Most people have restricted their outdoor activities, and many are even in quarantine or have been advised to stay home. Social media is full of videoclips and accounts of how people are adjusting to being isolated indoors.
Long ago, most travellers arriving in Malta by ship from certain destinations had to spend some time in quarantine at the Lazaretto on Manoel Island, at times for over a month, with few daily comforts. Old journals and travel accounts describe how people who were confined there mostly spent their time waiting and talking, perhaps with a bit of singing, drinking or gambling on the side. For some, the time was mainly spent reading and writing, or playing musical instruments.
Although that was quite a while back, much of it is recognisable. But the world of quarantine is very different now with access to the internet. Everyone is online, communicating in various ways. Meetings are still being scheduled, and lectures or classes continue in the virtual world.
With so many meetings being held online successfully, the obvious question to ask is why we normally move around so much to have conversations, when they can happen very efficiently over Skype, Zoom or a similar facility. Why waste all that time driving, perhaps stuck in traffic or struggling to park, or even flying to another country, when the same thing can be achieved without moving at all?
Besides saving time and energy, online meetings are pretty cost-efficient and reduce the need to use polluting fuels to get around. In March, road congestion decreased throughout Malta, which also means less air and noise pollution everywhere.
Sure, sometimes it is important to meet in person, but quite often it is not essential at all. I expect that many people will change their work and life patterns after this experience of ‘social distancing’.
Things will never be quite the same again.
Things will never be quite the same again
The government is right to urge everyone to stay at home for the time being. The situation has been handled so well here, that Malta has been recognised internationally as a model to follow. Most people can appreciate and are grateful for this – except our hunters, apparently, who still pushed to get their month of killing birds this April.
It is the extremes of ‘social distancing’ which are the most challenging. At one end, for some people there is too much isolation, which can lead to depression, anxiety or other problems. Human contact and communication are essential to our well-being.
For others, too much time at close quarters with a partner or family member who is abusive, can be a very difficult experience. Domestic violence has increased in countries implementing social distancing, quarantine or lockdown measures – and those are just the cases which get reported.
There must be many others having a tough time confined with people who may not be physically violent, but who manage to make it impossible for those around them to lead a serene and happy daily life. With nowhere much to escape to, that can be very hard.
‘Grave concern’ at St George’s Bay
The Auditor General’s report on the transfer of government land to db Group at St George’s Bay notes “grave concern” about lack of clarity on the origin of the decision to dispose of the site.
Little information supporting this decision or who was involved was provided, with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Tourism each assigning responsibility to the other. In other words, the offices of Joseph Muscat and Konrad Mizzi.
Moreover, the report points out the false sense of urgency for the Institute for Tourism Studies to move to new premises. The disposal of the site was “inappropriately prioritised” over the relocation of ITS “when the inverse should have happened”. The cart moved before the horse.
The report also regrets that the proposed project on this site was subsequently approved, in isolation and without a master plan.
Well, that is a whole other story. Not even a master plan can protect a community when a government is intent on skewing the system.
In 2016 a draft master plan for Paceville, including St George’s Bay, was issued for public consultation. This did not, however, look out for the general needs of the community as a main priority.
The plan seemed more geared towards furthering the interests of certain developers and speculators. It smoothed the way for specific large projects, at the expense of other properties.
After a public outcry, the draft was withdrawn. The promise to rewrite it was swiftly cast aside and forgotten. The government ditched the idea of a master plan and the Planning Authority went on to grant permits (such as that for the db project) without bothering with a wider, long-term picture for the area.
If the road tunnel between St George’s Bay and St Andrew’s is eventually built and paid for by the government, this would also mean that the taxpayer will fund essential infrastructure to make such big projects viable.
Big projects like this and others elsewhere have been given the go-ahead without any proper study of carrying capacity, utilities and transport needs.
It is important to have an official report on this dubious affair, but it must not be the last step. The report uncovers irregularities which must be followed up and investigated further. The conclusions of the Auditor General’s report will hardly come as a big surprise to anyone. People could see right through this deal all along.