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MALTATODAY 13 March 2022

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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 MARCH 2022 COMMENT What are we skinning? The annual political party leaders rap battle staged at the Uni- versity of Malta campus. Why are we skinning it? Because it dredges up a Groundhog's Day worth of bad feeling and bad coun- ter-reactions to said feelings, and I think we should at least try to nip some of that in the bud. How do you mean? So we are of course talking about the debate among political party leaders staged at UoM to a baying and eager crowd… Rent-a-crowd, surely… Yeah, we'll get to that soon. Time is of the essence. Get to it now! You're right. Might as well cut through the ex- position and get straight into the action. I mean, this already feels like the shortest and most ineffectual electoral cam- paign in recent memory. Actually I've checked with my grandfather about that, and he told me that he overstocked on kalmanti in anticipation of a dangerous anxiety spike. But this elec- tion cycle has actually had a calming effect on him. It's good that we can rely on the stoicism of the old and the wise. Because we certainly cannot rely on the credulousness of the young participants at the KSU lead- ers' debate. I kind of tuned out when I saw the 'best minds of our generation' chanting disruptively. But that means you haven't been paying attention to things over the past few years. The Universi- ty debate has always served as a mini-mass meeting for the mini-sheep. That's kind of depressing, no? It is. You'd imagine they'd change up the format a little bit to make it better reflect the kind of sober debate you'd want to project at the country's institution of higher learning. But once practices get inculcated into the system, it's hard to rub them out, right? Yeah. They're like a wine stain you soiled your shirt with at a party you never wanted to be at in the first place. It also explains the foibles of our electoral system. In some ways, yes. The point- lessly fragmented and po- rous-to-corruption districts. The stranglehold of lobbies like hunting, and industries like construction. We really do need a proper revolution. Let's hope the 'silent majority' of young people who opted out of the chanting hold the key to that. Do say: "While the realities of political tribalism have to be accounted for and criti- cised accordingly, let's not get too ahead of ourselves with the righteous indigna- tion here. This debate has al- ways been yet another mass meeting in all but name, and not all University students will be so keen to jump into the brainless fray." Don't say: "I'm so happy that the curse of politically and environmentally aware 'woke' youngsters appears to have spared our fair island. Our youngsters are obedient and docile, only resorting to shouting when ordered to do so by their family's chosen political oppressor. I couldn't be more proud." Bridging the competitiveness gap PAGE 12 The Skinny Malta, shrunk down MICHAEL FALZON A new era PAGE 7 No 130 – Beatdown at the Academy JOSANNE CASSAR Why do political debates have to be turned into mass meetings? PAGE 6 EDITORIAL The other war, in Gozo PAGE 2 SAVIOUR BALZAN Labour's abhorrent 'green' agenda PAGE 5 We need to level out the playing field within the European single market. Until then, whereas other manufacturers based within mainland Europe run the 100 metres sprint, we will continue to be compelled to run the 100 metres hurdles

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