Leo Brincat’s hearing this week before the budgetary control committee of the European Parliament had an interest that went beyond the theatrical setting of the occasion and the polemics about Panama or whatever, that got to be associated with it.

I suspect that many MEPs are now expecting that a nomination to the European Court of Auditors will be that of a person with exclusively technical qualifications. Still in a number of countries, it is not always possible to just make such a choice. As the PN here in government did, so with Labour – the nomination has been of persons who are professionally very valid, and who have also made a career in politics.

One could note the diference in attitudes of the MEPs attending the budgetary control committee, when they interviewed Leo, and when they considered the other two candidates, from Cyprus and Portugal, both technicians, with a minimal political profile.

I would not say that the MEPs treated the latter with kid gloves. However it surely was not in interaction with them that they showed a sense of acute, almost acidic inquiry, which was apparent in the Brincat hearing, as well as in other presentations similar to his, with nominees to EU positions who came from the political scene.

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Fireworks

At the end of the summer festa season, one which has again been quite splendid, it was proudly claimed that fireworks at these festas still can mobilize  practitioners to assemble it, and spectators who assemble to enjoy the show.

The activity however can generate mixed feelings. Over the years, I have seen from close up quite a number of tragic outcomes in fireworks factories that were caused by accident, carelessness, overenthusiasm.

I found myelf in situations where the noise generated by fireworks was so overwhelming that it greatly disturbed sick people who were on the verge of their death agony.

Also, I saw a number of young people disinterestedly running around to collect funds so that the manufacture of fireworks for their village could be adequately financed.

All these, and other aspects constitute part of our tradition. We just cannot ignore their existence. And the truth is that a fireworks display when suitably mounted, offers quite a beautiful show.

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Victory

The 8 September as a holiday that commemorates the “glorious” achievements of Malta’s past seems to have lost much of its meaning. There was a time when it was being touted as the National Day. By choosing it, we would have gotten rid of the practice, decried by many, that gives the island five national days.

I hardly see the latter as a problem. What is a difficulty though is that the Victory commemoration has lost the popularity it once enjoyed as a festa which provided the grounding for our national identity. It no longer mobilizes people ont his basis.

Should we bother about such a development which might leave us without an “engine” that has up to now sustained our identity?

At first, the problem could feel disquieting. It would be a pity to lose yet another essential link with the past.

Then you realise that the memory of Victory is still with us and can be discovered inter alia, practically in every neighbourhood of the islands in chapels, roads and shops that are named after “her”.