Last year Malta imported from the US $270 million (and exported $135 million). How much will Trump's 'Liberation Day' cost it?

At the time when I'm writing this article the whole world knows all about President Trump's gimmicky press conference at the Rose Garden of the White House but we still do not know how it will impact us.

All we know is that in 2024 we imported from the US $270 million and exported $135 million to the US.

We do not know if we will now have to fork out more but I suspect we will have to.

I searched for illumination the web pages of the Chamber of Commerce and that of the Chamber of Small Businesses but there was nothing, absolutely nothing.

Nor were the government ministries any better.

Slowly, I am sure, information will filter down and things will get clearer.

There was the Minister for Finance just a few minutes before bragging how Malta's finances are so much better than in 2012.

Let's hope too that Europe's response will be a credible one and not a litany of hot air. 

Let's not demonize Trump - he is defending the interests of his people, maybe in the wrong way. If only the leaders of Europe who are criticising him were as single-minded as him.

While Trump is so critical of Europe we have to admit he is right in most of what he says. It's about time somebody pointed this out even if it hurts. It's about time Europe reformed itself and put its house in order. Only then will it be protecting those more at risk.

A reform doomed to fail

The first indication that the reform plan for the traffic on our roads announced with so much publicity was doomed to fail was when substantial sums started to be offered to induce people to scrap their cars.

It's never good policy to throw money at problems.

Despite the evident goodwill of the minister for transport and the hard work he put in, the minister's plan will not work.

It has already been pointed out that unless steps were taken to bring under control a runaway population explosion there could be no hope of bringing car density down.

I venture to add: you bring some order to the roads only by having more police out and about. In particular checking if cars and drivers were properly licensed and insured. And cars not in line should be immediately impounded with huge fines before being released.

The word on the street is that there's an enormous amount of illegalities in this area. 

No amount of planning can be successful without the police being fully on board.

Then of course the roads must be well-lit and properly marked and all obstructions removed, which is rarely the case.

And the cars and trucks must be properly maintained, which is not always the case, despite VRT.

It's often been said: what Malta needs is proper enforcement, not more policies.

Otherwise this reform like so many before it, is doomed to fail.

Cover the murals 

Starting this week, workers began covering up the murals by Slovenian failed priest Marko Ivan Rupnik at the famous basilica of Lourdes, on the order of the bishop.

There was nothing bad or obscene in the paintings themselves. But the priest who made them has been accused on several charges of violence and sex against women. And unfrocked.

Which brings me to ask what will be done at Ta' Pinu church in Gozo and its murals in the plaza in front of the church, all done by the same failed priest?

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