The Insiter, January 2011

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Editor:

AnnaMaria Zammit

editorial

Editorial Board:

Claire Bonello Kristina Cassar Noel Camilleri Proof-readers:

Claire Bonello Head of Design:

Theo Cachia Layout and Production:

Isabel Micallef Illustrators:

Kurt sammut alessi, romina tolu Head of Photography:

Glorianne Cassar Photographers:

patrick genovese, malcolm sammut, romina tolu, Rachelle Zammit Mamo, jade houghton, shaun abdilla Media Officer:

Christine Spiteri Sales and Marketing:

Anton Abela Maria anthea attard Contributors:

Annelise Abela, Nikolai Attard, Chris Bergedahl, Neville Bezzina, Claire Bonello, Hillary Briffa, Ricky Bugeja, Stephanie Calleja, Isabelle Camilleri, Noel Camilleri, Sacha Camilleri, Christine Caruana, Robert Caruana, Bettina Cassar, Kristina Cassar, Christabel Catania, Marie-Clare Church, Abigail Cremona, Stephanie Cutajar, Stephanie Delia, Andrew Galea, Michael Gauci, Emma Grech, Emma LaFerla, Philip Leone-Ganado, Dana McKeon, Noella Micallef, Luca Mule Stagno, The Nitpicker, Martina Portelli, Gaby Scicluna, Annemarie Spiteri, Christine Spiteri, Dyna Spiteri, Erica Tabone Ferro, Sandy Vella

On 1 June 1997, in the “Chicago Tribune” newspaper, a column by Mary Schmich was published entitled ‘Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young’, as a Guide to Life for Graduates. She wrote, “inside every adult, lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out”, eager to share wisdom acquired over long years with young people who’d rather be Facebooking. As a fitting start to a new year, I will share most of her advice with you here (parts have been omitted to cater for limited space). Enjoy, and, please, take heed: Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. In 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you. Sing. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts.

Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Don’t waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You too, will get old. When you do, you’ll fantasise that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

Special thanks:

David Schembri Cover design:

Glorianne Cassar, theo cachia Chris (model) © 2010 Insite – The Student Media Organisation.

All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

04 THE 2020 VISION:

the

Stephanie Calleja takes a look the University Rector’s newly published end of term report.

is published eight times a year by insite – the student media organisation and is distributed for free on campus.

06 10 14 16

News News Analysis Environment Student ORgs.

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Insite – The student media organisation, university of malta, msida, msd 2080 sales & advertising:

sales@insite.org.mt Email:

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21 22 23 24

DYna SPITERI Marie-claire church Luca mule stagno VOX POP

26 30 31

fashion shoot: CAPITAL CHIC Personality of the month Teaching english to the immigrants

12 NEWS REPORT:

Hillary Briffa talks to the Uom Library staff about the updates made to the library in the Summer months

28

The Maltese Family: Christine Spiteri shines a spotlight on the Maltese family...its past, present and future.

18 19 20

32 33 34 35

The Claire Chronicles THE NITPICKER PHILIP LEONE GANADO

Saving Alexis Erasmus Diaries Film Review: Harry Potter 7.1 Play Review: ‘Bariona’

WEBSITE:

INSITERONLINE.com

38

Venice FIlm Festival: Martina Portelli describes her experience at the Venice Film Festival which she attended through the 27 Times Cinema Initiative

36 37 40 41

Dancing to a different tune Through the eyes of a graduate Mental Illness and self-stigma

42 SPECIAL REPORT:

Chris Bergedahl, Sarah Aquilina and

Bernice Saliba talk about the effects of Malta’s national sexual health policy drinking on the Maltese students’ lifestyle.

44 45 46 47

The Different Spirit experience HTC DESIRE VS. iPHONE 4 Commonwealth games india The Ride of your life

insiteronline.com

03

stephanie calleja

the 20 thE 2020 vision

at a glance

PHOTOGRAPHY Romina TOlu

A

04

s Professor Juanito Camilleri’s term as University Rector is coming to a close, he has penned and published a substantive report named “2020: Vision or Optical Illusion?”, in which he sets down his thoughts about the present and future state of our university.

Section 1 of this report, entitled “Sovereignty and Identity”, highlights Malta’s strategic geographic location, which makes us a melting pot of different cultures, and a trade hub for the European as well as the global economy. While this rich history of ours enables us to “see destiny unfolding through foreign eyes”, it simultaneously allows us to derive our identity from that richness and then use it to project our aspirations. As the Rector rightly points out, the failure to project at the right time will transform the vision into an illusion.

A handful of other reports have been drawn up to help project national visions, the first of which was commissioned in 1992 by the government of the time. Vision 2000 envisaged Information Technology as “a key economic driver”. A brief look at Smart City and other foreign direct investments suffices to verify this prediction. However, as the report itself states, one has to keep in mind that not all sectors are at the same stage of evolution, and funding has to branch out to a multitude of domains.

The report goes on to mention the higher education institutions, all of which operate through direct funding: mainly the University of Malta, “a full-blown autonomous university”, as well as the Junior College, which is semiautonomous and operates under its guidance. Also included are the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (mcast), which provides vocational courses at secondary, post-secondary and undergraduate levels, the Institute of Tourism Studies, and the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary, under the authority of the Directorates of Education.

“Quality should take precedence over numbers”: this perfectly sums up another chunk of this report, which

The Insiter • January 2011

states that while post-secondary and tertiary institutions should go the extra mile to increase the intake of students, entry requirements should be strictly monitored, and a fees system should be introduced for the university to raise its standards. Other than that, academic staff at university should be offered different conditions to those who teach at secondary level, because unless this happens, there will be cost implications. The key notion here is that profit drives innovation. In fact, the Rector says that “to sustain the rhythm of growth”, the revenue must grow by 46% between 2011 and 2013.

Student organisations have expressed their views on this suggestion. While sdm (Maltese Christian Democrat Students) is of the opinion that education should remain free of charge, and that the stipend system should keep helping students throughout the year, Pulse (Social Democratic Students of Malta) said that if such fees were to be implemented, there would be social repercussions. When the intake of students is in increment, is it the right time to introduce a fees system?

In another section, the probability of having two possible scenarios in the tertiary education sector is examined.

The first scenario would be the market-oriented one, where there would be no concept of privately and publicly funded institutions, because there would only be licensed institutions operating under an autonomous National Commission for Higher Education. The other scenario is the differentiated-player one, where not all players are equally treated because of the different types of funding available (mainly public funding, private funding, and indirect funding through scholarships).

The Rector suggests that should MCAST become a significant player in the tertiary education sector by offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for its prospective students, “then it would make sense to consider having MCAST become an affiliate college of the Uom”. A

news common framework would not only facilitate self-regulation, but it would also improve quality assurance for both institutions.

One of the subsidiary companies of the university, the Malta University Residence (mur), plans to build a boutique hotel close to the Valletta campus, a boutique residence in Kappara, and a new residence and commercial centre next to the Msida campus. Another subsidiary company, the School of Languages, is to diversify its business and attract a wider niche of students. These subsidiary companies, however, are working against an obstacle: they must pay 35% tax to keep on operating.

The most prominent project currently underway, which deservedly gets extensive mention in the report, is the €17,355, 905 IT building, which will also facilitate research and distance learning. Other “prospective infrastructure projects” include the refurbishment of the library, further modernization of the IT services building, and the extension of Junior College premises through European Regional Development Funds. The Centre for Communication Technology will realign its mission and purposes and accommodate facilities required for training and research in the digital gaming field.

The stepping up of research activity within the university is another project to be taken up.

The interrogative title of this report may draw the readers in, but the prospect of reading through ninety pages of weighty statements might prove to be a real struggle, let alone trying to grasp the main ideas it is trying to portray.

This in turn may lead many to draw hefty and incorrect conclusions about what may be the most realistic depiction of our goals towards attaining a state of excellence.

The complete report, “2020 Vision or Optical Illusion?” can be accessed from the University of Malta website.

insiteronline.com

05

noel camilleri

EU programmes appointment of funding freeze new university

to be lifted chancellor T

he Education Ministry has confirmed that the Eu suspension of funds for the Youth in Action and Lifelong Learning Programmes is expected to be lifted by March.

This news followed a meeting between Education Minister Dolores Cristina and Androulla Vassilliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

While they acknowledged the progress achieved by Malta in this area since the suspension was imposed, European Commission officials will conduct another visit early this year to assess the improvements required on any outstanding issues related to the accounting system and the grant award facility for these programmes administered in Malta by Eupa (European Union Programmes Agency).

O

n 7 January, during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Valletta, Prof. David Attard was appointed University Chancellor for the next seven years. He will be taking over from Prof. John Rizzo Naudi, who has occupied the post for fifteen years. This post is the most senior at university, and the Chancellor must ensure that the institution acts in line with local legislation. Prof. Attard is an internationally renowned scholar and academic. He lectures in International Law, and has been the Director of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (imli) since 1992.

emma laferla

Graduation speeches 2010 G

raduation ceremonies are a milestone for all, yet some students are prepared to go one step further in order to make this formal procedure even more memorable, by delivering a speech during their graduation ceremony. How are students given the chance to perform this admirable task?

Ksu is responsible for selecting the chosen speeches which are then delivered during the graduation ceremonies at the University of Malta. Angelo Micallef, Ksu’s Education Commissioner, informed The Insiter that a board is appointed by the Education Commission during the month of August, which is in charge of the selection process. Acting on behalf of Ksu, this year’s board consisted of Mr Micallef himself, Ksu’s Education Commissioner Roberta Rizzo, Benjamin Pulé, Nerissa Pace, and Alessia Zammit. During their August meeting, the Board set out the criteria for choosing a graduation speech. The terms and conditions were then uploaded on the Ksu website, along with the regulations covering the selection. The Board’s decision is based on four principal factors, including the quality of the speech, whether the candidate participates in other extra-curricular activities, the driving force behind their reason for applying, and whether this is the candidate’s first delivery of a graduation speech.

Once selected, the list of accepted speeches is made avail-

06

The Insiter • January 2011

able to the public, together with a full report, so as to ensure transparency of the procedure. “We were very satisfied with the response received this year,” Mr Micallef added, confirming that plenty of students applied, with various attempts made for the majority of graduation ceremonies. On behalf of the Board, Ksu’s Education Commissioner would like to thank all the candidates who submitted a speech. The gruelling task of reaching a decision was not at all easy, since all submissions were, for the most part, of a high standard. The selected candidates were the following:Ceremony 6 – Samaria Bezzina Ceremony 7 – Gilliane Fenech Ceremony 8 – Lorelle Camilleri Ceremony 9 – Marsette Xerri Ceremony 10 – Luke Sammut Ceremony 11 – Christine Galea Ceremony 12 – Andrea Pace Ceremony 13 – Laura Holmberg Ceremony 14 – Matthew Agius Ceremony 15 – Julia Alexander Ceremony 16 – Rita Maniscalco Ceremony 17 – Geraldine Sapiano

news

christabel catania

ksjc elections

P

ulse, the organisation of the Social Democratic Students of Malta, has once again won the Junior College Student Council (KSJC) election, which was held on 10 December.

With an absolute majority of 52%, Pulse will be running the Student Council for the fourth time running.

The new executive will be headed by Adam Vella, who stepped up from his role as Public Relations Officer (pro) position in 2009/10, to run as president. Damian Mifsud has taken the position of Social Policy Commissioner (kps), the secretary general post has been filled by Ann Marie Camilleri, and Nicholas Martinelli is Treasurer. Michele Cardinelli has stepped in as the Public Relations Officer (pro), Rebecca Xuereb is now the Education Commissioner (ke), and Kurt Cortis was elected as Activities Officer (kkd).

Pulse has expressed its thanks to fellow students for their support, and highlighted the fact that the results displayed students’ trust in the organisation. They added that students voted for the continuity and experience of a credible organisation that truly has the students’ interests at heart.

The electoral programme for 2010/11 includes a number of projects and services aimed at bettering the life of Junior College students. Pulse is also willing to resume discussions for a more representative electoral system both at Junior College and University level.

Pulse concluded that had Sdm agreed with the mixedmember proportional representative electoral system, today it would have had representatives in KSJC.

noel camilleri

Students’ fury spills

onto the streets

V

arious student protests in European countries escalated into violence at the end last year as students battled against university funding cuts and increases in tuition fees.

In this time of austerity measures and spending cuts, students in the UK and Italy, two of the most popular destinations by Maltese students to further their education, are livid at the way their respective governments are planning to change the face of tertiary education. In Britain, the governing coalition has managed overcome a number of legislative hurdles to push forth a reform that will see students paying up to £9,000 in tuition fees as of 2012. On the day the House of Commons was due to vote on this reform, students converged en masse in London. Some were running riot and wreaking havoc in central London, with the violence culminating in an attack on a car carrying Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. The brunt of this student anger was directed at the Liberal Democratic part of the coalition, as the party appeared to renege on its election promise to vote against increased fees and to work for their abolishment, as illustrated by this quote in their Education Policy, “We will scrap unfair tuition fees for all students taking their first degrees saving them nearly £10,000 each. We have a financially responsible plan to phase fees out over six years, so that the change is affordable in these difficult economic times.”

In an effort to sweeten this pill, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg emphasised the commitment by the government to increase spending on child care, while supporting the school system via a pupil premium scheme which will allocate an

extra £430 to schools in England for each poor pupil (whose parents have an annual income of less than £16,000) that they accept. Furthermore, universities will not be able to raise their fees beyond £6,000 unless they take steps to increase the recruitment of underprivileged students. However, not everyone is against this reform. The Russell Group, an organisation which represents twenty leading UK universities, has denied suggestions that higher fees put off poorer students from attending universities, while also welcoming the raising of the tuition fees cap as a necessary step to compensate for the reduction in government funding.

Italian students have been facing a similar predicament, with the Italian government piloting through a reform that will allow access to university boards by private sector interests, a reduction in the number of courses offered, the closure of some outlying university branches with low student attendance, limits of six-year single mandates for rectors, meritocratic tenures for academics, a ban on relatives working in the same university, the creation of 4,500 new positions for assistant professors over three years, and a devolution of powers from universities to departments, with a maximum of twelve faculties per institution. Perhaps more controversially, Italian students will be facing cuts of up to 89.5% in study grants as the government seeks to fund the cost of tertiary education through private investment. Students’ complaints centre on the way the Italian government is trying to privatise tertiary education and assessing universities’ commercial viability.

insiteronline.com

07

neville bezzina

JEF Malta demands democracy in Belarus

O

n 16 December 2010, Jef Malta once again participated in a Europe-wide action demanding democracy in Belarus, and action from the European Union regarding this contentious human rights issue.

