Category Arqueros Ebejer Yvonne
Ir-referendum dwar id-divorzju : Riflessjonijiet (4) Flimkien kollox possibli
Il-kampanja referendarja favur id-divorzju kellha l-appoġġ ta’ persuni ta’ kull kulur politiku.
Għalkemm Alternattiva Demokratika kienet l-uniku partit politiku illi esprima ruħu bla riżervi favur l-introduzzoni tad-divorzju sa mill-1989, irid ikun rikonoxxut li l-Partit Laburista kien kważi hemm ukoll. Il-Labour kien f’posizzjoni skomda għax bħala partit ta’ massa ma riedx igerrex lil dawk li jappoġġawh iżda ma jaqblux mad-divorzju. F’dan is-sens id-dikjarazzjonijiet pubbliċi tal-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni favur id-divorzju rinfurzati minn dikjarazzjonjiet simili mingħand diversi membri parlamentari laburisti għenu mhux ftit biex l-IVA jirbaħ ir-referendum.
Minkejja li l-PN iddikjara ruħu kontra d-divorzju, numru kbir ta’ partitarji nazzjonalisti injoraw dan il-fatt u għamlu ta’ rashom: appoġġaw l-IVA u ftaħru fil-pubbliku li għamlu dan. Speċi ta’ ħassew sodisfazzjon mhux biss li kienu qed jivvutaw favur id-divorzju talli fuq kollox kienu qed jagħtu daqqa ta’ sieq lill-element konfessjonali fil-PN.
Il-moviment favur l-IVA twieled f’dan is-sens ta’ spirtu ta’ kollaborazzjoni bejn persuni ta’ fehmiet politiċi differenti iżda bi skop identiku. L-identifikazzjoni flimkien ta’ Evarist Bartolo mill-Partit Laburista, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando mill-PN flimkien ma’ Michael Briguglio uYvonne Arqueros Ebejer minn AD kienet okkazzjoni ftit rari f’dan il-pajjiż. L-eliminazzjoni tal-fruntieri li jifirdu fil-bidu nett tal-kampanja referendarja kien messaġġ li rari nisimgħu fil-politika Maltija.
Huwa eżempju prattiku ta’ kif tista’ issir il-ħidma politika. Dak li huwa rari f’Malta f’pajjżi oħra jiġri iktar spiss għax jeżistu konverġenzi fuq diversi materji. B’sens ta’ rieda tajba m’għandi l-ebda dubju li hu possibli li jinħolqu ħafna iżjed opportunitajiet ta’ kif flimkien kollox huwa possibli.
Malta : Still in the Middle Ages
‘Malta still in the middle ages’ – AD participates in anti-censorship march
Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party is participating in the anti-censorship march organised by the Front Against Censorship.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: ‘It seems though Malta has joined the European Union, in many aspects we are still in the middle ages. It is disturbing that state institutions should decide what is acceptable and what is not within the arts. This is reminiscent of dictatorial regimes – from North Korea to Iran – whose state structures aim to create a monolithic conformist identity, devoid of freedom In advanced modern societies where individuals are reflexive, such imposition from the state is unacceptable’.
‘In various respects, proposed legislation on censorship increase repression on freedom of speech. AD believes that no artistic production should be banned, provided there are clear guides such as age classification and warnings on content shown. AD is also firmly in favour of educational reforms which enhance the reflexivity and responsibility of individuals, such as the teaching of comprehensive sexual education and the values of tolerance and respect. A difference should also be made between art and the spreading of hate such as that of the neo-nazi type’.
‘If the recent decision of the Civil Court on the “Stitching” play were to be applied consistently, then, we might as well close down our film-theatres for showing films full of violence and explicit content. We might as well ban MTV for showing provocative videos and empty bookshelves for having books that are deemed “incompatible”‘.
Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, AD spokesperson for Civil Rights, added: ‘Freedom of expression is a civil right. It is a cornerstone of a democratic society. This right also protects opinions that shock, disturb or offend, as long as they do not incite violence or hatred. However, the right to freedom of expression has come under pressure from various sides. Greens will continue to resist attempts to compromise the right of expression, even where it may clash with religious or other beliefs.
‘AD supports the Front Against Censorship and we once again, together with the European Green Party, we express our solidarity with Mark Camilleri and Alex Vella Gera who were taken to court due to their respective roles in Realta’ newspaper’.
‘Whilst other political parties are ultimately stuck in time when it comes to freedom of expression, Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green party is clear and consistent in its position for the modernisation of censorship laws as befits a modern democracy’.
AD supports Divorce Court Case
Alternattiva Demokratika supports Lynn Zahra’s divorce court case
Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party fully supports the court case to be instituted by Dr Lynn Zahra, with regard to divorce.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, stated: ‘Alternattiva Demokratika gives total political support to Dr Zahra’s court case, and we applaud her for her courage which is inspirational to thousands of other persons in a similar situation’.
Arnold Cassola, AD Spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, stated: ‘Maltese and European Union citizens resident in Malta are discriminated against because they cannot have recourse to divorce in Malta. Unfortunately, because of the fundamentalist attitude of the Maltese government and the “catch all voters” attitude of the PL leadership, the Maltese are being deprived of a civil right which all other European Union citizens are party to’.
Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, AD Spokesperson on Civil Rights, added, ‘Lynn Zahra has started the ball rolling. This court case could constitute an important milestone for the thousands of Maltese who are being deprived of their right to re-marry after their first marriage has failed or to start a new life whatever they choose it to be. Should Lynn Zahra lose her case in Malta, she can then proceed to the European Courts of Justice’.
Il-vot fuq l-aħdar : 1. X’diżastru ?
Għalkemm m’hux kuntent bir-riżultat li Alternattiva kisbet fl-elezzjonijiet tas-6 ta’ Ġunju 2009 jiena xejn ma naqbel ma min qed jgħid li dan ir-riżultat hu diżastru.
M’huwiex.
F’Ġunju 2004 AD permezz ta’ Arnold Cassola fl-elezzjonijiet għall-Parlament Ewropew kisbet 22938 vot fl-ewwel għadd li żdiedu sa 29013 fl-aħħar għadd. Dawn il-voti kienu jikkonsistu f’madwar 4000 vot ta’ persuni li dejjem ħarsu b’mod pożittiv lejn AD – votanti li huma konvinti mill-viżjoni AD, il-core vote, u 25,000 votant ieħor li sabu refuġju f’AD minħabba l-posizzjoni kemm tal-PN kif ukoll tal-PL dakinnhar.
Dawn affarijiet li wara ħames snin hemm min jittanta jinsa’ imma tajjeb li niftakruhom u nfakkruhom.
Dawk il-25,000 votant ivvutaw lill-AD għax ħassew li fiċ-ċirkustanzi politiċi ta’ dakinnhar ma setgħux jivvutaw lill-Partit ewroxettiku, kif kien il-Partit Laburista. L-anqas ma setgħu jivvutaw lill-PN li kien fil-Gvern għal raġuni waħda – għax il-Partit Nazzjonalista riedu jipprotestaw kontrieh dwar il-mod kif kien qiegħed imexxi. Alternattiva f’dawk iċ-ċirkustanzi kienet l-uniku post sigur għall-vot ta’ min ried jipprotesta kontra l-Gvern.
L-iżball ta’ AD kien illi qatt ma qamet mill-ħażda tad-29,000 vot tal-2004. Dawn il-voti ġew waħedhom u telqu waħedhom. AD ftit għamlet biex tiġbed lejha b’mod permanenti numru minn dawn il-votanti.
Minn hawn l-ewwel konklużjoni għal AD : hu meħtieġ li nifhmu li fil-politika m’hemmx lok għad-dilettantiżmu. Jew naħdmu b‘viżjoni fit-tul li tfittex li tiġbed l-ikbar numru possibli ta’ votanti lejn AD b’mod permanenti bl-iskop li tkun f’posizzjoni li twettaq dak li temmen fih. Inkella AD tista’ tikkonsidra li terġa’ lura għal minn fejn oriġinaw uħud mill-fundaturi tagħha. Jiġifieri Tan-Numri jew iż-Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent.
Dan ifisser taqliba mill-qiegħ fl-organizzazzjoni ta’ AD kif ukoll tqegħid ta’ sisien finanzjarji sodi. L-organizzazzjoni tirrkjedi l-fondi u AD dejjem kienet nieqsa minnhom. Id-donazzjonijiet li irċeviet AD, ftit fin-numru, ġew mingħand min emmen f’dak li AD għamlet fil-passat u li qed tagħmel fil-preżent.
It-tieni konklużjoni : jekk is-soċjeta’ Maltija trid lill-AD tkompli trid iddaħħal idejha fil-but.
(ikompli : għada : 2. Il-PN u l-PL)
Spin Valley revisited
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s Spin Valley is in the news once more.
MEPA has issued a permit for the use of a site at Mistra for a one-off open air disco party to be held this evening Saturday 30 May 2009 in an area protected in terms of the Habitat’s Directive of the EU.
11 months ago, on the 26th June 2008 the MEPA BOARD had withdrawn an outline permit for a permanent open-air disco on the same site in view of the fact that the proposed activities were not compatible with the same Habitat’s Directive of the EU.
MEPA has the duty to explain why it has changed its mind within the short space of 11 months when nothing else has changed : no changes to legislation, no changes to the boundaries of the protected area.
When the Government of Malta decided to designate a number of areas as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) it accepted that it had to follow the relative EU rules. These included that the activities permitted in these SACs had to be compatible with the conservation objectives of the protected sites. Government also had to draw up management plans for the sites in order that priorities for the use of the sites is established in such a way that the conservation objectives of the EU Habitats’ Directive are achieved.
These management plans have not been drafted to date with the result that the Competent Authority in Malta (MEPA) has effectively given itself a free hand to decide on each case separately without necessarily keeping in view the objectives of the EU Habitats Directive.
This morning on behalf of AD together with Arnold Cassola and Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, AD’s candidates for the EU Parliamentary elections, I explained the above during a press conference at Mistra and announced that AD will be requesting the EU Environment Commissioner to investigate Malta’s mismanagement of SACs in breach of its obligations defined in the EU Habitats Directive.
l to r : Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, Arnold Cassola, Carmel Cacopardo
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The Press Conference with Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando listening on in the background.
Blog ta' Carmel Cacopardo 