The credibility and effectiveness of measures currently being undertaken to contain the second wave of the corona virus pandemic in this country will continue to depend on whether the regulations established by the government are truly being observed. It is futile to expect that such observance will be shown automatically by all concerned.

Observance will need to be enforced with a strong hand, without preferring or making exceptions for anybody. Even less should any impression be given that those caught flouting the rules would anyway benefit from an amnesty in quick time.

Well known is the absence of rigour in this country covering practically all areas of public action when rules are being applied.

This time round, in the field of public health no more margins can be allowed for complacency or weakness, whether towards the mighty or towards the common man.

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15 AUGUST

Mid-summer this year is not at all the time for relaxation and entertainment that it usually is. Disquiet about the public health situation and the state of the economy is  understandably high.

I do not believe that the best way to confront this state of affairs is by pretending that all it amounts to is an excess of noise. To the contrary, it’s a very tough challenge which must be and shall be overcome. For this to happen, all must be well prepared to do what should be done without hesitation or negligence. Being well prepared means one and all must have access to all the necessary information, not just what X or Y prefer to highlight.

To win any battle, it is vital to be prepared to face out the worst scenario possible. Adopting the strategy of the ostrich never and nowhere proved to be a good idea.

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FRIENDS OF CHINA

I always considered myself – and that’s how I’ll stay – a friend of China, not least because it always treated Malta with the greatest respect. I fully agree with the one China policy. I admire the Chinese achievements of the last decades and believe that those who want us to believe that the coutry is a peril to the rest of the world are being ridiculous. I greatly appreciate Chinese culture that goes back thousands of years, not least the literature and cuisine of this continent of a country.

Everywhere I have been willing to criticise arguments obviously raised with dubious intentions, that sought to attack aspects of Chinese policy. For me it has always been clear that China rightly has the status of a mighty global power.

However China has also to understand that its “foreign” friends live in a society where certain perspectives regarding how public matters are conducted spill over frontiers. China needs to give a “better” explanation than it has done up to now regarding its policies towards the Uighurs for example, or in Hong Kong. Otherwise its “foreign” friends will be facing a dilemma when they come to show solidarity with it, if at the same time they have... like me say, been critical of how Catalan dissidents are being treated in Spain.

And I cannot believe that the great majority of Uighurs or of the residents of Hong Kong are all “terrorists”.