Only three nights before the already much-criticised presidential elections, the initiative was taken up by Jef (Young European Federalists) activists in more than 100 cities throughout the continent to express solidarity with

the citizens of the country. As the post-election protests in Minsk (and the violent arrests that followed) attest, the people demand freedom of expression, assembly and association for all citizens, equal access to the media for all parties, as well as human rights standards compliant with European norms. Jef Malta will be at the forefront of the fight, joining its partner organisations throughout the world in standing with oppressed citizens everywhere.

noel camilleri

University steps up

plagiarism offensive T

he University of Malta has introduced Turnitin, electronic text-matching software designed to detect plagiarism in students’ work. Academics may now ask students to submit their work via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (vle) website through Turnitin. After scanning the work, this software compiles an originality report for the tutor, who then checks the report for any instances of plagiarism detected. This development follows hot on the heels of the University’s decision last May to publish a set of guidelines for faculties, students and academics on how to avoid, detect, and deal with cases of plagiarism and collusion. These guidelines were designed to eliminate breaches of the University Assessment Regulations published in 2009, which specify what action will be taken in the event of plagiarism.

Where study-units are assigned less than eight credits, the regulations indicate that a Faculty Assessment Discipli-

nary Board can either award a mark of 0 or else refer the case to the Assessment Disciplinary Board, chaired by the Rector or his delegate, which has the power to impose a wide range of sanctions depending on the gravity of the case and repeat offences. The availability of Turnitin to academics represents the University’s determination to weed out such abuse.

This software is a product of plagiarism.org, the world’s first online plagiarism detection facility launched in 1996. Turnitin is a global leader in the provision of services, though in the past it came under attack from students complaining about the presumption of guilt implied when they are forced to submit work through it. However, in 2009, the U.s. Court of Appeal threw out a lawsuit by High School students in Arizona and Virginia against Turnitin, and ruled that its use on student work does not constitute a breach of copyright laws.

Further information about this software can be obtained from www.um.edu.mt/vle/pds.

noel camilleri

senate amends revision

of paper procedure T

he University Senate has approved changes to the mechanism governing the Revision of Papers process. Notably, this set of amendments ensures that a mark now cannot be changed from a pass into a fail. This applies to all cases and even in ones where clerical errors have taken place. As a result, a mark is decreased only if the student will not get a fail.

Both Sdm and Pulse welcomed these amendments, with the latter also calling for a review of the fees payable by students’ requesting a revision of paper.

08

The Insiter • January 2011

Last September, various student organisations had criticised changes to the Revision of Papers process after the University had put in place rules that allowed for the possibility of lowering students marks. Furthermore, students asking for a written report about where they went wrong were made to pay €60 instead of €25.

news

isabelle camilleri

Student Organisations Promote Human Rights 2

010 was the year in which the Council of Europe celebrated the 60th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. And on 10 December, International Human Rights Day was celebrated. In the spirit of both occasions, Għsk (Criminology Students’ Association), MMSA (Malta Medical Students` Association), and the University Engineering Students’ Association, with support from several other student organisations, teamed up to launch a chain of events aimed at raising awareness on a fundamental aspect of life: the meaning of living with our rights and freedoms.

As part of Christmas on Campus, they held activities between 10 and 16 December 2010. On the 14 and 15 December, a blood donation drive took place on campus. In collaboration

with We Are (the LGBT student organisation at the Uom), a ‘Wish Tree’ was put up, and in collaboration with mKsu (“Moviment Kattoliku Studenti Universitarji”), a giant checkers game was set up on 14 December. On 15 and 16 December, the Malta Mental Health Network put together an awareness activity entitled “Unwrapping Your Stigma This Christmas”. BetaPsi, the Psychology students’ association, collected toys which were presented to a number of charitable organisations.

During the coming months, the human rights team will be organising further initiatives, and would like to invite all those students and organisations who would like work with them to contact the team on humanrightsmalta@gmail.com

isabelle camilleri

Unwanted sex the truth about rape G

ħsk (Ghaqda Studenti tal-Kriminoloġija), Għsl (Ghaqda Studenti tal-Liġi), and the Arts Students’ Association (ASA) held a seminar about date rape in the Ksu Common Room on 2 December 2010.

The first report on date rape in Malta shows that 16% of young women have experienced unwanted sex, including 23 cases of rape throughout last year alone. Date rape is indeed a reality in our country. It’s a type of sexual assault where the victim and the offender are, or have been, in some form of personal social relationship, ranging from a first date to a long-term relationship. During the seminar, Dr Owen Bonnici spoke about the legal aspect, and said that there is room for improvement in the law which has existed for a number of years.

According to gynaecologist Raymond Galea, it is the minority who seeks treatment in hospital, and does so in one of two ways: either accompanied by the police, whereby a legal process begins and traces of sperm are preserved to be used later as forensic evidence, or else without informing the police due to health concerns. Mr Galea also discussed work that has been done for the initiation of a so-called “sexual assault response team”, which would serve as an assisted framework for victims of sexual assault.

Ms Avellino, another speaker, added that many sex offenders were once victims who did not speak up about their abuse.

A representative of Appogg argued that many victims don’t speak up, and highlighted the importance of raising awareness about the issue.

At the end of the seminar, Dr Frances Camilleri-Cassar presented the 2008 research findings. The aims of this research included seeking an understanding of women’s attitudes and dating experiences, exploring the incidence of date rape among female students (18-24 years old), and discovering the level of awareness among young women and relevant institutions. Unfortunately, this research shows that relevant organisations lack specific training on date rape and sexual violence, and that there are limited services to help women who experience any form of violence, particularly sexual violence and rape.

This successful seminar showed that there’s a need for more initiatives, preventive measures, and professional training on date rape.

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09

Are women facing

a glass ceiling?

In November 2010, a local newspaper reported that although 60% of university graduates are female, Malta still has the lowest female participation in the workforce. In December 2010, the inactivity rate of woman aged between 25 and 54 years during the year 2009 was reported to have been 22.1%, compared with 8.2% for men. During Insite’s IC Weekend 2010, Sacha Camilleri and Stephanie Cutajar investigated the situation.

PHOTOGRAPHY glorianne cassar

T

10

he female’s participation in the workforce changed dramatically during World War II. Today, particularly in Malta, this participation is minor when compared to that of men. Plenty of women feel that they are discriminated against, especially those who have a family and work on a full time basis. Some women find that they are not taken seriously at their place of work, and are not given promotions they deserve on the basis of them being mothers, or even simply because of the possibility that they will have children.

Women have always contributed to the labour market.

However, where training in mathematics and engineering was required, the colleges and institutes that were introduced throughout Europe were initially open only to men.

From childhood, boys were given bricks out of which to construct models and develop their intelligence, while girls were presented with dolls to take care of, thus preparing them for their domestic role.

This situation persists, because as sociologist Anthony Giddens states, women are still given poorly paid occupations such as secretarial work and caring jobs. Sociologists Hartman and Whipp point out that, “men also have material motives for maintaining job segregation. Lower female wages ensures their continued dependence on men which in turn, maintains their subordinate position, both in the home and workplace” (Greico and Whipp).

These tedious, badly paid jobs hinder women from advancing or seeking achievements in their career. This state of affairs can be improved through the educational system. To this effect, the ETC (Employment & Training Corporation) organises training sessions for guidance teachers in public and private schools. This training focuses on career opportunities for both sexes, on how to avoid gender stereotyping and work segregation, and the importance of encouraging boys and men to share in the domestic responsibilities at home.

The Insiter • January 2011

Another important factor we need to consider when discusing the high inactivity rate in Malta is our lack of adequate affordable childcare facilities for children younger than three years of age. Consequently, more mothers choose to leave their children with grandparents during work hours.

However, this solution cannot last long since more grandparents are opting to continue working past retirement age.

All the men we interviewed said that it’s a woman’s job to remain at home and take care of their children. It’s a widespread belief that men don’t have the same bond as the mother has with the child, and that a man can’t care for a child with the same gentleness as a woman. The woman is the one carrying the child, which already creates a bond between them.

If the husband and wife work at the same workplace, have the same education, and perform the same job, which one of them would leave their job in order to look after their child?

Besides the lack of adequate childcare facilities, parents must overcome other obstacles when the child reaches school age. The fact that in Malta school ends very early in the afternoon, combined with long holidays, makes it very difficult for women to have a full time job. This problem, apart from causing huge stress in families where both parents are employed, is aggravating poverty problems in single-parent families. This is mostly because, more often than not, these single mothers must opt to work on a part time basis.

Behind every successful man, there’s a smart and bright woman. It is argued that whereas most men who occupy top positions have a woman to support them in this role, women are not so fortunate, and they cannot commit themselves if they are expected to singlehandedly run the household, in addition to holding a demanding job.

In this day and age, women are not held back from obtaining an education. While the majority of University grad-

news ANALYSIS

e c a l p s ’ n a m ? o d w l A in the househo is

uates are usually female, statistics reveal that women prefer to opt for the caring and education professions. The number of women involved in gainful employment is increasing, however, a serious lack of adequate childcare facilities, together with the constant stress of juggling work and family is causing more women to leave the workforce, or take up part time work. This creates many problems with regard to poverty, especially in single-parent families.

Raising awareness about and tackling the difficulties and complications women experience in their attempt to join the labour market should lead to an alteration of the current situation. Social aspects that hinder women from joining the workforce (such as close-mindedness about gender roles) should also be targeted. We should strive to improve attitudes in educational institutions as well as in work places.

Editor’s Note

Since its establishment in 2004, the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations has been lobbying for longer school days in order to help mothers and fathers to continue working. Early in January, the MCWO welcomed a Chamber of Commerce proposal for the extension of school hours.

Before the 2011 budget, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said that it did not make sense that school finishes early, and all extra-curricular activities are held in the evenings. It would make more sense for after-school services to be put in place which provide extra-curricular activities. The MCWO said, “It’s a known fact that due to the persistent lack of universal childcare and after-school services, many mothers do not have the choice and have to forfeit work”. It pointed out that the participation of women in the labour market is currently the lowest in the EU, at only 38%

insiteronline.com

11

Our A-Grade library

and its devoted staff This academic year, the uom Library introduced a new library management system. Members of the staff spoke to Hillary Briffa about the important updates to the library which happened over the summer months.

PHOTOGRAPHY shaun abdilla

W

12

riter and journalist John Alfred Langford once declared that, “The only true equalisers in the world are books; the only treasure-house open to all comers is a library; the only wealth which will not decay is knowledge; the only jewel which you can carry beyond the grave is wisdom”.

The University of Malta pays homage to this notion and has maintained its own library since its inauguration in 1954.

Currently, an extensive overhaul of the book management system is in progress. I sat down with Mr Kevin Ellul, director of library services, and Mrs Joanna Felice, deputy director, to gain some insight into the metamorphosis of our literary depository.

Until last year, the library used the Adlib system, a method employed in the Netherlands which is designed to cater for special libraries and museums rather than the academic environment. After a period of intense research and consideration of peer reviews, it transpired that the Aleph 500 would be far more flexible, and hence the most viable replacement. As this academic year began, students venturing into the realm of books received the pleasant surprise of finding this system in place and raring to go.

The transformation is evident, especially where the student interface is concerned. For instance, it will be possible

The Insiter • January 2011

to make renewals and reservations online, without needing to visit the building. As yet, the system is not fully operational as the slightest error in data transfer could have disastrous consequences. As a result, every change must be carefully tracked. While the summer heralded sun and sand for the majority, the dedicated library staff dove headlong into the sea of data conversion. Moreover, the supplier of the system, Ex Libris, provided experts from abroad who came over to train the staff in adopting the new system. Of note is that the library staff is also carrying out work placements ranging from one to three weeks at the University of Birmingham, and attending short courses offered by CILIP (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals).

As the only academic library in Malta, the goal is to cater for multi-disciplinary faculties and offer as large a range of literary material as possible.In an effort to maximize funds, only one copy of every book is obtained. The borrowing system has also been revamped, and now all publications are subject to regular loans, as is the case in the UK and the U.s.

Every book may be borrowed for a three-week period, but as soon as it is requested by another individual, an email is sent out informing the person who currently has the book that the loan period is cut to a week. This endeavour aims

NEws report to balance demand and supply, and I’m assured by my two interviewees that positive feedback is already being received.

It’s often said that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Consequently, the library staff was not content with implementing the management transformation. They went a step further by implementing structural improvements.

The library is divided into silent areas to cater for those who prefer to study alone, as well as group work areas where students can work on collective assignments. The top floor has been refurbished and kept as a silent area, while the dependency of the majority of students on their laptops has resulted in all desks now having three partitions (resembling cubicles) and power supplies.

I queried as to whose piggy bank had been cracked open to fund this venture. While the refurbishment of Level Three is the product of the University of Malta’s capital funds, the staff’s training in using the new system has been funded via a grant from the European Social Fund.

So, what’s in the pipeline for this industrious team? Currently, they’re striving to implement add-ons to the system, including the sfx and MetaLib software. The former will enable e-books and journals to be viewed in PDF format, while the latter is a federated search engine which enables browsing of all the library’s packages at once instead of individually. This will make a big difference time-wise and with respect to bringing up more relevant results for individuals.

Meanwhile, the IT services staff, who are currently lodged in the basement of the library, shall soon be moving to a new building on the ring road, and plans are already being drafted to turn the space into another student area. In the long term, funds permitting, the team hope to implement a system of book identification based on chipping and radio frequency to ensure automatic circulation and reduce theft.

Our library has taken up the Valletta campus library, and will therefore host books by the prestigious anthropologist Sir Jack Goody. The Conservation library at Bighi has also been adopted, thus increasing the library branches from four to six. Due to the limited resources in Malta, it’s clear that our facility has taken on a national role.

