Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/960495
maltatoday SUNDAY 1 APRIL 2018 26 After making allegations in the local media over purported trading of voting documents, on Friday Labour MP Angelo Farrugia took his allegations to the Com- missioner of Police, alleging ministers were involved in the practice. "I am here to substantiate my allega- tions with the commissioner of the police," he said, while clasping some documents which he did not distribute to the press. "I have here a three-page list detailing votes sold with their respec- tive selling price. I also have information regarding cases of political favours and bonuses given to constituents prior to elections." Farrugia claims the people responsible include two government ministers. Asked to provide further details with regards to the information he was about to present to the police, Farrugia said that, "it would not be ethical to divulge details at such an early stage. I have faith in the Commissioner to investigate such matters, and of course more information should surface in due course." When pushed, Farrugia said he had information on hundreds of votes sold – and that prices varied. "Some were sold at €70, and some at €150. There was a specific case where a bonus of €1,500 was given to a constituent prior to elections." Contacted by MaltaToday, Police Com- missioner John Rizzo was asked what action he is planning to take now that Farrugia passed on this information. "We are still evaluating," he said. Asked whether he plans to launch an investigation, Rizzo said: "We only investigate criminal matters. We will only launch an investigation if there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, and so far we are evaluating what Angelo Farrugia is saying. We still have to see." Also contacted by this newspaper was Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who said that there should be no political involvement over the matter and that what is being implied is an issue to be dealt with by the Commissioner. "Once there is a substantiated com- plaint and enough grounds to proceed on it is customary for the police commis- sioner to investigate, and there will be no space for my intervention on the matter. This is not a political issue, but an alleg- edly criminal case. I suggest we wait for the law to take its course," he said. Asked whether he has a political view- point on the fact that Angelo Farrugia said that his information concerns only Nationalist voters, Mifsud Bonnici burst out laughing: "Now this is what Angelo Farrugia is saying, and remember that he will be contesting for party leadership," he said. When Angelo Farrugia was asked whether he will be submitting his nomi- nation for party leader he admitted that he is interested in contesting but that he could not yet confirm whether he will contest. In conclusion, Mifsud Bonnici said: "If there is a criminal offence, the commis- sioner will deal with it and I have full faith in him in dealing with such mat- ters. I think the commissioner is capable and righteous enough to deal with this case." Send your letters to: The Editor, MaltaToday, MediaToday Ltd. Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 | Fax: (356) 21 385075 E-mail: newsroom@mediatoday.com.mt. Letters to the Editor should be concise. No pen names are accepted. Anglu Farrugia reports vote-trading to the police Opinion News – 30 March, 2008 201820172016 201520142013 201220112010 2009 2008 Delia not out of the shadows While the PN and its aco- lytes in the media have been repeating ad nauseam allega- tions of corruption when- ever a new mega-project is announced, the latest report by Transparency International clearly shows that the percep- tion of corruption in our country, is at the same level as when the PN left office in 2013! This is another bubble which has burst in the PN's face. Unfortunately for the PN, bubbles keep bursting one after another, the latest being the one about "good governance". The story which originated on Twitter and was reported with prominence in The Malta Independent on Sunday, regarding Adrian Delia's legal firm's involve- ment with a brokerage firm that serviced Gasol plc, once part of the Delimara power station consortium, has raised many eyebrows once again in the PN's camp. In fact, Marlene Farrugia has called Adrian Delia to make way for the good of the country. How ironic, that Dr Adrian Delia, just a few days ago, was quoting a particular scene from the film The Dark- est Hour. Indeed, this may become the leader of the Op- position's darkest hour of his brief political career. Eddy Privitera Mosta Learning Maltese in a bilingual country The Ministry for Education and Employ- ment recently proposed changes to the curriculum for the teaching of Maltese in secondary schools that distinguish between the Maltese being taught now and Maltese as a foreign language. It also dis- tinguishes between so-called "academic" and "applied " Maltese. We disagree that Maltese citizens may take their Matsec exam in their national language as a foreign or second language. We also disagree that students with a foreign parent or guardian may take their exam in Maltese as a foreign or second language. Our position is