Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1513668
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 DECEMBER 2023 7 INTERVIEW A look back at the best quotes from the weekly interviews with various protagonists from the political, social and cultural spheres ROBERT ABELA Prime Minister For a long number of years, we had an organised crime network that proliferated… People feared that organised crime will not be fought seriously. MARK MICALLEF Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Ideally, this should operate on two levels: catering for both asylum seekers, who have a right to apply for international protection... and also, for short-term economic migrants. RANDOLPH DEBATTISTA Labour Party CEO What do these people want, at the end of the day? at the Maltese economy grinds to a halt? at it starts to stagnate again, and slide backwards? PROF. ALEXIEI DINGLI Lecturer on AI, UOM What's really changing is not so much the 'amount' of jobs that are being created, or lost. It's the kind of work that is needed: which is more specialised. PIETRO BARTOLO Italian MEP People out there do not know what is happening. So they do not know who is telling them the truth... and who is lying. MARIO GALEA Former PN MP As far as local politicians are concerned, animals are noth- ing more than 'disposable commodities': to be exploited for all they're worth, before every election. MARY CASSAR TORREGGIANI Fund-raising/operations manager for MSPCA Over the last two years, there have been vast improve- ments, in the field of animal welfare. I do feel that we also need to look at the positive side, of where we are going. SEAN BUHAGIAR National Theatre director Personally, I feel we don't really have these 'go-to people', locally, who 'push the boundaries'. And there's also a lack of satire, in general. VINCE CASSAR ERA chairman To me, the most important issue is to achieve a 'balanced reality' out there, for the people and the environment; and not just a 'balanced policy document'. CONRAD BORG MANCHE Gzira mayor e authorities, in this country, always give priority to cars... never to people. eir only concern is to 'keep the traffic moving' – ideally as fast as possible. ANDRE CALLUS Moviment Graffitti activist If there's one thing that people living in Malta and Gozo are increasingly feeling angry and upset about, it's the en- vironment. ALEX BORG PN MP ere is a lot of 'discontent', as you put it, on the island today... and a lot of it is down to the fact that the people's most basic needs, and expectations, are not being met.