Nicola Abela Garrett’s Open Letter
I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly apologise for my bad language this morning directed to Mr Austin Gatt. My behaviour was uncalled for and I can assure you, I am in no way a gutter girl. I’m sure many people can vouch for that. I’m an ambitious student who’d just like to get to lectures on time, without having to wait for an hour or more on a bus stop, as I have been doing for the past 4 months or so.
I just want a bus system that runs on time and doesn’t give me a detour all around Malta before I get to my desired destination. Now that I have apologised publicly through this article to Mr Austin Gatt, I would like him to apologise to the Maltese bus commuters for his disastrous attempt to reform the bus system and his selfish attitude towards the 130 complaints Arriva and TM have been receiving daily. More than an apology, I would like to see some action. Is it too much to ask for a bus that follows the given timetable? Is it too much to ask for a route that doesn’t require several interchanges and a detour of the island? If there are no buses available, could I have a lift in your Jag, Mr Minister?
I’d also like to point out that I was forced to give my name to a complete stranger who afterwards approached me and gave me a good telling-off for insulting the minister. He continued to say that I should be grateful for my stipend. Not only was this remark out of context, but I’m also assuming that he meant I should buy a car with my monthly grant. I thought that that money was supposed to be spent on university material, not motors. And as I recall, Mr Gatt had told us to leave our cars at home, thanks to the new service. I wished to remain anonymous of course, but this person, who refused to reveal his identity, forced me into giving my name. Foolish was I for doing so.
I was later approached by two KSU representatives. They weren’t best pleased with my behaviour. They claimed that things are changing and that they’re doing their best to rectify the situation. They also said that they have a 95 page report on this. But I don’t want to see reports, I want to see a bus coming at the designated time! I was also told by one of the reps that he drives and that he too arrives late for lectures because of traffic. Whatever the reason may be, I DON’T like missing lectures and I don’t intend on using a silly excuse such as this every time I am late or do miss a lecture. I come to university to learn and to use every scrap of knowledge given in class, not to use the campus as a training ground for my political career. It pains me to speak ill of KSU because I know that there are some genuine members who have the student’s best interest.
This is not the point of my argument. I repeat, all I want is for someone to sort out the chaos within the system, even if it means calling a minister a ******* ****** (inappropriate as it may have been). By the by, it’s not swearing, it’s vulgar language. Big difference.
One gets fed up of calling the Arriva customer care line everyday throughout the whole summer making the same woes which fall on deaf ears. So I thought it would be more effective to let Mr Gatt know what the many people waiting on the bus stops are saying.
I apologise for my outburst, which was a mixture of frustration and anger, which had been boiling up for 4 months whilst waiting for many long hours on many bus stops. I sincerely apologise to the rector, to the dean of my faculty, and more importantly to the students of the University of Malta for my vulgar language. I did not mean to cause any trouble or rebel for the sake of rebellion. Those who know me, both lecturers and students, know that I’m a hard-working student who does not believe in anarchy or any other such mediocre ideology. I did not mean to misrepresent you or give you a bad name in anyway.
However, I will not apologise for speaking my mind, brash as it may have come across. I’m not looking for attention, even if I am reading an Honours degree in Theatre Studies. I’m just trying to point out that the current service is causing absolute confusion and that it is inhumane to leave masses of people of all ages on bus stops in all weathers. I refuse to miss lectures, and I will not let some stupid bus system be the cause of that.
I’ve now had my say. I sincerely hope that the message was loud and clear to the Minister. I would now like to continue with my studies in peace – this is the final word you will hear from me on the matter. I pray that the system is rectified as soon as possible, for all our sakes.
Have a good year.
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Move to Bugibba. Buses run every 10 mins as promised. I get to my destination late bcoz of traffic which no car can avoid. All the negative press that Arriva’s been getting is making more people opt to use private cars making a 40 min journey, a 90 minute nightmarish one stuck in traffic.
At least I get to read books
Notwithstanding, anyone willing to supply a jaguar and a chauffeur will be welcome. If a jaguar is not possible, an Audi will do.
Well done here again. It’s good to apologise for the methods but it’s even greater to hold on to one’s assertive awareness in front of something bad.
Thank you.
Pawlu
“I apologise for my outburst, which was a mixture of frustration and anger, which had been boiling up for 4 months whilst waiting for many long hours on many bus stops.”
You almost managed to make this sound voluntary and unplanned!
Tick tock, your 15 minutes are almost over!
