Comments on: Sant was in Malta last Saturday

By: Tal-Muzew

Tal-Muzew — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:37:16 +0000

If, as you say, the formalities were tailor-made to the President’s request, then his first visit should have been to Sant himself and not to Dr Censu Tabone. (A true Catholic doesn’t only go to church, but also visits the sick, and forgives.)

[Daphne – Sant didn’t absent himself because he was sick, but because he was sulking. He’s perfectly mobile.]

By: Ronnie

Ronnie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:24:54 +0000

@ Daphne. Sorry to digress but what’s your take on the fact that, as reported in The Times, this was the first presidential swearing in to kick off with a mass. It was reported that when asked about this, George Abela commented that this was done at his request.

[Daphne – I think it was wrong: wrong to have a mass and wrong of the new president to demand that the formalities be tailormade to his request. This was not a private or personal celebration. I hope we are not going to see more of the same.]

During the contest for the Labour leadership I had commented on this blog that George Abela strikes me as a ‘Gonzi clone’ (in being very socially conservative) and that with him at the helm of the Labour Party issues like divorce were unlikely to given importance. My suspicions have been reinforced.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:51:38 +0000

In reply to Peter.

I’m sure ‘deviation’ would have been a better choice of words than ‘deviant’. But I get your drift and agree…

By: C Attard

C Attard — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:35:02 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia. Well if this is opportunism, I wish the two other parties were more 'opportunistic' in this regard. As an out gay man, I'd more willingly vote for them than for a party who's been in cahoots with the Church for so long, who has been telling us how to live our lives with no regard to our civil liberties and whose leaders take pride in saying they're not a liberal party. The PN might be better than the PL in many respects, but I will never vote for a party who would hold my civil rights hostage to their unholy alliance with the Vatican.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:35:05 +0000

I fail to see to how espousing same-sex partnerships, or to be more exact the “recognition of registered partnerships”, which covers deviants from the norm of all sexual orientations, is so dreadfully opportunistic. Saying that implies some degree of hypocrisy or dishonesty on AD’s part, but it is not exactly as though they have not been militating for this sort of thing over the years.

Naturally enough, the reporter has homed in on the juicier aspect a broader story about AD’s electoral programme, but you can hardly blame the party for that.

In any event, the anecdotal evidence (and reading the Times comments section) indicates that this is not necessarily the most obvious vote-winner. Cassola’s background in Italian left-wing politics in recent years means that he is evidently well-versed in the arguments, seeing as the Italians would talk about nothing but colf this and colf that for ages.

Frankly, the kinds of social reforms that AD are talking about are things that Malta will have to be shamed or forced into adopting – as happened with the belated ban of spring hunting. So the European parliament elections are an ideal to time to make this a prominent campaign issue.

By: Tony Pace

Tony Pace — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:20:53 +0000

I seriously recommend AD joins forces with the PL. Oh God, they do so deserve each other.

By: Claude Sciberras

Claude Sciberras — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:03:42 +0000

I’m following Newsroom on NET tv on Eddie Fenech Adami’s years in politics. The programme is jam-packed with interesting interviews about the extraordinary life of this unique leader. People of all shades and colours speak highly of this person not only about the great things he has done for this country but also about his values and generosity etc. I know comparisons are odious but one cannot but notice that whilst the Nationalist Party has had leaders to be proud of this cannot be said of the Labour Party, which was born as a splinter party and which has since been plagued with pique, backstabbing, envy, pettiness and sometimes crass ignorance. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

By: Graham C.

Graham C. — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:22:38 +0000

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090406/local/jason-micallef-congratulates-new-president

Ok, seriously now they’re making it just too easy.

http://theithacan.org/blogs/bigspoon/files/2007/11/the_simpsons_homer_simpson_vs_family_guy_peter_griffin.jpg

By: Darren Azzopardi

Darren Azzopardi — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:17:28 +0000

Assuming that he was coming back from treatment and not from some holiday, give the guy a break. At least distinguish between the politician and the person. A failed political career and bad policies doesn’t make him evil.

[Daphne – I don’t get your reasoning, sorry. He’s still a politician and still in parliament. If he wants a break he should resign. I love the way all these people want to have their cake and eat it: a public role and privacy, too, with no criticism thrown in for good measure.]

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:36:48 +0000

Just the merest touch of opportunism, I would say:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090406/local/ad-backs-recognition-of-registered-same-sex-partnerships