Hurry, the gravy-train is leaving the station
The mad scramble begins as Malta’s seats in the European Parliament come up for grabs once more (time flies when you’re having fun). A year ahead of voting, we’re already beginning to see the jostling as candidates of the same party do their level best to elbow each other out of the way and get ahead in the voters’ favour. For people with a particular kind of ambition, the prize is a whole lot bigger than a seat in the Maltese parliament, which is why the competition tends to attract a particular kind of person. There are some valid candidates, just as there are a couple of highly effective current MEPs, but in the main, the MEP race attracts a bunch of chancers and opportunists who see the whole shebang as a way of improving their life and nurturing their personal ambitions.
And so we have a swathe of Super One ‘journalists’ to follow in the wake of the best-known Super One journalist-turned-MEP of them all, Joseph Muscat -who, three months after becoming party leader is still faffing around on an MEP salary (might as well make the most of it while you can, now that there are Soleil and Etoile’s Pampers to buy), while appointing CEOs and watching Sammy Meilaq perform to a mike. When he finally lets go of that seat, though it looks like he will have to be prised away from it with an oyster-shucker, the likelihood is that it will go straight to another former Super One journalist, turned restaurateur: the nasal-voiced creep Glenn Bedingfield (that’s one restaurant I won’t be dining at any time soon). Bedingfield polled some 13,500 votes in the 2004 MEP election. Truly, there’s no accounting for taste.
The MLP MEP candidate list will also include current Super One journalists Charlon Gouder, he who starred in the most-watched YouTube video of the last general election campaign, and Claudette Baldacchino, who already has her own Facebook group: ‘Claudette Abela Baldacchino – Your Choice. Your voice in Europe.’ To think that only five-and-a-half years ago she was on the campaign trail, telling us to vote No to Europe lest we end up fried by Sicilian chefs or trimmed to within an inch of our lives by barbers from Catania….I am invariably impressed by the ability of certain people to reinvent themselves with nonchalance and a toothy smile.
Oh, and the list includes our old friend Sharon Ellul Bonici, who campaigned for crackpot Karmenu’s CNI movement and was even more dead-set against EU membership than Alfred Sant. Unlike those pinnuri down at Mile End, led by the Pinnur-in-Chief Joseph Muscat, she remains firmly against membership and has trained her sights instead on campaigning against EU treaties, travelling the length and breadth of the continent to do it, from her conveniently located home in Brussels. Ellul Bonici had better consider her options carefully, because she risks having that infamous EUR15,000 fine slapped on her – though she can afford to be a little more cavalier with money, now that both she and her husband have secured self-described “well paid” jobs in the City of Iniquity. When asked about the presence of this Eurosceptic on his party list, fence-sitting Muscat said: “All our candidates will need to make a clear commitment towards party policy. There are no ifs and buts. We are a pro-European party.” Yes, Labour has become a pro-European party between the first week of June and today, just because Joseph Muscat said so. Maybe he believes in magic wardrobes and looking-glasses, too: walk through them and you’re in a different reality.
On the positive side, Labour’s list will probably include George Abela and Marlene Mizzi, both of whom are excellent choices, and neither of whom can be said to be an opportunist lunging headlong for that gravy-train, armed with roughly two brain-cells, years of experience in the Super One ‘newsroom’ and in Testaferrata Street, and no principles or understanding of policy.
Labour, of course, is carrying on with its grand tradition of pedantic bureaucracy even in the selection of the 10 candidates who will appear on its final official list. They will have to be approved by the party general conference (you know, those headless chickens who voted for Jason, Anglu and Toni….and Joseph) and must receive 50 per cent plus one vote as a minimum. The new statute the party has drawn up – the one that lays down that infamous fine – insists that there must be at least two women candidates, so Charlon had better borrow a tranny outfit and practise wearing a bra and make-up or he’s cooked (trust Labour to think quotas for women are modern and forward-looking, rather than patronising). Yes, and there must also be at least one candidate who has lived in Gozo for the last 10 years – I kid you not.
The Nationalist Party is being a little more circumspect about its plans, though we do know that Simon Busuttil and David Casa will re-contest, as will Roberta Tedesco Triccas. Another two names on the unofficial list are Edward Demicoli and Rudlph Cini, former chief of the nurses’ union and quite an astute man.
