Stamping feet while Europe burns
Franco Debono: he thinks that Malta's biggest problem right now is the buses
This was my column in The Malta Independent yesterday.
While we sit back and discuss the ins and outs of Joseph Muscat’s email exchange with a rather naive RTK journalist, European leaders are in knots of tension as the debt crisis brings the union to the brink of collapse.
“If the euro fails, then Europe fails,” Angela Merkel said yesterday morning, ahead of last night’s ‘crunch summit’ which aims to resolve the crisis and help bring about confidence in the eurozone.
As we faff around nagging about the bus service, while Jeffrey, Franco and Jesmond stamp their little feet as though they’re living in Lilliput somewhere in the South Seas in the 18th century – do they realise how cut off from reality they seem? – Europe as we know it may well collapse around us and on top of us, leaving us even worse off than where we started.
We have become accustomed to the reality of a united Europe. Even when we were not part of it, this was all we knew.
Our generation grew up thinking the very idea of war and enmity in western Europe – for we were children of the Cold War and made that clear division between west and east – as completely laughable.
When my grandmother told me that she would be voting Yes in the EU referendum because she didn’t want anyone ever to have to go through what her generation went through twice in terms of war, I thought it was the funniest and oddest of reasons.
It hadn’t occurred to me that to somebody who lived through the two worst and most destructive wars in history, that would be an ever-present lurking danger.
The European Union was born out of that last Great War, giving us the peace and democracy we have taken for granted for the last 60 years or so. Taken for granted after a fashion, that is, because until late 1989, with communism keeping half of Europe in a dead vice, we grew up and lived beneath the shadow of a nuclear war that could wreak far greater devastation than the two world wars put together.
Now the eurozone is in the grip of the most terrible crisis and if it is not resolved, the entire bloc will go down with it.
Put into this context, the magnificent immaturity displayed by certain members of the house, not least the leader of the Opposition who has shown more concern for the fate of his emails than for the fate of the eurozone, is impressive.
In the face of economic bewilderment and with unemployment on the rise and rise, the inevitable has happened. Right-wing parties, including the Far Right, are seeing a resurgence of popularity right across the European Union, including in Malta where the right-wing, conservative and xenophobic Labour Party, with its flashes of national socialism, is attracting those who are afraid of the future but who mistakenly think of themselves as liberal.
The problems with the euro have gone on for around two years now, but the present situation is ‘do or die’.
In Spain, there is 40% unemployment among young people. Italy is piloted by a pervert distracted by his own myriad problems with the law.
Britain’s coalition government has been hit by a massive parliamentary attempt to force a referendum on whether the country should stay in the union. Sweden has backtracked on discussions to join the eurozone.
And back home on the ranch, Malta has been given a set of problems it really doesn’t need as one junior backbencher threatens to bring down the government if the prime minister and the Nationalist Party executive don’t go into repeated huddles to talk about how important he is and how he must be mollified.
The very worst thing about Franco Debono right now is that he is distracting the government from dealing with the real problems, the problems which directly affect Malta, by turning himself into an immediate problem which has to be got out of the way before anybody can proceed.
If Franco Debono thinks he is being smart by giving us the imminent possibility of leadership by Joseph Muscat through the worst European crisis of our lifetime, then he should be locked into a straitjacket alongside Jeffrey.
The greatest threat now is that the euro crisis might cause a real rift between those EU states in the eurozone and those outside it: the ‘ins’ (17 states) and the ‘outs’ (10 states).
Adversity can either bring you together or crack you apart, and in this case it has brought the eurozone states closer together but apart from the others. And the others don’t like it.
“There is a danger…that as this eurozone coming together happens, there is a risk that those countries outside the euro…might see the eurozone members starting to take decisions that affect the single market,” David Cameron said.
Finland’s minister for Europe agreed. “There are only two options,” he said. “One: further integration. Or two: split up.”
