Big projects have always been an incessant temptation for Maltese governments, on both right and left. That is understandable. With such projects, one could face up to a substantial part of the challenge by which to guarantee longterm economic and social development in the narrow confines of these islands.

Smaller projects, even if numerous, could not offer the same prospects for sustainable growth, also because given restricted resources, their potential to penetrate foreign markets was limited.

However, the promotion of big projects carries its own disadvantages. It is a push that could open the country to the manoeuvres of speculators, who will ride on it by presenting inflated prospects for projects. As soon as speculators get some agreement, they run around to find who could give them a leg up to show how they are implementing what has been agreed.

Another risk with big projects is that if they go off the rails, the government’s credibility gets a hit, as does the economy’s flexibility, since this depends on a sentiment of confidence which has to be sustained among those who are deciding on entrepreneurial issues.

For major governmental projects, there is a need right from the start to carry out a rigorous and rapid evaluation to see whether the proposals being put forward really make sense.  

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Displeasure

Many moons ago, I used to find time to follow closely most of the artistic and cultural initiatives that were held in Malta, mostly in literature and drama. It’s a pity that later, I could not keep up, perhaps because I failed to allow enough time for this like I did before.

But a main reason could be that by contrast with when I was younger, projects in these areas have greatly increased in number, especially among young people. If so, there can then be no feelings of displeasure.

It is a precious achievement that in a reflection of developments abroad and of themes that are evolving locally, artistic products proliferate in ways that stimulate audiences and readers, new and old.

With the increase of artistic projects in the country as a whole, there will occur a quick and desirable renewal of people’s beliefs and behaviour.  

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Twixt St Paul and Carnival

When I heard that the St Paul festa would be celebrated two weeks prior to its set date so as not to clash with Carnival, I wondered about how the Catholic Church in Malta has truly changed. She was now making way for Carnival, which supposedly promotes fun and “sin”. Still I was told that it had happened before.

Then I understood how the Church surely had another reason to make this move. Certainly, she had obtained “privileged” information about the rain that would be falling in torrents on St Paul’s day. So, by changing dates, she could celebrate the festa with full pomp and circumstance in beautiful weather, while Carnival enthusiasts would have to make do with the short spells of “dry” weather that came up.

All things considered, maintaining a direct link with heaven can still make for  positive paybacks.