Simon Busuttil made a terrific impression tonight
Published:
November 24, 2014 at 9:13pm
Yes, that’s the word out now: what a relief it was to hear the voice of uncommon decency speak strong in this welter of scheming, money-grubbing, law-breaking, rule-bending, crony-appointing scum.
Because really, what scum they are – and anybody who’s still feeling good about having put these crooks and criminals in power is scum too. Or insane. Or just plain stupid.
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True. Simon has improved considerably although he needs to repeat less often. However, I wonder how he found nothing wrong with minister Louis Grech. Perhaps because he does nothing at all?
Who is Louis Grech? Is he a politician?
I think he’s the guy from that stairlift advert.
He is the monk in the seclusion of the cloister praying and interceding in holy silence, for the sinful lot that surrounds him.
Simon Busuttil sat down quietly, started organising and regrouping the party. He has taken twenty months in the process.
He has brought Labour to its knees, uncovered abuse, stood firm in the face of a populist government and yesterday gave us a foretaste of what is to come.
I expect Toni Abela to make more frequent appearances on TV shows only to darken our screens and reassure us that all is not doom and gloom yet.
The day is still to come, he would say, and it is not nigh, all in true Labour style. What a lie.
Yes Dr Busuttil made quite an impression. He wiped the floor with those in the government benches without resorting to being obnoxious or rude.
Kemm kien tajjeb! Prosit Dr Busuttil. Hekk irriduk aħna. Nittama li dawk l-iswitchers li wikkewlna li dan il-gvern inkompetenti għall-aħħar, qed jirrealizzaw l-izball li għamlu u jkollhom id-deċenza li jerġgħu jagħtu lil Malta, l-gvern li jistħoqqilha.
Veru gvern tal-gideb!
I endorse this 100 % … Simon was impeccable except for referring to Joey Mizzi’s sister’s wife getting preferential treatment to get a cleaner’s job
Surely you didn’t think that it spoiled an otherwise impeccable blow by blow accounting of what he thought of Scicluna’s budget and the sleaze of a number of ministers and backbenchers, and his remark that ‘il-huta minn rasha tinten’?
I thought he was brilliant and he pointed fingers directly at the most notorious gang of thieves and schemers.
Not at all …Busuttil knocked them out.
All those evil deeds and then one slip of the tongue from Dr Busuttil and one could hear the excitement and uproar from the PL’s side.
What a sleazy despicable lot they are.
It was a stunning speech, I almost felt like cheering. Dr. Busuttil slammed those corrupt pricks back into their places one by one, systematically and coolly, with plain and simple truth and damning facts. Excellent.
Hear , hear !
U din. She doesn’t know whether she’s coming or going.
“If the right people don’t have power the wrong people will get it”.
That is a quote from Sir Humphrey Appleby. And so right he was. Because the wrong people have got it and boy, are they feeding at the trough.
Simon was vintage brilliant tonight. I think he may do.
Simon, you were superb – the best ever.
I really hope this woman puts her money were her mouth is., because the man who she helped elect as prime minister and all the cronies who came with the package are imbarazz. Dr Farrugia it is high time you help spring-clean our country from this rubbish.
As for Dr Busuttil – well done, about time too! Phew maybe there is a glimmer of light at the end of this dark chapter that our country is going through.
Is she a decent woman in a situation where she has little room for manoeuvre or just plain confused?
It all depends on how she continues to vote.
That should tell us loud and clear.
You can’t dance at two weddings at the same time.
You can’t ride two horses going in different directions at the same time.
This was the best post-budget speech I have heard so far. Dr. Busuttil’s wit and clever phrases were sharp, funny and perfectly placed.
I loved the bit where the minister of traffic just walked in as his ministry was being attacked. Suddenly I have a feel good feeling and beginning to believe that he has that winning streak. Well done, Dr. Busuttil. This is another step forward from the conference speech. Keep them coming and give us hope for a better future.