In the darkness of this worrying situation, it is terribly distressing to see Malta distracted and held hostage by the extraordinary divorced-from-reality behaviour of three government backbenchers and the Leader of the Opposition.
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It is worth re-reading this blog-post of two years ago.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111028/local/Politicians-express-cautious-optimism-on-eurozone-deal.391138
In 1917 French General Robert Nivelle was faced with mutiny by his troops refusing to move up to the front line after one of the “meatgrinder” offensives.
He set up courts martial which handed down death penalties for refusing to obey orders and attack the enemy. This was done “pour encourager les autres” and it succeeded in quelling the mutinies.
Where is Gonzi’s Nivelle ?
Are you serious? You bring up the arrogant ineptitude of the military brass in WWI as a fine example of leadership?
Joseph A Borg: Are YOU serious ; that’s why I used “meatgrinder offensive” like the Somme, Verdun and countless WW1 battles with thousands of casualties to gain two hundred yards of no man’s land.
But still Gonzi needs a Nivelle to make an example of certain wayward backbenchers.
RCC with a carte blanche would make a good Nivelle.
Doesn’t he already have the carte blanche, behind the scenes?
A firing squad at dawn on Castille Place would concentrate the minds of the recalcitrant backbenchers.
But you can’t expect the provincial people making up our political class to grasp the meaning of the potential collapse of the eurozone.
How will he be able to face his constituents or the band club committee if he’s not seen to be doing something about the buses?
The eurozone crisis is something that happens somewhere in Brussels. It’s just hot air that will not affect our lives in any way. They think.
Your article is proof that we really need you with the top people at PN – think about it.
[Daphne – There is no way I am ever going to become a politician.]
A loss indeed!
Someone once said it is all a matter of how you are perceived that count.
On this one Daphne your statement would hold if you happen to live everywhere but not on this island.
Do not forget we are so parochial that we even argue which of the two is the Best. Is it Our Lady is tal-Gilju jew Our Lady tal-Carmenu?
Oh come on Daphne, we really need a tough woman Angela Merkel style in our parliament.
You can still make it for the next election. You have my number one.
As much as I admire you, I must confess I can’t visualize you as a member of any political party. You would never be able to, as they say “pull the party line” if it not in line with your convictions.
You have a mind of your own and would not allow any “party whip” to tell you what to do.
Your place is right where you are, calling black as black and white as white, irrespective.
I have read and heard many names, some not very ladylike, given to you. If I had to pick one it would be ‘Il Flagello dei Prepotenti’.
Why do you assume that if the Opposition’s motion passes, this will bring down the government?
Does this MP read your blog or is he such a “menefreghista” that he classifies himself as being God’s gift to the people of Ghaxaq who elected him for the first and only time in his political life?
It depends on his level of English.
I can assure you that he reads it and keeps copies. Just look at this comment he posted on timesofmalta.com:
franco debono
Oct 25th, 19:25
@ j schembri
are you the same j schembri that a few days after the last election had hoped for and predicted on another site that as a consequence of my election to parliament this country will have “a Lady Speaker and a President as a side effect of your unseating of Dr Galea and Ms D’amato.”
He wrote this with no punctuation or capital letters but he cut-and-pasted the quotation from “another site”. Is Daphne now Voldemort to Franco Debono as well: “the one whose name shouldn’t be spoken”?
This is from the “other site” :http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2008/03/17/monday-17-march-1630hrs
The truth is sad but that does not mean it should not be spelt out.
Malta has never been a nation and will never be one.
It is, and will forever be, a largish parish.
Yes, he does think he is God`s gift. It shows in the way he walks and his whole body language.
None of all this would have happened if Austin would have done the decent thing, and that is acknowledge his major f**k-up and resigned.
Your opinion on Lawrence Gonzi being a weak prime minister because of him not controlling Franco Debono also applies to him beig a weak leader because he did not ask for Austin’s, Dolores Cristina’s and Tonio Fenech’s resignation when they performed mammoth f**k-ups. He would have regained the respect he once hand amongst well-to-do Nationalists and floaters.
