Oh, look, we have a new saviour
Published:
January 18, 2011 at 7:42pm
35 Comments Comment
Reply to P Shaw Click here to cancel reply
Featured Posts
-
Paltry €50,000 fine for illegal Siggiewi zoo lifted in exchange for state school visits...more
-
Owner of illegal Siggiewi zoo parties with Environment Minister one day before Planning Authority sanctions it...more
-
World Economic Forum index/Malta: public trust in politicians plummets 17 places in one year...more
-
When freeloading Clyde Puli spent 16 days at the Olympic Games in China and made us pay for it...more
-
The leader of the Nationalist Party and Miss Rebecca Dimech...more
-
Well, the Kap tal-Kattolici u l-Latini certainly has a roving eye...more
The last Salvatur we had, if I recall correctly, was Dom Mintoff. He sold the Maltese soul to Libya, put us on the Eastern European map to the extent that our little Island was considered a hostile nation, and ultimately forced us to adopt a green passport with an Arabic translation. He controlled our imports, suffocating the economy in the process. I hope this Saviour has a better plan.
Has he a plan?
Salbu! Salbu!
If Joseph is the Saviour, then what are Toni and Anglu – the robbers crucified alongside him?
@ Fairy Liquid..Spot on
U bil-provi!
Judging from past experience I would rather vote for the one from Lija.
I doubt whether he will stand next time round though.
He was never one for confrontation.
Branding every successive Labour leader as Salvatur ta’ Malta cannot possibly be a very wise course of action. It puts our Joseph under immense pressure to deliver and if he should sadly slip up at the first electoral hurdle, the disappointment of the masses would know no bounds. Many leaders’ debates and challenges await our Joseph before claiming victory.
Even if electoral victory is tightly secured under the belt, no amount of bleating ‘financial holes’ would help him dampen the expectations of the masses who were promised reduced fuel, water, gas and electricity. Not to mention ‘living wages’.
Precisely so. With Labour, the passage from Salvatur (saviour) to Traditur (traitor) is an electoral victory.
It’s going to be the 1970s all over again. We will even have another 31 March 2019, when Joseph Muscat will lower the EU flag on the Gholja tal-Helsien.
Déjà vu. A remix of Dom Mintoff and Alfed Sant with all the 70s and 80s thugs thrown in for good measure. The world won’t end in 2012 but Malta’s future will in 2013 if this lot are elected.
This ‘saviour’ plans on being elected.
And then he’ll see.
The problem is the Nationalist Party doesn’t seem to want to pull its act together. And Gonzi can’t get most of his ministers to do something about the most glaring issues this country is facing.
I disagree. The most glaring issues the country is facing is the economy and job creation. Both are doing just fine under the circumstances, thank you very much.
The rest is just nit-picking to find something to whine about. Of course we’ve had to make sacrifices, but it will all just go to waste with the clueless Joseph and his useless entourage (sharing, as they do, half a brain between them) at the helm.
I don’t think water reserves, energy generation, gas emissions, the education system, MEPA, rent reform, our dependence on the property market for economic growth and the less-than-respectable members of the judiciary are just “something to whine about”. They either have been dealt with inadequately, or not dealt with at all.
*are not just “something to whine about”
@ Macduff
It seems that you are living in a country that is far and far away!
Water reserves, energy generation, gas emissions, they are all fine on paper but they would also mean higher electricity and water bills – contrary to what everyone thinks, alternative energy is clean energy but it is not free and in fact it is more expensive. These are again issues being faced by almost all of the world and the main reason that most are quite inactive about them, is that it would mean a reduction in competitiveness. Are these issues that have to be tackled now?
