Online commentary has done wonders to help us gauge the pulse of a nation. Although, it does not give a total picture of current thinking, one gets a fair idea of how the cookie is crumbling. The topics that have generated the most comments last week were: the mouse head in the salad at Mater Dei’s staff canteen, and the perennial arrivals of boatloads of would-be immigrants.
As much as some of us disagree with certain views expressed, especially with regard to the massive influx of African people on our tiny island, one cannot ignore the, sometimes predictable, strong feelings being aired.
Disregarding them would be dangerous. Debate is healthy and online commentaries are helping people get to know how people outside their insular circles are thinking.
I admire people who frequently respond to comments instigated by racism and xenophobia; it is not easy to argue with opinions based on ignorance and fear.
Although one can understand that people are scared of us not being able to cope, because of our limitations, it is the knee-jerk reactions sparked by those fears that are worrying.
Yes, we do have a serious problem and yes the EU is not helping, and yes we should be angry that the European Union is not showing unity on this issue. There is no solidarity in the EU’s approach to this European problem, which is affecting Mediterranean countries, especially Malta.
I remember Gunter Verhuegen being disappointing in his response to my question on the issue, even before we joined the EU, when we had trickles arriving compared to now. But the writing was on the wall.
They (the EU members he was representing) did not have a clue how to solve the predicament then, and now that the situation has got progressively worse the EU is still clueless.
But anger should not be directed at the victims in this saga. It pained me to read what Friday’s Earth Times reported online “It is one of the worst tragedies involving would-be immigrants in the Mediterranean - yet the Maltese newspaper's (The Times) online readers' forum offered little, if any, compassion.”
It was referring to the 70 people who perished after being swept away by the sea. Eight managed to survive by clinging to the light dingy they were travelling on.
What is happening to the generosity of spirit of our Catholic upbringing? It is OK to give generously for things to be sent to Africa, but we do not want to be equally magnanimous on our doorstep.
We resent people we see as ‘invaders’ using mobile phones and the Internet, yet the blinkers are on and we do not see who is collecting the rubbish from our doorsteps and the majority of workers on construction jobs.
If people argue that the construction jobs are being taken away from Maltese nationals who need them, their anger should be directed at the employers who are exploiting the situation to their advantage and the government for allowing it to carry on.
Meanwhile, the causes of what is driving people to risk their lives at sea by fleeing to unwelcoming countries, that herd them into crowded camps is not being tackled.
The latest United Nations report showed that aid dropped to 4.7% in 2006 (when 52 of the poor countries spent more paying off debts than on public health, and 10 devoted more to debt payments than to education) and to 8.4% in 2007.
Commitments to help Africa in particular have lagged. Although the group of eight industrialised nations pledged in 2005 to donate more than $25 billion to Africa by 2010, only $4 billion has actually been delivered.
“Member states are not meeting their commitments”, said the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon at a press conference launching the report.
Out of the richest 22 countries to commit to donating 0.7% of their overall national income to aid, only Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have actually done it.
According to the New York Times, the United States traditionally devotes a relatively small share of its public wealth to foreign aid.
Now for that mouse
One would have thought we had more important things to fill online commentaries with than the head of a mouse found in a salad.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it must have been a horrible experience for the nurse who was about to eat it, and of course the Health Department was right to act immediately by closing the canteen down.
But I think that it was the entertainment value that kept the ball rolling and thank God for that. Where would we be without a sense of humour?
What was interesting was that many comments demonstrated that there had already been quite a few complaints about the food served in the staff canteen.
And the reaction to the poor chap, who complained that the food allowance given to hospital staff at Mater Dei to make up for the lack of a canteen was only €7, revealed that we lack more than compassion even with our fellow compatriots.
He was told to stop nagging by one commentator and this was what another had to say, “Pls shut up and thank the tax payer for the 7 euros. You are the only public servants receiving allowance for your lunch besides other generous allowances which are not available to other public serrvants (sic).”
First of all telling someone to shut up, even prefixed by a please (pls) is just downright rude. Secondly, considering what is paid for through our taxes for the inefficiencies by, and incompetence of, senior bureaucrats (MEPA’s debacle in Lija is the latest example) I fail to see why we should resent hospital staff getting a decent meal subsidy if their canteen is closed down.
The same commentator later said he appreciated the work done by doctors and nurses but while thanking them wholeheartedly he adds: “But again the choice of your career was not capriciously imposed on you and the government does not force you to work shifts. This goes as part and parcel with the profession you have chosen on you own accord. Well, a parcel of initiatives, allowances... and much more.”
I am not about to become a champion for the medical profession, but we would be in a sorry state if staff at Mater Dei refused to work shifts. Anyway, I stand to be corrected, but I do not think they have a choice.
I suggest all the people begrudging them a food subsidy visit the emergency department at night and in the early hours.
The understaffed young professionals are doing a great job with little return.
As usual people go off on their own agendas online. Of course there are other people who work hard and don’t get a food subsidy, and perhaps they should, but why envy the ones who are getting one.
I suggest all the people who think they are being treated unfairly contact their unions. After all that is what they are there for.
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The topics that have generated the most comments last week were: the mouse head in the salad at Mater Dei’s staff canteen, and the perennial arrivals of boatloads of would-be immigrants.