based on four reasons. Firstly, these distinctions run counter to what is stated in the Maltese Constitu- tion which establishes Maltese as the sole national language of Malta, and Maltese and English as our official languages. They also run counter to the Maltese Language Act that states that "Maltese is the lan- guage of Malta and a fundamental element of the national identity of the Maltese people." Secondly, the measures proposed by the Ministry will have a negative effect on bilingualism in our country. In the light of extensive research that highlights the benefits of bilingualism for the intellectual development of individuals and the socio- economic advantages it brings with it, we believe that Maltese citizens should not sit for Matsec exams of Maltese or English as a foreign or second language. If there are sections of the population that are either distancing themselves from balanced bilingualism or are not exposed to it, we need to make a greater effort, and cer- tainly not a smaller one, to strengthen the teaching of Maltese and English among all those who live in Malta. Thirdly, we understand that different syllabi at the same level; the Maltese or- dinary level, will result in differences and inequalities between students who would have taken different routes to study the Maltese language. This goes against the aims of a certificate based on a common curriculum, that serves as a framework for employment and post-secondary educa- tion. We believe that the teaching of Mal- tese and English, which deserve the same commitment and energy, should serve as an excellent means to foster social inclu- sion and integration, rather than segrega- tion, among all those living in Malta and Gozo. No child or young person should find themselves in the situation that they are excluded from a sector or other of our society because they lack a good command of Maltese and English. Fourthly, Maltese, the language of a small community, is spoken by half a mil- lion people, with a limited presence in the digital world. The Maltese State, according to the Maltese Language Act, "shall lead in the creation of all possible opportunities for the development of the National Lan- guage and to assert its merited dignity." This cannot happen if students, wherever they come from, sit for an exam in Maltese as a second or foreign language, but if both students and educators are given the right means and resources so that all students in Malta acquire the best possible linguistic skills in both Maltese and English. We need to foster a culture where lan- guages are used in the best possible way, in all institutions. Both of our languages need to be more visible in every sector, including road signs, public spaces and the internet. Dr Adrian Grima et al, University of Malta Editorial note: This letter is an abridged version of the detailed proposal statement. As linguists with a long-standing scientific interest in the study of the Maltese language and in its role in Maltese society, we were surprised and concerned to read about proposals to change the core secondary school curriculum in the national language. We understand that these proposals include the introduction of a distinction between Maltese as it is currently taught, and Maltese as a non-native, foreign or second language. There have also been suggestions to introduce a distinction between a more academically-oriented curriculum, and an applied curriculum. It is our contention that such differentia- tion will have a detrimental effect, in that it is likely to introduce disparities among students who undertake different routes to study the language, rendering meaningless the notion of a certification in a core curriculum that serves as a baseline for fur- ther education and employment. Enabling foreigners to learn the national language is highly desirable; however, this cannot be viewed on a par with the teaching of Maltese as a native language. Similarly, distinguish- ing between an "academic" and an "applied" approach to teaching a language hardly makes sense, given that any use of language is invariably applied in a particular context. We note that it is highly unusual for a na- tion to undertake such measures in relation to its national language, one safeguarded by its Constitution in conjunction with an official second language. We also note that these measures may in the long run damage the country's bilingual profile. This would f ly in the face of empirical evidence that shows that a good command of multiple lan- guages can be highly advantageous not only in economic and social terms, but also for an individual's intellectual development. Finally, in view of the fact that Maltese is a "small" language with a limited number of speakers, we would urge the authorities concerned to consider their role in protect- ing its future. Maltese has a vibrant com- munity of users and a rich literary heritage. It is also of immense scientific interest, both in its own right and from a comparative perspective. The proposed measures risk damaging a crucial part of the country's complex linguistic landscape. This is a price that no community should be asked to pay. Dr Albert Gatt et al, University of Malta Names supplied