I recently received the petition from the residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods in connection with the Pender Place project. Although due to travel commitments I have not yet been able to meet this lobby group of residents, I support their petition with one reservation. It is not true that the developers have consolidated significant ties with the two main political parties. Whatever anybody from our side might have engaged in professionally – which he had every right to do – does not necessarily impinge on the party’s official stand or policy.

As our spokesman on the environment pointed out, our representative on Mepa’s board voted against this project while the party has been critical of the project per se as proposed and approved by the government.

This shows that the impression that there is cross-party support for such a project is incorrect and misleading.

Apart from being an MP, I also happen to be a St Julian’s resident and for this reason, I cannot but feel concerned that not only did all government nominees on the Mepa board endorse this project blindly, but as the petitioners pointed out, their plea for support sent to the mayor has fallen on deaf ears.

I agree that the development of Mercury House and Pender Place sites per se should not be a proposal to shoot down blindly but the objections raised, particularly regarding the public car park in a residential zone, the pedestrian link with Paceville and the over-development that the project will bring about show how various developers on the island have been exploiting our urban sites most insensitively in the foreknowledge that Mepa approval is almost invariably likely to be forthcoming.

Many people I visit during home visits are very much concerned about how their quality of life is fast deteriorating.

Such a project will only speed up the downhill slide further!

The music lovers

While I recently rapped the MLP’s radio station from being holier than the Pope by playing funeral band marches ad nauseam during the weekend leading to Easter Sunday – something which not even the Church station RTK did – I think that the party deserves one’s congratulations for the new lease of life it intends to give to the 1 May celebrations.

While traditionalists might beg to differ, it was high time that this mass activity was revamped.

And I personally think that – although I am not a Cutugno fan – the choice made by the party promoters Norman Hamilton, Ray Azzopardi and Alfred Zammit to bring him over for this occasion was a fitting free gift for the Maltese families who normally attend such activities.

I have called this snippet The music lovers because while conscious of the fact that our Tourism Minister – like yours truly – has a good ear for contemporary music, it is becoming somewhat irritating that whenever foreign artists or bands are brought over to Malta strictly as a result of private sector initiatives he tries to patronise them and give the impression that they are the result and offspring of his cultural drive.

While I agree with him that a varied musical calendar should enhance our tourist attractiveness, particularly during the summer months – far more than his recent praise for the tourist contribution of a pest control company (!!) – it would be misleading the man in the street by giving the wrong impression that these are Culture Ministry initiatives – even if they might be on the receiving end of modest financial support and subsidy.

The Danes show the way

on globalisation

I highly recommend a study called Globalisation analysis that the Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry recently published together with a more detailed report called Diplomacy In A Boundless World.

The gist of these reports is that globalisation in the 21st century is changing international framework conditions, and consequently, the fundamental conditions for the Foreign Affairs Ministry to pursue Danish interests on the international scene.

Among the seven key new challenges listed in these studies one finds the following:

• the fight against international terrorism;

• relations between the West and the Muslim World;

• problems in the area of energy and the environment;

• conflicts and the suppression of human rights;

• the prospects for continued global growth;

• the fight against poverty, especially in Africa;

• more non-state actors on the international scene.

There is one lesson to be learnt from such studies. That all Foreign Affairs Ministries – present and future – need to further develop their instruments and competencies in tackling such global issues.

The down-to-earth John Prescott

I have known John since he was still an MEP and MP at the same time.

He has followed the Malta scene closely over the years and developed links and contacts with both the party and a number of colleagues on our side.

Although the British media has not been kind to him and there were instances when he might have also played into its hands, with the benefit of hindsight I think that in spite of his rabble-rousing image, he was a stabilising force of the Blair administration, particularly in its relations with the trade unions.

Everything seems to suggest that he is likely to bow out of government when Blair does but he still has much to contribute on a personal basis even because of his years of experience in the government and other key positions.

I enjoyed meeting him over drinks last Wednesday together with the party’s two deputy leaders and the MLP President at the British High Commissioner’s residence.

His insights betrayed a sharpness that his public image does not always make evident.

On the other hand, he seems to understand us better than most, quirks and all!

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Leo Brincat is the opposition spokesman for Foreign Affairs and IT