While a metamorphosis of the library is challenging, looking back, Mr Ellul and Mrs Felice expressed their pride and satisfaction with their work. Their commitment throughout the year is evident, ranging from orientation tours for Freshers, to subject-specific courses over the year.

The importance of using the databases presented by the university was stressed, owing to their reliability and relevance, far superseding that of a mere Google search. User instruction has become one of the main pillars of the library, and a seminar room upstairs is used for holding information sessions.

Both individuals earnestly pointed out that their job is to help and offer a service. Sometimes, students claim that they’re too shy to ask for assistance, yet they are urged to come forward. The librarians are there to help, and are receptive to constructive criticism. Following my interview, I was given a tour of the facilities by Mrs Felice. I left the building feeling impressed at how dedicated to the library both she and Mr Ellul are. Without a doubt, the University of Malta is making John Alfred Langford proud. Happy reading folks!

To familiarise yourself with the new online catalogue, connect through the Library home page: http://www. um.edu.mt/library, or visit the library. Library staff members will be pleased to offer their assistance.

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biodiversity tours

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is organising ‘Sunday Biodiversity Tours’, with the aim of showing and giving the public an experience of how valuable our biodiversity is.

PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of MEPA

E

14

ven though Malta’s geographical area is undeniably small, its biodiversity is rich and abundant. In fact, many of the natural habitats and species of flora and fauna found on our islands are highly valued at European level, and are now protected by the relevant European and International laws.

The intrinsic aesthetic, cultural, and economic value of Malta’s biodiversity is often unappreciated. This is precisely why mepa has decided to take the bull by the horns and organise educational, hands-on sessions to help increase our appreciation of biodiversity and its intricate ties with our lives. And what better way to do this than through observing different habitats first-hand, with the help of an expert guide to walk you through it?

The tours began in October 2010, and are being held once a month until April 2011. Seven different sites around the Maltese Islands are included. These are:

good number of unique, endemic species. Il-Maqluba is a doline, housing interesting maquis and reed communities, as well as one of the oldest known stands for the Maltese national tree.

Ta’ Rapa A relatively large area in the limits of Rabat, Dingli, and Siġġiewi, including one of the old holm oak forest remnants of the Maltese Islands, as well as bay laurel matorral, buckthorn and lentisk maquis communities, relict riparian woodlands with elms and poplars, and small pine woodlands.

Il-Qortin Tal-Magun This is an extensive coralline limestone plateau in the Nadur area with one of the richest garigue and scrub communities in the Maltese Islands, having many different and rare threatened and/or endemic species and habitats.

∙

Gebel San Pietru This is a unique valley system, with watercourse vegetation, maquis formations, garigue and steppic communities, hewn in coralline limestone, and enriched with legend, cultural heritage, and many important species. _

Wied Il-Hoxt/ Il-Maqluba: Located close to the Blue Grotto, between Wied Babu and Għar Lapsi, this holds important garigue communities. It leads to the spectacular cliffs of the area, which include a

The Insiter • January 2011

Ta’ Pennellu Comprising Wied il-Miżieb, in the limits of Mellieħa, this site houses the largest population of the Maltese national tree, the Sandarac Gum Tree, as well as endemic phrygana communities, with the Maltese Spurge and the Maltese Shubby Kidney-Vetch. _

Wied Has-Saptan In the heart of Birżebbuġa, this valley system includes unique Mediterranean scrub and rock-pool communities, as well as one of the oldest wild pear formations of the Maltese Islands.

Ta’ Lippija This is a plateau in the ġnejna/Għajn Tuffieħa area, which includes various Mediterranean grassland species, including a number of species unique to this area, as well as clay slope habitats typified by species capable of living in such habitats.

For more information, please visit www.mepa.org/mt/ biodiversity.

environment

will there be stephanie delia

enough water?

N

owadays, everybody speaks about climate change, which has been caused by greenhouse gases produced by human activities. Before the industrial revolution, the Earth’s atmosphere was composed of 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 0.9% Argon, trace gases, and only 0.03% Carbon Dioxide. CO2 is the most important greenhouse gas after water vapour. The greenhouse effect occurs because the Earth’s atmosphere is very sensitive to high CO2 concentrations. These determine the average surface temperature of our planet.

During the last 250 years, human activities have poured into the atmosphere more than 1.1 billion tons of CO2 through the use of fossil fuels for energy generation. 770 million of these were emitted during the last 50 years. CO2 emissions have increased in parallel with fossil fuel consumption.

Between 1971 and 2005, world CO2 emissions derived from fossil fuel consumption increased by around 90%.

Increases in the average global air and ocean temperatures are resulting in widespread melting of snow and ice, and the average global sea level is rising. The most recent scientific forecasts revealed that during this century, the Earth’s average temperature could increase by 3 degrees Celsius, causing the sea level to rise by about one metre, and making coastal areas vulnerable. Agricultural activity could also be affected as soil erodes and water availability and quality decreases (this is the outcome of a more humid atmosphere and drier soil).

As a small island state, Malta is expected to suffer moderate affects from climate change, mainly the deterioration of water supplies and quality, and more frequent extreme weather events. Managing our water resources will be a critical issue in the face of climate change. In a study I conducted for my undergraduate dissertation on climate change and its potential impacts on the local tourism sector, 67% of the respondents that I interviewed expressed no interest in conserving water. Incentives should be encouraged in countries where water scarcity is a growing concern, such as the Mal-

tese Islands, where water reserves are declining in quantity and quality. If no changes are implemented, hotels and governments will be forced to build more expensive Reverse Osmosis plants, and consequently release a higher percentage of hyper solution into the sea. This adversely affects marine flora and fauna.

Between 29 November and 10 December, nations came together for the cop16/cmp6, the 16th edition of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP), and the sixth Conference serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (cmp). It took place in Cancun, Mexico. During the two weeks, the nations involved had an opportunity to make significant progress by adopting a broad and balanced set of decisions to reduce emissions and begin a new era of effective global action. As host of cop16/cmp6, the Mexican government was committed to ensuring that partipants’ mobilisation and energy consumption resulted in the smallest environmental impact. In fact, one of the Mexican authorities’ main goals was to ensure that a large amount of the energy used during the Conference came from renewable sources.

Through a programme aimed at enhancing the Conference’s sustainable operation, which was dubbed ‘Environmental Leadership for Competitiveness’ and implemented by semarnat, hotels set eco-efficiency projects in motion to reduce the use of raw materials, energy, and water during the Conference. The aim of such projects was to avoid the consumption of approximately 200,000 m³ of water and the release of 4,000 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

After reading this, article you’re probably wondering what action a student can take. As students, we are agents of change. It’s important that we understand climate change issues and explain them to our peers. Although it won’t be easy, it’s not too late to positively impact the future of our world by combatting climate change.

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15

christine caruana

The space of “Let me take you down, ‘cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields...” …promised Lennon, and a burly bus driver. The white lettering on the blue road sign informed me that we were now making our way to the ‘University Heights’ in the quaint, Cadmium yellow bus. “Living is easy with eyes closed”, the bus conductor hummed away, “misunderstanding all you see”. I nodded in what might have been perceived as agreement, as the he navigated over the potholes dotting the road and shook the last remnants of sweet sleep out of his passengers’ systems.

I smiled at how the magic of The Beatles had transformed that dreary morning into an anecdote which I later recounted to friends. A song about Strawberry Fields by a group of Liverpudlians using the Indian swarmandal (or harp) had successfully (certainly more successfully than the overcrowded vehicle) brought Maltese individuals closer for 4 minutes and 10 seconds.

The notions of space and location seem to crop up rather often when one hears about The Beatles, even if it is unfortunately frequently disregarded as something secondary or unimportant. During the 1960s, The Beatles rose to the top of the music scene in Liverpool and Hamburg. They toured the UK and acquired their first recording contract, topping the UK charts with ‘Please Please Me’. Yet, they could only conquer the other side of the pond by appearing on the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ in the U.s. Textbook cases of the highly contagious “Beatlemania” hit teenagers worldwide, as they religiously mimicked their hairstyles, clothes, and even world outlook. John Lennon, the man whose murder was remembered worldwide last December (thirty years later), had stated that his band was now “more popular than Jesus”. This declaration prompted the ban of the band’s music on the radio in places like South Africa and Spain.

Even in this sketchy summary of The Beatles’ career, one

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The Insiter • January 2011

notes the connection between the group and ‘location’. but it doesn’t stop there. The same and similar facts raise more spatial questions. Their fascination with exotic cultures and instruments is widely known and can be felt directly through their music. In fact, they visited India several times. So why did they never perform there? Their lyrics too are inundated with spatial references. What of the “marmalade skies” in ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, or the sea in ‘Yellow Submarine’?

Particularly where lyrics are concerned, music seems to create a real but also imaginary space that connects our emotions and psyche to the social and peripheral dimension. In doing so, music gives us a sense of place, and even helps us build “roots”, not only with locations that actually exist, but also those where “rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies”. This magnificent visual image from ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ strikingly demonstrates the importance of images in their own right, a topic which can be explored in relation to films. These do not merely provide the ‘images’ of some ‘spaces’, but also a better understanding of the style which defined The Beatles and (given The Beatles’ impact) their whole era. In this respect, Beatle flicks such as A Hard Day’s Night, Help! or The Magical Mystery Tour, make art and history worth investigating If you’re interested in such topics, make sure to keep 9 February free. The Beatles will be taking centre-stage at the third event of the highly successful Pop Culture Series organised by the Department of English Students Association (desa). The Pop Culture Series consists of a number of informal academic events during which elements from popular culture are brought together with current critical thought. Visit www.desa.org.mt for updates on the event.

student orgs.

ABIGAIL CREMONA

Drug abuse

in society

Camilleri and Dr C. Cefai presented a study that they carried out on 500 undergraduate students from the various faculties at the Uom, entitled “Healthy Students, Healthy Lives”. Their study shows that a shocking 10% of the students confessed that they’d made use of drugs or illicit substances a month before the study was carried out. Cannabis proved to be the commonest drug, with the runner up being cocaine. These drugs could easily be associated with students’ stressful, hectic lives. 53% of students who abuse drugs said that they do so once or twice a month.

Following this journey, the Għsk team affirms that the roots of drug addictions lie in lack of self-respect and selfesteem. In this New Year, we hope that students will realise that positive thinking has the power to achieve more miracles than any wonder drug ever could.

What made the sessions extremely interesting was the variety of guest speakers that shared their knowledge and expertise. Every speaker gave a complete but concise view of the topics at hand. Each and every aspect of drug abuse in society was tackled in a student-friendly manner. I found the sociological aspect of drug abuse particularly fascinating. The loopholes in the law and the latest statistics certainly grabbed my attention, but what shocked me the most during the Degree Plus sessions were the unexpected things I learned; for example, I would have never guessed that heroin was once used as a cough medicine.

All in all, the hard work that the Għsk team put in definitely paid off.

The informative sessions will help me greatly with improving the mmsa (Malta Medical Students’ Association) Substance Abuse Awareness peer education sessions. The team did a marvellous job putting together sessions that were well organised and presented a truly holistic approach to drug abuse in society.

illustration isabel micallef

Ghaqda Studenti tal-Kriminologija (Għsk) acknowledges the fact that during recent years, the problems of drug trafficking and drug abuse have been increasing among Maltese youth, particularly as regards ecstasy and heroin. Inspired

by Sedqa’s educational campaign, “Shoot for the stars, not your arms”, last year, Għsk together with Seqda presented a discussion on campus based on the life experiences of a rehabilitated drug user, Jesmond iċ-ċhina.

This year, Għsk teamed up with Ksu, the Degree Plus office, and Sedqa to organise a series of lectures about drug abuse in society. The purpose of this course was to present students with an opportunity to acquire firsthand knowledge from reliable sources on all the aspects of drug abuse. To make this course more student-friendly, it was exam-free. and Għsk carefully chose lecturers who hailed from various fields of study related to drug abuse, such as the legal field, police drug investigation, forensic medicine, pharmaceuticals, psychology, sociology, and statistics. During the final lecture, a member of the Malta National Forensic Laboratory, a social worker from Caritas, and a rehabilitated drug abuser answered questions put to them by the enthusiastic attendees.

Drug problems are not uncommon among university students. During one lecture, guest speakers Dr L.

James Vella 3rd year medical student, a Drug Abuse in Society attendee

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the claire chRonicles

Passionate, silly and a bit of a nerd; every month Claire Bonello, law student and lover-of-life writes about productivity, positivity and pretty stuff, among other things. This month she invites you to claim 2011 as your most wonderful year yet.

Suddenly, it’s 2011. I pause between what is probably my 35th mince pie and the realisation of the incredibly close proximity of January exams, to ponder on what will certainly be a fascinating year.

Let’s take a hold of this year right now. It holds twelve full months of unknown wonder. Such potential! A life renovation project is in order for all of us. Yes, this applies to everyone, even if you feel that you’re generally on the right track in your life (this may actually mean that you need a little spontaneity or even (gasp!) change).

New Year’s resolutions are all well and good, but if it’s the sixth time that one of them is “lose 10kg”, then the whole notion of having resolutions is not really working, is it? In reality, you’re probably indirectly sabotaging your own improvement by feeling that you’re dealing with things just because you acknowledge them as vague resolutions every time a new year rolls around.

Instead of New Year’s resolutions, why not compile a list of anything that comes to mind when you think of the question “What Do I Want from Life”? This can include anything from “ride a donkey on a Greek island” and “try mango ice-cream”, to “have my own happy, healthy family” and “tangibly change the world for the better”. Once you’ve spewed out all the little and large wonderful things you want to achieve in the short and long term, put this list in a prominent place on your computer, or even print it out, laminate it, and stick it to your bedroom wall to look at every day.

Reviewing your list regularly will help remind you of all the exhilarating (and maybe not so exhilarating) things you yearn to do.

Once you’ve compiled your list, take a look at what your main priorities seem to be.

Your career? Graduating? Bettering yourself physically or socially?

Now narrow it down to a couple of points and focus on what you can do this particular year, based on your over-arching desires.

Some of the items on my own

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The Insiter • January 2011

list this year are: regularly ride my bike, map out a family tree, start my own blog, and properly decide what’s in store for my future, academically.

Here are some ideas for your own lists: • Organise your life. Start from simple things like a drawer, desk, or your digital photo collection, and move on to an entire wardrobe, living space, or all those documents you have lying around.