One of the best lines — Asking whether Konrad Mizzi’s wife Sai had found an office in China, Busuttil quips “if not we’ll send Willie Mangion to find a garage in China.”
The PL is in panic after Simon Busuttil’s speech.
One TV panic station is reacting with a live programme.
Special guests, JPO and Ramona Frendo.
He was fantastic, and the jibes at the traffic minister and Kon Rat where hilarious. Well done.
Couldn’t Joseph buy Marlene’s silence?
Marlene Farrugia is a decent person. She won’t accept to be pulled down in the sewers by Joseph Muscat’s third world politics.
I totally agree with you. But she now needs to commit herself from words to action.
If she feels that the budget and the government are to be criticised, then she should move from words to action and vote against.
Let’s face it she was part of the Labour Party’s electoral campaign. The campaign was based on lies, false promises and underhand dealings. Twenty months of Labour government have been based on corruption and missed deadlines.
So now it is time for her to act.
With such a big majority in Parliament, Joseph thinks she isn’t even worth buying.
Busuttil kixef is-serq u kemm ghandhom pagi l-back benchers tal-gvern. Kien eccellenti u kiexef is-serq tal-ministri tal-gvern.
Kiexef il-balbuljati tal-ministru Leli Mallia. U fl-ahhar l-istqarrija ta’ Leli Mallia, meta qal li kien tal-barrani voldieri qal car li kien Nazzjonalist. Mur ara Laburisti genwini x’jahsbu wara din l-istqarrijja.
I only listened to the last part of his speech where he was accusing each minister with their recent gaffes.
I thought that’s the way to go, Busuttil, but then wondered what Muscat’s reply was going to be.
I think I know the answer, and it’s not original: TU QUOQUE.
Bit of a problem there. Can’t remember any PN minister’s driver shooting at anyone. Nor any PN minister’s wife being given €120k plus to go back home. Nor any PN minister building illegally and denying the property’s hers. X’izjed? The list is a tad too long. Hats off to Simon Busuttil.
Muscat: Busuttil is just after a wage increase for his MPs.
I shit you not.
Għarukaża ta’ raġel. Jgħajjar lil Dr Busuttil li qed ifittex iż-żieda għalih u għal sħabu. Prosit Dr Busuttil. Hekk iriduk aħna. Nittama li dawk l-iswitchers li bellgħulna dan il-gvern inkompetenti għall-aħħar, ikollhom id-deċenza li jagħtu lura lil Malta, l-gvern li verament jixirqilha. Well done!
Where can I watch a recording of Simon Busuttil’s speech?
http://www.parlament.mt/filebank/audio/audiopublic/12thleg/Plenary/Plenary%20203%2024-11-2014%201800hrs.mp3
http://www.parlament.mt/sittingdetails?sid=4798&l=1&legcat=13&forcat=12 Click on the audio file and then wait a few seconds until the audio of the sitting starts (there is silence at the beginning).
Simon Busuttil appealed to the hearts of people of goodwill. He was very incisive, forceful and inspiring. This is the sort of approach needed to break down the PL myth that Malta is Taghna Lkoll.
Simon Busuttil named and shamed ..and I am sure had he been given more time, he would have named and shamed others from the same PL stable. But it is a very good sign and I pray God that this trend continues and we will see a real breakthrough in how we use politics to hold to account usurpers of power and hypocrites.
Without detracting one iota from Simon Busuttil’s brilliant performance in the House this evening I would like to make one short comment.
The country is in such a humongous and disastrous mess that it is not particulary onerous to sound and appear like a breath of fresh air in the circumstances.
The corruption, sleaze, lying, incompetence, pilfering, squandering and tampering with the course of justice are appalling.
Busuttil said what all thinking Maltese of goodwill are wanting to say in the midst of a veritable unmitigated disaster that has befallen our little nation.
Ma nistax nifhem jien .
Simon Busuttil was brilliant. This is only the start. Just give him a while.
Naturally Joseph Muscat is saying that Simon Busuttil was negative.
