Comino laughter

I found the media stories about how the “extra” umbrellas came to be removed from the beach at Comino quite hilarious. Probably such incidents can only happen in Malta, or Comino if you prefer.

Regulations were being breached most blatantly, to the detriment of local citizens, tourists and the overall environment. This had been going on for more than a day or two. It happened systematically, was widely known and continued to become progressively more widespread. No action was taken against the abuse, so that it ended up getting considered as a natural state of affairs.

Moreover in a competitive situation, those who do not commit abuses find they must start doing so in order to stay ahead. In the end, when action is taken to put an end to the abuse, this is projected like some heroic exploit, which justifies media headlines and photos.

But it should be obvious that all abuse needs to be checked as soon as it emerges. In this country, such an approach seems to be impossible. We all know about cases other than that at Comino which as of now, still feature ongoing abuse. Beyond “political” reasons, it also happens this way because everybody here is related to and knows everybody else.

Patrick Holland

In last week’s Orizzont newspaper, Salvu Fenech wrote an excellent article about Patrick Holland, on the thirtieth anniversary of his death. He gave a precise, intimate account of Holland’s political endeavours which he observed closely, having indeed participated directly in some of them.

Even if in certain respects he was a controversial figure, there can be no doubt that Patrick Holland made a significant contribution to the Labour Party, as well as to Malta’s freedom and democracy. He provided a good model for the work that is carried out within our political parties, making them an essential element of parliamentary democracy – constituting as they do, a union among citizens with similar ideals and interests, who agree about a project by which to set out the country’s policies, and then try to assemble a popular majority to back their project.

I got to know Patrick Holland towards the end of his life. What was really impressive about him was his ability to connect all aspects of political action and of the economy, to the real life concerns of ordinary people.

Burkini

The prohibition of burkinis on some of France’s beaches is indeed problematic. One understands that in a country which has suffered so many terrorist attacks, all in the name of “fundamentalist” Islam, new measures need to be taken to control practices which might appear to afford support to fundamentalism. On the other hand, France is the European country which has always been in the forefront to defend civil rights.

I fail to understand how women who wish – and are not forced – to wear a burkini and swim in it in order not to expose their body, can be considered to be enhancing the danger of terrorism or promoting fanatism.

Similarly I fail to understand how swimming can remain pleasurable from inside a burkini.