•Take time every once in a while to try new things which get you out of the usual-routine-rut and give you something to look forward to; a picnic at a beach you’ve never visited, making dinner for a group of friends, going for a long hike on a Sunday, or even just reading a book you wouldn’t normally pick up. Be spontaneous.

•Take a bold new career move. Start shadowing a professional whom you admire, become a part-time intern at a company at which you dream of working, or learn a new skill that might be ancillary to your field but may make you stand out.

•Take good care of yourself: nourish your mind, body and soul, wear flattering clothes that you love, recognise that you need both work and play in your life, and nurture your relationships with others.

•Cut out all the irrelevant stuff from your life. This might mean you’ll need to start saying “No”, which can be hard, but letting go of certain things can be therapeutic and will help you focus on what’s really important.

•Most importantly, be yourself. Surround yourself with positivity. Smile widely. Celebrate life. You deserve happiness and proper recognition of your accomplishments.

2011 is your year.

rEGULARS

AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES YOU NEED BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION SEND AN EMAIL TO NITPICKER.INSITE@GMAIL.COM

THE NITPICKER December roundup As another year begins, we should stop and be thankful for the events that have transpired and made life oh so colourful and interesting. On the international front, Wikileaks has been the embarrassment of governments worldwide in general and the U.s. in particular. I felt like I was watching a slow-paced version of the Bourne Ultimatum. What fun!

Malta continues its proud tradition of not caring about international affairs, with only one news story I saw broadcast mentioning the diplomatic cables and nothing about Julian Assange being prosecuted in Sweden for, and I swear I am not making this up, ‘sex by surprise’. Many colourful images had formed within my mind as to what exactly this charge would entail (perhaps he had suspended himself Mission Impossible style above her bed before committing the act), before I found out that it’s not a euphemism for rape, but rather sex without a condom after a woman requests its use.

Talk about misleading.

Juanito Our dear rector will soon come to the end of his term in office (2006-2011), and has kindly compiled an 86-page report, which “captures [his] mood, personal thoughts, and the state of play at the University of Malta in the context of the evolving national milieu”. The spicy parts come about in section 3.1, where Prof. Camilleri suggests a ‘Market Oriented Scenario’ towards university finance. While it is a fact that the university is growing at an annual rate and more funds are needed to sustain it, I question the theory that charging entrance fees, scholarships or not, is the way forward. The report does not mention in what range the fees should be.

Comparisons are drawn with universities in the UK, which are perhaps not the best analogy in light of the recent student protests due to the raising of university fees. Speaking of which...

uk policemen would not have allowed such a thing. Showing an excellent grasp of the idea of a protest, the brave commentator continued to state that such an act made them look like people with nothing better to do with their lives. As opposed to people who write such comments on the internet.

Oh my Grease!

The theme for next year’s Student Fest has now been announced. This year’s celebration of University students’ theatrical talent will be going by the name of “Oh My Grease!”, directed (or so it seems at time of writing) by Stephie Soler.

As everyone knows, Ms. Soler’s previous directing credits include the acclaimed films Annie Hall and Vicky, Christina, Barcelona. No, wait, that was Woody Allen. Ms. Soler co-directed a play for the sac Soirée this one time. I am astounded at the arrogance involved in nominating herself for a task that there are scores of people better qualified than her to perform. I am astounded at the arrogance involved in not even putting out a call for directors, when many students would leap through fiery hoops to be given this sort of opportunity. And I am astounded by the fact that this year’s Student Fest actually has the same name as the farce that was the first new-and-improved Student Fest (directed in 2009 by the inimitable Nerissa “I-want-to-direct-my-ownmusical” Pace), albeit translated from Abba and Italian (Ommi Ma, geddit?) to Travolta and English. I prostrate myself before the genii behind this veritable coup-de-theatre.

Truly I say to them: In bocca del lupo! By which I mean, of course,please actually go and throw yourselves into a wolf’s mouth – student theatre has a difficult enough job selling itself without Neanderthals like you to sully its image.

Love, illustration iella

THE NITPICKER

Cutest protest ever!

A group of eight British students gathered outside the British High Commission on 9 December, presumably to show solidarity with their brothers and sisters holding similar protests in the UK. As usual, timesofmalta.com comments section provided hilarity when one memorable commentator expressed the opinion that the police should have prevented the protestors from standing on a bench, and that

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19

philip leone ganado

Student Artists:

Assemble

I

n the spirit of New Year and its traditional resolutions, I invite all student artists to sign and commit themselves to this pledge: I, a student at the University of Malta, but before that a student director, actor, writer, novelist, playwright, poet, lyricist, singer, songwriter, composer, musician, dancer, photographer, filmmaker, animator, cartoonist, painter, sculptor, conceptual artist, installation artist, performance artist, circus artist, street artist, do hereby swear that I will: Never allow a month to go by without having produced a work of art and shared it with other students; Never produce any work of art that is safe, tired, derivative, or unprovocative. There will be plenty of time for that once I am established and boring; Never produce any work of art that does not seem doomed to spectacular failure until the exact moment it succeeds wildly. If it does not succeed wildly, I will get up, rinse, and repeat; Never produce any work of art that is not as dangerous, brave, and impetuous as possible. This is absolutely fine: I am a student artist, and if I produce, every now and again, art that is a little bit shit, that’s fine too, because I don’t have a reputation to lose. In fact, if I think I do have a reputation to lose, I will immediately reassess myself and my ego. And if I am not producing, every now and again, art that is a little bit shit, I will immediately reassess my methods…and my ego.

Never mistake this licence that being a student artist gives me to produce art that is daring, unrestrained, and potentially shit, for a licence to produce art that is, deliberately or through laziness, inexcusably and irredeemably shit; Never mistake this licence that being a student artist gives me to produce art that is daring, unrestrained, and potentially shit, for a licence to neglect art in favour of the crushing bore that is Saying Something. A student artist is not ipso facto a political activist: on average, we have shorter hair; Never measure the value of my work by attendances, ticket sales, merchandise sales, remarks from the audience, fellow artists, fellow students, family members, the President of the Republic, or (lord protect us) Newspaper Critics; Never measure the value of my work against the work of established artists, not because I cannot create on their level, but because I do not want to; Never complain about the lack of opportunities for student artists, if I am not actively engaged in creating opportu-

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The Insiter • January 2011

nities for student artists. If there is no theatre company that suits my tastes, I will create one; if there is no band looking for a bassist, I will start one, if there is no free-loving, freeliving, commune of like-minded Dadaists, I will rent out an apartment above Pasha’s and establish one; Never complain about lack of funding for student artists. If I don’t have money for a theatre, I will act in the Quad. If I don’t have money for canvas, I will paint on a wall, if I don’t have money for filming equipment, I will shoot my award-winning film-noir biopic of Catherine Tate on the Editor’s Blackberry.

Never, ever, refer to myself as a “starving artist”, unless it is with a healthy dose of self-deprecating irony; Never allow anyone to confuse my art-form with its impostor variants (abominations all). As an actor I reject parochial satire, as a musician I reject school choirs, as a sculptor “pasturi”, as a photographer family photos, as a dancer nightclubs, as a filmmaker “Dejjem Tiegħek Becky”, and so on ad infinitum; Never, under any circumstances, make this confusion myself; Never, if I happen to be in a position of authority(say, a Student Council member) consider student art as something to be promoted by anything less than the establishment of an all-out coalition of student artists, engaged on every facet of the board, pumping out material faster than BP pumps out oil. I will leave “workshops”, “exhibitions” and glorified Soirées (viz. Student Fest) for parish halls and primary schools.

Never, as a student of the arts, allow soulless academics to rob me of the creative passion that drove me to their classroom in the first place; Never, as an artist in a collaborative discipline, make use of non-student talent if it can be at all avoided. The point of student art is that it’s created by students and for students, at least until such time as society at large should learn what the term means; Never fail to support an artistic initiative by a fellow student; Never forget that everyone has the potential for great art…except Dan Brown; When not bitching and moaning, Philip Leone-Ganado reads for an MA in Diplomatic Studies, and heads the student theatre company WhatsTheirNames Theatre.

OPINIONS

The Season to be Jolly? dyna spiteri

T

he Christmas season is celebrated by many. However, for people involved in the tragedies that have occurred in the past few months, this Christmas was not their happiest time.

In one particular week, a van crashed into two houses and there were two bomb scares at the courts. This raises a lot of questions with regard to safety in both public places and private homes. Are public places safe for individuals?

Are people feeling safe in their own homes? Or are these merely isolated and unfortunate incidents?

An elderly woman called Rose Garroni was attacked in Sliema on 8 December, and passed away soon after as a result of her injuries. Mr Aquilina, her nephew, said that Dingli Circus is not usually considered to be a dangerous area, and the attempted robbery did not occur late at night.

He also said that within the past few months there has been an increase in such attacks in the same location and people, especially the elderly, are often fearful. On the same day, the same aggressors allegedly attacked another elderly person in the area who suffered from shock as a result of the experience. It is thought that the money stolen in both cases was used to purchase cocaine.

Early in December, two men were charged with stealing €8,500. Ryan Camenzuli and Victor Degabriele, both in their mid- twenties pled not guilty to stealing €3,500 in cash, vehicle sound equipment worth €5,000, as well as a credit card and concert tickets. Both Camenzuli and Degabriele have had previous clashes with the law. The theft involving the car happened at School Street in Tarxien, where a kindergarten school is situated. Is it the case that Maltese roads that were previously considered to be safe are now becoming

unsafe?

Only three days after the attack on Ms Garroni, Kenneth Gafa shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Christina Sammut in Mġarr. The victim’s daughter is only fifteen years old.

Meanwhile, on 23 November, a businessman was shot at a parking area in Valletta. Joe Baldacchino, the victim, owned a hotel in Gozo and was the founder of the Baldacchino roup. According to witnesses, Baldacchino was followed by a man on a motorcycle, which implies that the crime might have been planned. Baldacchino, who has five children, was shot in broad daylight.

On a different note, a 26-year-old man was charged with stealing €5,000 from a Maltapost branch in Birkirkara, holding two employees against their will, and having a firearm without a licence. The employees were treated for shock.

Around two months after this incident (which took place last September), a Maltapost van was stolen from Nigret, Rabat. The van was stolen in the evening, while the post was being collected. Later on in December, there was a hold up at a pharmacy in żebbuġ. The hooded man who had a firearm walked away with €1,000 in cash. More questions are raised.

How safe do employees feel? Are there enough security measures to ensure their safety?

Many argue that Malta is a very safe place compared to foreign countries. They tend to insist that in other countries crimes seem very frequent. On the other hand, crimes in Malta are quite rare. Is this true? Or is it a misconception?

What does the recent increase in the incidence of crime imply? Could one blame these crimes on increased poverty in the country? Perhaps it is a separate and unrelated issue.

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21

VERBAL Marie-Clare Church

KILLING

E

ighteen-year-old Michael Causer was beaten to death.

He was a trainee hairdresser. In the early hours of the morning, he was dragged from his bed. According to witnesses, he was then viciously beaten. His piercings were forcibly removed with a knife. Nine days later, he died in hospital from brain injuries.

Eighteen-year-old Tyler Clementi’s sexual encounter was filmed using a web cam. Unknown to him, his roommate not only filmed him, but also posted the video on the internet. As a result of being taunted, Tyler committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge.

The first case mentioned happened in Liverpool, UK. The latter took place in New Jersey, U.s. The two separate cases had one thing in common: both Michael Causer and Tyler Clementi were gay. Their sexual orientation led to their being bullied, and to their untimely deaths. Although these cases may seem far from home, bullying due to sexual orientation takes place in Malta too. In fact, it’s quite common, and suicides and killings are the result of things getting out of hand.

Bullying is not limited to school children and the typical school bullies in the playground or the classroom. Bullying includes a variety of activities: physical and/or verbal abuse, verbal threats, damaging of personal property, hate mail, or even purposely excluding people from social groups. The most common form, which the majority of us engage in, is gossiping or spreading rumours. We can all think of that friend who has said, on several occasions, “Do you know what I heard?”, and then proceeded to spill the latest gossip.

Some people refer to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people using derogatory terms.

For example, ‘queer’, ‘fag’ or ‘faggot’, ‘dyke’, ‘queen’, ‘poof’, ‘homo’, and the famous Maltese word beginning with a “p”. These words are insulting, but their meaning may not be clear, even to those who use them. For example, ‘fag’ means cigarette, so fire is implied. ‘Faggot’ means a bundle of sticks. Back when suspected witches were burned at the stake, gay people were

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The Insiter • January 2011

used as a bundle of sticks and burned alive.

While bullying is not limited to schools, according to the research carried out over a three-year period, 62% of Maltese students consider bullying to be a big problem in Malta.

During a debate called ‘MOVE Opens the Closet’, which was organised by the student organisation ‘MOVE’ and held at the University of Malta, Mr Engerer, a member of the MGRM (Malta Gay Rights Movement), said that teachers don’t know how to tackle bullying of students due to their sexual orientation. This is an alarming fact, especially since the results of a school not taking the necessary precautions could include the loss of lives. The Asher Brown case which occurred at the Hamilton Middle School outside Houston, concerned a thirteen-year-old who was being relentlessly bullied for his sexual orientation, his religion, and his fashion sense. His parents spent eighteen months calling the school administration and requesting that the necessary steps be taken against the kids bullying Asher. The school took no action. Asher brown shot himself in the head. The school claimed that no calls from the parents were ever received.

At the debate ‘MOVE opens the closet’, ‘Xarabank’ presenter Peppi Azzopardi said that many people have the false impression that LGBT people abuse others. This misconception may also be the cause of discrimination and bullying.

Homosexual people are constantly being discriminated against in Malta. No killings have been reported as yet, but it’s probably only a matter of time. Must people commit suicide or be killed in order for society to realise how harmful some words or actions can be? Or should we start being more supportive and making our society a diversity-friendly one in order to prevent horrible incidents from happening?

OPINIONS luca mule stagno

Making the Case for Secularism in Malta A

re you reading this in a public building? Look around you and try to spot something on the wall. You might not understand what I’m referring to, but there’s a good chance that it’s somewhere around you. There’s at least one at the University library, and Mater Dei hospital is full of them. Well, I’m asking you to look for a crucifix, which I’m sure a lot you never really notice. I’m here to tell you that I think we should take them down.

