Great leading article – and even Martin Scicluna has woken up to reality

Published: November 26, 2014 at 12:23pm

leadng article

martin scicluna




28 Comments Comment

  1. manum says:

    Brilliant.

  2. Conservative says:

    My dear Madam,

    There is only one way to describe PM Muscat’s shambolic government: “omnishambles”.

    “Omnishambles” is the delicious concept of a multiple screw up in all areas, invented by the writers of political satire “The Thick of It”:

    “…you’re a f*****g omnishambles, that’s what you are. You’re like that coffee machine, you know: from bean to cup, you f**k up…”

    From: Series 3, Episode 1, The Thick of It.

    And when Minister Mizzi gets his sticky hands on public transport, it becomes a blistering “Omni-bus-shambles”

  3. Jozef says:

    Hello there, welcome to 80s Malta revisited – Josanne Cassar and Lou Bondi next.

    The backbench couple would be nice.

    Given up on Deborah Schembri, propensity for legalese spikes her brain, she’ll come up with direction of the shot irrelevant when a warning, it’s the noise it makes, no silencer on that Glock ergo bla bla.

    Who’s a bejta avukati now?

  4. J. Agius says:

    Iz-zejt tiela’ f’wicc l-ilma.

  5. Joe Fenech says:

    Good to see people sobering up.

  6. ciccio says:

    Sorry to go on a tangent, but this is important too.

    The article of The Times about the La Vallette Multi Manager Property Fund does not report about the scathing attack by Paul Bonello on the Labour Chairman of BOV, John Cassar White.

    Now would that be because Mr. Cassar White was a regular contributor on The Times?

    Why is The Times not attaching a copy of Finco’s letter to investors like Malta Today?

    This is another case where the Labour government has taken voters for a ride.

    http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/ui/files/Paul%20Bonello%20statement%20LVMMPF%2020141126.pdf

    http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/business/business_news/46784/finco_says_bov_chairman_refusing_arbitration_on_la_valette_compensation

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141126/local/out-of-court-settlement-for-la-valette-property-fund-investors.545779

      • ciccio says:

        Allura il-fatt li John Cassar White, dejjem skond Bonello, l-ewwel qal li se jmur ghal-arbitragg, imbaghad biddel hsiebu, x’inhuwa:

        (a) “dilettantizmu”;

        (b) “inkompetenza”;

        (c) “korruzzjoni”;

        (d) “decizjonijiet li jittiehdu fl-interess tal-ftit kontra l-interess tal-hafna”?

        Bonello jattakka lil Cassar White talli dan, qabel l-elezzjoni, kien ikkritika lil BOV. Allura lil Bonello x’irid jinghadlu, wara li tant fahhar lil Labour qabel l-elezzjoni?

      • Gozo Joe says:

        Please watch this video again, especially at 1.37 when the Speaker talks about corruption. Prophetic stuff! Look who shows up at that exact moment.

        Later on in his speech, the Speaker lauds Muscat for not tolerating “dawk li jaqbzu l-linja”. Alas, Muscat is still dithering on this one.

  7. Bug Off Joey says:

    https://www.facebook.com/luciano.busuttil?fref=ts

    Mid-dehra l’onorevoli DOTTOR Busuttil mhux busy il- qorti illum. X’ jahli iz-zmien idahhak in- nies bih dalghodu fuq FB.

  8. Kif inhi din? says:

    The Prime Minister showed his lack of integrity from day one: he allowed his ministers to continue with their private work.

    As was highlighted, his ministers and MPs got away with breaking one code of ethics after another.

  9. mattie says:

    Good to see that people admit their mistakes, in the end.

  10. Tabatha White says:

    Re the part in the Editorial about Helena Dalli:

    The point is not whether it is incredible or not that she didn’t know, the point is that whether or not the property is on Konvenju, it remains her property and therefore her responsibility. The onus is on her. It is about onus and responsibility of ownership.

    • Mila says:

      One assumes that she, as one half of the couple, benefits from profits made from this company.

