The entertainment industry in mourning
The country was shocked by the news that entrepreneur Hugo Chetcuti was stabbed to death in Paceville. He succumbed to his wounds just six days after the attack.
Dr Andrew Azzopardi Dean Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta & Broadcaster – Għandi xi Ngħid www.andrewazzopardi.org
The man allegedly responsible for this cowardly act was apprehended and will now face the wrath of justice. I will not be drawn into the tittle-tattle and the gossip around Chetcuti. He is now dead and I hope that justice will prevail here on earth and beyond. Whilst I convey my condolences to the family and friends of Chetcuti, this article is not about mourning his death.
What I am going to lament is the state of our leisure industry. But where do you start from? I am not nostalgic of the past and neither a bigot. All we have is one life and it should be lived to the full and enjoyed to the max. I myself might not be too keen on hitting the dance floor (might have been the case a long time ago) but I love the music and the booze. I enjoy the cinema, the restaurants, the bars and yes I admit, the bowling alley! I must confess that I would have loved to be a young person in this era with all the technology, the travel, the clubbing and the opportunities they have.
But let’s face it, and I have been saying this for ages, our leisure industry has really gone to the dogs and I will say why.
Firstly, we have turned Paceville and the whereabouts (but not only) into a haven of hedonism, profligacy and selfindulgence with a general disregard to everything and everyone. This has become a terribly sad situation that has spiralled out of control.
Secondly, drug trafficking in the club scene has flourished. People are known to traffic drugs in broad daylight as if there is no care in the World. The access to drugs has become as easy as the entrée I had to Marsala Wine (jaq) when still a teenager! You find it everywhere and all the time. You get the odd police raid which are too few and far between to have any impact. The little that happens sounds more like tokenism to me! The agencies related to supporting people with addictions are calling out for action and we sit pretty as they turn croaky with the State feeling sufficiently satisfied to dish out the dosh for these NGOs/State Agencies -“Il-bicca taghna ghamilniha’’ type of thing! The leisure industry makes it easy for the drug lords to operate in such a fertile ground known for the absence of regulation.
Thirdly, the access to alcohol is disquieting. Where is the enforcement? Where are the education campaigns?
Repeatedly we have read about statistics that show the high incidence of binge drinking by young people, fracas that happens in the streets around the clubs, bars and pubs and the never ending stories of people being run over due to high alcohol levels found on drivers - but we just sit like sausages in a can happy that it didn’t ‘happen to me’.
Just to give an example. If we are serious about sorting this mess up why not just ask a police patrol to wait for people as they emerge from a wedding and order a breathalyser test. I bet if we do that we could solve our Country’s financial woes in a couple of evenings. People just make a joke out of our police enforcement. They are consuming alcohol way over the drink-driving limit and we know it and we allow it. Oh, and what about the issue with young peoples’ alcohol intake even when underage? It is there for all to see. Let’s have a reality check done during the festa tarrahal as the band chimes around the streets. We have made the issue of alcohol management a shaggy dog story. The leisure industry whether it is clubs, pubs, or the qaddisin tar-rahal has won again!
Fourthly, we could speak for eternity on the complex confusion we call urban management.
What was that about ‘management’?
Our towns and cities especially when it comes to restaurants ‘parking’ their business on our pavements and squares are a yarn. What can we say about the inordinate, excessive and disorganised flats, office complexes and other buildings in some of our towns and villages? They are simply mind– boggling! The ghalabiebizmu of this country is second to none, justified by our post-colonial traits, Island mentality syndrome and Mediterranean character – wow speaking of rationalisation!
But don’t we realise that there is no way we can have communities that can function around all that chaos.
Let’s look at what happens in Paceville as a starter. Paceville and its never ending plans are nowhere near happening. You have to walk by a Gentleman’s Club to get yourself a hamburger or to take your kids to do some shopping.
But what is wrong in all of this?
We should have designated areas to start with. It could be a nudist beach for all I care, but it has to be clearly outlined. As one developer (but why do these people call themselves ‘developers’ when they are dismantling our communities?) said – it’s all about money; “in-nies flus fil-but iridu u joqghodu!” How hackneyed and short sighted! This bloke is wrong. People need to live serenely, require space and agency. They want to feel that their community gives them the opportunity to develop and not have their life taken to bits.
So to wrap this never ending argument I call on the State to stand up to these moguls.
It is not true that life’s currency is only money. There is more to it. There is the serenity that comes with people living well with each other. There is the respect and responsibility that we owe to our children. There is the need to have fun, rest and maybe alienate ourselves from the anguish that life throws at us. There is ethical behaviour and respect.