Mark Anthony Sammut

I did not think I would enjoy watching a 71 year old movie, but then again, I had never watched a Charlie Chaplin movie. And I surely had under-estimated him. From this movie, I found he wasn't just a comedian, but a true artist. A true artist because through his art (in this movie he's the director, script-writer, and main actor, making it truly HIS) he transmits a powerful message to his contemporary society. The movie is a parody of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, quite similar to how Animal Farm is a parody of Communist Russia. Charles Chaplin plays both Adenoid Hynkel, the dictator, and a poor unnamed Jewish barber, who is at first unaware of the persecution the Jews are facing and unknowingly stands up to it, with his dumb but meaningful question to the stormtroopers' behaviour: "Why?" The film is not just humorous, it is cleverly humorous. Many scenes work perfectly: Benzino Napaloni (parody of Benito Mussolini) and Hynkel madly cranking up

The above pictures has lately been doing rounds on facebook. Posted comments refer to injustice, hypocrisy, and of the Church not practising what it preaches. It seems it has become a common trend to blame the Church for everything under the sun. Hitting at the Church is the new way of looking cool. But before joining the bandwagon of shares, likes and comments, let me try to analyze the points this photo is trying to make. The first one: the Church is immensely rich. Well, it could be, but what do most of these riches constitute? Most of the Church's "riches" are fixed immovable assets, of which most are important human heritage. They can practically never be sold. Let's just say that the Pope sells all his adornments (provided anyone wants to buy them), maybe even Michelangelo's Pieta, and once we're at it , yes, maybe he should also sell the Sistine Chapel and have it converted to apartments. Then what? Apart from making UNESCO and the rest of human

Sorry the below post is only available in Maltese. It is the report I presented in the Gudja PN Sectional Committee Annual General Meeting, regarding the work done in the Gudja Local Council. Other similar reports of previous years can be found at  http://www.markanthonysammut.com/hidma Din is-sena, permezz ta’ skema   ma ħ ru ġ a mill-Gvern permezz tal-Kunsill Malti g ħ all-Isport, is-Segretarjat Parlamentari g ħ a ż - Ż g ħ a ż ag ħ u Sport u s-Segretarjat Parlamentari g ħ all-Kunsilli Lokali u Konsultazzjoni Pubblika, il-Kunsill re ġ a’ ibbenefika minn finanzjament ta’ € 2,400 biex komplejna l-attivita’ ta’ After School Sports g ħ at-tfal tal-Primarja, kif ukoll komplejna nifirxu l-attivita’ sportiva anke’ g ħ all-adulti b’korsijiet tal-Aerobika, Pilates u Zumba, b’finanzjament ta’ € 480 mill-istess skema. Attivita’ o ħ ra sportivi kienet il-Fun Run li saret b ħ ala parti mill-attivitajiet ta’ Jum il-Gudja, li rat il-parte ċ ipazzjoni ta’ ‘l fuq minn 40 persuna. G ħ all-ewwel