In life, you can become whatever you want, including a government propagandist – Mahatma Gandhi.
The annual budget for the Public Broadcasting Services is the equivalent of 2021’s yearly increase in salaries and wages paid by the Office of the Prime Minister. According to the last Budget, the payroll of the Office of the Prime Minister increased from €12.5million to €18.5million from 2020 to 2021 – a 6 million Euros increase in one year alone. For 2022, the salaries and wages budget for the OPM is €21 million. The yearly budget for PBS is around €6 million.
Mark Sammut, a trusted Party hack and PBS’ new executive chairman is now entrusted to bring some semblance of normality in PBS, but the situation can never be normal when PBS is in direct control of the Prime Minister and is blatantly used as his propaganda tool. Robert thinks he can convince us he will be playing fair in the next elections by playing musical chairs in PBS and bringing some neutrality to the broadcaster. Had Robert really wanted to reform PBS he would have started by doing the obvious and hiving off PBS into a separate ministry instead of keeping it directly under his control. Robert is delusional enough to think he can fool people with his infantile games but it’s going to be very difficult to find someone who will play Robert Abela’s game of appearances since most of the willing propagandists are already known to be propagandists or bażużli. Charles Dalli, the new editor at PBS, is not an editor. He’s another Party hack and previous ONE employee who will serve as a temporary replacement to Norma’s editorial role while Robert figures out who he is going to choose for the role.
And this is also why we will never become a normal country under this infantile idiot prince. Public funds and institutions are not there to be used as tools for the Prime Minister. The Public Broadcaster deserves a proper reform, significant budgets to produce quality educational and critical content and a structured long-term commercial plan. As of now, PBS remains a propaganda tool and a cesspit of rent-seekers making money off our backs.
In any case, cultural and educational content are not in the interest of the Prime Minister. Let’s blow six million Euros on a troll farm instead.
F’dawn l-aħħar sentejn, Malta għaddiet minn pandemija filwaqt li dħalna f’reċessjoni ekonomika. Il-problemi u l-isfidi kbar li qed nesperjenzaw mhumiex biss frott ta’ kawżi esterni imma wkoll front ta’ gvern inkompotenti u bla direzzjoni. Is-sinjali tal-kollass tat-tessut tal-ħajja soċjali u l-kwalita tal-ħajja tagħna huwa evident
Il-prezzijiet li qed jgħolew b’mod allarmanti, u l-probabilta kbira li mhumiex ser jerġgħu jorħsu
Ir-rovina tal-kwalita tal-ħajja permezz ta’ bini bl-addoċċ mingħajr ebda rispett lejn residenti.
Il-bini ikrah kullimkien.
L-għoli esaġerat tal-prezzijiet tal-propjeta.
Iż-żieda allarmanti tal-karozzi u t-traffiku f’Malta.
Ejja ngħiduha kif inhi, għandna Prim Ministru li ma jafx jieħu deċiżjoni u li qatt ma ħa deċiżjoni. L-unika deċiżjonijiet li qed jieħu waħdu human deċiżjonijiet li jinvolvu rigali li qed jagħti biex iġib l-appoġġ elettorali bħal meta ta l-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa lill-kaċċatturi. Kull darba li kien hemm skandlu, bħal ta’ Justyne Caruana, kienu minisitri li ġiegħlu lil Rober Abela biex jieħu deċiżjoni u ma ħax deċiżjoni min jheddu.
Għalkemm il-Partit Laburista jinstab f’sitwazzjoni elettorali vantaġġjuża ħafna, b’Oppożizzjni ineffiċċjenti, nos il-pajjiż iħossu mifni bil-qtiegħ ta’ qalb. Teżiżti wkoll maġġoranza ta’ Maltin li ma jaqblux ma’ li qed jiġri f’pajjiżna u l-mod tat-tmexxija, imma ħafna minn dawn il-Maltin qatgħu qalbhom minn pajjiżhom, siefru u ilhom ħafna ma jerġgħu jiġu Malta biex jivvutaw.