Muscat, your image is starting to crumble. That’s what happens when image is not underpinned by substance. You are still backed by a number of switchers because they are too ashamed to admit they were wrong but you will never know how they will vote next time before it’s too late.
Ghadu ghaddej bin-negattiv?
Dan nduna x’gara l-gimgha li ghaddiet, jew iridu jmutu n-nies l-ewwel?
Ghadu ghaddej bin-negattiv, ghax dawk il-partita hmir li jivvotawlu drawh jghidha, inkella ma jifhmuhx.
They’re not ashamed – they’re too proud for that. They’re just livid at being proved wrong and some are secretly blaming the PL propaganda machine for taking them for a ride, whilst others are stubbornly digging their heels in and turning their hdura at the people who proved them wrong.
Yes, the Leader of the Opposition was brilliant tonight. In contrast, Joseph Muscat looked extremely uncomfortable during his brief press conference that followed. He was very flushed and totally unconvincing. Well done, Dr Busuttil. Marlene Farrugia clearly fully supports him.
Definitely a sigh of relief. We need it badly.
You should read the comments there. So many are still feeling good. Call it stupid call it whatever the feeling is so still there. I dared commenting got bombarded, they still believe in Cosa Nostra.
Simon Busuttil was truly excellent – sharp, witty and a pleasure to listen to. I was driving and had to pull to the kerb a couple of times as I doubled up with laughter behind the wheel.
It’s good to laugh but the unfortunate reality is that we are in such a sad situation.
Daphne, I hear the diehard Labour supporters are panicking as we approach their 22 months in government. What a sense of déjà vu!
“If Helena Dalli does not know what’s happening on her property down the road from where she lives, how would she know what’s happening in her Ministry?”
“I have this to say to Konrad Mizzi: Shame on you, Ministru.”
Simon Busuttil showed in his speech tonight a sense of authority, which is precisely what Joseph Muscat is lacking right now.
The contrast couldn’t be stronger.
At last, what I have been saying for a very long time that Simon Busuttil was the right choice for leader, is getting the approval of my many sceptical friends.
He did not waste his time quoting figures and numbers that the people out there don’t really bother about. He attacked and hit them where it really hurts. He was brilliant and very assertive.
Hlief meta zewweg l-oht Joe Mizzi ma’ mara ohra.
U iva issa moda aktar minn qatt qabel.
Dak biex jaghti ftit cans lil tan-naha tal-gvern jizvugaw ghax kienu kollha qishom peprina b’demmhom taht il-blata, jew it-television tieghi Taghna lkoll u qed juri hafna affarijiet homor.
It was obvious that the PBS cameramen were instructed not to focus on the PM and his stooges in order not to expose their flustered and flushed faces. A shameful greedy lot – this is what the PL parliamentary group are.
Kemm tkazaw u dahku tal-Labour fuq il-bankijiet tan-naha l-ohra. Mur ara x’kienu jghidu kieku qal ‘it-tifla tal-mara ta’ oht Joe Mizzi”?
In-neputija ta’ Mubarak.
I thought the speech tonight was fitting, and can hit harder.
Joseph Muscat can react, but he has lost the high ground.
There is nothing he can respectfully do to regain it, except resign.
And that is what still needs to be called for.
Tomorrow Muskrat will continue to dig his hole. Watch him as he defends the Minister of Defence.
Well, now it is legal isn’t it?
Muscat wara d-diskors ta’ Simon qal hekk:
“Diskors negattiv, ma semmiegħx ħaġa waħda pożittiva, prova jtwawwal u jitkellem dwar il-baġit iżda ma rnexxielux, ma jifhimx fl-ekonomija”.
Veru ghandna ziblu jmexxi lill pajjizna. Diskors bhal dak u jigi jghid hekk. Veru persuna mahmuga Muscat. Persuna indannata u irrabbjata ghax qed jinduna li tilef il fiducja tal-poplu.