The education system – one of the earliest complaint about the education system was heard almost 200 years ago and it was repeated with every government of every colour! The truth is that at the moment the number of students attaining a tertiary level of education is on a steep increase and is at present almost 60% for those born between 1991 and 1992. Unfortunately the statistics include persons between 15 and 64 years of age – so all of those that were in school in the 70’s and early 80’s and during which years the birth rate was very high – 8000- 10000/year. Thus the overall statistic is skewed towards a lower attainment in this age group – something that no government can do anything about – if you are 45 years of age and have hardly finished secondary school, there is no way that you can ever achieve tertiary education.
Rent reform – I think that the government was very prudent here as one cannot dismantle a 50 year old system in just a pen stroke. So the reforms have to be done in slow fashion – this would be the same for any government more so for a conservative socialist one!
Our dependence on the property market for economic growth – take a look at the NSO figures and you would be surprised – you are still living in the last century.
The less-than-respectable members of the judiciary – I believe the last time that the Government tried to impeach some of them, it was the Opposition that stopped the process – don’t forget you need 2/3 majority.
@Snoopy
“Are these issues that have to be tackled now?”
Yes. If we don’t, we may have to pay much more later on. How can you sustain economic growth without proper energy generation? Are you aware that Malta may face EU fines if we do not deal with gas emission? Do you know that our water reserves may run out in a few years time?
I’m sorry, I don’t agree with the removal of streaming in primary schools and the setting up of colleges, or whatever they are. I firmly believe the whole project will prove to be detrimental in the long run (the UK comprehensive schools spring to mind). As regards to our tertiary education, it doesn’t make sense to spend millions on stipends and then have ill-equiped facilities and meagre research opportunities. Also, I feel our education system is too didactic. You are not encourged to think for yourself but just remember as much as you can and then regurgitate everything in the exam. Does it cater for today’s world? No.
As regards the rent reform, spare me the “prudence” and the “balanced approach” and all that faffing around. It should have empowered property owners more. Period.
The government hasn’t tried to impeach Scerri Herrera, has it? And did the Commission for the Admistration of Justice investigate the Magistrate, or not?
You cannot consider the construction industry in isolation. To what extent does the service industry, including the banks, depend on construction? And Snoopy I think you should know that a century ago Malta’s economy depended on the British military base, not construction.
@ Macduff
Just two points –
It seems that you have not been anywhere near the University or the MCAST within the past 10 years. You have also not been following the news. If yo had you would know that both institutions have invested heavily (in the case of the University over 50M Euros in just the past three years) in upgrading their research infrastructure. This has already resulted in a number of patents and major publications that have had a decent exposure on the local newspaper.
I can assure you that for the past 20 years I have never lacked research funds as my team are busy publishing and writing grant applications. Where there is a will there is a way.
Our students are spread throughout the World and have prominent jobs as prime investigators and busy publishing in high impact journals. If yo had pointed out the fact that these important achievement are rarely ever publicised, then I would have agreed with you.
As for the last century – well I was referring to around 20 years ago – when yes the building industry was one of the prime economical players. Today, its importance has been reduced in size and Malta’s economy is now based on its main natural resource – an educated workforce.
As for alternative energy – I have nothing against it and in fact I have personally invested heavy on solar energy (out of my own pocket). But for the Government to invest very heavily at this moment, would result in either an increase in the budget deficit or an increase in water and electricity bills (can you imagine the uproar) or an increase in tax. This would result in scenario – less cash in hand and thus a drastic reduction in spending power. This is for sure a recipe for disaster.
Closing the Marsa power station (buying electricity from the European grid) and reducing traffic congestion, is enough so as not to pay any fines. Another possibility is to buy carbon credits on the open market.
Better Lawrence Gonzi and some glaring issues – even with prats like Dalli and Pullicino Orlando thrown into the mix – than Joseph Muscat and Anglu Farrugia running the country. You’re not facing a choice between Lawrence Gonzi and nothing. You’re facing a choice between Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph/Toni/Anglu, and the sooner you work this out, the better.
Fairy Liquid, you may need to work out that criticising the government doesn’t automatically mean you’re supporting the opposition. You’d be doing a disservice if you don’t criticise. No one needs yes-men.