Malta għandha bżonn it-tama. It-tama li xi darba l-affarijiet jistgħu jmorru aħjar. U din it-tama mhijiex ġejja minn Prim Ministru li ġie elett u maħtur bil-barka ta’ Joseph Muscat. Żgur li jrid kun xi ħaddieħor. Xi ħadd ta’ esperjenza, b’viżjoni li għamel ħajtu jaħdem jipproduċi xi ħaġa ta’ valur jew b’karriera b’servizz nobbli lill-pubbliku u mhux xi ħadd li għamel karriera b’direct orders mill-MEPA bi qrubija kbira ma’ kuntratturi tal-bini. U żgur, li dan il-persuna għandu jkun xi ħadd li jirrispetta l-liberta tal-kelma minflok juża l-PBS bħala magna ta’ propaganda u l-messaġġi ta’ għelqu tas-sena biex jagħmel theddid sottili għal kritiċi tiegħu. Għandna bżonn xi ħadd diċenti.
Għandna bżonn xi ħadd li jtina t-tama. Jien lest li nagħti sehmi. B’dan il-mod.
Jien miniex ir-ragħaj it-tajjeb. Jien bniedem normali b’ħafna żbalji u imperfezzjonijiet u konxju tal-limitazzjonijiet tiegħi. Jien xi ftit salvaġġ ukoll, għax ma nħobbx naħli ħin u allura ngħid il-verita mal-ewwel minflok noqgħod indur mal-lewża. B’din l-attitudni weġġajt ħafna nies, għalkemm din, mhux xi ħaġa neċessarjament ħażina l-anqas. Il-punt tiegħi hu li jien miniex tajjeb biex inkun politiku imma xorta ninqala’ biex nagħmel il-politika. U ħa nagħmilha b’dan il-mod.
Mil-lum ‘il quddiem jien ħa nappoġġja lil dawk il-kandidati politiċi kollha li jaqblu mal-manifest politiku tiegħi u li joħorġu fuq kull partit politiku minbarra l-Partit Laburista. Il-linja politika tiegħi hi kif spjegajt fil-poddata ta’ Jon Mallia. Għalkemm jiena Laburist, ma naħsibx li Robert Abela u l-gvern tiegħu għandu jiggverna. Ma naħsibx ukoll li l-pajjiż sejjer fid-direzzjoni t-tajba u l-Partit Laburista għandu jinbidel.
Jien ħa nappoġġja lill-kandidati li jaddottaw jew allinqas jiġu viċin il-manifest politiku tiegħi. Bla dubju, għall-elezzjoni li miss, l-iktar kontestanta favorita tiegħi hija Sandra Gauci, li ħierġa fuq is-6 u 12-il distrett.
Il-manifest politiku tiegħi huwa dan:
Tinħoloq Kummissjoni Kontra l-Korruzzjoni li jkollha poter eżekuttiv bl-għan li tiġġieled b’kull mezz possibbli s-serq ta’ rizorsi pubbliċi mill-kuntratti pubbliċi.
Tibda riforma serja u professjonali fil-korp tal-pulizija fen jiżdiedu l-pagi, tiżdied id-dixxiplina u jitkeċċew u jiġu demoted l-uffiċjali inkompetenti kollha.
Tinbidel l-Avukat Ġenerali.
Liġijiet aħjar fuq korruzzjoni.
Riforma kostituzzjonali li iġġib iktar ġustizzja u rappreżentazzjoni elettorali fil-parlament u li twaqqaf kompletament l-użu illeċtu ta’ donazzjonijiet lill-partiti politiċi permezz ta’ trasparenza sħiħa u liġijiet ġodda.
Jieqfu l-fondi pubbliċi lill-magni ta’ propaganda tal-partiti politiċi.