I don’t have a vendetta against the Catholic Church. I would merely like to voice the position of secularism. I am aware that Malta is a predominately Catholic nation, and that our Constitution refers to the Roman Catholic religion as that of the nation. I agree with the former but have a large problem with the latter.

Secularism isn’t a very complicated idea. It isn’t even all that horrible, regardless of what some close-minded persons would have you believe. Here’s the definition provided by the Cambridge online dictionary: “Secularism: the belief that religion should not be involved with the ordinary social and political activities of a country”. Wouldn’t it be great if politicians could make decisions based purely on what is right and wrong for a country, without having to avoid certain issues for fear of being blackmailed by the clergy?

Now, I’m sure there are plenty of objections to the idea of secularism in Malta, but I honestly can’t see a reasonable objection.

Some may say that a state religion is beneficial for the spiritual welfare of a nation. These people clearly haven’t noticed that the most religious Western nation is the United States, which practices a very strict separation between religion and state. There’s also the weakening of religion in Mal-

ta. Even though professed Catholics make up 98% of the population, what are the attendance figures for Sunday mass?

How many of those 98% actually practice their religion?

Malta actually enforces its blasphemy laws. One could be sentenced to between 1 and 6 months in prison under Article 163 of the Criminal Code for vilifying the Roman Catholic religion. In 2008 only, criminal procedures were initiated against 621 people for blaspheming in public.! And in the first three months of 2009, action was taken against 162 individuals who were accused of blaspheming.

With such information at hand, it would be risky for me to publicly state my personal religious beliefs (or lack thereof) for fear of prosecution. I cannot publicly state my disagreements with the Catholic Church for fear of prosecution, but Catholic priests are able to condemn public officials for their stance on strictly legal issues without fear of sanction.

Does anyone else see this as being wrong? The fact of having a state religion is causing harm to free speech which cannot be ignored. It isn’t some sort of neutral state religion where people are still free to do as they please, with a few prayers to open Parliament sittings and a bit of religious ceremony at public events. This is something that is too hard to ignore.

Well, some might answer that I shouldn’t blaspheme. It’s hard to be a non-Catholic and not blaspheme in public. Blasphemy is failing to hold religious ideas in reverence. People that do not follow a religion should not be forced to revere its figures, beliefs, customs, artefacts, etc. If you are religious and cannot stand people being irreverent to your religion, you might want to think about how sensitive your deity of choice is to insult.

To close, I’d like to simply state that I’d prefer living in a country where I don’t have to worry about what I’m saying.

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Spotlight on:

the Maltese Family The Centre for Family Studies was set up in the academic year 2008/9 at the University of Malta as an inter-faculty institution. It was officially launched at the Prime Minister’s Offices in Valletta last December. Christine Spiteri, who attended the launch, expounds on the Centre’s aims and the evolution of the Maltese family.

I

like to think of the family as our first school, where we learn the values of love, respect, and unity. It also prepares us for what we will experience throughout our lives. Our family shapes us within a communitarian environment.

Nevertheless, there’s no concrete definition of a family, nor is there a ‘model’ that provides guidelines for families to follow so as to ensure their well-being.

The Centre for Family Studies (Cfs), which is an interfaculty institution at our University, was officially launched in December 2010. Its raison d’être revolves around the fact that the family is crucial for the development of our society.

The Centre aims to act as a place that strengthens our families, not necessarily those which might have problems in the eyes of society.

“As a University entity, the Centre for Family Studies can play a valuable role by positioning itself as an apolitical entity in the driving seat of the agenda in matters relating to the family,” said the Director of the Centre, Dr Angela Abela, on the night of the launch.

The Cfs should give us the best possible knowledge about family life in order to understand the challenges and pressures that families face. This will be implemented through research focusing specifically on the Maltese cultural context, since statistics published abroad do not necessarily reflect what the Maltese are going through.

Although it has only been a month since its official inauguration, the Cfs is already involved in three important research projects related to various aspects of family life. These results should shed light on the reality Maltese families are living in. The outcome of research is beneficial for everyone, since the family is crucial for the development of a society, and will enable professionals to support families better.

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The Insiter • January 2011

As part of its work, the Centre is also involved in the publication of a book on contemporary issues in family life, edited by Angela Abela and Jan Walker. The book will be out in the beginning of 2012 with the international publishing house Wiley-Blackwell. The volume will include contributions from leading family scholars across the globe. “I hope that this book will make an important contribution to the international body of knowledge about what are the main issues these families are grappling with and how best to support these families,” Dr Angela Abela said at the launch The Cfs also intends to offer consultative services on family related matters to institutions assisting families, governmental, and non-governmental agencies, since they are working directly with Maltese families and would therefore be particularly aware of and in touch with their needs.

Throughout history, families have always been in transition. As the world becomes more secularised, family life is evolving and has undergone dramatic changes over the past thirty years. One of the most obvious changes is that young adults are getting married later due to a greater life expectancy. Couples are also choosing to have fewer children.

Hence, families are getting smaller compared to those of our grandparents. There is an increase in co-habiting couples, and the increase of women in the workforce is changing family dynamics. So, I ask myself, how do University students think their future family life is going to be, compared to the one they had within their own family of origin?

This was a topic I discussed with my close friends recently. We realised it wasn’t so easy to try and conjure up impressions of our “ideal” family. However, we all mentioned family dynamics that are similar to the ones we were brought up in, give or take a few minor changes in our parental skills.

FEATURE

1.

Notwithstanding the ongoing debates about cohabitation and whether divorce should be introduced, it’s interesting to note that according to a recent survey published by the University Chaplaincy (2009), 60% of University students would opt for a Church marriage. Other foreign research also shows that marriage remains the key aspiration for young people, and they generally hope that it will last a lifetime. Marriage is perceived by many as a chance to “reedit” their life.

The Cfs has already come up with topics that they consider to be important in their strategic plan, which include: relationship education, the impact of separation and divorce on parents and their children, reproductive technologies (e.g. IVF), women in the workforce, work-life balance, and leisure (among others).

“Through the setting up of this Centre, the University is filling an important gap with regard to the formulation of family policy that is empirically based, thus responding to the needs of Maltese families,” said Dr Angela Abela.

The Cfs is already offering phd courses, and is in the process of launching a Master’s degree in Family Studies.

This will give the opportunity to those students interested in research to be properly trained in this aspect. “These are sorely needed because we wish to build a pool of competent researchers that can help us reach our objectives,” said Dr Angela Abela. The Director also encourages other faculties, institutions, and organisations to carry out research in collaboration with the Centre. Through research, the Cfs aims to provide a better understanding of the challenges and pressures families face and suggest ways how families can be supported.

I think time brings us to realise that our families are of fundamental importance and to a large extent shape our identity. Maya Angelou, an inspirational American poet wrote, “the ache for home lives in all of us, the place where we can go as we are and not be questioned”. This sense of belonging is vital for our existence and giving prime importance to a warm and healthy family life is well worth investing in. For more information, please visit www.um.edu.mt/ familystudies.

Do you think your family life is going to be different from the one you had with your own family of origin?

2.

What do you think the newly set up cfs should focus on in terms of research to be able to come up with recommendations for young couples in their family life?

cherise abela LL .D. I

1. Times and circumstances change as the years roll by, and I think the realities I’ll face when I set up my family will be different to those faced by our parents’ generation, especially for those whose mother is a housewife.

Given that both my parents work, I think things will be pretty similar in terms of juggling the responsibilities of family life and career.

2. Of major concern are issues of childcare when the mother is to return to work, and the role of the father in the home in terms of division of responsibilities.

Matters such as responsible family planning can also be considered.

ruth aquilina PGCE

1. Being a member of a society that is in constant change, I expect to face a different scenario. Moreover, considering the current contentious issues such as divorce and abortion, change within the traditional, Maltese family life will be a given.

2. I think research on the availability of structures of support (e.g. counselling) to families would be highly useful in this regard. Research on common factors in marital breakdown would also be helpful.

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personality of the month:

PROFESSOR PETER BOWMAN RUTLEDGE Peter Bowman Rutledge is a leading u.s. law professor. Emma Grech had the opportunity to meet him and absorb the aura of a person who has a true admiration for the law and the legalistic facets that form the fundaments of our world.

Is the legal system in its entirety in need of improvement?

The legal system is reactive, built around rules that have always existed. For instance, the emergence of tort law because individuals injured by products aren’t adequately compensated by the companies from whom they purchased them, or the emergence of new crimes in response to social phenomena, such as hate crimes. There’s always need for improvement and self-criticism.

Photography jade houghton

What made you want to study law?

Firstly, the belief that law is a tool that can be used to help others. Secondly, I had originally studied political science, but felt that a virtue of law is that it forces one to come to a conclusion in a way that social science does not. I liked the finality of legal analysis.

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How does studying law in the u.s. differ from studying it in Continental jurisdictions?

The study of law in Europe is highly theoretical. In the U.s., it is case-based, due to the fact that the U.s. has a Common law system. Many systems in Europe, apart from the UK, are Civil law systems, where the law is a product of Codes. Law students in the U.s. are, perhaps contrary to those in Europe, more willing to challenge their professors.

Would you say that Maltese law students, being European, would benefit from studying law in the u.s.?

Students will be investing in their future by understanding legal systems that differ from their own. The experience makes you sensitive to cultural differences in a way that would be harder to achieve if you had never left the territorial boundaries of your country.

The Insiter • January 2011

Would you be willing to share your views on capital punishment in the u.s.?

Sure. Firstly, it’s important to distinguish between whether capital punishment is a good idea, and whether it is permitted by the Constitution. In the media, the two get confused. A third of the U.s. wishes to oppose capital punishment. Secondly, it’s important to keep in mind that the U.s. is a federalist system, where power is shared. The national government is one of limited authority. Within the constitutional question and federalist system, there have been two important developments. Firstly, from our Supreme Court come new boundaries. It has designated certain instances where capital punishment is inappropriate. In Roper vs Simmons, it was stated that no state may sentence an individual under 18 to capital punishment. The courts adopted an incremental strategy towards limiting capital punishment.

Many years ago, the Governor of Illinois, “commuted” the death sentence of all Illinois prisoners. Other states have imposed a moratorium on the death penalty due to concerns on how it was being administered. There’s a dialogic process between the courts and the states, as they trim the way in which capital punishment is employed. This gives people and their representatives the power to shape the criminal law system rather than have it imposed upon them.

Is this your first time in Malta?

It is! The people I encountered, from the various officials and students at the University, to the Maltese people in general, were warm, engaging, curious, thoughtful, and reformed, and it has been a wonderful trip.

FEATURE

Teaching english

to immigrants

Robert Caruana is a member of the voluntary organisation ‘Get Up Stand Up’, whose work with GUSU and teaching English to immigrants progressed from elation to disillusionment, and finally settled at contentment.

Once a week, I drive to Hal Far. At Hal Far, there is a room containing a few tables and chairs. It’s the place where my fellow teachers and I teach our forty or so students. Almost all of them are Somalis. I go to my usual spot, where Abdi Samad always waits for me.

Abdi Samad is great. I reckon he’s about fifty, and an extremely diligent student. “My father used to beat me”, he often tells me, “so that I always went to school. I know that you must attend school regularly to learn. The other students here, they don’t understand’. He’s right. Many of them don’t. Quite a few come to the first few lessons and then lose interest. Every week, there are a few new faces, and a few regular ones. I teach the advanced students. One soon learns that the criteria used to organise Western students into levels are not adequate in this context.

When teaching English as a foreign language, we organise students in the following groups: Beginners, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advanced, and so on. At Hal Far, the first consideration is whether a student is literate or not. The second is whether he was born before or after 1991. In 1991, civil war broke out in Somalia and caused a fundamental destabilisation of the country’s government. The Northern, former British portion declared independence as Somaliland, while the South degenerated into clan warfare. James Bishop, the last U.s. ambassador to the country, explained that there is “competition for water, pasturage, and cattle. It is a competition that used to be

fought out with arrows and sabers, now it is fought out with ak-47s”. For the Somali students who are roughly my age, such a socio-political landscape is all they’ve known, and their education has more often than not been warped. It’s not uncommon to find students whose spoken English is proficient, but whose writing is very poor.

It’s therefore very difficult to cater for all students’ needs, because their needs are so varied. I’ve had students who are quiet fluent and who only need to expand their already extensive vocabulary. Others have good English but have picked up some bad habits along the way, such as unfathomable pronunciation. As the situation currently stands, new students constantly turn up, but they are not tested and are consequently not placed in the right group.

All in all, teaching English with gusu has been a powerful experience. On my first day, a group of eight students gathered around my table, and I spread out a large map of the world. All of them were excited at the familiar sight of the map. They each then told me the unique and often terrible stories of how they reached Malta. Every one of the 1,900 immigrants in Malta has an amazing story to tell of how he/ she travelled away from the continent of Africa to reach our little island. I wish I could say that I taught them more then they taught me, but I’ve gained so much from getting to know these people, who are generally outgoing and also very respectful. They miss their homeland, or rather what their homeland once was.

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iNTERVIEW:

saving alexis Ricky Bugeja met up with Bay Music Award nominees Saving Alexis for an update on their current and upcoming musical endeavours.

Saving Alexis is a power-pop band that’s been around for quite some time. Their summer single “Lipstick Lies” took the Maltese music charts by storm, rocketing up to first place in Malta’s Top Ten and remaining there for four consecutive weeks. Saving Alexis consists of singer and guitarist Chris “Riot” Cassar, Clayton Bonello on bass, and drummer Melchior Busuttil. The latest addition, Christian “Red” Farrugia, joined the band on lead guitar a few weeks ago, and seems to have settled in nicely.

I spot the gang a mile away. Their brightly coloured clothes reflect how times have changed; the young and restless have become the followed, not the followers. We sit down and I ask the chirpy chaps to introduce themselves.

Front man Chris Cassar speaks first, “I’m Chris, the guitarist and vocalist for Saving Alexis, and sometimes when I shower, Clayton opens the door”. Everyone bursts out laughing.

The band began as a garage band, playing for a bit of a laugh. Over time, people who heard them play began to ask why they hadn’t yet recorded anything. We all know what happened after that, Chris says, “Music is more than just a hobby now; it’s our life”.

