It's going to be Joseph Cuschieri
It’s going to be Joseph Cuschieri who cedes his seat to Joseph Muscat. Cuschieri will then stand for election as an MEP with the backing of the party machine next spring (‘for for the hero who gave up his seat to Joseph Muscat’).
The worrying thing is this: the notorious Manwel Cuschieri’s power within the Labour Party – well, as much power as an unintelligent man can have, so to speak – is going to be consolidated by his brother’s act of ‘martyrdom’. The leader of the Opposition will be indebted to the Cuschieri brothers. Nice one.
THE MALTA INDEPENDENT
19 September 2008
Labour MP Joseph Cuschieri to give up place for Joseph Muscat
Malta Labour Party MP Joseph Cuschieri is expected to deliver his farewell speech and resign from parliament on 29 September, thus paving the way for leader Joseph Muscat’s entry in the House on 1 October. Although the MLP is still keeping its cards close to its chest and has still to make its decision public, from what was said during the House Business Committee meeting yesterday, it is clear that it will be Mr Cuschieri who will give up his seat. During the meeting, it emerged that it will be a Labour MP elected during casual elections held to fill up seats vacated by parliamentarians who made it to Parliament from two districts who will be resigning. And the St Julian’s MP was the only Labour parliamentarian elected via a casual election not to be included in one of house’s committees when Labour MP Joe Mizzi gave the list during yesterday’s meeting.
The probable resignation of Mr Cuschieri confirms media speculation in the first days after Dr Muscat was elected on 6 June.The Nationalist Party has agreed to cede the 30-minute time adjournment allotted to it when Parliament reconvenes after the summer recess on 29 September to the MLP, during which Mr Cuschieri will give his farewell speech and resign. Mr Mizzi did not mention the MP by name, but confirmed that he was elected via a casual election. Mr Cuschieri, who is currently MLP’s spokesman for public works, was the only one out of the six opposition MPs elected via casual elections to be omitted from the list. This is more than an indication that he will be the MP who will speak on 29 September during the adjournment.
The other five MPs who were elected via casual elections were Owen Bonnici, who will sit in Consideration of Bills Committee, Joe Debono Grech will represent the MLP in the Council of Europe, Joe Sammut will sit in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Chris Agius will sit in the National Audit Office Accounts Committee, and Gavin Gulia who will sit on one of the European and Foreign Affairs Committee’s working groups, as will Dr Sammut and Mr Agius.
The Leader of the House, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg, will present a motion for the co-option of Dr Muscat which is to be discussed on Wednesday 1 October. A vote will be taken after question time, after which he will deliver a brief speech and then proceed to be sworn in as Opposition Leader by President Edward Fenech Adami. During the same meeting, Mr Mizzi told the committee that former MLP leader Alfred Sant will sit on the Public Accounts Committee while Karl Chircop, who is receiving treatment in the UK following a stroke, will retain his place on the Social Affairs Committee. Speaker Louis Galea, who also chairs the business committee, requested confirmation of Dr Muscat’s resignation from the European Parliament in order to avoid legal complications.
Dr Borg explained why legally there should be no problems. The Constitution clearly lays down that an MP is not precluded from also holding the position of an MEP. However, the European Parliament Elections Act provides that a person holding both offices has to choose which one to hold within five working days. Failing to make a choice will result in the renunciation of the office of MEP. Mr Mizzi assured the committee that there should be no problem, yet stopping short of saying when Dr Muscat will tend his resignation. Dr Muscat is expected to resign from MEP on 25 September.
Dr Muscat will be the first party leader to be co-opted in parliament. Before him, three MPs were co-opted and eventually moved on to become party leaders and prime ministers; Dr Fenech Adami in 1969, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici in 1983 and Alfred Sant in 1987.
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It was always pretty clear that Joe Cuschieri was going to be the one to relinquish his seat in favour of Muscat.
Oh yeah, this is what Manwel would have been expecting… That obnoxious guy simply adores yielding more power.