And no one in his right mind would want Anglu as member of government. Had Malta been a more self-respecting country, he’d be behind bars.
With regards to environmental matters, I think that it is the country, that is, its citizens who will not pull themselves together.
In all environmental matters, air quality, water resources, you name it, each person has to make a sacrifice: take a bus not drive your car, use energy saving devices etc. But will we do it, not unless forced to by higher tarrifs, probably.
MEPA? That is not the reform of an authority but the reform of a sector: the construction industry and all its operatives including the architects.
Again, the laissez faire attitude and the infamous ‘nirrangaw’ mentality are so difficult to overcome.
So Macduff, is it Gonzi or is it the mirror that sends back the distorted image?
I don’t remember Alfred Sant ever being called ‘Salvatur’. This is just another sign that Joseph Muscat would like to be seen as the new Mintoff, though he doesn’t mind borrowing concepts and catch phrases from Fenech Adami, Obama, Luther King, Cameron and sundry others. His speeches sound like excerpts from The Bumper Book of Quotations.
Dak taf ghaliex qieghed b`dik it tabella? Ghax Mintoff telaq minn mohhu u ma jafx x`qed jigri = ghax kieku tghidx kemm jibatu l-hemm u l-hawn.
Tghid mhux ser ihalli lil xi hadd jghidulu Salvatur, hallieha li lilu wara qalulu traditur.
Similar to the previous “Salvatur’ Joseph Muscat seems to excel at formenting anger and mob protests. He must be pleased with himself, and his nanna must be proud, too. However, I am afraid that, unlike Mintoff, he doesn’t realise that it can easily get out of control.
What a truly pitiful figure Dr Gonzi has become. Has Malta ever had such a weak Prime Minister in living memeory?
[Daphne – The nature of the view depends on where you’re standing. In your position of utter prejudice and resentment, the view is of a weak prime minister, because those who favour Labour tend to associate scenes, bullying and threats with strength. Others, like me, correctly perceive the ability to diffuse a dangerous situation with calm negotiation as a sign of real strength, not weakness. In private enterprise, the latter ability is sought after and the former shortcomings lead to dismissal by the board, eventually. It is quite obvious that the prime minister comes from private enterprise and is a veteran of very many board meetings, of which several would almost certainly have been extremely difficult and would have included tussles between persons. You perceive him as having lost control of the situation. You haven’t noticed that he has actually ensured that he retains control. The ability to think ahead is often not recognised in others by those who don’t have it. Jean Pierre Farrugia, for example, acted on impulse and emotion and did not think ahead. Had he thought ahead, he would simply have gone to the prime minister and informed him of his decision to vote with the Opposition. Had he thought even further ahead, he would have bothered to check whether there was going to be such a parliamentary vote in the first place (there wasn’t). And had he really intended to do what he said he would, he wouldn’t have announced it and risked his plan being sabotaged. He would have just done it. The prime minister probably recognised that Farrugia’s behaviour was a cry for attention (well, if even I did, then he must have done) of the ‘If you leave me, I am going to kill myself’ variety. The way to deal with that sort of behaviour is not to say ‘Go ahead and kill yourself then’ because it triggers off even worse hysteria.]
ChavRaus you seem to be lost for words. You have reached a damning conclusion about the Prime Minister of this country which you seem unable to sustain – I am sure this blog would allow you to explain your judgment better.
Elucidate us, if you will.
[Daphne – I believe he is basing himself on the prime minister’s decision to meet Jean Pierre Farrugia and reconcile their differences of opinion. It’s the top story on timesofmalta.com. That’s certainly what I was talking about.]
Oh I see. Most of those lambasting the government and the Nationalist Party – transparently because of personal grudges – just cannot understand that backtracking and changing are as important tools for management as determination to plough ahead.
It baffles me how on occasions these same people criticise government officials for lending nothing but a deaf ear or of unmercifully “crushing” past and over Mr John Doe, and when the same government reviews its decisions, it is considered weak.
