondary schools were not abolished. Now there is a combination of both.
Why the P.N. abolished the lyceums while not touching private schools has never been explained, though one might have an answer.
Comparing standards between former Government and private schools better abstain not to rekindle animosity. Perusing teachers’ salaries statistics at the time one could deduce a difference that reflects on the standard.
Now that the salaries of Church school teachers are the government responsibility, comparisons are odious.
Your contribution is full patent inaccuracies. When I was receiving my education Malta was part of the Commonwealth enjoying a standard of living as high, if not higher, than that of adjacent Mediterranean islands. The term "third world country" did not even exist then. My homes always had hygienic bathrooms and kitchens, electricity, water-bourne sewage diposal and a constant supply of wholesome sweet tasting water delivered through taps and not spasmodically by bowser and tasting as if it had been collected straight out of Mellieha Bay. The change from a colonial fortress economy was completed successfully and bloodlessly by Dr George Borg Olivier. Our standards were further raised to European levels when we joined the European Union. If anyone "wanted us to remain unchanged" it was those who opposed that union, tooth and nail.
The point at issue is not whether church and private schools are free or not. It is about standards of excellence. Neither education nor public health have ever been really free, not even now - they are paid for by all taxpayers without distinction. Nowadays they are acknowledged to be of a very high standard and no one complains about contributing for them. The same cannot be said for the shambles of the Mintoff and KMB eras.
Have you heard about the concept of Choice? One's right to choose. Guess not.
In the days you received your education Malta was still a third world country without any social benefits at all, no bathrooms, no kitchens, no hygiene, no water in the homes, no human rights, no freedom of speech, etc. Somebody sometime had to start, if possible, a 'bloodless' revolution so that the mentality of the people changes......ant it succeeded, by no easy measures and mistakes and by severe opposition from people who, for some obscure reason, wanted us to remain unchanged. However, the mentality did change and, for example, Mellieha is no longer "ta wara il-muntanj." But now, for 21 years of PN administration, the "platt shun" never arrived. If the state of education and medicine is still at a lower level than your days, then something went wrong also with the PN. 21 years is a whole generation. But, maybe, now, gonziPN might bring back the levels to pre 1971 in the next 5 years or more, at a price of course, unless some 'white lady' appears again in some town or village!! Good luck.
The Lyceum reform went forward in 1971 .. after that Labour left in motion the PN plan./ The church school issues was much, much later ... during KMB times. The church schools issue was unfortunate for KMB but one day I would love to know the whole story of what really went on in discussions between the Vatican, MLP and the Church authorities!
What was the problem then. That Church schools should be free. Am I right?
Are Church schools free now? Yes? So what was the problem? The messenger or the message?Simple.
Don't invent irrelevant stories. The question is that simple. Are Church schools free now?
By no stretch of the imagination can the NP be apportioned any blame for the mess resulting from the massive onslaught on private and religious schools of 1971 ("jew b'xejn jew xejn"). That was Mintoff's (and KMB's) brainchild, conceived and inflicted on the nation when the NP was in opposition.
In my days a small fee was charged for a Lyceum education and it was well within reach of my worker family which set a value on the acquisition of a formal education for its children. Moroever scholarships, awarded on merit, were available and I was a beneficiary of the system. Dom Mintoff's family background was the same and it did not prevent him from acquiring a sound secondary and post secondary education.
In order to put the record straught .. the Lyceum, Hamrun and the Secondary School Systems reform was planned by the Nationalist Party in 1970 - In fact circulars to teachers had already been issued, and retained and implimented by the Labour Party.. so both parties were 'party' to this mess!
The level of education of the students is judged by the examination/s results. The results of the Oxford, London, and other boards of external examinations are available and could be perused at will. They might project a true picture of the standard of education i.r.o. any period of time.
To those who pontificate on the level of education at certain period : be serious, and patient; take your time and peruse the records before writing positive, negative or incorrect assertions. You will have proof to convince the non believers or to rectify your own opinion.
Trying to assess the intelligence of youths according to certain periods of time is like sorting precious objects of a treasure according to their esteemed value. There will never bee two persons to agree
Dr. Saliba when you make reference to "This senseless onslaught against the independent schools and private hospitals was an essential prerequisite to force a reluctant nation to accept willly nilly a government supplied inferior medicine and education by eliminating all competition." are you refering to that our edectional and medicine would have resamble to that of Cuba and North Korea and other banana Republics areound the world.
My God, I am already shivering.
Up to the time of the MLP "improvements" to our education and health systems, the Lyceum had always attracted the best students. Education levels fell drastically when that government embarked on a senseless doctrinaire war of attrition against the independent schools, tertiary education centres including the University and the Medical School. This senseless onslaught against the independent schools and private hospitals was an essential prerequisite to force a reluctant nation to accept willly nilly a government supplied inferior medicine and education by eliminating all competition. The effects are still being felt today.
Shame on you for missing out in translating a word you yourself admitted is so easy. For your information, the education imparted at the Lyceum in the 50s and the 60s, no matter which party was in government (that is totally irrelevant!!) was acknowledged by all as being the best when compared to other Church and Independent schools. Going by the names of Lyceum old boys (including Dr Sant) who are aged under or over 60, one would realise that most became achievers who held important positions in the Judiciary, the Medical profession, architects and Civil Engineers,the Civil Service, the Education Department,Banks etc. If there was anything lacking in academic excellence, it should be attributed to the student's mental abilities (or lack of them) and not laid at the door of this eminent teaching establishment.
ABC has drawn a demarcation line between the know how and the don’t know, not those he calls elves, though he never explained this appellation.
