At last the news came that the grey paint splashed at us in our role as a financial centre a year ago would be rubbed off. We had not been showing, it was then said, the required  stringency when controlling financial abuses.

Now, following the changes carried out by the authorities in the running of the financial centre, it seems like we have regained the confidence of those who took stock of our deficiences. No doubt, much work has been accomplished in this sector.

Still we need to remain vigilant. I always felt sceptical about the growth of this country’s financial sector. And then of internet gaming. I considered them as being too skewed towards an effort meant to help the already well-off become richer. I had even expected the Church to come out against internet gaming. Not at all.

The move towards financial services as an economic pillar was launched and promoted in a big way by Nationalist governments. Labour administrations continued with the job and possibly enjoyed greater success.

Though the grey splotches have been wiped away, I still wonder whether the opening towards financial services was a wise one.

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QUO VADIS PN?

It is indeed difficult to comprehend well which direction the Nationalist Party is heading towards. It appears there was no pressure at all from the current leader to stop this or that member from running for the deputy leader position. But perhaps I’m not well informed.

In any case, there was only one candidature; there was no other interest – if that is the right word. When there is no interest shown by its members in serving at the top – especially if no established candidate exists who is widely recognized as being already well suited for a top job, there must be active factors within a political party that are eating away at its foundations.

In the past, I would not have been too concerned that something like so is happening to the PN. Today that I am quite distant from local controversies and still believe in the model of a democratic alternative to the government within a parliamentary system, I would not be happy if this country ends up as a state with only one effective political party on the scene. 

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THE SPIN

Some good souls – maybe they’re also holy but about that I am no judge –  would like to push down our throat the conviction that the current situation in public broadcasting is totally bad. And they try to explain to us how it was much better when they formed part of it.

Such games continue to perpetuate the problems of this sector which has always – for those who wished to understand how it functions – carried credibility problems. Yet it still remained the most popular broadcasting medium. From decade to decade and from government to government, public broadcasting has always served as the government’s  loudspeaker. Any one who tries to pretend otherwise is just trying to put on a trick.

Is it such a good situation to be in? Of course not. On the other hand and with all due respect: many of those who would now teach us which reforms should be carried out are mainly frustrated bcause they no longer have a finger in the public broadcasting pie. All they desire is to have it back there again when presumably they will at once forget the holy fatwas they pronounce today for our guidance.