Now here’s the bad news – no, make that the ridiculous news. Arnold Cassola is going to give it another go, having cruised from Malta to Brussels to Malta to Italy to Malta once more, where he is doubtless vegetating in frustration as the new (ha!) face of Alternattiva Demokratika. Somehow, I don’t think he’s going to poll those 23,000 votes again, AD having done themselves no favours over the last five years, and Cassola even fewer, with his flitting between the national elections of Italy and Malta, an exercise that was widely perceived to be self-serving and opportunistic.
So let the games begin. There’s never a dull moment, is there?
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Did Joseph finish his important report on VAT? How about Jason tal-fjuri , for MEP? Is Joe Saliba in?
Hopefully people will vote for quality and substance the likes of Grech , and Busuttil . Joanna Drake would have been a good MEP , but exposure to the media plays an important part in elections.
“We are a pro-European party,” says Joseph Muscat.
The best pro-Europeans are those who are critically minded, for their aim is to safeguard esssential democratic principles at a European level (and in effect at a national level).
The anti-Europeans are those who aim to centralise more governing powers in the hands of unelected civil servants in the Commission, paving the way towards another European totalitarian system.
What most people like in the EU (even if they are unaware of it) are the ‘four freedoms of movement’ – the opening of internal borders. They do not want a supranational government – a United States of Europe, complete with a police-the-world military and a federal police.
Debating Left-Right issues at European level without checking centralisation of power only helps homogenise the Union into a one-size-fits-all entity, where diversity and flexibility are quashed (and so is, eventually, the raison d’etre of the ‘four freedoms’).
The US today exists to teach us many lessons, but only to those who really know what’s going on there.
[Daphne – Come on, Kev – do the honourable thing and declare your interest.]
I want to know one thing. If these ‘no’ people had had their way during the referendum, not only would they personally have lost all this gravy from their pocket but can they tell us also why they expect us to feel that they deserve to be part of this? Of course now we’re in everyone wants some….funnily enough the worst are the first to dip their fingers. Charlon gouder????????? Is he european stateman material? Oh come on!!!
The really sad thing is that we who got nothing directly and voted yes not only got these people the jobs and incomes they now have but also will have to defend the membership anytime something seems ‘wrong’ but obviously what we have that we would not have if we had goen for the no is too intangible to show.
Ehh the world is upside down when those who voted no get to become rich because we voted yes.
I thought it was common knowledge here that ‘Kev’ is Kevin Ellul-Bonici.
[Daphne – Ejja, Kev – spit it out: “I am Sharon Ellul Bonici’s husband.” There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
There’s never a dull moment, true – agreed.
Do please let the whole female quotas thing go, however – because both parties are doing it. The PN may not have it for their MEP list, but they use quotas with respect to their National Executive.
Having said that I do agree with your MLP list summary; I see few interesting faces there. On the PN side I’ve my reservations about Casa. I’d love to see Simon and George Abela in Brussels. The only thing I find missing so far is a couple of new faces (barring Tedesco Triccas, possibly, but I don’t consider her ‘new’, given it’s her second time trying).
[Daphne – I’m not going to let the quotas go just because the Nationalist Party are doing it too for their national executive. It’s 2008. We should be way past quotas, but hey, we don’t even have divorce yet.]
Ideally, the European Union should transform itself into the Federation of European Peoples (FEP). One-army, one-government, one-single economy. One-nation. Such a unified entity is required to counter the ever growing powers of India, China and Russia.
However, each region or country would be free to retain its identity (for example Tuscany will still be able to make its famed Florentine steak, Scotland will still be able to makes its fine Scotch whisky and Malta will still be able to make its own pastizzi (no-pun intended)).
Pooling technological and scientific expertise as well as artistic expertise from all around Europe would push Europe into a new golden age (Renaissance v2.0).
That is the Europe we are striving for…
Actually that came out wrong – apologies; what I meant to say was that if you’re going to portray one party as patronising on the basis of having female quotas, then I think you should be saying it to both parties.
To be honest, I’m not so sure about this whole quota business myself, either – but look at the bright side, if that quota means a labour female candidate nudging Charlon out of the race, then I’m all for it, honey. (Was that patronising?)
Re Claudette Abela Baldacchino – I love it! She actually saw fit to put down on her personal profile that she was born in the year of … (wait for it) …. the ox!
