Many level-headed people on these islands are irritated by the fact that certain individuals and organisations suddenly erupt like dormant volcanoes to make their voices heard on issues that often deserve much less of their attention than others, which occur while they are deep in super slumber. A case in point is the current furore over the American University of Malta (AUM) project which has seen a whole regiment of zombies climbing out of their graves to haunt the current Maltese socio-political scenario.

Every time Malta has a Labour government, these zombies come limping out of their resting places, in a scene straight out of a third-rate Hollywood movie, to make their point on behalf of the rest of us mortals. There are exceptions, of course. There are the genuine individuals and the active NGOs who do not go about their business wearing political masks, but rightly show their concern and are willing to make their own proposals by way of providing a solution.

I have always had a special affection for the Graffiti movement, for example. They were among the few who seriously raised their voices during the 25-year period of Nationalist plunder, and they still do today. Like some others, they have been consistently monitoring and commenting on the government's, whichever government, decisions and projects.

The truth is, however, that every government, of any political colour and hue, needs to have these people and organisations to be sure it is on the right track. When the volcanoes go back to sleep, as happens regularly when Labour is not in power, that government finds it easy going, becomes reticent, takes citizens for granted, and causes incredibly more damage to the environment, both urban and natural. We don't need to go into details, suffice to say that the shocking amount of ODZ developments that occurred before the present government was elected just over two years ago, make the AUM project, which includes the creation of a national park, by the way, look like a children's birthday party.

This whole hypocritical attitude actually works in Labour's favour. It is why Labour governments in Malta have always been considered more dynamic, better able to tackle the country's problems and certainly more efficient and innovative. The constant pressure from Zombies & Co keeps them on their toes, apart from the fact that they are more inclined ideologically to listen to other views and to consider alternative suggestions.

Had the previous Administration had the same inclinations, the Valletta city entrance would not be what it is today, Parliament would be elsewhere in the city and the roofless theatre would not be the cruel joke it is today. Sorry I mentioned Valletta in this tone again, Jason Micallef!

I think the Prime Minister was clear enough in his speech at Marsascala last Sunday when he declared that the government is committed to listening to everybody on the AUM site issue. Of course there will always be the doubters, but the truth is that there have already been cases in which the present government was willing to go back to the drawing-board and to re-think things out, while still trying to repair the damage to and/or complete projects left half-done, half-baked and badly-conceived by its predecessors.

Personally, I think the best proposal of an alternative site to the Marsascala "zonqor" area so far has been that of Fort Ricasoli, in Kalkara. The fort is crying out loud for rehabilitation as does most of the Rinella area. Yes, it is near the film facilities - which certainly haven't helped in protecting its cultural, historical and architectural values - but it is also close to SmartCity where, ironically, the same AUM will first be housed.

And it is still in the South, the region that most needs sustainable development and to move away from the hazardous and toxic environment that it was lumped with by successive Nationalist administrations. Ask the citizens there. Ask the families there. See what they think of finally being given the attention they have always been denied, of the jobs and learning opportunities the project can provide, whether it is at Marsascala or Fort Ricasoli.

Indeed, keep the government on its toes. It works better that way, much better than when the zombies file back into their humid graves.

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Bless you, my son

So the Archbishop himself has tweeted his own concern regarding the Marsascala AUM site, even going as far as referring to it as "rape". Like the rest of us citizens, he is of course entitled to his view. It would be nice, however, to get him tweeting on the proposed plan to have the huge Carmelite garden in Balluta - certainly not bought but "spiritually" obtained by the Carmelite Order centuries ago - sold off to make space for, not a place of worship or a temple of learning, but a new Lidl super-market.

The garden is the only tranquil, green place left in the Balluta area and residents have rightly been airing their preoccupation. A word in Carmelite ears from the Archbishop would no doubt help. But then, the delighted developers have always had it so good, having in the not so distant past built such monuments to the gods of trade, commerce and profits in ODZs while the zombies snored away.

Another tweet from the Archbishop that could help would be one on the current development taking place adjacent to the St Julian's parish church. Large, grown, probably protected trees seem destined for the chop to make way for this project that, it is being said, includes the generous provision of a parish hall for free.

Let me write the tweet for him: bless you, my son.

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A public health hazard?

While we happily give cell phones, smartphones and iPads as birthday presents, there does not seem to be enough concern regarding the danger they cause, regardless of what their manufacturers and the service-providers say by way of soothing these long-expressed fears.

Biological and health scientists from no less than 39 nations, including Russia and the USA, recently called on the UN, the World Health Organisation and national governments to develop strict regulations concerning devices and cell phones that create electromagnetic fields.

The scientists have in fact authored 2,000 peer-reviewed papers on the health and biological effects of non-ionizing radiation, which is part of the electromagnetic field spectrum. They say that devices like cell phones pose risks of cancer, genetic damage, changes in reproductive system, and learning and memory deficits.

"Putting it bluntly, they are damaging the living cells in our bodies and killing many of us prematurely," said Dr Martin Blank, from the Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics at Columbia University. One example that was cited is the cell phone. Dr Blank pointed to a study which showed that as cell phone usage has spread widely, the incidence of fatal brain cancer in younger people has more than tripled.

The scientists see the unregulated use of radio frequency radiation in cell phones and Wi-Fi as developing into a public health crisis. Dr Blank said biologists and scientists are not being heard by committees that set safety standards, that safety limits are much too high and that biological facts are being ignored.

It all makes you squirm every time you use your cell phone, but profits are more important than people's lives in today's "free" market, I guess.