More astounding ignorance from Muscat and those Johnnies who advise him

Published: October 30, 2008 at 10:53am

He calls the prime minister Lawrence on television when the prime minister calls him Dr Muscat. He goes to Libya to negotiate on Malta’s behalf when he doesn’t represent the state or its government. He talks out of the seat of his trousers about economic policy. He’s a Super One reporter with a bit of MEP experience who thinks he can teach the people who run the country how to run the country. And now we find out that he doesn’t even know one of the fundamental basics of protocol: that only the head of
state and the prime minister address the nation. All others just speak in public. Here we have the first-ever opposition leader anywhere in the known world to make an address to the nation – via his political party’s radio station. Do we laugh, or do we lie down and sob? This is what came through to the newsroom by email from the Labour Party control centre.

Media Release
29 ta’ Ottubru 2008

Il-Partit Laburista qed jippublika t-test shih ta’ messagg lin-nazzjon li l-Kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni u Mexxej Laburista Dr Joseph Muscat ghamel illum wara nofs in-nhar fuq One Radio.

Ufficcju Informazzjoni
Partit Laburista

Messagg lin-nazzjon mill-Kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni u Mexxej Laburista Dr Joseph Muscat fuq One Radio, illum l-Erbgha 29 ta’ Ottubru 2008

Insellmilkom.

Il-bierah il-gvern Nazzjonalista habbar id-decizjoni finali tieghu dwar il-kontijiet tad-dawl u ta’ l-ilma. Din id-decizjoni l-gvern se tfisser biss pizijiet qawwija hafna fuq eluf ta’ familji Maltin u Ghawdxin u fuq hafna intraprizi zghar, medji u anki kbar li joholqu l-opportunitajiet tax-xoghol f’pajjizna.

Il-Partit Laburista bl-iktar mod car ma jaqbilx ma’ dawn it-tariffi godda li se jwasslu ghal kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, ferm oghla minn dawk diga gholja hafna li l-familji qed jircievu llum u li kienu jgorru fihom il-piz tas-surcharge ta’ 95%. Ma naqbulx ghal ragunijiet differenti.

L-ewwel nett il-gvern ma setax ghazel zmien aghar minn dan biex izid il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma. F’pajjizi ohra fejn il-gvernijiet qed jaraw li se jintlaqtu mill-krizi finanzjarja internazzjonali, qed jintervejnu huma direttament biex inehhu l-pizijiet minn fuq il-poplu u biex jincentivaw lill-ekonomiji taghhom. F’Malta izda ghandna sitwazzjoni ghal kollox differenti.

Il-gvern Nazzjonalista minflok juza l-fatt li dil-krizi finanzjarja internazzjonali ma laqtitx lil pajjizna direttament, bhala vantagg ghall-kompetittivita taghna, qed johloq krizi huwa stess billi dahhal it-tariffi tad-dawl u l-ilma li habbar il-bierah. Dan izda huwa z-zmien li l-gvern isostni lill-familji u mhux iz-zmien li l-familji jsostnu lill-gvern. Ghandna bzonn decizjonijiet li jzidu l-flus fil-bwiet tal-familji u mhux li jzidu l-flus fil-bwiet tal-gvern.

Il-gvern Nazzjonalista izda qed jimxi bil-kontra. Il-pizjiet godda qawwija li waddab il-bierah fuq il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma se jhallu impatt negattiv hafna fuq il-kwalita` tal-hajja ta’ hafna familji bi dhul baxx u dawk tal-middle class. Dawn il-familji se jispiccaw b’inqas flus fil-bwiet taghhom. Dan il-fattur se jdahhal incertezzi godda fost dawn il-familji u fost in-negozji u se jaffettwa hafna mid-decizjonijiet li se jigu biex jaghmlu fil-gimghat u x-xhur li gejjin.