[Daphne – Now we’ll wait for the pedants at Malta Today and L-orizzont to point out that you spelt it without an ghajn.]
Daphne – “Ejja, Kev – spit it out: “I am Sharon Ellul Bonici’s husband.” There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” ”
Maybe he’d prefer being called “lill dan”, for equality’s sake.
How come you allow rude comments Daphne?
Or is it because you’re rude yourself?
I wish one day you’ll change your style and start writing good articles without being so rude.
Even accepting certain comments does not leave good impressions on you.
I believe you can do better.
[Daphne – That’s what the form mistress said on my report-cards at school, Neville. If you think this is rude, you should see what happens when I really let rip. Now go off and find some nice girls to talk to.]
MEPs elected on an MLP ticket will form part of the European Socialist Group so, should Ellul Bonici be elected (and the MLP deserves her) she’d have to bid goodbye to her loony eurosceptic friends and stop, for example, her well-paid campaigns against the European treaty.
Last March she was unceremoniously rejected by Labour and not even accepted as a candidate so she must really ‘have no oil on her face’ and must ‘not know how to be embarrassed’ if she’s going to try her luck again with the MLP (in her case it should be MOP – Malta Opportunist Party).
At any rate, next year’s elections will show up the MLP as Joseph’s coat of many colours, with candidates ranging from George Abela to Charlon Gouder and now to Ellul Bonici.
I wonder if they would accept our family cat Nina as a candidate; she’s very sweet and will surely attract many votes of animal-lovers.
Clearly so, Daphne, son of Saviour Arthur; s/o Giuseppe and Evelyn nee Harding; not tal-Pepe…
Kev,
I’ll grant your wife this – she has some gall – she should be burying her head in shame but instead she is contesting for a post that had she had her way (thank God she failed miserably)she wouldn’t be eligable to run for!
“the MEP race attracts a bunch of chancers and opportunists who see the whole shebang as a way of improving their life and nurturing their personal ambitions.”
How very very true and thank you for spelling it out so well – without omitting our would-be next PN chief from that list.
Even though I agree that ABela should be elected as an MEP, the reasons for his canditature are quite clear:
1) He is interested in Europe and now that his career is almost over in Malta (does not mean lack of clients but passing over the buck to his son) would like to cap it with a cosy position in Brussels and with a cosy pension as well;
2) That was the pact / condition for his return to the MLP fold the day after Muscat election – full support of the MLP for his candidature. ABela fakes his support to Muscat for a couple of months until he gets elected to the EP.
3) Muscat (and Tony Zarb) would be more than happy to see Abela ‘disappear / get exiled’ in Brussels rather than hanging around in Malta with a threat to their unsecure throne. In both the UK and Italy, uncomfortable fellow politicians get ‘exiled’ in Brussels to be away from the local public eye.
Neville Gafa’ – I take it that by “rude comments” you were possibly referring to mine amongst others, in which case, you are only showing how unfamiliar you are with the English language. You also show how you take everything at face value, and how you sorely lack a sense of humour.
“Ox”, my dear Mr Gafa’, is a “fully grown bullock” (which, in simple terms, is a “castrated bull”). Do you find that offensive, too? If you do, then you’d better advise Ms Abela Baldacchino to remove it from her internet profile. (Her zodiac sign, etc are, after all, totally out of place on what would otherwise be a profile related to her work, or, rather, to her ambitions in life.)
Good day, Mr Gafa’, and hope you find yourself a little sense of humour on a bright Monday morning.
[Daphne – Let me really confuse him now: an ox is a bullock without bollocks.]
David Buttigieg – In Maltese, we’d say “bla principji”.
So is this ‘Kev’ the brains behind Maltafly? Nice to know that… now this really gives his credibility a boost. I’ll keep in mind the “9/11 was a Zionist plot theory” everytime he discusses the EU.
No love lost between you two, eh :)
[Daphne – Yes, it is.]
In the end it’s all about money and not ideals, which get thrown out the window. Sharon Ellul Bonici is a fine example of an oportunist, she does not deserve to get a seat, and nor do the others who were dead set against Malta joining the european union.
Sharon Ellul Bonici is doing like any other opportunist in this country. She obviously has a well paid job, as evidenced by her Facebook entry where she buys herself BMW X3’s as a birthday present. Bully to her. She probably want to improve and propagate that lifestyle, and election as an MEP guarantees one a good pension plus other perks, does it not? Its the EU gravy train. There are people who are adept at riding it, squeezing funds out from endlessly pestered EU officials for obscure projects that are of no use to anybody anywhere. I suspect that some people/ organizations are funded simply to get them out of the Commission’s hair, lie swatting a pesky fly.
