Mark Anthony Sammut

The Gudja Local Council in collaboration with the Ministry for Parliamentary and Home Affairs and the Malta Tourism Authority, will be organizing Lejla Gudjana, an event spread over today and tomorrow near the Bir Miftuh Chapel and its quaint surroundings in the vicinity of the Malta International Airport. Gudja is one of the oldest settlements in Malta. This event will try to give a brief insight into the origins of this village through cultural and artistic means. The programme includes: Saturday 28th from 7.30pm onwards: Oratorio with the participation of the Assumpta Est choir - Culture, music and historical readings. Folk and traditional music, slide show, Luminaria, Ground fireworks and more. Sunday 29th from 10am onwards: Guided tours of Bir Miftuħ chapel, and in the evening, a mass band composed from the two local music societies, slide shows, traditional Maltese food and more. Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/362933760417483/

Thought of sharing this genuine appeal with this blog's readers: I am told by the director of the women’s shelter, Dar Merhba Bik, that they are in “dire need of baby food, baby milk and nappies”. Will readers of this website please help out by buying some or all of these things (and once you’re at it, do please ask the pharmacy or supermarket for a whole box and not just a few tins and jars or a single pack of nappies; it won’t break the bank). You can drop them off at the shelter at 130 Birbal Street, Balzan at any time of the day or night, because staff are on duty round the clock. This is that stretch of street when you leave Valley Road in Birkirkara and head to San Anton garden. In that direction, it’s on the right – a smallish, inconspicuous door with a heavy metal portcullis. If you find it easier to donate money than to make purchases and deliver them, please make out your cheque to Dar Merhba Bik and send it to the same address, postcode BZN 9014. The shelter’s ad

Labour today presented a motion calling for the resignation of Richard Cachia Caruana because he "colluded" with the US ambassador in Brussels to "find ways to re-activate Malta's participation in the Partnership for Peace programme". Let's not get into the merits of whether Malta should or should not participate in the PfP programme (maybe I'll do that in another post). In any case, this is now no longer an issue given Labour's declared change-in-position  (let's not call it U-turn) on the subject, confirmed by Joseph Muscat and the same George Vella who today presented the motion, in a meeting with US ambassador Douglas Kmiec in November 2009: "PfP membership was not contrary to the neutrality clause of Malta’s Constitution" and the Labour Party would have been willing to work with government to rejoin. The point under discussion here is whether what RCC did was legitimate, or whether it "by-passed Parliament". Fello

Next Sunday 22nd April, for the first time Gudja will be hosting the 5th race from the National Point Series of the Malta Mountain Bike Association. The race is being organized by the locally-based Agones 'Orchid' Cycling Club, with the help of the Gudja Local Council. The race goes around the valley of Has Saptan, limits of Gudja. The 5.5km loops, which the athletes will circle 5 times include a very technical section that passes through the olive tree orchard in the mentioned valley. The event will also include a 2 km fun ride for kids at 8.30am, prior to the start of the elite athletes' race, and a fun ride for adults after the finish. As a local councillor responsible for sports, I have gladly welcomed such an event which complements our efforts to promote sports and create healthy activities within reach of the community, especially by making use of the scenic trails around our village. The club is also contributing to the well-being of the area by organizing

The Gudja Local Council has recently participated in the scheme "My Building, My Home", launched by the Ministry for Social Policy through the Housing Authority for the regeneration of government blocks. Through this scheme the Local Council, and ultimately the residents, benefitted from €75,000 which were used for the renovation of the surroundings of the housing blocks, and the setting up of an after-school homework club for kids which is being run by the primary school. The Ministry has launched of the next phase of the scheme which is being continued this year in a press conference which was held at our locality, where our project was used as an example of a local council which has benefitted from it.

Joseph Muscat, who had told us that Malta should be "prudent" and "not take sides" during the Libyan crisis, recently  visited the National Transitional Council in Libya . "We elevated Malta's reputation", we were told. It is more likely that the aim of the visit was rather to restore his reputation with the Libyans, considering he was one of the few, if not the only, Opposition Leader in Europe to criticize the government for "not being prudent" and condemning Gaddafi, even if this happened after the adoption of a UN resolution which allowed member states to use "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians. Yes, this visit was necessary because he needed to apologize for having insisted that we should "not take sides but assist the fighters ", never specifying which fighters we were meant to assist (maybe the ones shelling hospitals and bombing civilians?), two weeks after the adoption of the UN resolution.

I spent these Easter holidays in Bovec, a town in the Julian Alps of Slovenia. A short break of relaxation before the last month of studying. The place is simply beautiful: scenic views, quiet atmosphere and very friendly people. The trekking routes were very well-marked, except for one in which the mountain-face from which our route passed had completely fallen off, stopping us short in our tracks. Though we had some days of bad weather, it resulted in a higher water level which made our rafting experience along the rapids of the  Soča   river much more interesting. But what really made the trip memorable was the hospitality of the people, shown through small gestures which for a visitor mean a lot. The lady renting out our accommodation gladly picked us up from the bus station on our arrival, and gave us a lift there on our departure. She also brought us all a small surprise breakfast on Easter Sunday. On a day when the weather turned out bad, her daughter voluntarily offered to

I got to see the 'controversial' documentary last Sunday. Since so much has already been written about it, I am not going to do another review about it, just a short observation. The film doesn't adulate Dom. It doesn't demonize him either. Overall, it is as objective and balanced as possible, to the point that I think some of the worst experiences were so mellowed down as to make them seem frugal or almost a necessary evil for him to reach his vision. I can find only one reason why his diehard supporters might accuse the film of being unbalanced and negative. And that's because the underlying tone of the movie presents Mr. Mintoff as a man with his merits and his faults, a man like any one of us. It shatters the divine myth of the Saviour they've been indoctrinated with. And like a child who's just been told that Christmas Father doesn't exist, they stamp their feet in anger and denial. The only thing I say is that no matter how many pictures o