“Ma jifhimx fl-ekonomija” is the latest parrot buzz. The press line was introduced around three weeks ago. It is another one of the marketing tactics.
Meta Muscat qal li Simon ma jifhimx fl-ekonomija Simon Busuttil irrispondieh li hu (Simon) kien ikkoregielu it-tezi jiggifieri li jifhem aktar minnu zgur.
The last ‘reply to the budget’ speech I heard was the frightening one Eddie Fenech Adami gave in 1986. After that there was no more need to hear them, we enjoyed peace of mind.
Today I rekindled that experience when I heard Simon Busuttil, in a fiery speech, demolish all the pretence and the fakeness of Labour. Prosit – a true politician.
That’s the point.
Between 1987 and 2008 there was no need to be on tenterhooks all the time. Politics didn’t induce raw survival stress on the man in the street. Not even Alfred Sant’s stint in power had these constantly dangerous undertones to it.
Today, there was a redressing of the balance that has not been felt since since 2008.
Thank you, Dr Busuttil.
And a true gentleman – a rare breed indeed .
How about “Is-sewwa jirbah biss jekk ahna niddefenduh”?
I have never doubted Simon Busuttil. Brilliant Kap! He is now convincing the sceptical ones. It can only get better.
Dr Simon Busuttil and the PN should be proud to be negative when that negativity means saying “NO”emphatically to remaining complacently tolerant if not accomplices to criminality, to compulsive lying, to unkept solemn electoral promises, to the arrest of a harmless victim and to the protection of armed aggressors, to incompetent and corrupt politicians who make a big mess of governing and then insist that the Nationalist Party should bail them out
Amen to that!
Well said, Daphne. Simon Busuttil rose to the occasion. He is gathering momentum by the day and I am confident that his best is yet to come.
This speech reminded me of Eddie Fenech Adami’s in 1986: people are not interested in figures, money, etc. People want to know what is really happening, what the state TV station is trying to hide.
And please Simon Busuttil and PN media, keep repeating and repeating so that everyone hears all these facts about all these messes.
And let’s not be afraid of sharing our opinion at work, on the different social media…don’t be intimidated.
I agree with you AM. The PN should concentrate on the last 30 minutes of Simon Busuttil’s speech and keep repeating it every day. To hell with statistics in these ugly times.
Simon Busuttil is simply doing his job. The real hero tonight is Marlene Farrugia. Well done.
And what a fantastic job he made of it.
A hero? Not yet. She needs to vote against the budget first.
Marlene Farrugia is comparable to an armchair supporter of a war against fascism while all the others are on the frontline.
Simon Busuttil keeps getting better whilst Labour are showing their true colours and the wide cracks are starting to show.
It’s a shame the switchers did not see through all the Taghna Llkoll crap 20 months ago.
I wonder if an election were held tomorrow; what would happen?
That’s easy to answer. We’ll still be lumped with Labour in government.
That’s not my feeling. What frightens me are crooked elections.
I’m not saying that it’s impossible for PN to win the next election, just not yet. News takes long to reach most people.
Take my mother. I asked her, Did you hear about the shooting? She said, Yes of course I did. I told her that it’s incredible how Manuel Mallia gets involved in one scandal after the other. She replied, Who’s Manuel Mallia? *facepalm
Keep in mind that she’s an intelligent woman in a profession. She’s just not into politics and hates watching the 8pm news. Plenty of people are like her.
People need to hear ad nauseam about this government’s scandals.
After Simon Busuttil’s speech I now am confident that Labour will not last more than five years.
Agree… he was just excellent.
Oh how much I agree with you. And I will be the first one to make sure that I contribute to this.
Difficult times are ahead and the PN top brass need to understand this fact: that the MLP never relinquished power easily, except in 1998 when they did not have enough time to consolidate power over every nook and cranny of the public service.
That was a lesson learned and that’s why Muscat spent the first months of his premiership replacing all government management with his cronies.