Jinħoloq pjan strateġiku ta’ kif tiġi miġġielda l-inflazzjoni b’diversi miżuri.
Jibda pan strateġiku bejn il-gvern u l-banek lokali sabiex isir investment strateġiku f’affordable housing.
Il-gvern jagħmel pjan biex jixtri l-artijiet agrikoli li huma f’idejn il-privat permezz tan-National Wealth Fund u jibda pjan strateġiku biex isalva l-agrikoltura.
Jinħoloq pjan strateġiku ġdid sabiex nattiraw industriji ġodda bħal esportazzjoni ta’ teknoloġija avvanzata, blockchain u crypto-currency li joħolqu xogħol ta’ kwalita u mhux xogħol prekarju.
Pjan ġdid ta’ żvillupp urban u jiġu applikati liġijiet serji ta’ enfurzar. Il-bini li jinbena irid kun sabiħ u bis-sens (insulazzjoni, sigurta, dawl, etċ…). Pieni ħorox għal min jikser il-liġijiet. Pieni ħorox jekk tkisser popjeta jew tweġġa individwi oħra waqt ix-xogħol tal-bini.
Jitwaqqaf kull inċentiv u sussidju lill-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni. Fokus fuq l-iżvillupp u mhux spekulazzjoni u bini rampanti.
Pjan strateġiku ġdid fuq l-enerġija magħmul mill-esperti, enġiniera u xjentisti u mhux mill-politiċi.
Moratorium fuq kull post tal-gvern, minbarra għal dawk ix-xogħolijiet neċessarji bħal tobba, infermiera, għalliema, pulizija u oħrajn. Jibda l- algoritimizazzjoni tal-makkinarju tal-gvern.
Tonqos in-nefqa pubblika fil-proġetti ta’ vanita, ħela, korruzzjoni u nepotiżmu.
Jiżdiedu l-pensjonijiet.
Id-demokratizazzjoni tal-entitajiet kulturali u jitneħħa n-nepotiżmu.
Politika serja fuq l-isport. Tiżdied id-dixxiplina fl-isport u jinħoloq pan serju bl-għan li nerbħu u nkunu fuq ta’ quddiem.
Jinħoloq pan strateġiku fuq il-konservazzjoni tal-ilma bl-għan li Malta taħżen iktar ilma milli għandha bżonn.
Jinħoloq pjan strateġiku kontra t-traffiku bil-metro tkun imqabda wkoll ma’ Għawdex u mhux isir kollox bl-addoċċ u fl-interess biex naqdu lil xi kuntratturi partikolari.
Dekriminalizazzjoni tal-abort: l-ebda Mara m’għandha tiġi meqjusa bħala kriminal għad-deċiżjonijiet mediċi u prattiċi rikonoxxuti mill-World Health Organisation.
Il-PBS ma jibqax taħt il-Gvern imma jaqa’ taħt kumitat parlamentari.
Pieni ħorox għal politiċi jew uffiċjali tal-gvern li joħorġu jew jippubblikaw statistika pubblika li tkun qarrieqa b’intensjoni li tqarraq u tigdeb u li ma tkunx veritiera.
Il-manifest lest li nkompli nirranġah u nbidlu maż-żmien bil-kontribut tagħkom.
Jien lest li nappoġġja lil dawk il-politiċi li jaqblu mal-manifest tiegħi billi ntihom spazju fuq is-sit tiegħi bil-kontribuzzjonijiet tagħhom u billi naqsam ukoll xi aħbarijiet u attivitajiet tagħhom. Jekk din l-inizjattiva tirnexxi, ser inkompli niżvilluppaħha b’paġna esklussiva fuq dan is-sit.
The Front Against Censorship is proposing an amendment to the the Media and Defamation Act in relation to the threat posed by SLAPP lawsuits to the financial viability of the Maltese press.
