Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/294639
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 APRIL 2014 7 habits and traits. Another interviewee, Benna, said that while living in the United King- dom she was made more keenly aware of what she perceived to be in- trinsic 'Mediterranean' values – such as when she feels "passionate" and "loud". While also looking at Maltese insularity with suspicion, Benna ac- knowledged that religion can serve a unifying and comforting function, even saying that she would "like it if there were a religious community [in the UK]". Benna also reinforced the conflict- ed perception of Malta that Maltese people living abroad tend to adopt. While she looks back at Malta "fond- ly" and enjoys visiting the island, she still ultimately deems it to be too so- cially intrusive to stomach in the long run. "It's more a community life, reli- gion, which is good […] sometimes it's good and sometimes it isn't. It's good because it's safe, but it's bad because people follow what you're doing." The third interviewee, Zaren, was also sensitive to the same negative traits outlined by the others – point- ing out the 'nosy' attitude of the residents once again, as well as a gen- eral closed-mindedness, racism and xenophobia – but he also expressed disdain for Maltese people who deni- grate Malta openly. 'Even though he finds much wrong with Malta, [Zaren] still finds that it is "beautiful and can't be replaced",' the study reads. 'He is ashamed of this, of these people, not of Malta or the Maltese. He does not see why those who live abroad should feel 'su- perior''. Interestingly, both Benna and Za- ren said that the Eurovision Song Contest was another unifying factor for Maltese living abroad. The study emphasised how, despite the interviewees' sentimental, nos- talgic draw towards Malta, this was however not enough for them to de- cide to return to Malta permanently. But the very way in which they were compelled to reassess their cultural identity in light of their experience is telling of the way national identity is constructed, the study concluded. Set to be published in an Informa- tion Age Publishing journal later this year, the paper – entitled 'Represen- tations and social belonging: An idio- graphic approach to community and identity' – found that the Maltese saw themselves as being predominantly 'loud, nosy and religious', while also being 'hospitable'. Respondents were also asked to compare typical Maltese traits to those of their European counterparts, and what emerged was that the Mal- tese perceived Europeans to be far less religious than them. Europeans were also considered to be a lot less 'nosy' than the Maltese, while the Maltese saw Europeans to be more or less equally as 'honest' and 'hard- working' as the Maltese. The paper, penned by Gordon Sammut (University of Malta), Mo- hammad Sartawi (London School of Economics), Marco Giannini and Chiara Labate (both from Universita degli Studi di Firenze), incorporates a survey of how Maltese University students – as contrasted with a more general sample of the 'Maltese popu- lation' – view the Maltese popula- tion, as well as interviews with three Maltese people who had emigrated to the United Kingdom. News Maltese 'loud, no sy and religious' Cheaper bills prompt customers to beat the meter reader would "only marginally impact on the overall performance of this junc- tion". The TIS consultant even proposed minor modifications to the existing roundabout to address overall capac- ity issues, which modifications were deemed to be acceptable by Trans- port Malta. Still, the claim that the impact on an already precarious traffic situation is marginal is contradicted by Naxxar and Gharghur residents who com- plained to MaltaToday of increased congestion in the past weeks. The application for the new Mc- Donalds outlet was presented by the VC Service Station, and approved in August 2013. The land in question had been added to the development zones in the 2006 rationalisation exercise launched by former environment minister George Pullicino 2006, which extended building zones. The development includes a car park for 41 vehicles accessible from the main road on Triq il-Balal and from the rear on Triq Santa Kat- erina. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 'HUMANS OF MALTA' A fascinating voyage of the faces of 'the Maltese', captured by Ryan Galea (bottom left corner, with the camera) and Nicky Scicluna and available to see on Facebook, 'Humans of Malta'. MIRIAM DALLI IF you're even remotely think- ing about beating the meter read- er, think twice: because if you're caught, tough fines will come your way. Consumers who tried to 'out- smart' Enemalta by having their smart meters hacked into, was re- cently uncovered and 400 clients came forward for an amnesty – ac- cording to Enemalta, an estimated €10 million in unpaid bills, interest and fines will be clawed back. But ever since the reduction of energy tariffs came into force, con- sumers have been tempted to em- bark on a new road to pay cheaper bills: 'post' their own meter read- ing outside the door for the meter reader to collect. It's not a common trend, but con- sumers who are not at home when the meter reader is scheduled to ar- rive to read their energy meter, can leave a note by the door with their latest energy consumption units. It's a straightforward practice: the meter reader inputs the units declared by the consumer for the period, and an energy bill is then despatched. Only that on 31 March, energy bills for residential users went down under Labour's new energy plan: so consumers who knew the meter reader was coming, opted to post their own meter reading, albeit with a lower consumption than usual. This means that their latest read- ing would be billed according to the old 'expensive' tariff. At their next reading, they will declare all their consumed energy units at the new 'cheaper' tariff. A spokesperson for ARMS Ltd, Enemalta's billing arm, has con- firmed that the entity has under- taken a process of "fast-track meter reading". Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi has also gone on record saying that the entity planned to have the majority of energy meters covered by May. "Currently ARMS is undertaking a process of fast-track meter reading. Additional resources were brought in so that we could ensure that Malta and Gozo are covered within the agreed timeframe," an ARMS spokesperson told MaltaToday. "Consumers who have been fitted with an activated smart meter will not be visited, as readings are being received remotely." The spokesperson added that ARMS Ltd, Enemalta and Water Services Corporation have adopted "all the measures" in order to be able to detect any attempt at fraud. "If such cases result, we will be tak- ing legal procedures against those in- volved," the spokesperson warned. The government has already an- nounced that penalties were being reviewed and fines harshened. Al- though ARMS would not divulge what these measures were, Mal- taToday is informed that this would include random spot checks. The 25% reduction in electricity tariffs and the 5% reduction in water tariffs came into force on 31 March. The first reduced bills will be issued during the third week of April. The bills issued during the first two weeks of April will be for energy consumed during the last 15 days of March. Consumers may also receive cross- over bills: a bill with the old and new rates. The bill will come with a sheet that will give a breakdown of the energy consumed and the rates ap- plied.