Oh, but people DO have a blurred memory
Thought I'd seen it somewhere before - it's a wall painting, shown in a gallery in Virginia in 2005
This was rather a good letter, I thought.
The Times, Thursday, 1st October 2009
Do people have a blurred memory?
Andrè Chetcuti, St Julians
It would have made much more sense had Marisa Micallef, the new personal adviser to the Labour leader, titled her letter (September 29) Blurred Memory instead of Blurred Kingdom.
She accused the Nationalist government and the Prime Minister of coming down “hard on mothers whose fathers didn’t support them”; said that the “best jobs and positions were reserved for the blues” and heaped praise on Joseph Muscat. May I refresh Mrs Micallef’s “‘blurred” memory?
On August 16, 2003, Mrs Micallef wrote an article in this newspaper titled In Pocket Money Country… and vociferously attacked single mothers whom she described as “young women who have babies before they marry, live comfortably with mum and dad and are quite happy to claim benefits while sporting designer clothes, mobiles and the like”. A few days later (August 20, 2003), Dr Muscat unleashed an attack on Mrs Micallef in the GWU daily under the heading Micallef Leyson U L-Pocket Money (Micallef Leyson And Pocket Money), accusing her of being insensitive and urged Lawrence Gonzi, then Social Policy Minister, to re-think Mrs Micallef’s position as Housing Authority chairman.
Mrs Micallef gave the impression that the best jobs are reserved for the blue-eyed boys and girls. She seems to have forgotten that she was chairman of the Housing Authority under a Nationalist government and, in the meantime, used to write loads of articles criticising Labour.
And now Mrs Micallef, in her new role as personal adviser to the Labour leader with a hefty salary of €40,000, heaps praise on Dr Muscat when, way back in 2003, she wrote an article saying that, as long as he (and others) formed part of the PL, Labour was unelectable.
Strange how Mrs Micallef thinks that people have a blurred memory (!)
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Andre Chetcuti – a really good letter. And who knows how many more similar articles will be written in the future regarding the MM/JM past relationship.
Daphne, for once Marie Benoit is competing with you in interpreting Marisa’s defection to Labour. Just two quotes: (1) “Marisa is not worth it. My first thought was: what a pathetic creature she is”; (2) “Poor Marisa. Rather wash dishes to keep myself alive than do what she has done – sell her very soul”.
Possibly this is the first article by Benoit in several years I found worth reading from start to finish – and it’s a long one, too! It seems that Benoit still has a higher opinion of Alfred Sant than of Joseph Muscat.
[Daphne – At least Mrs Benoit is consistent, and for that she has my respect. I prefer consistent people, even if their views are diametrically opposed to mine. She hasn’t done what other Labour supporters are doing on the internet: trying to justify Mrs Micallef’s actions because they interpret criticism of her amoral behaviour as indirect criticism of their party leader. It doesn’t follow that because Mrs Micallef is amoral in her choices, or at least in this particular choice, then Joseph Muscat was wrong to offer her the job. Politically speaking, he was right to go for her scalp – though I would have advised him not to pay for it as it undermines the stated objective. But she was wrong to accept.]
I stand to be corrected, but if Marisa Micallef was not earning anything much when Labour offered her a job, then 40,000 euros must have seemed like winning the lottery. I don’t blame her. I would probably have done the same thing but with one difference. I would not have burned those bridges before I jumped ship. Micallef did that, and with that bridge went every shred of credibility she had.
Not long ago she was all out against Labour and Joseph Muscat (among others). Now she’s cosy with them. Seems more like a case of blurred principles.
Was she wrong then or is she wrong now?
This is priceless. Any chance of a reply from Ms. Micallef?
Mrs Marisa Micallef Leyson is a political mercenary with no self-esteem – money first and foremost.
What I can’t understand is her conversion. I mean if I decide PN doesn’t deserve my vote in the next elections, I would have a huge problem. If I don’t have faith in the PN it doesn’t necessarily mean I have faith in the PL, does it ? How on earth can you be against all that someone stands for and all he stood for and all of a sudden you see the light and go all out in his favour? It’s beyond me.
Din bhal meta tnejn ‘jinhabbu’ jizzewwgu u meta jibda’ l-ghawg u jissepparaw ma tantx jibqghu ‘jinhabbu’! Il-bambin wahdu jaf bil-kliem helu li jibdew jghidu lil xulxin quddiem l-avukati…
Xi kultant naqleb fuq l-ahbarijiet taghhom, u meta jirnexxieli nistaportieh u nisma xi ahbar tahraq u f’qalbi nghid ‘Imma kif saru jafu bihom dawn l-affarijiet? Hemm xi spjun jew xi hadd li qed iwassal? Min jaf min hu dan ix-xi hadd?’ Jista’ jkun xi hadd bhal Marisa li forsi jkun irid jibda jinhabb….?
I only know of one other person who successfully ‘ saw the light ‘ in a flash and that was Saul of Tarsus – but Ms Micallef hardly qualifies in the saintly stakes.
I think she should start writing her name as Marisa J Micallef.
J for Judas, of course.