The Press Act was recently replaced by the new Media and Defamation Act. The Front Against Censorship had negotiated the inclusion of a large number of amendments to the original Media and Defamation Act, which the Government had accepted. The Front believes that the result was a law which represented a significant step forward in safeguarding press freedom in Malta.
Shortly after the negotiations between the Government and the Front were concluded, a new problem emerged in the form of SLAPP lawsuits against the Maltese press. The amendment to the Media and Defamation Act proposed by the Opposition when the Media and Defamation Bill was being discussed in Parliament was reviewed by the Front. This was found to run counter to the Brussels I Regulation, because it a priori denied the jurisdiction of Courts located in other EU Member States when the defendant of a defamation case was resident or domiciled in Malta. The resulting use of the public policy exception found in the Brussels I Regulation would have risked the law being struck down by the ECJ or in infringement procedures being imposed against Malta.
The Front believes that the present conundrum can only be ultimately resolved through an EU wide directive. In the interim, the Front has sought to a way to provide a buffer for the Maltese press which would still be compliant with the Brussels I Regulation.
Thus whilst not denying Courts found in other EU Member States jurisdiction to hear defamation cases concerning a defendant resident or domiciled in Malta, the Front is proposing that the Maltese Courts give due consideration to a number of aspects prior to deciding whether to enforce a decision given by a foreign Court.
In summary, the amendments guide the Maltese Courts to consider whether the defendant was accorded equal rights in the foreign Court, whether the damages imposed by the foreign Court would result in the financial ruin of the newspaper or compromise its ability to operate, and whether the judgment is likely to impede the newspaper’s journalistic freedoms or freedom of expression. We believe that these protections are compatible with the public policy exception of the Brussels I Regulation as explained in the legal rationale provided with the amendment.
This would mean that the jurisdiction of foreign Courts would not be ruled out a priori, and that the judgments given by foreign Courts could still be applied in Malta, as long as they were not in violation of the rights granted above.
It is worth noting that the maximum amount of damages which may be awarded in a defamation case through the Media and Defamation Act is €11,640. This figure reflects the maximum damages which one may incur for a single story. This maximum amount specified in the law for each story reflects the economic situation of the Maltese press. This means that €11,640 is regarded as a significant deterrent for publishing defamatory material, in excess of which press freedom would be curtailed.
The continued existence of a free press is a public good which needs to be protected. These amendments will provide a buffer against financially ruinous judgments given by foreign Courts which do not respect the economic realities of the local press, whilst simultaneously complying with EU regulations. It is our expectation that this will allow the local press to continue to fulfill its essential function until an EU Directive hindering SLAPP lawsuits has been introduced.
Stqarrija – Front kontra ċ-Ċensura – 1 ta’ Ġunju 2018
Proposta għal emenda fil-Liġi dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama b’rabta ma’ kawżi ta’ malafama deċiżi minn Qrati kompetenti barra minn Malta
Il-Front kontra ċ-Ċensura qed jipproponi emenda fil-Liġi dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama, b’rabta mat-theddida li jġibu magħhom kawżi SLAPP għall-vijabilità finanzjarja tal-midja Maltija.
Il-Liġi tal-Istampa dan l-aħħar kienet sostitwita mil-liġi l-ġdida dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama. Il-Front kontra ċ-Ċensura kien innegozja l-inklużjoni ta’ għadd kbir ta’ emendi fil-liġi oriġinali dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama, liema emendi l-Gvern kien aċċetta. Il-Front jemmen li r-riżultat ta’ dan kien liġi li kienet tixhed pass kbir ’il quddiem biex tkun salvagwardjata l-libertà tal-istampa f’Malta.