Chris writes most of the band’s material. I ask him about his sources of inspiration. They are, “life, the music scene, being broke, family, friends, the band…a bit of everything”.

“Lipstick lies” confirms this, with it’s sad lyrics that centre around a break-up over New Year. Still, the band’s musical style captures their trademark rebellious energy and makes this what the band refers to as a “hype song”.

Chris explains, “We went to the studio not really knowing which song to record. Our producers, Kenny D’Ugo and Dave Calleja, told us to choose that song. We were reluctant at first, as it wasn’t one we would have gone for. We had written that song in order to hype up crowds at live gigs”. The band was pleasantly surprised by the recording. “It turned

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The Insiter • January 2011

out much better than we expected, so we decided to send it off to the radio stations”.

So, what was their reaction after hearing their song on the radio? They received a phone call from the station and were extremely surprised. They’re bound to receive the same phone call after their new single “Ocean Deep” is released.

The track boasts the same exhilarating energy that the band is making a name for, but at the time it’s more mature and layered. It too was written by Chris, and is much more personal. Be sure to listen out for the song on local stations at the beginning of 2011!

With regard to Christian’s introduction to the band, Melchior says, “We instantly clicked. We already have a strong bond, and he’s definitely one of us.” “I’m really happy that they picked me”, Christian adds, “I was so surprised when I received the text message from Clayton”. He adds that he asked the band why they had chosen him, and they replied that they liked his musical style.

Speaking about their experience at the BMAs, the band said that they weren’t in it to win it, but to have fun. Their electrifying performance dazzled the crowd, with their onstage antics even bringing up some safety concerns. A handful of people wearing shirts and ties were tearing up and throwing papers from behind the band as they played on stage. “Those were our students on stage,” they said, “We wanted to make a statement, that the teenage rebellious spirit is still very much alive.”

It seems that Saving Alexis is doing pretty well. Their new song is bound to do fantastically, and in my opinion they still have a lot to offer. I’d like to take the opportunity to wish my musical comrades the very best of luck in their musical ventures.

culture

ERASMUS DIARies This month’s erasmus diaries feature Noella Micallef, Erica Tabone Ferro and dana mckeon who share their erasmus experiences in denmark and sweden respectively.

Dana McKeon Sweden I had my heart set on participating in an exchange program in Stockholm ever since we were presented with the opportunity early on in our Physiotherapy course. Despite the hype that surrounded this prospect, little did I know what an incredibly enriching and enjoyable experience it would be!

Coming from a small island and being brought up in a sheltered environment made the thought of living alone in a foreign country daunting. However, upon taking up the challenge, I soon discovered the many perks of being independent and the consequent self-development which I wouldn’t have attained otherwise. Because my accommodation was a University residence, it was easy to integrate with international students. While learning about the Swedish lifestyle from an insider’s perspective, I also gained insight into an array of global cultures. In that convivial environment, my friends became my family away from home, and the many intercultural dinners, parties, trips and adventures we shared paved the way for life-long friendships.

During my three and a half months in Stockholm, I had clinical placements at hospitals and a private clinic through Karolinska Institute, which is a top medical and health care University renowned for awarding the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine annually. Swedish education is studentcentred. I grew fond of the informality between students and supervisors, as it encouraged better communication and enhanced my confidence in my practical abilities. One of the highlights of my placements was a supervisor entrusting me with the running of his private clinic while he was away at a seminar. The response from the patients I dealt with and their treatment results were a huge boost to my morale!

There were heaps of activities to engage in, such as outdoor ice-skating, live music concerts, football and ice-hockey matches, canoeing, nightclub parties, and a huge gala celebration of the 200th anniversary of Karolinska Institute. I visited friends in Finland and Denmark, and performed at a number of gigs in Sweden and Finland, where I met international stars. I grew personally, professionally, and artistically.

Staying in Sweden made me appreciate my heritage in terms of culture and language. I missed my family and friends at times, together with the sun and innate friendli-

ness of the Maltese, but my experiences opened my eyes to the vast opportunities available overseas. Save for the difficulties we faced as a result of the suspension of funds for Eupa by the European Commission, I’m extremely grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and would recommend it to anyone.

Noella Micallef & Erica Tabone Ferro dENMARK On our first day as physiotherapy students we were introduced to the concept of Erasmus. It was something we wanted to experience and were encouraged to do so by our lecturers. Embarking on an exchange programme is a huge asset for our clinical working experience. At the time, we could only wait eagerly for the first semester of our final year.

Things didn’t go as planned, however, due to problems between the Eu and the Malta office in charge of funding.

The suspension imposed was lifted at the end of July 2010.

This led to stressful calls and emails because we couldn’t find accommodation and last minute booking resulted in expensive flights. We were also frustrated at being granted fewer funds then usual, especially as the problems weren’t our fault.

We finally made it to Denmark! To our relief, it was worth the hassle. The greenery, culture, houses, trains, an efficient transport system, high cost of living, bicycles, and snow were in stark contrast to life on our tiny island. We had to fend for ourselves, and became more independent and responsible individuals. There was no family to turn to, so we had no choice.

During clinical practice, we learnt new physiotherapy techniques and the staff and supervisors at the rehabilitation centres were helpful and respectful, not to mention the patients who we grew fond of and missed dearly, especially since they appreciated us so much. We made friends and met Danish and foreign students, all having different ideas, languages and cultures, which made us aware that there’s much more to the world than what is in Malta. We had the opportunity to meet our classmates, James Dalli and Claire Falzon, regularly in Copenhagen due to the short travelling distance. We also met Dana McKeon in Stockholm.

When it was time to return, we found it hard to believe that three months had passed so quickly. The wonderful memories will surely never fade.

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Film Review:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Harry Potter is one of the greatest phenomena of our time. The series of seven books has been adapted into eight films, which have kept children and adults alike on the edge of their seats. Annelise abela describes her lastest Harry Potter experience.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, is the penultimate film, and darker than what viewers have grown accustomed to. It contains more fight sequences that the previous ones. These scenes are always amazing to watch and keep audiences in suspense. For the first time, the protagonists are away from the safe haven of Hogwarts, alone and exposed to the dangers of the magical world at a time when evil forces are controlling it. This new ambience is welcome after six films of mostly school adventures.

It’s important to keep in mind that this is a film not the book, and it would probably be best if one considers it on its own merits, rather than as an adaptation of Rowling’s literary work. I believe that Warner Brothers have tried to make of this a standalone film; one that can be enjoyed by those who haven’t watched any of the previous Harry Potter films.

The producers have always had a difficult time adapting the books to the big screen. On the one hand they don’t want to disappoint the avid book fans, and on the other, they must balance this with the needs of scriptwriting by keeping the story flowing and exciting.

They have often been criticised for adding scenes which never feature in the books, while omitting others which are not considered as fundamental to the story’s continuity. In this latest film, the dance scene between Harry and Hermione, which was added by the film director, has been the topic of much discussion. In my opinion, it was a touching moment, which emphasises their beautiful friendship at a time when both of them needed comfort. However, the sequence has no real significance as far as the story goes.

One must commend the three young actors for their great performances. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have come a long way from the fumbling kids

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The Insiter • January 2011

we saw in the first films, and they deliver what is probably their finest performance yet, in a film that allows better character development, and pays more attention to their emotions.

Something this film definitely needed more of was screen time for some of Britain’s most seasoned actors. The stellar cast comprises, among others, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Ralph Fiennes, and Bill Nighy, and it’s a pity that they’re given so little screen time. Admittedly, they make the best out of it, giving performances which are a joy to watch.

The biggest flaw is the lack of plot. The film has a weak start, plenty of action happening throughout, but no ending whatsoever. Or rather, it ends on what was clearly intened to be a cliff hanger, with Voldemort taking the Elder Wand which he believes will allow him to kill Harry. It feels as though the film has been stopped abruptly halfway through, which is somewhat true. However, I would have expected a better and a more subtle division between parts 1 and 2.

Among the most impressive and original segments was the animated sequence directed by Ben Hibon. Hermione’s reading of “The Tale of the Three Brothers” to Harry transforms itself into an animated sequence which mesmerises the audience.

David Yates did a good job of directing, by focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of friendships at times of hardship. He also manages to balance the lighter moments with those depicting danger. An older audience will certainly enjoy this film, due to being able to relate to certain struggles in life and the importance of unity and perseverance.

culture

A story of despair.

A story of hope.

Theatrencore’s production of the play ‘Bariona’, by Jean-Paul Sartre, was performed at St James Cavalier on 3, 4, and 5 December, and at the Carmelite Priory in Mdina on 14 December. Andrew Galea reviews the performance.

That existentialist Jean -Paul Sartre would write a work that expounds a philosophy of hope and spirituality seemed somewhat suspect to me, especially one based on the Nativity narrative, given that Sartre was a rationalist opposed to religious ideology. That was the case until I heard that ‘Bariona’, produced by Theatrencore at St James Cavalier, was one of his earliest writings, which he tellingly does not count among the works he wishes to be remembered for writing.

This begged the question: why produce a work that is an example of a philosopher’s ideological infancy, a work that the playwright disassociates himself from and acknowledges as weak? This is a work that the critics unanimously agree has been surpassed in almost every respect by Sartre himself.

Director Tyrone Grima was of the opinion, according to his foreword in the programme, that the text provided “a spiritual depth that needed to be translated to the theatrical space”. As vague a term as it is, I’m sure most would agree that regardless of whether you are a believer in the ‘spiritual’ or not, the very sense of the word implies an innate human quality.

Sadly I felt the predictable script did little to produce well-rounded, human characters, and became the “lengthy, wordy piece that was simply an excuse to promote philosophical discourse” that Mr Grima also admitted it was, leaving very little room for that which might be deemed spiritual. Bariona’s apparent conversion from a despairing and jealous baby-killer to a person full of hope was all too easily achieved, and his mutinous tribesmen were almost comical in their unwavering zombie-like pursuit of the baby that they believe to be the messiah.

The large cast was not helped by a script that paid more attention to lengthy, descriptive, and sometimes cryptic monologues, as well as rather stylised dialogue. Moreover, that actors such as Joe Pace – who played Lelius, the Roman official – were more concerned with remembering their lines then acting, was distracting. So too was the bizarre intonation employed by many of the actors, such that the stress, sense, and effectiveness of what they were saying was often lost. One occasionally got the sense that even they didn’t understand what they were saying, or were simply

reeling off their lines.

Promising actor Philip Leone-Ganado, a very young-looking fount of wisdom and leader of the tribe, was rather more an “angry young man”, and less the intense, conflicted Bariona. Bizarrely, a lot of his soul-searching monologues were conducted hanging from a rope-ladder or staring out of the cage that framed the set (in both instances, for the most part, with his back to the audience) such that much of the anguish and pain of his confusion was to be sought in his tone, which wavered between stern and angry.

Walking into a prison cell guarded by police officers was an exhilarating and clever start to the play, and provided the backdrop for the rest of the performance, but the significance behind it would have been lost on a person who didn’t know that Sartre had written ‘Bariona’ while in a Nazi prison camp. The lighting was pretty straight-forward, the elevated central stage visually pleasing, but the music was questionable.

Theatrencore’s decision to stage ‘Bariona’ displayed a commendable effort to tackle the deeper issues of spirituality, hope, and humanity’s future at a time when so much of it is being called into question. In performance, ‘Bariona’ also showed why Sartre thought it was so weak.

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DANCING TO A

DIFFERENT TUNE

Among the new courses introduced by the uom this academic year are an undergraduate and a postgraduate course in Dance. Bettina Cassar describes the typical day of a BA Dance student.

As a first year student of Music and Communications, dancing for hours everyday after lectures in preparation for a ballet show in December, I had mixed reactions to a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Initally, as a person who squeezes both university and dance into a busy schedule, I was sceptical about the course.

The BA in Dance is a three-year course incorporating theory and practice. On a typical day, the students - about ten of them this year - attend a morning of dance classes at the Central Academy of Ballet, which is a ten minute walk from university, and is well equipped with large studios.

Ballet, contemporary and modern ballet classes keep them busy during the first semester, while hip-hop, folk dance, and dance from different cultures await them in the second.

After a quick shower, they attend lectures on campus on subjects such as applied anatomy and physiology, nutrition, injury prevention, and dance in history and society. The course requirements are an intermediate level in any dance style, along with an audition.

The lecturers giving the classes include renowned teachers like Mavin Khoo and Prof. Joanne Butterworth, as well as Francesca Tranter and Theresa Lungaro-Mifsud, who have been extremely successful abroad as well as in Malta, and run their own schools and companies.

The students explained that a B.A. in Dance is something they had always wished to pursue. They were thrilled when the course opened this year, after it had been discussed for so long. Some of them had already graduated in other subjects before beginning this course.

In previous years, anyone wishing to further their dance studies had to go abroad to audition for a scholarship, and if they obtained it, living expenses were still too much for most.

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Many fail to realise that it’s a tough course which opens up a variety of career opportunities, such as choreography; studies in dance history; performing; culture, arts, or dance management; and working at theatres, concert halls, and performance venues in the tourism industry. B.A. Dance graduates may also choose to pursue a Masters in Performance Studies (Dance).

Most students attend their original dance schools for more lessons after university hours, and others already teach dance. They noticed that their usual classes now seem easier and their improvement and progress due to dancing full-time are evident, especially when it comes to remembering routines. In the future, the dancers will have the opportunity to perform together, but until then they are very active in the shows produced by their individual schools.

The students hope that a studio will be built on campus some time soon. They also drew my attention to the limited amount of books on dance available at the library. Eager to show people that dance and the arts are more than just hobbies, they seek opportunities to display their work and share their ideas, with the aim of impacting peoples’ lives.

I left Central Academy with a smile on my face because of the enthusiasm of the students who obviously love every second of their course, and are truly grateful for its existence. and if they obtained it, living expenses were still too much for most.

Now that the Mediterranean Institute has introduced the third pillar of the Performing Arts, together with Music Studies and Theatre Studies, students are eager to join forces for more creative performances and showcases, in the hope of making the arts more accessible and of a higher quality for all to enjoy and appreciate.

culture

Through

the eyes of a graduate Graduate Kristina Zammit Endrich spoke to Kristina Cassar about the Bachelor of Arts course in History of Art: its perks, its challenges, and her overall experience of it.

