VicenzaPiù - Notizie, Inchieste, Analisi su Vicenza e provincia

Well Carnival is over, at least for the moment for the notorious Diego Fontana, now suspended from his duties as Baron of the Vicenza districts, who at the stroke of a pen cancelled fifteen years of hard work by the librarian and teachers in District 7 (Circoscrizione 7) who provided modestly priced courses in music and languages to an enthusiastic local populace. As already stated in an earlier article, Fontana's decision was brought to the notice of Variati, through his sidekick Bulgarini, and to Ms. Lazzari, neither of whom deigned to reply.

The GDV, after ignoring the information, free to all, that we have been publishing over the last few months, finally saw fit to mention his suspension, for eight days, from his council job. Following the ‘discovery' that he was working outside the council, whilst receiving a full salary from the latter.
I had the displeasure of meeting this person four years ago, and the dark-haired man in the GDV photo bears little resemblance to the man that I met, with long, unkempt grey hair. Being somewhat aggrieved at his behaviour, I asked him on the way out if I should say goodbye to ‘Dottore Fontana', (i.e. a person with a university degree), or Signor Fontana (i.e. someone without one). ‘Signor Fontana,' he replied gingerly. I saluted him loudly, noticing the smirks on the faces of his staff as I walked out. Lent is the time for repentance, so Fontana will have the opportunity to reflect on his misdeeds like the rest of us.
And during this most sacred period for Roman Catholics, our local diocese has accepted Prc party invitation to take part in a debate about the recognition by the town council of stable relationships between unmarried people. One may or may not agree with their opposition to such recognition, but they are clear and unhypocritical in their stance. One wonders about Variati. The staunch Roman Catholic. Is his support for the measure a shrewd move to hold onto the left-wing vote, or does he really believe in it, with its inclusion of same-sex couples and so on. In the political tradition of Tony Blair, it is difficult to know his true beliefs, as his purported beliefs seem designed to coincide with political necessity. Mr. Bulgarini is evidently worth his salary in this respect: ‘No Dal Molin' was a winner!
Variati's silence over the Fontana case is puzzling. The GDV suggests they were childhood friends, so perhaps it has been an act of loyalty - remember the old aboriginal song ‘Two little boys' As in the song, perhaps Fontana helped him out in days of yore, and now it's his turn to return the favour. It's a touching scenario, the mayor rolling about in bed at night, remembering how Fontana protected him in the playground at primary school perhaps, as ‘Gaily they played each summer's day'. And then the harsh reality of adult life.
And the carnival appears to be over for AIM, too. Advertising pages remain on Gdv but, at least, no more covers of La Città threatening new gas clients with four months of the GDV if they sign up. No more balloons in the square. Perhaps because people are no longer focused on gas. Finally the cold spell is over, and Lent is leading the way into spring.
Since I have been writing this column, readers have mentioned other, albeit small, examples of how the GDV plays with the truth. A typical example was a grisly murder in the well-to-do parish of Sant'Andrea. In order not to offend the city dignitaries who live there, they reported the murder as having taken place in the working-class parish of San Pio X.
But I have also been accused of being unduly negative. The morass of local politics has ultimately failed to lure in Dr. Riboni of the Accident and Emergency section of the town hospital. For which I am thankful. On the few occasions I have used the service, I have been struck by its efficiency, despite the limited means at its disposal. If we have to wait, we wait in the knowledge that unfortunately there are patients in a worse state than us. And I heartily give my support to Dr. Riboni in his attempt to get new funds to improve the service. This man seems to me one of those many public employees whose real aim is to serve the public as well as circumstances allow, in marked contrast to the self-interested antics of Fontana and company.
And I think I speak for many, when I say that the election of Variati gave us a brief illusion the political values in the town had changed, that the obscure backroom deals of the former mayor would die a natural death in this dire economic climate, that the coastguard's Italy would hold sway over the captain's - remember the Concordia?
There is so much goodwill, and genuine desire to make our town better, which seems to evaporate once it reaches Palazzo Trissino.