Today in Europe, 1 percent of all citizens are the beneficiaries of 40 per cent of the economic wealth being generated. Meanwhile, 40 percent of European citizens benefit from just 1 per cent of that wealth. Inequalities have indeed grown.
European economies have picked up, some in a big way. Yet, the tendency for the poor to get poorer and the rich richer is still in effect. Some say it too has accelerated.
What is giving rise to these shameful outcomes in a Europe that used to boast about its social “model”? One and all claim that the situation has become intolerable.
In Malta, on the back of government policies, we have moved forward to roll back the frontiers of poverty. It would be a good exercise to compare our present situation with the overall profile in Europe. What is the percentage of Maltese citizens who are enjoying 40 per cent of the economic fruits? And what percentage enjoy just 1 per cent of them?
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Clean and autonomous energy
It is vital to ensure that the energy we make use of does not release more “carbon” in the atmosphere, thereby contributing further to climate warming.
Last week, the European Commission launched a programme intended to help European islands coordinate their initiatives to produce clean energy by “autonomous” means – methods that is, which are run from the islands themselves.
Technological advances are getting us closer to a solution of this challenge.
It would therefore be a good idea were European islands to have access to the latest technological developments on the basis of the experiences that other islands have already been through. It would also give a boost to their efforts if they get to know how to underpin clean energy projects with the correct financial and administrative incentives in order to improve the effectiveness of projects. Again, the overall process would become more meaningful if islands have access, according to their needs, to technical assistance when implementing projects.
The EC programme will start with a budget of 10 million euros to achieve these aims. Glad to say that it was launched following an initiative undertaken by my Brussels office supported by the office of an MEP from Croatia...
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Caeser and Cleopatra
In the year 1945, George Bernard Shaw’s play “Caesar and Cleopatra” was made into a film with Claude Rains as Caesar and Vivien Leigh as Cleopatra, director Gabriel Pascal. I saw it in you tube format and was not disappointed, since clearly huge pains were taken to make the production a valid effort. It’s been a long while since GBS fell out of fashion but some of his clever putdowns in dialogue still carry a subversive and cruel pinch.
Caesar is projected as a general who with limited resources, is determined to bring Egypt under Roman control – a strategy which centuries later, was copied by Napoleon. To achieve his goal, he manipulates Cleopatra – still a very young woman – to get her to accept the Roman yoke in the name of all Egyptians and as queen of their country.
The story line is complicated by the personal relationship that develops between Caesar and the princess during which he seems to be trying to guide her towards a “leadership” role. That reminds one of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady, where an oldish “wise one” trains a young woman to behave in a certain way. This basic tension ends up overplayed. Actually by contemporary standards, one might feel that the two protagonists are too repetitive and theatrical in their acting, if not monotonous.