As we enjoyed our freshly squeezed juices, I listened intently as Kristina spoke passionately about her past three years at the University of Malta. She chose to study History of Art and English, but her main focus was always on art.

She was brought up with the mentality that she should do what she loves, rather than study something that will secure her a job in the future. Opting for this subject was a simple task. She explained that the cultural factors together with new philosophies, elaborate expressions and the meaning of existence and its effects on art are what drew her to it.

Although for other people art might be, and I quote, “some dead guy’s doodles”, to her and other enthusiasts, these “doodles” shed a new light on life. The demands of the course are far from lenient. Every hour of lectures must be supplemented with four hours of research. For Kristina, the research didn’t feel like work. As long as you have a true passion for art, and like to read, it’s enjoyable. Other things that this course entails are patience and support from fellow students when you encounter difficulties.

When she applied for the course, Kristina was equipped only with the few aesthetics lessons in Systems of Knowledge, together with an A-level in Art. The slightest bit of encouragement from a family member convinced her to pursue the course. Once she began, it became a ‘livingbreathing’ thing to her, because she was in an atmosphere where talking about art for hours was not tiresome.

Kristina was brought up in an artistic family: her mother is an art teacher and her father an architect. She was always engrossed in an artsy culture and was able to develop her passion and skills very early in life. Her love of 19th century

art, however, developed during her university life, together with a deeper knowledge of the Pre-Raphaelite Brothers and Romanticism. Her favourite artist is the Czech Republican Alfons Mucha. She was seventeen when she first saw John Singer Sargent’s ‘Carnation, Lilly, Lilly, Rose’ at the Tate.

Her attachment to this piece is due to the memories it brings back of her childhood. ‘Pietà’ by Michelangelo is also one of her favourites; she saw this while visiting the Vatican with her mother. At this stage, she felt that she understood what she was seeing, and that her mother’s influence had rubbed off on the next generation. Art was no longer just a hobby.

The Tate and the Vatican aren’t the only venues she’s visited, although she describes them as her haven, where she feels transported to her own little world. The Musée D’ Orsay in Paris and the Victoria and Albert in London are also among her favourites.

At the moment, Kristina is working as a conservation assistant at Recoop. This job gives her a new insight into art.

Her dream job would be that of a lecturer, where she could share this passion and show young enthusiasts how relevant art is and how empty life would be without it.

Kristina experienced a turning point in the course went she went to Verona on the Erasmus programme. She sacrificed her nights out to travel and visit new museums and works of art across Europe. It was a time of self-discovery, without which she is certain that she wouldn’t be the person she is today. Ultimately, she realised that art is a fundamental part of who she is and who she wants to be. She wouldn’t change the fact that she tears up when gazing at a painting she feels some connection to, she says. Nor will she stop using her viewing lens to observe every brush mark and stroke.

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27 times cinema:

malta at the venice film festival

27 young film lovers from the 27 Member States of the eu took part in the 67th Venice International Film Festival. They were invited to watch and reflect upon films, attend daily discussions, and share their thoughts on the experience. Martina Portelli was among them.

I

magine twelve days of great films, celebrity spotting (Quentin Tarantino, Sofia Coppola, Tilda Swinton!), running from one theatre to another in the space of five minutes, and getting caffeine fixes, in the company of 26 fellow young cinema lovers. Last September, I had the opportunity to experience this and more as the Maltese participant in ‘27 Times Cinema: LUX Prize to foster a European Audience’, which brought together 27 young cinéphiles from the Member States of the European Union at the Venice Film Festival.

Photography Thomas Smolders

After being shortlisted by the Europa Cinema outposts in our countries (St James Cavalier for Malta), Europa Cinemas selected the 27 participants. On 1 September 2010, we found ourselves on the Lido. A typical day at the Venice Film Festival was quite hectic. We woke up at 6am to make the 8am screening, made an espresso run before the 11am discussion, had a logistics session over lunch to plan what to watch, then on to more films at 6pm, at 10pm, and maybe even at midnight. They were twelve days of being immersed in the (not so) natural habitat of the celebrity, the filmmaker, and the film lover. Despite the bright lights, designer clothes, and the festival itself that oozed cool, the celebrity was often the most difficult creature to spot. Managing to catch a glimpse (or even better get an autograph!) of the great Tarantino himself became one of the things that we, “the 27”, bonded over. Having said that, I was lucky enough to watch a film which QT himself was attending. Admittedly, he was sitting a couple of rows ahead of us

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As part of the 27, I was able to participate in a series of discussions held in the filmmaker’s villa and organised by the ‘Giornate degli Autori’, an independent section of the film festival. These discussions focused on important topics

The Insiter • January 2011

Our final discussion, ‘European Creativity and Identities’, was perhaps the most important, and presented the opportunity to speak with the three directors in the final of the LUX Prize, as well as the European Parliament vice-president, Stavros Lambrinidis, and meps Doris Pack and Silvia Costa, who spoke to us about cinema in the context of the European Union. Personally, I believe that it’s impossible for a film to lack any sort of social or political commentary.

Art can be political in itself, and cinema as a visual and auditory medium is very powerful in that it can clearly convey a message or an idea relevant to society at a particular point.

The Eu itself acknowledges the potential of cinema in this respect through the LUX Prize.

culture

in the world of cinema today, and our first discussion dealt with freedom of expression and censorship, a topic that marks the narrative of the history of cinema as well as other sectors of the arts. During this debate, I brought up the local censorship issue. These discussions served as a platform where ideas could be exchanged not only with the other 26 jury members, but also with directors, producers, journalists, and critics, such as the editor of ‘Variety’ magazine, Timothy Gray; producer Stephen Gaydos; editor of ‘Sight & Sound’ magazine, Nick James; and filmmakers Feo Aladag, Oliver Masset-Depasse, Filippos Tsitos, and Danis Tanovic.

Jan Švankmajer’s animation ‘Přežít svůj život’ (‘Surviving Life’), and Casey Affleck’s directorial debut ‘I’m Still Here’, a mock-documentary that follows Joaquin Phoenix in the wake of his decision to quit acting.

27 Times Cinema was a fantastic experience which promoted cross-cultural exchange and dialogue, with the Venice Film Festival as a spectacular backdrop. I have it on good authority that it will be taking place again in the coming years, so young Maltese cinéphiles should keep a look out.

27 Times Cinema is an initiative of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament in partnership with Venice Days and with the collaboration of Europa Cinemas and Cineuropa.

It wasn’t all about discussions though. I had the opportunity to watch more than 38 films, which amounts to roughly 3 to 4 films a day. As part of the project, we watched all the films in the running for the ‘Giornate degli Autori’ prize; films which are more independent than those in the running for the Golden Lion, such as Paul Gordon’s ‘The Happy Poet’, Danis Tanovic’s ‘Cirkus Columbia’, and Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Incendies’. The latter was unanimously awarded the special mention by us 27, because of its extremely powerful storyline and striking cinematography that kept us on the edge of our seats for the whole screening.

I also saw some of the films in the running for the Golden Lion (the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival), including François Ozon’s ‘Potiche’, starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu, a dark comedy set in the 1970s which comments on the present French political situation; Jerzy Skolimowski’s ‘Essential Killing’, a manhunt tale about an Afghan jihadist (Vincent Gallo) on the run in Poland; the Tarkovsky-inspired Russian film ‘Silent Souls’; and of course the winner of this year’s Golden Lion, Sofia Coppola’s ‘Somewhere’. Films which were not involved in the competition included Czech Surrealist

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Mental Illness and Self-Stigma

Annemarie Spiteri, a trainee psychologist at the Community Department of Mount Carmel Hospital, writes about how our attitudes towards people with mental health problems can affect their reintegraion into society Sshh! Look, the lights have faded, and glorious music is emanating from the stage in the distance. The velvet curtains have been drawn to unveil a person’s motionless silhouette. Can you hear the whispers from the audience?

Everyone is muttering something different, expressing their views. “He’s thinking”, some comment. “He’s waiting for something to happen”, others say. “It looks like he’s forgotten his lines. What a shame!” We keep waiting. Then, “That hurts!” A strong white light fills the theatre. Everyone’s gaze is fixed on the figure. We look at him looking at us, holding a mirror in which we are reflected. “Oh, that’s funny!” he finally exclaims, as he scrutinises us. “I think we all want to uncover what’s hiding in the unknown. Like me, you were waiting, and like me, you were wondering and afraid.”

Everyone experiences a complex kaleidoscope of feelings throughout their lifetime. We can only approach each other as spectators watching a drama unfolding on a stage.

We’re limited to our point of view, and can only wonder what it feels like to be on that stage. I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that if there are five hundred people who know me, there are five hundred different perspectives of me, and if I have enough contact with these persons, their perspective will eventually become part of who I am. This is the extent of our power to help or to impede others in shaping who they really are. This is the power of discrimination produced by stigma, which ultimately leads to selfstigma and a person’s destruction.

Stigma may stem from our innate desire for familiarity, and from the fears we have of the unknown. In our desperate attempts to explain what we cannot understand, we create stereotypes, and expected models of behaviour. People suffering from mental health problems don’t conform to these models. When we speak of stigma, we’re referring to societal disapproval of a person’s distinctive characteristics which are different

from the norm. This brings about humiliation. Self-stigma is the belief that one is not as good as the people around him/her. It often makes people think of themselves as “damaged goods”, and unable to fully partake in community life. Consequently, such people lose their sense of belonging and settle for a faulty identity, which prevents them from reaching their full potential. Many people with mental health problems struggle with the symptoms of the illness on the one hand, and, on the other, they’re challenged by the negative stereotyping and the prejudices resulting from misconceptions about mental illness. These may discourage them from seeking the help they need to alleviate their symptoms, leading to a vicious cycle.

We study, perform well, and do our best because people believe in us. Now it’s time for us to believe in others’ potential. This is part of what we do at the Kirkop Mental Health Clinic. Our clinic is part of the Community Department at Mount Carmel Hospital and is run by a multidisciplinary team composed of six professionals: Ms Frida Mangion (team leader and social worker); Mr Greg Sammut (psychologist); Ms AnneMarie Spiteri (trainee psychologist); Ms Charlene Conti (care worker); Mrs Carmen Sciberras (nurse); and Mr Chris Olivia (psychiatric nurse). Our aim is to provide the necessary support and services to people who are going through a tough time and who would like some help, as well as those affected by a mental health problem.

If you live in Kirkop, Safi, żurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba, or Luqa, and would like to talk to us, don’t hesitate! For more information, please contact me by email on annemarie.a.spiteri@gov.mt, or on phone number 21647905.

health

Gabrielle scicluNa

Malta’s National Sexual Health Policy: At long, long last If sexual health was a person, it would have a troubled past due to what it endured in the Maltese Islands. It has been ignored for years as an issue of any real or urgent importance. There has been resistance from educational and religious authorities with regard to mapping the extent and nature of our nation’s shortcomings in the field, and it has been highly misunderstood and unrepresented in every way.

In 1999, the Health Authorities made an urgent call for a National Sexual Health Policy. In 2008, the second draft of this policy met its end when the word “condom” was removed wherever it occurred in the document. At long last, on 26 November 2010, the first National Sexual Health policy for the Maltese Islands was launched. Our country finally has a policy! But what does it really mean?

Like all policies, it will be worth little more than the paper it’s written on unless it is successfully translated into practical objectives, and then into concrete actions. Until that happens (within the next few months) we can analyse this long-awaited document and reflect on its implications.

The policy is divided into several sections, starting with the concepts of sexual and reproductive health in a community and their implications on health; the local picture that necessitates such a policy; and the principles for improvement on which our nation’s approach to this aspect of public health will be based. Regarding sexuality education, the policy acknowledges that current efforts are “scanty and uncoordinated across schools”, and that there’s space and need for proper, uniform education.

Education needs to be more inclusive and cater for all, including minority groups who are traditionally (and very incorrectly) pushed to the side or even condemned. These include, most notably, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lgbt) people, and households composed of non-traditional units. While the policy is being translated into a strategy, great care should be taken to ensure that these issues are well represented, without judgement, and without being portrayed as somehow undesirable or less than real.

Having said that, anyone who thinks that the aforementioned so-called minority groups are the only ones struggling to be accepted, should think again. Heterosexual individuals face many difficulties too. There are individuals whose upbringing was devoid of any sexual education, who were taught that anything involving sex is bad and vulgar,

and have endured a life-long struggle with their sexuality.

Building longstanding relationships with their partners becomes difficult, with guilt and shame following intimacy of any form. Such situations are an example of the problems that this new policy will strive to abolish, by including parents, youth workers, and professionals such as teachers in the efforts for open dialogue about sexuality issues.

Another need identified in the document is that of healthcare services that cater specifically for sexual and reproductive health, not only the treatment or support of those who are in bad health, but also counselling and advice services, particularly for young people.

The policy also highlights the importance of research as a means of obtaining the correct information on what is really happening in the Maltese Islands. This task is not easily undertaken, particularly because sexual health is still taboo, and efforts to collect information (such as surveys) are often met with resistance. At the moment, Dr Tanya Melillo, Head of the Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Unit, is carrying out the first ever “National Survey of Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle amongst young Maltese adults”. The information collected from this survey will help design a strategy from the National Sexual Health Policy. All UoM students should have received a link to the online version of the questionnaire via email. In the coming days, we’ll also be distributing it to sixth form students.

We encourage everyone to participate; the information collected is anonymous and confidential.

For those students who are not content with passivity and apathy, for those who want to be active citizens and shape the structure of this part of our country’s health and education system, there’s more you can do. The important process through which the policy will be translated into objectives will consist of a series of workshops that are open to young (and older) people who would like to contribute.

Send an email on gsci0005@um.edu.mt to express your interest.

The policy document exists in Maltese and English, and is available online at www.ehealth.gov.mt. Enter “sexual health policy” in the search bar and the relevant links will appear on your screen in no time.

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hitting the books

and the bottle

During Insite’s IC Weekend 2010, Sarah Aquilina, Chris Bergedahl, and Bernice Saliba, who participated in the journalism workshop, presented their take on excessive alcohol consumption among students.

