It's been a hectic few days, (not that they'll get any less hectic in the next few months of course), in between coffee mornings, business breakfasts, meetings with NGOs, district visits and writing articles. I've just returned from Brussels where I was accompanying the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to the European Council summit in Brussels.
The talks were dominated by intense lobbying and late-night meetings in relation to the Lisbon Treaty. Important agreements where reached on climate change and carbon emissions, while we managed to ensure that Malta gets its 6th seat in the European Parliament already during the 2009-2014 Parliamentary term. All Member States will also all have a permanent Commissioner on the EU Commission – both extremely important points for a small nation like our own. But let's not count our chickens before they hatch….for it to take effect the treaty must first be ratified by a second referendum in Ireland..so while we have to wait and see, the signs do look promising…
I managed to attend Rotaract Malta event in aid of the Deaf Association. Rotaract is a voluntary organisation that undertakes great philanthropic work and it was fantastic to be able to meet the people and volunteers behind it. It was especially gratifying to meet a number of sign-language professionals – meeting them really brought home how important their role is in our society and how much more can and needs to be done to support organisations who work with the disabled throughout Malta and Gozo.
I also caught up with Attard Local Councillors and environmentalists at a press conference in Mario Cortis Street - a street where two-storey houses characterise Attard as we traditionally know it. Rampant overdevelopment and the lack of any height restrictions have turned this street and so any others into one concrete block after another effectively blocking the traditional houses' possibility to enjoy the quiet, clean, dust-free air and sunny conditions they used to enjoy.
On the technological front I also managed to set up a MSN messenger chat session (ok ok technological is stretching it ever so slightly :- ) ), But I'll be online as much as possible so feel free to contact me directly by adding msn@roberta2009.eu to your contact list and be in touch!
Until next time, check out www.roberta2009.eu for all the latest news, events, photos and vids, in the meantime I'll be in Marsa, Brussels, Naxxar and Safi J
Roberta
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