What’s in a name?

Many Maltese, particularly from old families, have long names.

We often have many middle names and, sometimes, rather long surnames too.

I went to renew my passport the other day and was told my name was “too long” and that, for me to have my passport renewed, it would be best if I shortened my name.

Do I need Edward, Clement, Spiridion and Benedict, aren’t Anton Joseph and Paul enough, I asked myself, contemplating how much time I have spent battling with forms that don’t accommodate the length of my name.

I was informed any change to my name would be reflected in a change to my birth certificate.

Image: Times of Malta

What’s in a name, I pondered as the afternoon sun shone through the window of the offices of Identitá, illuminating the proud images of Malta hanging on the walls.

All my names were given to me for particular reasons, by particular people, and all tell me something about who I am and where I come from. They remind me a little of the rock from which I was hewn.

Totalitarian regimes often put very significant controls on names.

The Communists in the Soviet Union changed family names and, today, in China, the Ughur people are not able to use religious Islamic names for their children for risk of them being denied education and government benefits, as reported in the UK’s The Guardian newspaper.

With this in mind, I pushed back. “I don’t wish to change my name,” I explained.

They nodded understandingly and graciously found a solution to my passport issue, leaving my name as it has always been.

It is good to know that my country will call me by my name – a privilege and freedom that not all people enjoy.

ANTON DE PIRO – Valletta

PN voters’ dilemma

On June 8, Maltese and Gozitan voters will be asked to decide whom to elect to the European Parliament to occupy the six seats reserved for our country, hence, to protect Malta’s interest as much as it is possible.

In 2019, Maltese and Gozitan voters overwhelmingly trusted Labour candidates and four PL candidates – Miriam Dalli, Alfred Sant, Alex Agius Saliba and Josianne Cutajar – were elected against the two Nationalist Party ones – Roberta Metsola and David Casa.

Labour’s majority over the PN during that election amounted to a whopping 42,656 votes.

And, yet, the PN was quite near to electing the third seat. This is why, this time round, both the PL and the PN are expected to win three seats each, unless the PN suffers a catastrophic defeat, say, by a 50,000 +vote difference.

Bernard Grech knows this. This is why he had said that he would only resign from opposition and PN leader “if the PN does not win the third seat”.

This situation places the great majority of PN voters who wish to see Grech make way for Metsola between a rock and a hard place.

If, as expected, the PN elects three candidates, Grech will insist on staying on as PN and opposition leader and lead the party to the 2027 general election, even if the PN suffers a fairly big defeat on June 8.

So, the only way the great majority of PN voters’ wish of seeing Metsola taking over from Grech come to fruition is for the PN to suffer an even bigger defeat than that of 2019.

EDDY PRIVITERA – Naxxar