      Since, as far as we know, she has not divorced or is not legally separated from her husband, her argument falls flat.

      • Tabatha White says:

        Do you think they put a whole lot of fog into every argument, editors and all, thinking the house will disappear from sight if the Minister is determined to stay?

        Is she one of those Maltese who won’t let the sunlight through her bedroom window for fear of it attacking the antiques?

        I highly doubt that.

        I’m so tired of the attempts at mind-bending.

        If they would all just do the decent thing and go.

        Such a sham set-up from whichever point it’s analysed.

  11. Karl Borg says:

    Don’t trust this snake.

  12. Rupert says:

    One of the many reasons why Manuel Mallia is not, and never was, fit for purpose as Minister of the Interior is that he is only capable of thinking and acting as a defence lawyer.

    In criminal law the role of a defence lawyer is to ensure that no person is convicted of a crime unless such conviction is proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    In any developed and democratic state, a Minister is held to higher standards than alleged criminals.

    A Minister’s actions must not only be correct and proper but must be seen to be so. A Minister is a servant of the state. He (or she) is accountable not to a client but to Parliament and to the country at large.

    His or her success or otherwise is not determined by a jury but by public sentiment.

    Ever since he joined the political fray Mallia has employed the language, tactics and approach of a defence lawyer attempting to impress a jury. This approach may have helped him get elected and secured his Cabinet position. But it is also proving to be an insurmountable obstacle to fulfilling his duties as a Minister of State in a democratic country.

    He has been unable to make the transition from a defence lawyer to a servant of the state.

  13. pale blue my foot! says:

    I always follow Martin Scicluna’s articles with interest. They are always measured and though I may not always agree with him, I do not doubt his sincerity. Good to read his latest article today.

  14. Edgar says:

    Martin is slowly waking up and is smelling the coffee. He cannot admit overnight that he was completely wrong to advise us about voting for Muscat before the elections. But he is getting there slowly.

  15. A V says:

    So in 2013 it was an earthquake and now we have the tsunami which is even more devastating as it is bringing about the total destruction of all the high institutions that managed to survive the earthquake.

  16. Banana Republic .... again says:

    I’m still waiting to hear his apology

  17. Francesca says:

    I have always considered Simon Busuttil as a great man. He is honest, intelligent and hard working. He was willing to give up a great job to take on a thankless position which I am very sure few were willing to take.

    Well done, Simon – I have great respect for you and I know you will lead us to victory and rid us of these dishonest power-hungry philistines.

  18. What Bridge says:

    Unless I am missing something really obvious, there is something really wrong here. A 26 mile bridge in China costs nearly the same as the Gozo bridge which is under 9km long. Of course, ‘jien mhux tekiniku’, in these matters.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009748/That-bridge-far-Worlds-longest-sea-bridge-opens-traffic-China–hold-title-years.html

  19. Mila says:

    Not the same can be said for this article however:

    ”€3 million in benefits saved as payment to abusers stopped – minister”

    ‘Saved’ implies a done deal, but in the artilcle it says ‘is being saved’ but does not specify over which period.

    ”The country is saving more than €3 million in benefit payments after it stopped paying 724 abusers , Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia said this morning.”

    The article states ”Farrugia said that more people were being investigated.”

    ‘More’ as in ‘more than before or a certain number’ or it meant to say ‘more WILL BE investigated’.

    The article goes on to state ”He (Farrugia) also spoke on the EU food scheme and said this was currently in the tender process and would be implemented in the beginning of the year.” It does not answer the question many have been asking regarding why EU food distribution had been stopped, nor does it acknowledge the fact that where supplies are dependent on tenders, the said tenders are sorted so as not to disrupt supply.

    The article does end with a loaded quip in line with what we have come to expect from this government, conveniently not substantiated.

    ”The government, he said, would not allow abuse even on the food being donated by the EU”

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141127/local/3-million-in-benefits-saved-as-payment-to-abusers-stopped-minister.545889

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