I tell you that the next elections will be somehow rigged. Wait for electronic voting, foreign citizens, ex-Chinese millionaire citizens etc etc. Their plan is to stay in power no matter what.
But once they lose it, the MLP will then be doomed for another quarter century on the Opposition benches, if not oblivion.
[Daphne – Ma tantx kienu doomed to oblivion id-dinosawri korrotti ta’ Mintoff, ghax bhalissa wiehed qieghed Kummissarju Ewropej, iehor Special Envoy to the World Trade Organisation, u iehor Special Envoy to the World Tourism Organisation imma ohxon u “disabled” wisq biex jivvjagga ghax miskin ghandu disabled parking space wara l-bieb u ma joqghodx f’seat wiehed fl-ajruplan allura expensive wisq biex itir bhal Marc Sant.]
Brilliant!
Amen
Anywhere I can watch it on the web?
http://www.parlament.mt/filebank/audio/audiopublic/12thleg/Plenary/Plenary%20203%2024-11-2014%201800hrs.mp3
For those of you looking for Dr. Busuttil’s speech, it has been uploaded on the FB page ‘This is Malta under a Labour Government’ by Peter Darmanin.
SCUM is all of you writing here in this SCUM BAG blog……VIVA L-LABOUR U VIVA JOSEPH MUSCAT……..Imisskhom indunajtu kemm tilef il-fiducja tal-poplu il-Prim Ministru wara l-Fun Run tal-president meta tkellmu l-kap tal-Oppozizzjoni u warajh il-Prim Ministru ta’Malta mir-reazzjoni tan-nies, Joseph izid mas-37,000 qieghed serrhu raskhom hmieg!
Marlene ma taqbilx mieghek.
Not even worth a reply….just get lost.
Debbie, how will you be spending your 58 cents?
Natural reaction from Labour as they are finally feeling threatened.
Why are you getting so hot and bothered if you believe you have another 36,999 with you?
Debbie, perhaps that’s because a “fun run” attracts the likes of those who like to make a show of giving money to charity.
Most Nationalists who I know don’t subscribe to that mentality, and prefer to do charity/donate money incognito.
Sizzling and scorched.
The Fun Run:
A sneaky way of getting those 58cents back for reinvestment into the economy, to a select group of choice. Like we’re not all suffering from some digestion disorder at the moment.
No sooner “given” than taken.
How much did they raise?
Has anyone set up a charity that treats brain gastritis for balding blonds with a weight problem, or is that called The Labour Party?
Joseph tieghek issa ghandu il-voti tal-korrotti kollha. Jekk il-maggoranza tal-Maltin huma korrotti, allura iva ghandu maggoranza kif qed tahseb inti.
Jekk le, allura Joseph ikun ‘an also ran’ bhal ex-mentor tieghu Alfred Sant.
U ibqa ivventila kemm iz-zokk trid.
Absofuckingutely brilliant! Well done, Dr. Busuttil.
Simon Busuttil is a genuinely honest guy, in Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi’s mould, who did his best to try to introduce some EU civility to the Maltese parliament.
It doesn’t work with these guys and he has shown tonight that he can hold his own when push comes to shove.
Exactly!
Well done Dr. Busuttil! Way to go!
EU civility? Give me British wit in parliament any day. The European Parliament is dead because they don’t speak the same language and there is no scope for repartee at all. That’s not how national parliaments work.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141124/local/busuttil-says-the-prime-minister-has-lost-his-moral-authority-hits-out-at-labour-mps-pay-and-abuses.545492
I cannot understand Marlene Farrugia. She is all the time taking stands against the government on Facebook, but whenever she had the chance to vote against the government she never did so.
If she really believes what she writes why doesn’t she and Godfrey resign from the PL and move to the other side of the chamber?
I totally agree with you. I don’t trust her and sometimes I wonder whether her comments like the one above are sarcastic or not.