Why couldn’t Muscat plump for Joe Debono Grech? After all, he served his time and this would have been a good way of leaving parliament. (About time) Can’t Joey foresee how indebted he will be to the Cuschieri’s? He must know of the plethora of “favours” they will ask of him.
Oh, if this is the type of change he promised to bring about… We really can put our minds at rest, can’t we?
Old news… Many knew about this since last March… And the fact that Manwel & Co. had been working actively for Gowzef in his quest for boosting further his egocentrism.
The MLP is nothing but a victim hijacked of incompetent, mediocre and pettily stupid people (who can’t by any stretch be considered as individuals) and all this at the expense of democracy and people like the assorted George Abela, Michael Falzon and many, many other who are by far more decent individuals with a lot to contribute to Malta.
A leader is also judged by his team and in this Dr. Joseph Muscat has failed miserably and it’s no use about him harping about delegates and statute or appointing CEOs: The truth is that some people need to be fired from their jobs in Marsa and Hamrun and some people just told to disappear from the quagmire they have come out from.
The fact that he doesn’t do so shows us of what sort of attributes he is not endowed with and it’s enough to show us what a poor sort of prime minister he would be for our country.
So, I beg you to forgive my ignorance, but I truly need to ask this one out.
Once Joseph Muscat resigns from the European Parliament, what will happen to his seat? I mean, will we then have 4 representatives instead of 5? Or will someone take up his position for the time being until the next election for the MEPs is held?
(Daphne – There will be a casual election to fill his seat until the next round of MEP elections. Those who contested with him (PN, MLP, independent, and AD – the lot) will be asked to signal their interest in ‘filling the vacancy’. Then the packets of votes are reopened and counted to see who is elected once Muscat is eliminated from the process.)
Good thing you are not a gambling girl.
(Daphne – Yes, isn’t it? Unfortunately, I can’t help thinking rationally, which is not always the right way with these things. In Muscat’s position, I would have targetted Debono Grech, because he’s at the end of his political life, and so has less leverage.)
Thanks a million, Daphne :-)
Being an 18-year-old lad, I haven’t accumulated a lot of experience yet. But I’m learning fast, hehe.
The casual election means that in all probability, Glenn Beddingfield will be elected to the EP to serve out the last few months of Joseph’s term.
(Daphne – If you want to get to the top in Maltese politics, join Super One.)
@ Daphne – If you want to get to the top in Maltese politics, join Super One.)
Visibilty is much more important thant content and ability.
Gerald
“It was always pretty clear that Joe Cuschieri was going to be the one to relinquish his seat in favour of Muscat.”
Really? Always clear? Clear maybe to insiders who are used to wining and dining (eating tripe?)with MLP bigwigs. Can you quote an article of yours in which you anticipated that it was going to be Cuschieri ?
Daphne,
You failed to realize that Debono Grech’s political life is not at its end. His seat will be inherited by his daughter in the next general election. He must therefore maintain his seat to protect the extent of his turf as much as possible (with whatever limited powers he may still have.)
(Daphne – Oh for crying out loud. A Debono Grech dynasty. Anyway, the experience of others has shown that this isn’t possible, unless electors like the next-in-line for himself/herself.)
Antoine – The last time I wined and dined with MLP officials was at the party’s media dinner pre-elections to which all journalists were invited. That was at Mamma Mia which while not earth shattering was not tripe either. I bet you’ve been there some time too.
At the time of the Muscat leadership elections, i was not working in the daily weekly news media so I don’t have an article to quote.
Sorry to disappoint you.
[Daphne -ALL journalists were invited? I wasn’t. I imagine they calculated it would have been a wasted 10 euros. A cut-price Labour lunch, eh? Typical. Why am I not surprised? Fejn se niehduhom, Jejsin? Ha nibbukkja mejda l-Mamma Mia, trid? That’s where half of those who work in Ta’ Xbiex go on their lunch break, when they feel like splashing out a little. Otherwise it’s Busy Bee or De Lippo. Or the A1.]
It’s not going to be Debono Grech? I’m totally and utterly devastated. We’re missing a once in a lifetime chance to contribute something unique to the EU!