Back in Wales, it was nice to watch Bremner, Bird & Fortune and hear that next year's local elections will not be all-postal votes. Although postal elections have their advantages like increase in turn out and less strain on polling day, there are serious issues that need to be taken into consideration, above all fraud.
In students' halls of residence, the ballot papers get piled up altogether, destroyed or used fraudulently. In houses of multi-occupancy, the names are often not updated, the post is communal and can lead to the possibility of loss and abuse. The same applies to elderly residents in sheltered houses. The post is simply not efficient and secure to guarantee that you vote and you vote for the candidate of your choice.
Last year I was living in Swansea for the month coming up to the elections although I was registered in Cardiff. Being a member of a political party I was obviously interested in voting but I had to contact Cardiff Council several times in order to get my postal vote and to get it delivered to my Swansea address. I agree that voting should be made easier but it needs to be practical.
16 December 2003
03 December 2003
10 Days in Italy: Turin, Nuclear & Censorship
I went home for 10 days to see my parents. It was of course at the time of the national funeral of the 19 Italian soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Iraq so the atmosphere was sombre.
We visited Turin, a jewel of art nouveau and deco enveloped in fog. It was the first Italian capital and home of Cavour. Chocolate at Baratti was sublime and so was Rossini's Semiramide at Teatro Regio. Lingotto is spectacular (ex-FIAT factory redesigned by Renzo Piano). It hosts a permanent photographic exhibition of some of the most famous photos. Really worth going!
Art aside, Italy kept us entertained with a dispute on where to store nuclear waste. The Government had decided for Scalzano Ionico (South East Italy) which they claim would be very suitable because of the soil. The waste would go at 800m under the ground. But as governments often do, they tried to force it on the local population without providing adequate information or discussion. As a result, the whole town and surrounding was up in arms to demonstrate against it with the usual populist slogans to the embarrassment of the Government.
Very funny was also an episode regarding Gianfranco Fini (leader of the National Alliance Party). For the past 10 years he has reformed the ex-fascist party into a moderate rightwing party, becoming respectable and thus in effect splitting the party. Although he is a moderate, many people within the party aren't. For years he's been trying to go to Israel but was always prevented by the Italian Jewish Community who did not fully trust his U-turn of the Party. He went to great lengths condemning this and that of the fascist regime, and once all packed and ready to go, Serena (MP from his Party) sent a videotape in defence of Priebke responsible for the massacre at the Fosse Ardeatine in 1944.
Finally, yet another programme was censored by the Government for being distasteful (read: critical of the government). After Enzo Biagi (journalist), Daniele Luttazzi and others, it was Sabina Guzzanti's turn and her programme of satire Raiot to be axed. Over 20,000 demonstrated in Rome, the case continues…
We visited Turin, a jewel of art nouveau and deco enveloped in fog. It was the first Italian capital and home of Cavour. Chocolate at Baratti was sublime and so was Rossini's Semiramide at Teatro Regio. Lingotto is spectacular (ex-FIAT factory redesigned by Renzo Piano). It hosts a permanent photographic exhibition of some of the most famous photos. Really worth going!
Art aside, Italy kept us entertained with a dispute on where to store nuclear waste. The Government had decided for Scalzano Ionico (South East Italy) which they claim would be very suitable because of the soil. The waste would go at 800m under the ground. But as governments often do, they tried to force it on the local population without providing adequate information or discussion. As a result, the whole town and surrounding was up in arms to demonstrate against it with the usual populist slogans to the embarrassment of the Government.
Very funny was also an episode regarding Gianfranco Fini (leader of the National Alliance Party). For the past 10 years he has reformed the ex-fascist party into a moderate rightwing party, becoming respectable and thus in effect splitting the party. Although he is a moderate, many people within the party aren't. For years he's been trying to go to Israel but was always prevented by the Italian Jewish Community who did not fully trust his U-turn of the Party. He went to great lengths condemning this and that of the fascist regime, and once all packed and ready to go, Serena (MP from his Party) sent a videotape in defence of Priebke responsible for the massacre at the Fosse Ardeatine in 1944.
Finally, yet another programme was censored by the Government for being distasteful (read: critical of the government). After Enzo Biagi (journalist), Daniele Luttazzi and others, it was Sabina Guzzanti's turn and her programme of satire Raiot to be axed. Over 20,000 demonstrated in Rome, the case continues…
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