In the context of the forced closing down of the University of Malta during the CHOGM meeting, Prpf. Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, said: “Closing down our country because of two international meetings being held in Malta is not dignifying at all. For the Maltese government, closing down all our schools to give the impression that there are less cars on our roads is not enough. University has also been forced to close down, and this goes against the supposed autonomy that an institution like the University should have.”
“On the same note, AD deplores the fact that the Malta Book Festival will be closing down before the original scheduled closure because of a serious lack of planning, especially considering that Sunday afternoon is the day which is normally more popular with the general public. This sudden change denotes a serious lack of coordination between different entities within the same government. AD maintains that, apart from the damage caused to local publishing houses, such lack of planning can weaken the trust of foreign publishing houses that are participating in the Book festival and investing money in the event. It does not make sense for our country to try and attract foreign investment in our country on one hand and discouraging it because of bad planning, on the other. Our country deserves better”, concluded Arnold Cassola
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Mhux dinjituż li biex isiru ż-żewg konferenzi internazzjonali f’Malta, pajjiżna jkollu jieqaf jiffunzjona. Dan qalu ċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika il-Prof Arnold Cassola b’reazzjoni għall-egħluq furzat tal-universita` ta’ Malta fil-jiem taċ-CHOGM. “Qisu li għal gvern Malti, ma kienx biżżejjed li jingħalqu l-iskejjel kollha biex jagħti l-impressjoni li għandna inqas karozzi fit-toroq milli filfatt għandna. Li l-Universita` tiġi mġiegħla tagħlaq trid u ma tridx, imur kontra kull spirtu ta’ awtonomija li għandu jkollha istituzzjoni bħal ma hi l-istituzzjoni.”
Fuq l-istess nota, Alternattiva Demokratika tiddeplora wkoll l-egħluq tal-Fiera tal-Ktieb qabel mistenni minħabba nuqqas serju ta’ ippjanar partikolarment fil-ġurnata fejn l-iktar li jattendi l-pubbliku; il-Ħadd wara nofsinhar. Dan it-tibdil ħabta u sabta, jixhed nuqqas serju ta’ koordinament bejn entitajiet differenti tal-operat tal-istess gvern. AD ssostni li, apparti l-ħsara lid-djar ta’ pubblikazzjoni Maltin, dan jista’ jnaffar lil djar tal-pubblikazzjonijiet internazzjonali li għoġobhom jiġu f’ Malta u nefqu l-flus biex jieħdu sehem f’din il-Fiera. Il-Prof Cassola sostna li ma jagħmilx sens li pajjiżna jipprova jiġbed l-investiment min naħa, biex imbagħad inaffru minn naħa ohra frott ippjanar żbaljat.
Pajjizna ħaqqu aħjar, temm jgħid Cassola.
