More wild claims

I believe the first thing that the fake leader of the opposition does while having breakfast, is to search the English language newspapers and online blogs for any news or stories, which he could spin into another ‘scandal’, doom and gloom or a scaremongering story.

Just days ago, he must have read that an online gaming company had decided to pack and depart from the island. Bernard Grech, in his renowned theatrical manner, found the opportunity to rise in parliament and declare that online gaming companies were leaving Malta.

Stupidly, Grech said this in the presence of the prime minister. When Robert Abela rose to reply to what Grech had said, he rubbished the latter’s wild claim by quoting official figures which prove that during the last three years 50 new online gaming companies had come to Malta, creating thousands of new jobs.

This is just one example of so many wild claims that Grech regularly makes.

Here’s another one. The Labour government under Joseph Muscat’s leadership had created the first-time buyers scheme, whereby people, mainly young couples, were given a grant of €10,000 spread over a 10-year period, besides other tax and interest benefits.

When Grech managed to oust Adrian Delia from PN and opposition leader, as a result of a shameful anti-Delia campaign orchestrated by the PN’s ‘Establishment’, Grech had defined the first-time buyers scheme as “to buy the votes of young people”.

On July 4, Grech had the cheek to state publicly, without batting an eyelid, that “the government is not giving enough to first-time buyers”.

How can any sane voter, except diehard PN voters, even consider this man as an alternative prime minister?

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar

Incessant traffic complaints

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

If only politicians and those in authority on the island shared the same vision as Alexander Galea (July 5) and those who share his concerns with regard to Malta’s present dire state.

The distinction between politicians and Galea and his ilk is that the former are self-serving and corrupt, aided and abetted by politically (and otherwise) ignorant fanatical voters who choose to ignore the impending disaster while he and others live the pain and agony of what is taking place. At least, he’s planning to get away (as did I long ago) but others are trapped for life.

Residents and those planning their holi­day these days look towards resorts that have unspoilt culture and aesthetic surrounds, such as architecture, infrastructure, landscape, events and shopping venues but, above all, transport. If these don’t exist or cannot be easily accessed, rather than spending half the day getting there and back queuing in a burning bus, then they’ll look elsewhere. And there is plenty of elsewhere.

The most frequently used phrase by those planning a holiday these days is that they want to go somewhere “before it’s overtaken by (what’s called) pro­gress” and by those fat cats who exploit the once beautiful assets on a resort for personal gain. Gozo once used to provide an overflow with the added calm and serenity that it provided to those wanting to escape Malta. No longer.

Galea said it all really and he speaks for the many, as so have many others.

The trouble is that it all invariably falls on deaf ears because the fat cats get fatter and greedier and, quoting his words: “The traffic is reflective of the state of a (my word ‘corrupt’) nation… that adds a traffic lane here and a bribe there”.

Paul Brincau – Uxbridge, UK