X’differenza mill-weghdiet tas-serhan il-mohh u ta’ iktar flus fil-but li l-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi kien qed jaghmel seba xhur biss ilu fil-kampanja elettorali. Ghandna Prim Ministru b’zewg t’ucuh politici – wiehed ta’ qabel l-ahhar elezzjoni generali u iehor ta’ wara l-elezzjoni generali. Illum sfortunatament il-pajjiz qed ihallas l-prezz qares ta’ din il-politika taz-zewg t’ucuh.

Bl-iktar mod irresponsabbli l-gvern mhux jaghti kaz lanqas tal-bozoz homor li qed jixghelu fil-qasam ta’ l-impjiegi. B’dieqa fl-ahhar jiem smajna kumpaniji li keccew il-haddiema waqt li ohrajn naqqsu l-granet tax-xoghol tal-haddiema taghhom. Il-gvern izda webbes rasu u naqas milli jaghti widen lit-twissijiet li sarulu. Il-gvern ilu issa li gie mwissi li hemm kumpaniji li qed jaħsbu bis-serjetà li jieħdu miżuri li jolqtu negattivament lill-impjegati taghhom. Minflok ta kaz dawn it-twissijiet il-gvern baqa` miexi bil-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma u gie jaqa u jqum mill-fatt li b’dal-mod l-ekonomija taqla daqqa ta’ harta kbira. Lawrence Gonzi u l-gvern tieghu qed joholqu krizi.

Irrid ukoll nikkundanna b’mod qawwi hafna d-decizjoni mill-iktar zbaljata li ha l-gvern meta se jdahhal it-tariffi tad-dawl u l-ilma b’sehh lura mill-1 ta’ Ottubru. Din hija decizjoni li tmur kontra kull principju ta’ stabbilita ekonomika, timmina l-kredibilita ta’ pajjizna ma’ l-investituri Maltin u barranin, waqt li tkompli tohloq iktar incertezza. Din id-decizjoni tfisser li inti li qed tisma, minghajr ma kont avzat minn qabel, se tkun qed thallas ghall-ilma u ghad-dawl li kkonsomajt matul dan l-ahhar xahar, bit-tariffi l-godda li thabbru l-bierah. Ghandna gvern li lanqas jaf jimxi bil-livelli minimi ta’ gustizzja socjali mal-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi.

Fl-istess hin ma nistax ma nfakkarx li meta ftit jiem biss ilu kont mal-Prim Ministru fuq it-televizjoni u gbidtlu l-attenzjoni dwar il-hsara li kien se jaghmel billi jdahhal il-kontijiet b’sehh lura mill-bidu tax-xahar, Lawrence Gonzi kien serrhilna rasna li dwar dan il-punt kien lahaq ftehim ma’ l-imsiehba socjali. Jirrizulta izda issa li meta ddikjara dan, il-Prim Ministru jew ma kienx jaf x’qed jghid ghaliex ma kienx jaf x’qed jigri jew hafna aghar minn hekk ma kienx qed jghid il-verita`. Lawrence Gonzi ghandu hafna x’jispjega.

Il-Partit Laburista ma jaqbilx lanqas mal-metodu li uza l-gvern Nazzjonalista biex dahhal it-tariffi godda tad-dawl u l-ilma. Bil-fatti l-gvern wera li ma jemmix fid-djalogu socjali. Injora lill-imsiehba socjali. Kellna l-ewwel lil Austin Gatt li ddikjara li l-gvern ma kienx lest li jiddiskuti iktar ma’ l-imsiehba socjali dwar it-tariffi. Imbaghad izda li kellna lill-Prim Ministru Gonzi li cempel mic-Cina u baghat lis-Segretarju Parlamentari fl-ufficcju tieghu Chris Said biex jghid li l-affarijiet dwar it-tariffi mhux maghluqa u l-gvern lest li jibqa` jiddiskuti.