Matt Bonanno
Guess who’s going to be an Uni tomorrow
Tuesday at 22:58 · Privacy:
Nicolà Abela Garrett We’ve had Gonzi, we’ve had Muscat…….. no…….
Tuesday at 22:59
Nicolà Abela Garrett I can’t be…..
Tuesday at 22:59
Nicolà Abela Garrett it*
Tuesday at 22:59
Nicolà Abela Garrett The bringer of emerald chariots and eternal transportation….
Tuesday at 23:00 · 1 person
Matt Bonanno it can.
Tuesday at 23:00
Nicolà Abela Garrett from the Orient…
Tuesday at 23:00
Matt Bonanno for another 20 years
Tuesday at 23:00
Nicolà Abela Garrett You serious? If you want, I can give you a great story tomorrow. Bring your notepad.
Tuesday at 23:01 · 5 people
Pia Zammit you weren’t kidding
well done girl 
10 hours ago · 4 people
Emil Calleja Bayliss Nice one Nic
You gace him one hell of a story. XD
5 hours ago · 2 people
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Meta liz-zghir tehodlu l-vuci, tillimitalu l-mod kif jesprimi ruhu, u tarrqu fil-korruzjoni, ghal xiex ikun jonqsu jdur? Ghalhekk ma nahsibx li ghandek ghalfejn tiskuza ruhek. Fuq it-Times kien hemm hafna qalulek li int pastaza. Biex tkun pastaz, m’hemmx ghalfejn titkellem hazin. L-arroganza ta dan il-bniedem lejn min tellghu hemm fuq hija l-akbar pastazata li qatt rajna
from Maria’s post it seems that you orchestrated all of this. Pity that your so called ‘outburst’ was premeditated and primarily used to conjure up a ‘hell of a story’. You should become a PN activist.
Maria you obviously do not make use of the bus or you are a staunch nationalist. I will go with C: all of the above !
I think it is shameful that Richard and Maria cannot take a sincere apology from someone who means it. It just goes to show how there are far too many people who lap up what politician say and treat them as their gods instead of believing that everyone makes mistakes and at least Nicola was big enough of a person to realise that and try to rectify it instead of acting like a prick as Mr Gatt has done obviously more interested in his pocket than in the 100 people waiting at the Rahal Gdid bus stop this morning (for example)
Frankly, she apologized for what she needed to apologize for. Mr Gatt was so honourable that not only he turned his back on her when she brought up these issues, NET also mysteriously did not even broadcast the issue. What I gather from this is that she is getting a whole lot of lip from everyone when the true culprit is lying low and avoiding the blame which he is due. If he had treated anyone else with such disrespect (as one of his ‘station’ should always show no matter what) he would have heard a much more colourful language emanating from that person’s lips. No one plans to use such low means whatever Ms Maria insinuates.
Really Maria? Playing the role of tell tale? Not to mention posting the full names of people who probably don’t want their names to be published on a public forum.
Planned beforehand or not, it’s about time someone stuffed the situation in front of Mr.Gatt’s face. I can only pray that Nicola’s actions will be the catalyst that triggers a change for the better.
So once again, thank you Nicola.
I believe in the voice of the people and this student is right even if her outburst was premeditated.
I also remember a time where an act of bravura like this would have gotten you a beating from the minister’s thugs. I know people who have been beaten for much less in Malta, like for the simple reason of turning up to vote.
She is absolutely right. That is she apologised for using foul language but stood her ground on the complaint she made. She admitted to have made an error of judgement in using foul language and that’s that. She has learnt her lesson. But she is right on all other counts. The public transport is a big problem which needs to be taken care of immediately not within one or two or three months time. This is the sort of students we want, neither lackeys nor vulgar. Sometimes one runs out of patience but finds the honourable way to apologize. and as the Minister has stated, the case is closed, amici come prima. No hard feelings.
Let’s say Nicola planned all this and wasn’t spontaneous as she wanted us to believe… then I wish there were more actors in this country. What she did was still something that no one had the guts to do. I just wish I was there as well… university officials can kiss my arse
For an apology it’s not bad at all! The letter is well written and Ms Abela Garrett manages to hold her ground on what really matters. One must add that she was a ventriloquist for many people when she shouted those words she later apologized for.
Well done Nicola, you voiced an opinion that I (unfortunately as a commuter on the buses), hear every single day from different people everywhere. You apologised for any bad language but made you point, as you have every right to do. Too many people hide behind others willingness to speak and be heard. More people there should have supported you in the discussion if that was also their view.