If he regrets it, that’s his problem. He must surely know the saying about glass houses. It is always wrong, I was going to write stupid, to generalize.
Pity there is no equivalent to Molière’s two comedies in the English literature, or I am not aware of any, otherwise I would have recommended him to read those
ABC knows his French and can follow easily the recommendation. Mentioning the names of the two social comedies is easy for him to understand the reference.
There is Malta sitting on the neglected , vandalised ruins
Of the greatest number of historical sites on such a small island
Whilst complaints are made of the cess-pit of Paceville.
What sort of tourist do you expect to visit Malta?
I am of the generation of servicemen who frequented
Strada Stretta, Strait Street or the Gut
Back in the forties - for, as Kipling wrote to effect,
“Single men in barracks don’t grow into plaster saints.”
Malta of today deserves dignity
Service does not mean servility.
Malta of my youth was desperately poor but picturesque
Today it is hideous.
@all translators: Thank u for your translation of "impekkabbli". It's so easy. What an elf am I (or is it I am?!! It must be the education I received in the '60's at the Lyceum, under the PN!!
@my friend J. Martinelli: Isn't "bla tebgha" immaculate? Or is that only used in a religious context?
@emanuel fenech: LOL!! Thank you for your impeccable sense of humour! LOL!
I consider beach concessions in far too many cases have degraded the area on the pretext of offering a service.
One would like to see more partecipation by all involved in Tourism industry, in site rehabilitation efforts, particularly carried out by NGO's.
The state in which important historical sites are in are a shame and a meter to measure our tourist attracton potential.
How can we afford to have such a histrically important site, like Fort St. Elmo, spot on a tourist itenarary, in the state it is in?
Can we afford to have the majority of all the other fortifications abandoned and dilapedated- when these could support the best of country/heritage walks? How many of these are illegally occupied, leased out as catering outlets and have been defaced or improperly managed?
What about the Cottonera lines? 7 kilometers of the most impressive baroque architecture crumbling in ruins? what a walk these could make! how much space for historic interpretation, vebnues etc - and yet, NGO trying to intervene struggle to find support.
Let's talk tourist product.
Beware!! The elves are proof reading your weekly contributions to the blog in an effort to fault your literary style and lack of prowess. It is advisable that in future, you double-check and triple-check your writings for spelling, grammatical and syntaxical errors. Do please make a point of reading Moliere` in French in order to improve your English!! I have known that the word "impeccable" is the correct equivalent to the Maltese "impekkabli" since I was in Form 3 at the Lyceum when double-barrelled surnames ruled the roost. It seems that there was a decline in standards ever since.
One I.M.Beck wrote on the 2nd February this year:
“And, yes, that was a purposely convoluted sentence, designed to annoy people who are annoyed by such things“.
I take no prisoners.
Perhaps the closest Maltese word(s) to translate 'impeccable' is 'bla tebgha'?
Re: KDC of the MHRA - I hope that more of the same statements will not be forthcoming from this gentleman otherwise we should have an interpreter to make some sense out of such quotes.
If KDC and the GRTU are quick to point out what's going wrong, should they (the experts) not produce solutions rather than demand them from someone else?
You ask: How come so many of my detractors are of the Attard clan? Is there a particularly virulent strain of elf with that surname?
You must surely know all about us elves being youthful men and women of great beauty living in forests and along springs. You may also know of our wisdom as depicted in The Lord of the Rings, and therefore of our magical powers and immortal nature.
Now it is because of this, our immortal nature, that our surnames remain so robustly present among us elves.
May you forever (well figuratively speaking in your case I’m afraid) love your neighbor. I also thank you for giving us elves the opportunity to make our beauty wisdom and eternal nature known to you.
Regards
And your point is ??
Also Andrew .. some basic mathematics. DeCesare mentioned two points.
1) Tourists are spending less time in Malta, so even if we have a higher count of people visiting, they are spending less per capita .. hence .. less profits per person, and possibly more costs.
2) Easter came early this year .. March to be precise. This meant that April was worse than last years, erasing most of the gains up to that point.
His concluding point, tourism is going better, just don't get too excited about it.
Hope that's not too hard for you to understand.
Note the purity of this sentence in English: "This was while he was ladling ...."(ABC)
Written by a beginner the teacher of English would probably have objected to the repetitive “was”. He would suggest" This happened/ occurred/took place/ while he was ladling...or He said this while he was ladling.....”
"This was while he was ladling....” appears to be a poor translation from the Maltese. Not being proficient in Maltese orthography I dare not write what I presume ABC had in mind, but phonetically I can and it goes like this:" Dan ġara’ waqt li kien qed iferra...." Note, no repetitions
Does this break ABC demarcation line?
Mind you I am no teacher of English but I was always taught that one has to avoid repetitions in whatever language. Variety is the answer; the opposite of variety is monotony by repeating the same expressions
As to the style I would suggest ABC/DCG to read Molière’s :”Les précieuses ridicules” or “les femmes savantes”.
J Attard - you almost got it!
D Attard - touche' - never said my spelling was perfect, especially when I don't use spell check.
How come so many of my detractors are of the Attard clan? Is there a particularly virulent strain of elf with that surname?
Again, you nailed it!!!!
Loved the GRTU part......sad but very very accurate. It seems that most of the moaners in this country, are the same people who could actually move the mountain....of paceville dump.
Keep the pen going.
This is an extract from one of your comments posted on your previous contribution:
' And that's leaving aside the quasi-incoherent rambling of the various little elves, which is further testament, if any were required, of the gulf seperating them from us.'
I suggest, sir, that you should spell the word 'separating' correctly.
Regards