Ftit wara li ġew konklużi n-negozjati bejn il-Gvern u l-Front, inħolqot problema ġdida minħabba l-prospett ta’ kawżi SLAPP kontra ġurnalisti Maltin. Il-Front xtarr sewwa l-emenda għal-Liġi dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama proposta mill-Oppożizzjoni meta l-Abbozz ta’ Liġi dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama kien qed jiġi diskuss fil-Parlament. Din l-emenda kienet tmur kontra l-Brussels I Regulation, għaliex kienet tiċħad a priori l-ġuriżdizzjoni ta’ Qrati fi stati membri oħra tal-Unjoni Ewropea meta l-konvenut f’kawża ta’ malafama jkun jgħix f’Malta. L-użu tal-eċċezzjoni tal-policy pubblika li tinsab fil-Brussels I Regulation kien joħloq is-sogru li l-liġi tkun annullata mill-ECJ jew fi proċeduri oħra imposti kontra Malta.
Il-Front jemmen li l-problema li nħolqot tista’ tkun solvuta permezz ta’ direttiva mifruxa fl-Unjoni Ewropea kollha. Sadanittant, il-Front qed jipproponi forma ta’ protezzjoni għall-midja Maltija li xorta waħda hija konformi mal-Brussels I Regulation.
Filwaqt li ma jiċħadx il-ġuriżdizzjoni ta’ Qrati fi stati membri oħra tal-Unjoni Ewropea biex jisimgħu kawżi ta’ defamazzjoni fejn il-konvenut ikun jgħix f’Malta, il-Front qed jipproponi li l-Qrati Maltin jikkunsidraw numru ta’ aspetti qabel ma jiddeċiedu jekk deċiżjoni minn Qorti barranija għandhiex tiġi infurzata jew le.
Fil-qosor, l-emendi jiggwidaw lill-Qrati Maltin biex jikkunsidraw jekk il-konvenut ingħatax drittijiet indaqs fil-Qorti barranija, jekk il-ħlas ta’ danni impost mill-Qorti barranija jwassalx għall-falliment finanzjarju tal-ġurnal inkwistjoni jew jikkompromettix l-operat tiegħu, u jekk id-deċiżjoni hix se xxekkel il-libertà ġurnalistika jew il-libertà tal-espressjoni ta’ dak il-ġurnal. Aħna nemmnu li din il-protezzjoni hija kompatibbli mal-eċċezzjoni tal-policy pubblika tal-Brussels I Regulation, kif spjegat fin-noti legali provduti mal-emenda.
Dan ikun ifisser li l-ġuriżdizzjoni ta’ Qrati barranin ma tkunx eskluża a priori, u li s-sentenzi mogħtija minn Qrati barranin ikunu jistgħu jiġu infurzati f’Malta sakemm ma jiksrux id-drittijiet imsemmijin hawn fuq.
Ta’ min jinnota li l-ammont massimu ta’ danni li jista’ jintrebaħ f’kawża ta’ malafama taħt il-Liġi dwar il-Midja u l-Malafama huwa ta’ €11,640. Din iċ-ċifra tirrifletti d-danni massimu għal artiklu wieħed biss. Dan l-ammont massimu speċifikat fil-liġi għal kull storja jirrifletti l-qagħda ekonomika tal-midja Maltija. Dan ifisser li l-ammont ta’ €11,640 hu meqjus bħala deterrent sinifikanti għall-pubblikazzjoni ta’ materjal defamatorju, u jekk jinqabeż, il-libertà tal-istampa tkun imrażżna.
L-eżistenza ta’ midja ħielsa hija benefiċċju pubbliku li għandu jiġi mħares. Dawn l-emendi jipprovdu protezzjoni kontra sentenzi minn Qrati barranin li jistgħu jikkawżaw falliment finanzjarju u li ma jirrispettawx ir-realtajiet ekonomiċi tal-midja lokali. Fl-istess waqt l-emendi huma konformi mar-regolamenti tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Permezz ta’ dawn l-emendi, il-midja lokali tkun tista’ tkompli taqdi l-funzjoni essenzjali tagħha sakemm tiġi introdotta direttiva tal-Unjoni Ewropea kontra l-kawżi SLAPP.