Marlene Farrugia is acting correctly. When and if the time comes she will not cross the floor, but simply resign.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-24/local-news/Busuttil-People-have-already-forgotten-the-budget-they-are-angry-and-disgusted-at-the-government-6736126289
Superb Simon Busuttil.
Well done.
I now started to see the light at the end of the tunnel, when I saw my husband who was one of the switchers (but no scum) applauding as Simon Busuttil spoke.
Superb speech, even with the verbal slip – with the PL in power that situation is possible being his sister’s wife. They are the ones to be laughed at, not Dr Busuttil.
EĊĊELLENTI Dott. Busuttil. L-aqwa diskors li smajt mingħandu u t-tonalita’ perfetta. Dawn il-qlafat hekk iridu. Prosit, fakkartni f’diskorsi li kien ikollna minnd Dr. Fenech Adami u Dr. Demarco.
Daċ-ċarlatan ta’ Prim li għandna kien qal li hu (underdog) u tridu tifhmu għaliex. Mhux għax kien ilhom 22 sena fl-oppożizzjoni imma kienu qed jitkellmu (money wise u poter). F’sentejn ġabu ta’ 22 sena. Ja qatta’ makkjavellisti. Il Principe ta’ Malta. Issa m’għadhomx minn taħt……altru mhux arloġġ biss ħadu dawn u dak il-baħnan Franku bela’ xi kanna u m’għadux jitkellem?
I never liked much the way Simon Busuttil spoke, neither did I ever think he would be good as a leader, but yesterday he struck me because he managed to portray the real situation we are living in today.
All the wrong-doing has been portrayed excellently and I truly felt he was speaking my mind.
In just two years we have had all those scandals and I bet that many are yet to come. He has improved so much and he gave a terrific speech.
I like the guy and next time will probably vote for him.
It will be the first time in my life I vote PN but I can’t bear anymore that every single day we receive one injustice after the other. Since Labour took over there has been no single weekend when I went home from work not heartbroken for an injustice I received.
A little more effort and next time you will vote for him. Take your time, it is worth the effort.
I believe that Simon Busuttil finally demolished one PL myth. He emphasised that they have lost not only core moral values, but also their social conscience.
[Daphne – LOST?]
It is the pensioners, the low income workers and the thousands of families that are living just above or well below the poverty line.
The rich, particularly the property developers will get richer but the middle class and those particularly and genuinely in need are getting poorer.
Which heavily indicates where their personal side of their toast is buttered
I was never a fan of Simon Busuttil’s speeches but this one must have been frightening for the PL.
It’s great to have some real opposition as I can count at least 4 ministers who should have been sacked by now.
Let’s see if Marlene has the guts to vote against the Budget. Then she will prove that hers are not just words.
She may one day get in. But until that day arrives, she will always be on the verge, but never in.
Well done, Simon! And I echo many who feel the same way. I hope those who voted for this scum are feeling terrible about the mess they have brought us into.
[Daphne – Yeah, right. You really have a lot to learn about personality traits. If they had that kind of personality, they wouldn’t have voted for them in the first place.]
It was the first time that I had a blast watching Dr Busuttil yesterday. His oratory skills have really improved and I enjoyed the way he emphasised the need for a moral code of honesty as a guiding principle to good government.
The Nationalist Party might have not had a good report card in that department during their last term. However, its behaviour pales in comparison to the past year since Labour have been in power. Some Nationalist minister may have been corrupt and immoral but this government wins hands down.
Another valid reason for change.
Well done, Dr Busuttil.
I was listening to the speech through the link on the Parliament’s website and something went wrong in the last 20 minutes or so and it stopped. I’m trying to get to it again and I can’t. Am I the only one?
Thanks, Dr. Busuttil. The speech reminded me of Dr.Fenech Adami’s budget speech just after the murder of Raymond Caruana.
As Gonzi said before the last General Election, so it rings true even now. He said that it was easy to criticise when in opposition.
This woman has either lost the plot or is regularly being forcefed koolaid:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-25/local-news/Marlene-Farrugia-today-praises-PM-6736126350