It’s the total, utter LACK of moral fibre that upsets me. SEB , Dottor Joe, Charlaton…( or is it Charton, Charlon…..I get confused) Gouder, the toothy Claudette, and all this merry band were breathlessly warning us to stay away from the EU at every turn. Now it seems that they have embraced the EU and all it stands for like imhar to a concrete jetty.
I would speculate that their motivation is largely financial, and less to do with bettering the cause of the common man.
They seem to have the desire to ride the train. Damned if I am going to give them the opportunity. This constant changing of the spots by these supposed leopards of the MLP disgusts me……have these people no sense of propriety?
They didn’t even have the guts to apologise to us for trying to lead us into some cock and bull Svizzera fil-Mediterran. Now they have the gall to present themselves as committed Europeans.
Pull the other one will you?
Sharon was accused of insulting labourites on Xarabank by none other than Jason Micallef when she said that labourites were in “dulur” ……..she and her friend Anna mallia were, in no uncertain manner, asked to leave if they wished to do so as they were not helping the party!! Sharon was not even allowed to contest the last elections!!
What is Sharon’s relationship with her second chief in command ?
Does jason still think Sharon is a liability??
Didn’t Sharon promise to set up her own Party??
……..well I guess she saw the light……….
……..
Dear Amanda thanks for explaining to me the meaning of Ox.
I got nothing against your sense of humour but deep down you know that you meant another meaning.
The more i read these rude comments the more i feel proud that i’m Labour.
Thanks.
Neville Gafa’, you had no need to tell us you were “Labour”. Your sanctimonious, humourless pedantry echoes that of your Deputy Leader for Party Affairs wonderfully.
Three cheers for Mr. Gafa. He’s proud that he’s labour.
He should be prouder that he knows what people mean even ‘deep down’. Amazing! Amanda beware we have a mindreader. Good for the party circus we currently have!
What exactly are you proud of? The mind boggles.
[Daphne – His bollocks, perhaps? There’s a discussion about the nature of oxen – they haven’t got any, apparently – going on elsewhere.]
Neville Gafa’: “The more i read these rude comments the more i feel proud that i’m Labour.”
X’ghandu x’jaqsam?
@ Neville Gafa’
With Labour’s track record you have nothing to be proud of. Some people are unbelievable.
If Ellul Bonici bought herself a BMW X3, then she really must be a bloody putz. The X3 is a pointless and ugly piece of crap. Its build quality reminds me of 1990s Alfa-Romeos. It was made for BMW badge snobs who can’t afford an X5. Anyway, real money buys a Range Rover.
u haluna minnkom! din of the OX its so nice to have a laughabout…and please note that Im not trying to write good English, if this phrase exists anyway
Wow, I got a Facebook friend request from….none other than the most charming Charlon Gouder. I don’t think I ever had the privilege of knowing or even corresponding with this guy in real life (physical/virtual), so I suppose this is just a ‘marketing move’ given the MEP rumours. Well, I resent ‘intrusive’ self-marketing. Adding someone on Facebook is like letting them in on your lives (although some people don’t seem to realise it).
Well-known people have the option of creating a ‘Page’ and be listed as a musician, artist, politician, columnist (hint) or whatever. People can then become their fans and subscribe to their page. Otherwise, I find the ‘pretence’ having the Maltese Prime Minister or the Leader of the Opposition (or a notorious journalist (?) in this case) as ‘my friend’ too superficial – unless I really know them somehow of course. I seriously doubt that these people would ever care to see photos of myself having fun with my real friends or enjoying some trip. Not that I would want them anyways.
[Daphne – I know how to get rid of a political stalker like him: just upload the notorious electoral campaign video in which he starred and ask your Facebook ‘friends’ to take a look at it. You won’t see him for dust.]
Edward Demicoli, son of well known ‘gakketta blu’ and Kordin Grain terminal fame Charles Demicoli. Talk about connections. Isn’t that a gravy train for all you blue eyed Nats?
(Daphne – You don’t need connections to become a candidate, Gerald. It’s not like either party has had a flood of applications.)