@ Lisa – I think it is shameful that your whole paragraph consists of only two sentences, with no punctuation whatsoever. I was not expecting an apology from Ms Abela Garrett, I actually enjoyed seeing her giving him a mouthful. Yet, her actions were premeditated, making the apology superfluous. All her outburst did was to show that Austin Gatt is as arrogant as everyone thinks he is. It certainly won’t get her to school on time.
I really do wonder sometimes…
I’ve heard some saying that if this happened in the 80s, the police would come after this student to undermine her credibility…
I guess today, someone else is doing that same job this present day…and would I be surprised to know that Richard and Maria are students themselves?
I’ve seen another post on Facebook like Maria’s trying to put Miss Garrett in dubious light…I guess that’s what student solidarity is all about nowadays
@I wonder: Undermine her credibility? That’s putting it mildly! That would be nothing compared to the beating she would of received from the likes of then Lorry Sant’s thugs or his ilk. I know because I lived it. Please, if you’re not old enough to know what was going on during those times, inform yourself, then there would be no need to ‘wonder’.
I don’t have anything else to say but – Well done!
Speak your mind, that’s how we can get heard and maybe cause a change, if someone isn’t too hard-headed!
I’m just a year older than Nicola Abela Garrett. And I’m sorry but I have no respect for people who do not know how to compose themselves when a problem arises.
Yes people are upset with the bus service. I’M upset with the bus service! But it’s getting better slowly. It’s a huge change on our country and I’m not surprised that it’s kind of shit at the moment.
I’m sure there’s some way that she could have taken her complaint to a higher authority. Everyone’s got contacts as long as you know how to use them. But taking advantage of and ruining an event where the University she actually goes to is being bettered by the person who doesn’t even directly have anything to do with her transportation problem, is EXTREMELY immature.
To me it makes her seem like an uneducated person who does not know that there is a time and a place for EVERYTHING, and randomly offends people she dislikes just because they happen to be there.
The apology means nothing to me personally … the fact that the whole stunt was premeditated just makes the apology look like a fall-back plan for her ego, which ended up boosting it to no end!
She really is using her studies as a theatre student to their fullest capability.
I agreed with what you said, obviously the cheap talk was not needed. but you said good things!
@John – I am informed, and what I’m saying is that the methods have changed from physical to psychological…
Well – I agree that Austin Gatt is a F****N W****R and I will never apologise. I guess this makes Nicola a better person than me. However, you will note form some of the far right wing fascist reposnes here that aplogising has in fact backfired. With regards to the thug who forced Nicola to give her name – what is this – the PN’s version of the stasi? he should be shot at dawn. I am almost sure that he would be following this blog here and most probably contributing to it.
You chose the easy way for getting some attention. You chose the shallow, idiotic, vulgar way, which makes you disrespected. Choosing to lie as well just makes it worse, I’m ashamed for you.
The Times reporter should have simply written “Drama Student has Bitch Fit”
@ Thomas. Facebook is a public forum.
The “thug”‘s uncle was the Mintoff yesman who was appointed rector of the university during the glorious golden Labour era when all faculties except for a handful were closed permanently.
When, as with Nicola Abela Garrett, a person has her dishonesty documented in the way we have seen, how can anyone believe a word she says? Does nobody have a brain here?
As for the ‘thug’, when things started to get out of hand, it is obvious that NAG intentionally diverted attention away from her own dishonesty and onto him. I bet he wasn’t even asked his name – never mind any of the rest of the things she alleged. Remember – *she* is the one who has the track record of deceit!
People should not believe everything that is printed – especially when uttered by a confirmed fraud.
Nicola,
I suggest you fade into oblivion after you managed to ruin your credibility and reputation (if you had any before, that is) and be hailed heroine by the lowest of Malta’s low, and got a friend sacked.
Nice start to your third year
You chose the vulgar way, which was uncalled for. But you had the right to protest. Your rights are there to be safeguarded…But imagine if there was Labour in power and you acted the same….That is for former University students to answer such a question.
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you should be grateful for your stipend ., It is not a right but a privilidge. that others are paying for with their taxes. Remember that there are kids out your age out there , your age working ten hour shifts and paying taxes so that you can go to university. Be thankful for having courses that you can attend, a no -trings-attached stipend and please use your priviliges wisely.
Armi l’hemm. Ma taf xejn din it-tifla. Ghid VIV IL-LABOUR. Armi l’hemm
erm this might sound harsh…Boycott Public Transport completely…share cars i.e. 2,3,4,5 people per car…Militantly…it’s not as hard as it sounds…take control of the situation no one can stop you then…literally…the rest will follow from this one simple but effective step, fact ;o)