Biex il-bierah irrizulta li fl-ahhar mill-ahhar ma inbidel xejn u ghaddiet tal-Ministru Gatt, b’dan ta’ l-ahhar jemfasizza iktar minn darba li ma inbidel xejn. Dan mhux biss jikkonferma kemm il-gvern Nazzjonalista ghamel farsa shiha mill-kuncett tal-konsultazzjoni, izda fl-istess hin igieghlna nistaqsu iktar jekk bhal issa ghandniex gvern b’zewg Prim Ministri – Lawrence Gonzi fuq naha u Austin Gatt fuq in-naha l-ohra, jigbu l-habel f’direzzjonijiet differenti.

Hawnhekk irrid nirrimarka l-assenza totali tal-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi f’dawn il-jiem krucjali. Infakkar li sena ilu fid-diskors tal-budget Lawrence Gonzi kien iddikjara li seta inehhi s-surcharge u jżid ir-rati tad-dawl u l-ilma izda kien sahaq li jekk jaghmel hekk ikun qed jidhak bil-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi. Tmexxija serja kien qalilna l-Prim Ministru titlob mod ieħor. Ma nistax ma naqbilx ma Lawrence Gonzi. Tmexxija serja titlob li ma jkollnix Prim Ministru li sena ilu jghid haga u llum jaghmel l-oppost totali taghha.

Dmir il-Prim Ministru fil-gimghat li ghaddew kien li jizgura li fit-tehid tad-decizjonijiet mill-gvern tieghu dwar il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, l-interessi tal-familji taghna u tal-postijiet tax-xoghol ikunu imharsa mija fil-mija. Dr Gonzi izda farfar idejh u naqas milli jaqdi dan id-dmir baziku tieghu bhala Prim Ministru. Minflok ha kollox f’idejh il-Ministru Austin Gatt li bl-arroganza tipika tieghu mexa bil-politika tar-romblu u impona kollox fuq l-imsiehab socjali.

F’dawn ic-cirkostanzi l-budget li l-gvern ta’ Lawrence Gonzi se jkun qed jipprezenta nhar it-Tnejn se jkun krucjali. B’dak li ghamel il-bierah il-gvern dahhal l-ekonomija u lill-familji fi krizi. Nhat it-Tnejn irid jara kif se jaghmel biex inehhi dil-krizi. Nhar it-Tnejn il-gvern ghandu jipprezenta budget li jaghti kuragg. Il-gvern ma jistax jibqa` jaqta qalb in-nies. Xoghol kull gvern huwa ghal kollox l-oppost ta’ dan.

Dak ta’ nhar it-Tnejn ghandu jkun budget li jincentiva lill-ekonomija u li jsostni lill-familji. Fil-budget ta’ nhar it-Tnejn il-pajjiz se jkun qed jistenna li l-gvern iwettaq il-weghda kbira tieghu ta’ l-ahhar elezzjoni generali u jzid il-flus fi bwiet il-poplu. Nerga nishaq li dan huwa z-zmien li l-gvern isostni lill-familji u mhux iz-zmien li l-familji jsostnu lill-gvern.

Il-Partit Laburista jifhem li rizultat tad-decizjonijiet irresponsabbli li qed jiehu l-gvern Nazzjonalista, bhal issa f’pajjizna hawn hafna nies li huma rrabjati u qalbhom maqtugha. Quddiem dan kollu ahna tal-Partit Laburista mhux se nibqghu cassi u passivi. Irridu naghtu tama u kuragg lill-poplu taghna.

F’dawn ic-cirkostanzi l-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi ghandu kull dritt li jgib ruhu kif igibu rwiehhom popli ohra f’demokraziji Ewropej, bhala ma gara l-gimgha li ghaddiet fl-Italja. F’dawn ic-cirkostanzi l-poplu se jsib lilna tal-Partit Laburista mieghu u jmexxih.

Ghalhekk bir-responsabilita kollha, iddecidejt li wasal iz-zmien li l-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi kollu, maghqud, isemma lehnu f’manifestazzjoni ta’ kuragg nazzjonali. Manifestazzjoni ta’ kuragg. Manifestazzjoni mhux ta’ Partit, izda Manifestazzjoni ta’ Poplu. L-istedina hija miftuha ghal dawk kollha li jridu jinghaqdu maghna. Ejjew maghna. Il-gurnata, post u hin jithabbru meta jasal il-waqt.