Unfortunately, and for reasons only you could explain to your faithful blog-followers, you choose to stick up for doomed politicians, way past their sell by date.
Using the pathetic excuse that due to the euozone crises we should maintain the status quo only reaffirms that you are not different to the mediocrity-tolerant Maltese nationals. What are you expecting? Austin Gatt to save the euro with a ‘black adder’ styled cunning plan and so we should leave him there? Is it such a big deal that Lawrence Gonzi makes an effort, reappear from his hibernation and asks Austin, please, give us a break will you, and kindly leave? Will this be so time consuming that it will completely upset Lawrence Gonzi’s schedule of him drafting Keynesian’s strategies to save the euro?
May I remind you that the UK is in a worse position that us and David Cameron still found the time to get rid of his Defense secretary for what is in my eyes futile reasons compared to Austin’s and gosh, they are also in the midst of a war!
Anyway thanks for continuing to reaffirm and strenghten mediocrity and to shoot down thatcourageous enough to denounce it.
[Daphne – Have it your own way. I’m in the middle of a magazine deadline and I couldn’t be fagged to bicker with people who are set in their thinking.]
@ Jean, my my, you do hate Dr. Austin Gatt don’t you?
Of course you do. The Labour Party could do with the likes of Dr. Gatt and Dr. Gonzi in their stable. Or should I say sty?
Too bad, they’ll have to lump their not-fit-for-purpose lot.
No, Labour is not fit to govern at the best of times, much less at a time when the situation all around us is so dire.
But I think you have already figured that out for yourself – that the electorate may not be so foolish as to elect the PL when the global situation is what it is – and that is why you are getting so hot under the collar.
Hate Austin Gatt?! I hate mediocrity. But then again why bicker with blinded pro-GonziPn who attack my political beliefs (are you so sure I’m a Labour?) rather than the argument. Yes go one egging this mediocre government so we continue getting much of the same.
” I’m in the middle of a magazine deadline and I couldn’t be fagged to bicker with people who are set in their thinking.”
Don’t tell us that you have a tighter schedule than Joseph? Can’t the publishers wait like Lou did on Bondi+?
[Daphne – I’m the publisher, so no.]
The EU started off as an economic agreement first which grew into what the EU is today. I guess that means that the seeds of the EU were sown the ever changing economies of its members.
Therefore, I suppose that is where its strengths and weaknesses can be found.
I believe that what the EU needs right now is clear leadership, so that we can move the foundations of the EU out of economics and on to something stronger and less changeable.
I watched the news with bated breath, waiting to hear what had been agreed upon, if anything.
At first I thought that the EU was not working. But when they had agreed on a deal, and everyone was happy with it, I asked myself the question: would this have been possible without such a united Europe?
If all countries had put their country first and not cared about others, how would we all have survived?
To me, the EU is not an economic agreement. Although the situation is all about money, we have seen how 27 countries, with all their differences and pride, can actually work together to make sure everyone survives.
That is what the EU means to me.
Someone should flag that up – and make everyone else aware of how remarkable all our leaders have been in the face of collapse.
Lets do not forget who are the members of parliament who are holding our government at ransom and reward them in the coming elections, by taking a note of their names.
For me they may not even bother to write their names on the ballot paper.
Keep it up Daphne.
You should ban “Keep it up” on this blog.
Why?
Still it is no excuse! People are really suffering because of the ‘revolution’ in the bus system.
Of course being Maltese we should just take it and thank Dr Austin Gatt and the ‘experts’ who formulated it! No wonder there is such chaos in the morning…nobody is trusting the bus service and everybody and his cat is using their own transport.
Resign, boy !
The new buses should have been introduced on the existent routes and then, gradually, introduce the new routes in a drip fashion – one by one gently with no hiccups. But Austin Gatt remains a star minister who gets things done even with some mistakes – but he gets things done.