Chris Bergedahl Do any of the following sound familiar to you?: “Do you remember how drunk I was last night? That was so much fun!”

“I had the worst hangover ever.”

“Let’s go get smashed tonight!”

If you’ve never uttered any of the above, the likelihood is that you form part of a minority that is shrinking at an alarming rate. No wonder health authorities are tearing their hair out. The prospect of having a quiet night out (without getting inebriated) is dying a slow death. The “alcohol culture” has infiltrated the student population and now forms part of our social life.

Why do students drink? Or, more accurately, why do they drink so much? What is it that motivates them to booze to the point that their world turns upside down?

Surprisingly, most students can’t explain the motive behind their boozing. Responses vary from “for fun” to the not-so-original (and ever so slightly pathetic), “to help me get some”. For far too many, weekends progress as follows: booze, party, booze some more, cue nausea, then the comatose stage, and finally the inevitable hangover. This doesn’t sound like fun, does it? But let’s not be too hard on these youngsters who want to relax after a long week at work. After all, isn’t it better to socialise (drink) with friends than spend all night on Facebook?

In order to understand it, we must delve deep into the core of the issue. When did this culture begin? Is it the product of popular culture influencing young minds by making stars out of stoners? Is it the taboo that surrounds alcohol that fuels the bravado? Or maybe, as one colleague so eloquently put it, alcohol is “the only way to have a good time”.

It may well be the promise of liquid courage. A drunken

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man says what a sober man thinks. Maybe this culture is one that we’re not quite ready to part with, and despite widespread condemnation of it by the older generation, it will continue to flourish.

Don’t get me wrong, I like having a couple of drinks with my mates, just like everyone else. But let’s open our eyes!

We’re all sick and tired of hearing warnings about the adverse effects of too much alcohol, from tragic car accidents to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

It seems that we only recognise the foolishness of our actions after something terrible happens.

Bernice Saliba There is no doubt that excessive alcohol consumption causes many problems, some temporary and others longterm. The detrimental effects are of a psychological and emotional, as well as of a physiological nature.

It’s no use crying later on about rash actions taken while intoxicated. Surely the only solution would be not to drink at all, to drink moderately, or to stick to the legal limit if one is a driver. Is this as impossible as it is sometimes made out to be?

For some, a typical night begins with a pitcher or two of drinks to share, then some shots are downed, some beer is chugged, and a handful of peanuts are tossed in for good measure. The next thing they know, they’re pouring their heart out to an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, and making a dash for a filthy bathroom in a bar or club to cry their heart out. On the other hand, some guys, while under the influence of copious amounts of alcohol, feel the need to bash someone’s face in, or at least attempt to do so. Your rational self will tell you to snap out of it, but this is easier said than done.

SPECIAL REPORT This is the reality of excessive alcohol consumption.

When the influence passes, the aftermath is not a fine scene to witness. Apart from the enormous headache you’ll have to endure, you’ll often feel empty and depressed. The next day, you’ll either swear that you’ll never drink again or else make yourself believe that you had an amazing night.

Sarah Aquilina

illustration iella

Dancing the night away with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other has become a habit for many young people. For some, if this activity doesn’t take place, it’s as if the weekend didn’t really put an end to a long week.

So much money is spent on alcohol during weekends that it’s no surprise that many students claim that they’re broke. In addition, many students complain that the monthly stipend is not enough to get by.

The question is: Why are people, especially young people, becoming slaves to hard partying? Some are of the opinion that this is the result of studying hard during the week, while others argue that it’s their way of enjoying life and unwinding. Either way, it comes at a cost.

It should be noted that in order to reduce their expenses, some prefer to go to house parties and drink before actually reaching their destination: Paceville. Another common habit is buying a number of bottles of alcohol and drinking on the streets. Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness, clearly didn’t know where to drink.

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The Different spirit

experience Mickey Gauci tested the Citroën DS3, the first car in the new Different Spirit (DS) range. Below, he recounts his experience of the car.

The French are a funny people, aren’t they? History is littered with jokes about their cowardice, about how they can’t get anything right, and how, no matter how many people buy their cars, they just can’t make them work.

The new Citroën DS3 is a repackaged C3, with a floating roofline and the shark-fin B-pillar. At first glance it gives a sense of history repeating itself. Citroën does not hide the fact that the DS3’s mission is to annoy its German and Italian counterparts: the Mini Cooper and the Fiat 500. During the test drive, I drove it to University, where the first comment I received was: “It looks great! But it’s French”. However, the French have done it again. They’ve stared defeat in the eye, laughed heartily at it, and driven over it.

Let’s begin with styling. Whether you glance at it from afar or get up close and personal, this car looks great, especially with the right combination of paint, roof design, and wheels. Just don’t go overboard. A red car with a black roof looks suave. A red car with a polka dot roof is a decision you’ll regret. Buyers should be smart about the specs, and aside from those hideous mirrors they’ll be fine.

In the cabin, it gets better. The car I tested had an amazing pearl white dashboard with dials that light up beautifully. The only disappointment was the steering wheel. It’s sporty, has a great grip, but the chunky centre is off-putting.

The seats are great too. They offer support, especially in the model which I tested; they had great side supports and adjusted excellently to just about every angle. The only problem I had was with the colour. From the outside, the

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yellow seats in the shiny yellow chas- sis seem to bring everything together. From the inside, it looks a bit cheap.

What you should look for is the C3’s glass roof, because the cabin is a bit too dark and, especially at the back, can feel a bit cramped.

So besides some little foibles, the DS3 kicks the competition as far as style is concerned. It looks better than the Mini, which has become dull and commonplace, and it’s every bit as stylish as the 500. Although the latter has more flair, it’s undeniably girly.

Let’s move on to engine and performance. Citroën isn’t renowned for its reliability and performance. The experts at Citroën have somehow managed to coax the 1.6 litre turbo engine out of a Mini Cooper S and into their DS3 (I tested the 154 Bhp THP model). The results are fantastic.

The Mini will outperform it, but only marginally so. There is beautiful power delivery, not so much punchy, but more like a smooth wave of power. It feels brilliant to drive. Just take it easy on those roundabouts. Suspension is a bit soft when you’re caning her.

The DS3 fails to beat its competition in some key features, but as an overall package it takes the cake. There are so many options to choose from that you could design a car that’s totally unique. I’d advise you to choose the extras while sober and please don’t opt for a zebra print roof! Prices start at €17,000 and hit the glorious €24,000 mark with all the extras thrown in. Choose wisely. Vive la France.

AUTO + TECH

Can the HTC Desire

dethrone the iPhone 4?

Nikolai Attard takes us on a journey to discover whether Apple’s iphone can still claim to be king of the smartphones.

In January 2007, a new player joined the phone market: Apple. It took the smartphone market by storm. Apple managed to pry open the hands of leading phone manufacturers, snatch their loyal customers, and cause masses of people to queue outside Apple stores for hours in order to get their hands on an iPhone. Now in its fourth generation, is it still a market leader? Or have other brands taken its place?

Many brands compete with the iPhone as far as the touch screen is concerned, namely Samsung, Blackberry, and HTC. Blackberry released the ‘Storm’, and more recently the ‘Storm 2’. It’s an understatement to say that these models didn’t catch on.

The HTC Desire has been a strong contender for the title of market leader for the past six months.

As tech savvy people would know, six months is a long time, considering that new technology appears daily, if not hourly.

The Desire’s Google Android software and a dose of HTC sense have successfully drawn people away from iPhones. The impressive 3.7-inch screen beats that of the iPhone by 0.2 inches. However, the iPhone’s resolution trumps that of the HTC Desire (960x640 pixels as compared to 480x800 pixels). This is due to the new retina display, which provides crisper viewing.

Both phones run a 1Ghz CPU, which can handle all the apps that one could wish for.

In keeping with Apple’s slogan, ‘There’s an App for That’, the iPhone allows people to design and add applications for nearly anything. The Android market is up and running, but it’s very limited when compared to the App Store. However, Android runs Flash content, while Apple refuses to.

Where style is concerned, I adore the way Apple market their products, by giving a simple design a sexy look and

feel. They did it with the iPhone, by using two thick panes of glass sandwiching a metal band which acts as the antenna.

The HTC also looks good, and there is a choice between two colours: espresso brown or white. There is a greater variety of customised screens for the HTC that allow the user to make the phone their own, especially with regard to keeping track of contacts. Apple only allows the user to move apps into folders and change the background.

The iPhone 4 has been marred with reception problems, to the extent that if you hold the phone in your left hand covering the metal band, you will most if not all network coverage. Apple ceo Steve Jobs has instructed people “not to hold the phone in that way”.

The HTC Desire, which is also available from authorised resellers, is expensive, but still cheaper than the troublesome iPhone. HTC seem to realise that not every one is ready to part with a large sum of their savings, so they have released another smartphone, the ‘Wildfire’, which isn’t up to the same standards as the iPhone 4 and HTC Desire.

I thoroughly enjoy playing with both phones. I’d like to own the Desire, but I’d constantly have a nagging feeling that the iPhone could do it better. Others may disagree, and this is why I leave it up to the user.

If you want style, unlimited apps, hours of playing time, and general attractivness, you should go for the iPhone. If you don’t want to be limited with regard to where everything is placed, and have more options to create games and apps, as well as the pleasure of using what I think will be the operating system of the future, go for the HTC.

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commonwealth games

india: too soon?

India is an emerging global power. It’s been praised worldwide for its increasing standard of living, and its emergence as a world player in politics. The Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi between 3 and 14 October, were meant to symbolise the progress India has made, and to build on the good reputation Asia established through the success of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. What happened in reality was a comedy of errors, featuring infrastructural and organisational disasters, lack of local support, and widespread criticism.

The official total budget, completely underwritten by the government, was a staggering usd 6.8 billion. This is a nation of which 42% of the population is below the poverty line. In view of this, perhaps there were better uses for those government funds. While many jobs were created by the capital investment in these games, India should be focusing on its welfare and social policies rather than displaying its achievements to the world.

To rub salt in the wounds, the Games were organised in a clumsy way. Days before the Opening Ceremony, a footbridge collapsed, injuring 23 people. This incident was followed by the collapse of a ceiling, and also by the collapse of a scoreboard at the rugby venue. There was widespread condemnation following reports of maltreatment of the labour force. Other setbacks included the condition of the Athlete’s Village, issues regarding the safety and functioning of equipment of various disciplines, the constant fear of a terror attack, the walkout of thousands of volunteers, and threats from various nations to pull out of the event.

India received negative press during this period.

A huge scam was uncovered involving severe corruption and misappropriation of public funds.

The

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The Insiter • January 2011

CHRIS BERgedahl on one of the most controversial sport events of 2010

head of the organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, was booed as he gave his speech at the Opening Ceremony. The 60,000-strong crowd that attended the ceremony soon disappeared. Several venues remained unfilled for a host of events. The upshot of this is that although India salvaged a bit of its reputation by wowing the globe with its performance at the Ceremony, together with its impressive finish on the medals table, it still attracted much criticism.

It was foolish to think that India would be able to keep up with the strict international standards required for hosting the event, which involves 71 countries. Despite its recent economic surge and increased inward investment, there are gaping holes that the government needs to address, especially as regards education, employment, and hygiene.

Was such a heavy investment really worth it? Shouldn’t the government have waited a few more years and meanwhile invested in eradicating poverty in the country? This was a political move. However, now that India has begun its process of “Westernisation”, it shouldn’t forget the most important part of a state: its people. It can’t hope for future success without improving its citizens’ quality of life. The progress it has made so far will be in vain if it doesn’t stamp out corruption.

In a way, India deserves praise. Some people feel that it’s ready to upgrade to the Olympics in the near future, while Sebastien Coe commented that the atmosphere in the stadium could “potentially [be] the moment that could change the course of athletics in Asia, the moment that could inspire thousands of people who’d never even seen an athletics track before to get involved.” The country has a long way to go before regaining the same trust from the global population.

Sport

the ride of your life Sandy Vella recounts the exhilarating experience of her first skydive.

Skydiving |noun| a sport consisting in jumping from an airplane at a moderate or high altitude, free-falling, and using one’s body to control direction or movement before opening one’s parachute.

There are many different types of skydives that one can delve into. For a first time jumper, all schools will recommend what they call the ‘tandem’. This is a “basic jump”, and involves having a professional instructor to guide you at all times to ensure that your skydiving experience is nothing but pleasant. You will land neatly on your feet and live to tell tales about your incredible experience.

I chose to skydive while on holiday in Barcelona, Spain, on a lovely sunny day in May. The process involved a brief introduction to the sport, a ten minute session with my instructor to go over the necessary manoeuvres, as well as a plane ride buzzing with anticipation.

By far the most exciting part was the one minute free fall that I endured at the beginning of the jump, while at an altitude of 14,000 feet. It was one minute of pure freedom, with my adrenaline at its peak, an immaculate view beneath me, a dry mouth, and a wide smile.

After that one minute, the rest is plain sailing. The instructor releases the parachute and you can kick back and enjoy the fresh air, as well as a technical trick or two that the instructor would have up his sleeve, and perhaps even a friendly conversation.

In some countries, there are countless skydiving centres to choose from. You should carry out adequate research before taking a decision. It’s important to take your time, anal-

yse websites, make sure the centres are certified, give them a call or email with any queries, and, finally, choose wisely.

The down side of extreme sports is its hefty price tag.

Many skydiving centres charge ridiculous prices for the dvd and photos of your skydive. However, if this is a one-time experience for you, I would highly recommend that you purchase them. Obviously, there is no option of taking your own camera with you.

It is important, before opting to skydive, that you ensure that you are in good health. This is not a sport to be reckless about. On the scheduled day of your dive, you will be told to call up the skydive centre to check whether weather conditions are appropriate for your jump to take place. The centre will also advise you to wear appropriate comfortable and closed shoes, such as trainers, and warm clothing which enables you to move around, such as a tracksuit.

I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone who is adventurous, gutsy, and looking for a holiday with a twist. This is not a sport for the weak, or curious; it’s an extremist’s dream! So go on! What are you waiting for?

Amateur 7-a-side football team looking for a goalkeeper to play friendlies and tournaments. For more information about the team, search Facebook for the group ‘XPFC’. Contact us on 79292676/99320189 or email us at xpfcfootballclub@gmail.com for more details.

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