Is-sejha saret. Mexxu dis-sejha. Sejha lil hinn mill-politika. Sejha biex il-poplu jinghaqad u juri li huwa ahjar minn dawk li qed imexxuh bhalissa.

Qatt daqs illum ma kien hemm bzonn li pajjizna jkollu moviment nazzjonali ta’ progressivi u moderati. Ahna tal-Partit Laburista lesti li bl-umilta kollha nkunu l-bazi ta’ dan il-moviment.

Insellmilkom u kuragg.




14 Comments Comment

  1. A Borg says:

    So the poor little leader of the opposition has delusions of grandeur, does he? I’m not surprised that the Labour Party does not have proper protocol techniques given that they are the main proponents of the “U ijja” mentality, after all.

    I am rather annoyed that Maltese governments would be referred to as “il-gvern Nazzjonalista” or (rarely) “il-gvern Laburista” purely because this encourages the tribal mentality that should be wiped out. It is the Maltese government. They were elected on a party ticket, yes, but that is, or should be, besides the point.

    One further point – “jippublika t-test shih” … so this is a trial, is it?

    A

  2. Antoine Vella says:

    “Messagg lin-nazzjon” reminds me so much of the Mintoff years. How long before Super One starts referring to Joseph Muscat as “Il-Mexxej tan-Nazzjon”?

    I feel that the most significant word in the whole ‘messag’ is “iddecidejt”. Joseph Muscat has decided that the Maltese people should hold a ‘manifestation’. It is not an initiative of the MLP, the workers’ movement, etc. No, it’s Joseph’s own personal decision and that is why people will be going to this ‘manifestation’: because Joseph himself has so decided and decreed.

    I think not even Mintoff – that paragon of self-importance – ever went as as far as this, at least publicly.

    [Daphne – I missed that, I was so flabbergasted at his ‘address to the nation’ bit. So he’s decided that a national protest should take place. Will somebody let him know that national protests are spontaneous or quasi-spontaneous demonstrations of anger, like all those which saw us through 1984, to cite just one year? Il-vera m’ghandux ideja, miskin, ja kretin li hu.]

  3. Sybil says:

    [Daphne – I missed that, I was so flabbergasted at his ‘address to the nation’ bit. So he’s decided that a national protest should take place. Will somebody let him know that national protests are spontaneous or quasi-spontaneous demonstrations of anger, like all those which saw us through 1984, to cite just one year? Il-vera m’ghandux ideja, miskin, ja kretin li hu.]”

    Why do you think I commented in an earlier thread about Primadonna Joe playing to an audience and that only the national anthem was missing? He tried very hard to portray himself as some sort of head of state addressing the whole nation but only managed a hilarious “Stricia La Notizia”-type of caricature of himself as a future prime minister.

  4. Corinne Vella says:

    Antoine Vella: Yes, and he followed it up with “Manifestazzjoni mhux ta’ Partit, izda Manifestazzjoni tal-Poplu” (the capital letters denoting a Very Important Event are not mine).

    It’s very kind of him to let us know that he favours public protest so much that he’s decided we are all invited to participate in the one he’s organising. Maybe that’s just his way of giving a populist and literal meaning to the role of leading the opposition (“Hi, dak mhux wiehed li jparla biss.”)

    He’s waved his degree certificates around so often he can’t claim to be unfamiliar with the theoretical workings of democratic politics. So, what’s his excuse, then? Delusional doesn’t even begin to describe him.