They seem to long for times when the government forged ahead and if one disagreed, then, God help him.
There is a picturesque Italian idiom that explains their inconsistency
Non sapere che pesci prendere!
Will you explain the correct usage of “elucidate” to Mr Micallef, or shall I?
ChavRus, any observer of human behaviour will tell you that bullies who scream, punch their desk, stamp their feet and generally try to intimidate others (think of Mintoff and you’ll see what I mean) are actually insecure and scared people. By this yardstick, the weakest PM we ever had was your hero: Mintoff himself.
Jien ma nafx certu nies x’qed jahsbu li ser jigri la darba Muscat ikun prim ministru, jew x’inhuma jippretendu li kapaci jaghmel.
Where have you lot been living?
– Eighteen months’ salary for absolutely nothing to the demoted
ministers/parl. secs so they would let him be PM again;
[Daphne – It is not cabinet ministers who appoint the prime minister but the other way round. It is not cabinet ministers who elect him, but the electorate, among which they have no special status, but the same status as the rest of us. Salaries are not given to curry favour, as can be seen, and more than amply so. If you were able to see things clearly, you would understand that the prime minister would have been better off keeping MPs and ministers on a ‘wage freeze’.]
– The way JPO has been relenlessly rocking the boat without any
comeback from the PM;
[Daphne – The way to deal with people like that is to give them enough rope to hang themselves, and eventually, they will. You can’t tell them to go and stuff themselves when they hold what is, effectively, the balance of power, as Sant learned to his cost with that other egomaniac Mintoff. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando depends on his constituents for re-election, and his behaviour has severely deteriorated his support-base. I, for one, have made it clear to him that he will not get my vote, not even a number 10. He has behaved incredibly badly and reciprocated all attempts at helping him with more and more appalling and egomaniacal behaviour. ]–
The trip to Canossa that Gonzi (plus his better half) had to
make to pacify Franco Debono;
[Daphne – Ditto.]
– The pseudo-jobs given to the restive back-benchers to keep
them quiet;
[Daphne – The same applies. What would you have done – sunk your government to keep your ‘pride’, like Sant? I hope you never get to manage anything, because with that kind of thinking you’ll end up in a real mess.]–
and now the JPF saga……
[Daphne – It is people of your mentality who think that Jean Pierre Farrugia was the one who came out of all this with a better image and higher standing. The rest of us (the sensible ones) think he behaved abysmally. There is never any excuse for appalling manners and ill-bred hysteria. If you have something to say to your prime minister, say it to him. Don’t round-robin an (ungrammatical) threat to a hundred people and challenge them to leak it. Disgusting – and that’s irrespective of the merits of the case.]
Sant had a lot of faults, but at least he had enough self-respect to refuse to be blackmailed – even if it cost him the premiership.
[Daphne – Blackmailed? The word you’re looking for is threatened. A good leader would have done what Gonzi does repeatedly with his bunch of backbiting hysterics, and diffused the situation. But Sant is not a good leader. He is too proud and block-headed. But I knew that from private experience that long predated his foray to the fore of the party. His attitude messed up other areas of his life, too. The personal is the political, and people don’t have one set of character traits for politics and another set for the home.]
Yes the PM appoints tte ministers/parl. secs BUT (and a very big but it is too) the PM is only PM as long as a majority of MPs are ready to back him. And Gonzi has been buying that backing with our money.
[Daphne – You see it as buying backing with money (an example, please). I see it as sensible people-management. It is a sound reflection on his character that, no matter how much he might feel like telling certain characters to go and stuff themselves, he doesn’t.]
I alread gave you several examples. The most glaring, of course, is the eighteen months’ salary given to ex ministers and parl secs for abslutely nothing
Dak li naddaf Dr. Sant mill-Partit .Reggha qieghed ihammgu Is-sur Joseph Muscat Il-mexxej tal- Progressivi Moderati minghalih
( Veteran Laborist )