I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Ġensna, a rock opera in Maltese. I’ve only acquainted myself to it lately.
In the past, whenever I vaguely heard it playing, I always dismissed it as part of Dom Mintoff’s curated propaganda from the time when the British, who could take no more of his antics, upped sticks and took their navy elsewhere.
Their departure in 1979 meant that many people previously employed with the Royal Navy, found themselves jobless. No matter: Mintoff quickly spun it as a classic ‘freedom’ moment. Freedom from what, is not exactly clear to me because Malta was by then not only independent but also a republic.
But. I digress. The point I want to make is that my teenage daughter, knows the lyrics of Ġensna by heart. She first heard it last year when Repubblika (the NGO) used it as the soundtrack to a very powerful video about the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Now on her playlist, along with Dua Lipa, Jonas Brothers and Maroon 5, there’s Ġensna. She is not aware that this beautiful piece of music had been for decades appropriated by the Labour Party. Rather, she associates it with the fight to make Malta a corruption-free place. (And now she got us all humming it too.)
Clearly, Repubblika is doing what political parties should be doing but don’t because they dumped all forms of principles in favour of vote pandering: it is steadily working to do away with the bane of partisanship.
Which brings me neatly to the President of the Republic, George Vella. Does he really need to conduct a State of the Nation survey to understand what is happening in Malta? Does he need Vincent Marmarà – who works with the disgraced Joseph Muscat – and that resuscitated liability Lou Bondì, to tell him that we have become a country where, every week, top politicians and their closest aides are implicated in court?
Can’t he see for himself that a gang of criminals, money launderers, fraudsters and murderers has taken over the core of government? Can’t he see that only independent journalists, a handful of politicians and civil society are fighting back? Can’t he see how those sticking their necks out are in danger?
It would be rather odd if he doesn’t see it for himself, given that even his son-in-law, Joseph Cuschieri, former MFSA CEO, is part of it. Surely, President Vella has seen that decadent photo of his half-naked son-in-law embracing Yorgen Fenech, the alleged mastermind of Daphne’s assassination?
The president does not need a survey to understand how this corruption is wreaking havoc in the very moral fibre of our country. Daphne’s son Matthew earlier this week put up this very poignant tweet: “Because Electrogas is a monopoly, my family pays thousands of euros per year to the project that led to my mother’s murder. When I turn on the lights, it feels as though blood is coming out.” It sums up how corruption leaves its grubby marks on everything: the shortages of medicine in hospitals; the concrete blocks stamping out farming land; the lack of funds to replace the Victorian Mount Carmel…
The reason why Finland keeps being declared the world’s happiest country is not because it conducts surveys. It’s because their society is incredibly just and corruption is virtually non-existent.
Rather than commission poncy surveys, President Vella has only got one thing to do: acknowledge what is happening and act on it. There is no need for press conferences and fanfare to do that. All that’s needed is a symbolical gesture.
A visit to Bidnija would be the first step to show he truly cares- Kristina Chetcuti
Last Friday, we marked the three-and-a-half year anniversary of Daphne’s assassination. Presidents from all over the world have been to Bidnija to pay their respects to a journalist murdered on the job – but not our very own president.
A visit to the site would be the first step for President Vella to show that he truly cares for a better Ġensna.
He cannot shirk his duty anymore.
Destiny’s destiny
No party should appropriate beautiful music and its success, and this is why I want to write about the brilliant young singer, Destiny.
If Chiara has a silvery dulcet voice, Destiny has a voice vibrating with soul. She is a singing prodigy and, even at the age of 18, has the most dazzling stage presence.
I was delighted to read that her entry for next month’s Eurovision, Je me casse, has been signed on by Sony Music. Way to go, girl.
Eurovision has hardly ever been a platform for anyone to break the music market but it will be a joy to witness her performance. This can only be a springboard for her, and I hope that she will not give it a moment’s thought to leave the island to pursue a career in the music industry. Of all singers we ever had in Malta, she is the one who definitely should not end up with a career of doing the hotel entertainment rounds.
In the meantime, I’m rooting for her to win. God knows this country needs some cheering up. Of course, it won’t mean that the political climate of the island will get any better – although there will be those who will take advantage of the victory. Things, as we know, will keep on getting worse, until one day things will get better. But in the meantime, Destiny will give the nation a chance to breathe. And no one can take the credit for that except her hard work ethic and talent.
Whichever way it goes, chase your dream Destiny.
krischetcuti@gmail.com
twitter: @krischetcuti