    Now that he has spoken, we are all to wait breathlessly for an announcement of the place, time and date on which we will gather, as per Joseph Muscat’s personal instructions, to wreak havoc in the streets “bhala ma gara l-gimgha li ghaddiet fl-Italja”. He missed the more orderly demonstrations that took place the preceding week, it seems,or maybe it really was a deliberate choice of words. We’re promised that “F’dawn ic-cirkostanzi l-poplu se jsib lilna tal-Partit Laburista mieghu u jmexxih.” Well, it’s not like we don’t already know that they’re experts in instigating riots and mayhem.

    I find it hard to believe that anyone can be so foolish as to conjure up the wrong imagery deliberately. More and more it seems as though Muscat’s behaving as though this is all just role play: “Hawn, hi. Il-howmwerks lesti? Ha nilaghbu wahda demokrasijja. Ara jien il-boss, allura nindirizza n-nazzjon fuq ir-radju. Ghandi l-iskrip lest. Issa, intom il-poplu. Allura tridu taghmlu protesta. Ehe, hekk, tip ta’ dak li rajna fuq it-televixin taljan. Pero’ ma naghmluhiex politika, ta. M’ghandniex xi kartoncina ghas-slowgins? U ijja, ma kellniex dawk il-bnadar u stikkers kolla? Kemm inhazzu fuq il-kelma partnerxipp u niktbu slowgin iehor.”

    It’d be funny, if it weren’t so irritating.

  5. Tony Borg says:

    @ Daphne. You must also have missed the playing of the national anthem at the end of the ‘address to the nation’ since you only read the media release and didn’t listen to the actual ‘address.’

    [Daphne – His efforts at putting himself in the role of a national leader serve only to highlight his inadequacies. He looks like he’s playing games.]

  6. Sybil says:

    “It’d be funny, if it weren’t so irritating”

    _ or pathetic!

  7. jomar says:

    I thought that the rendering of the National Anthem was strictly reserved for occasions of National importance when Heads of State are presiding. Not in Malta, you say?

    Jowzef said: “B’dieqa fl-ahhar jiem smajna kumpaniji li keccew il-haddiema waqt li ohrajn naqqsu l-granet tax-xoghol tal-haddiema taghhom”. These companies did not lay off or reduce hours of work because of higher W&E rates since these rates have not taken effect yet.

    He then goes on to say that on Monday, the government ought to design the budget in favour of industry and family. Now that’s telling the government something it probably hadn’t thought of before!

    As I wrote elsewhere, Joseph is not only incompetent – he is also dangerous.

    [Daphne – We had to listen to the national anthem every day after school assembly, which certainly was not an occasion of national importance.]

  8. lisa says:

    I would be laughing, if I weren’t crying

  9. JM says:

    This is totally unrelated to the thread so there is no need to publish it but thought you might wish to know :) Weren’t we always told that it was our hero KMB that saved Gheddafi from the US bombardments in the 80s … have a look at this:

    http://www.dagospia.com/rubrica-3/politica/articolo-948.htm

    Irrespective of the merits of informing Mintoff’s friend about the bombardment, why do labour go into the hassles of lying ! :) :)

  10. H.P. Baxxter says:

    It’s just like November 1917 in St Petersburg. Minus the fillies. And the snow.

  11. Sybil says:

    jomar Thursday, 30 October 1527hrs
    I thought that the rendering of the National Anthem was strictly reserved for occasions of National importance when Heads of State are presiding. Not in Malta, you say?”

    Does anyone remember how in the immediate aftermath of the “Partnerxipp Rebah” debacle, on super1 TV they were announcing Dr Sant’s address to the nation preceded by close-ups of the national emblem and a rendition (in true Renato fashion ) of l’Innu Malti?

    Quo Vadis the brand new MLP ethics board for Journalism?

    [Daphne – Yes, I remember that. It was ridiculous.]

  12. Moggy says:

    Unbelievable!

  13. Marku says:

    Vera qieghed sew insomma.

  14. P Shaw says:

    I love the title “Messagg lin-Nazzjon” and the signature at the end “Insellmilkom u kuragg”.

    Viva is-Simpaticone taghna. What a big-headed clown.

    [Daphne – No self-awareness, that’s what it’s called.]

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