The word ‘blackout’ is now an officially copyrighted word and cannot be used flippantly and without the prior permission from the king of spin, his Lordship Signor Luigi Bondi.
According to Bondi, ‘blackout’ is a term that can only used by those who have a Nationalist affiliation or a licence to say whatever they like. He rebuked Joseph Muscat for using the word ‘Blackout’ in his lovely programme.
I also loved the way Joseph stupidly smiled and laughed at Bondi and even went as far as suggesting Bondi should join the Labour party’s workforce. Gee, they must be desperate.
Mr Bondi’s confusion arises from the fact that in 1979, Labourite thugs hit out at Eddie Fenech Adami’s home and burnt The Times. That was the turning point for many people to reject Mintoff and the Labour party.
Then, those of us who rallied behind Eddie and who lived close by (as I did) called it ‘Black Monday’, not Blackout, but Bondi, in his wisdom, has decided to confuse the two words.
I would love to see the day when the words ‘hypocrisy’, ‘bigotry’ and ‘spin’ are confused with other words... like ‘presenter’, ‘Nationalist Party’ and the ‘Office of the Prime Minister’.
A blackout, just in case you did not notice, is what we had last Friday. Yes, yet another blackout with no electricity and (the following day) water.
If you are thinking of not paying your electricity bill, think twice... but if you are thinking of when the next blackout is due, don’t think at all – it comes when you least expect it.
I am not sure if Alex Tranter is still Chairman of Enemalta. He said he was resigning to work for a company with direct interests in the energy sector. No conflict of interest there, by the way. I would suggest he just leaves and does not return. ‘Bih u minghajru l-istess’ is a perfect way of putting it.
If he ever wants a reference for his new job I am sure that all those who lost business on Friday night will be willing to give him one. All those who spent Friday night in candlelight will also oblige.
Now, I have tried to figure out why we have had electricity cuts, and I have come up with the following probabilities.
Number 1: It is definitely the fault of Tony Zarb and the General Workers’ Union. They are undermining the development of this country and they are behind anything that ever goes wrong, anywhere.
Number 2: It is the fault of Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle. They must be spending too much time reciting the rosary for bad things to happen to our government.
Number 3: It is fault of Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, who, together with all those horrid people, should be hated and disliked for having had the temerity to invite Lou Bondi for dinner (‘never again’, I am told).
Number 4: It is the fault of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, who stood in as Prime Minister before 1987 and ruined this country to such an extent that it has to take another 25 years of Nationalist administration and Parliamentary assistants to get our act together.
Number 5: It is the fault of the consumers of Malta for switching on the telly to watch Jerry Springer (aka Joe Azzopardi) on PBS on Friday night instead of cuddling up in bed with a hot chocolate and a copy of Vision 2015.
I have also put together a list of personalities who cannot be blamed for the catastrophic mess at Enemalta.
(1) Eddie Fenech Adami, who served as Prime Minister from 1987 until 2004 (barring 22 months between 1996 and 1998) who promised that Marsa would close when Delimara was constructed, and had two whole decades to get our energy sector into shape.
(2) Alex Tranter, who used his wisdom and managerial skills to address the constant blackouts in this country, while also looking like something out of the Muppet show every time he addresses a press conference.
(3) The affable Austin Gatt and all his ministerial predecessors – most especially the most skilled Josef Bonnici (who, for his competence, was sent over to Brussels) – for guaranteeing that Enemalta turns out to be the modern utilities company it is today.
(4) And of course, Dr Lawrence Gonzi for having the vision and the proficiency in addressing a problem and taking responsibility for it.
(5) Last but not least, the management team at Enemalta, who over the last 23 years have invested their knowledge and expertise to ensure that we have a constant flow of energy.
I have to say, however, that the best piece of advice has come from the most unlikely and Godforsaken place on Earth.
The location is Palestine, where the Israelis have made it their mission to make all the Palestinians have a taste of abject poverty and absolute deprivation.Journalist Karl Schembri, who works in Gaza, yesterday wrote an email to Lawrence Gonzi:
‘Onorevoli Prim Ministru,
‘Qed niktiblek minn Gaza wara li smajt li ghal darba ohra pajjizi rega’ spicca bla dawl. Nixtieq bir-rispett kollu nissuggerilek li tikkunsidra taghmel twinning mal-Medda ta’ Gaza u l-gvern tal-Hamas, fejn il-Palestinjani jbatu minn problemi bhal ta’ pajjizna kuljum minhabba l-okkupazzjoni Izraeljana. ‘Cert li l-expertise taghhom tista’ sservi ghall-gid taghna lkoll u nkomplu mexjin fit-triq li qbadna biex naghmlu pajjizna centru ta’ eccellenza. Nittama li ghandek id-dawl biex taqra din l-imejl.’
Enough said, but next time you experience or need to use the word ‘blackout’, please make it a point to ask Lou Bondi for permission, and if you do not get hold of the man, please avoid asking his cousin Austin Gatt to pass on the request. The two cousins are not on speaking terms. I am not sure about the reason for this, but I am sure it has nothing do with politics. Both of them still believe that the next best thing to a plate of vongole is Bondiplus and Gonzi as premier.
Happy Easter, just do not drive A very happy Easter to all of you but most especially to the ADT, now better known as Transport Malta. I really miss the days when Transport Malta was known as ADT under the able chairmanship of Charles Demicoli, and served at the time with the legal advice of lands and building speculator Dr Georg Sapiano. Against payment of course.
Then unlike now, the ADT was a bubbly agency full of scandals and favouritism. I really loved watching it from the outside.
Now, under Mark Portelli, all that has disappeared. So much so that Mr Portelli, who has various business interests and who has denied having a conflict of interest, has turned Transport Malta into an efficient machine which blocks roads all over the island and makes it a point to turn most motorists into nervous wrecks.
Now, you will not know which roads are under construction by reading MaltaToday and Illum... Mark Portelli, who was appointed by Austin Gatt has decided to boycott our publications because he cannot take the heat.
Instead he publishes adverts announcing the closures in newspapers that sell far less than MaltaToday, such as The Independent, which today as everyone knows and accepts is second to this paper.
Well, the last time I met a close associate of Lawrence Gonzi in a cafeteria in Valletta, I said in very clear terms that the boycott of MaltaToday and Illum by government agencies would not stop us from publishing.
The day I met him, a GWU employee – who doubled up as a turncoat and who had been leaking information about the GWU to Castille – had just beaten up Gejtu Mercieca. Minutes before he had been seen at Castille.
He nodded as I told him about the ‘apartheid policy’ of recently set up agencies such as Content House, run by Jesmond Bonello. This, I said, would not deter MaltaToday from getting on with its news reportage.
I then proceeded to question how companies such as Content House, with no previous experience in marketing and advertising, suddenly ended up representing so many government agencies.
I asked him how many direct tenders were issued to Jesmond Bonello and whether his post at Malta Enterprise as director with Gonzi’s former PRO Alan Camilleri amounted to a conflict of interest.
So a Happy Easter to all of you and if you are caught in traffic, please do not blame the Pope, blame yourselves for having elected politicians who only decide to get the roads asphalted when foreign dignitaries pay us a visit.
Do not blame Mark Portelli either. He is too busy with his business interests to read this column. But blame yourselves for not having the courage to send the repair bill next time you rupture your tyre to Minister Gatt.
I can just imagine what Gatt’s reply would be. Too vulgar and rude to reprint in this column, I am afraid.
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