A major shift in perception
Something tells me that the ongoing crisis is going to be the making of Lawrence Gonzi. That’s not how he’ll be thinking of it at all (he’s not Joseph Muscat), and he looks totally harrowed.
But he’s really come into his own, demonstrating the leadership qualities that lots of people didn’t think he had because they are the sort who equate leadership with Being Tough and Pushing People Around.
Watching his press conference last night, I couldn’t shake off the thought of how different it would all be if the people at the helm were that shoddy outfit led by Joseph, Anglu and Toni.
Not only would we be looking at the fall-out of the proverbial botched piss-up in a brewery, but worse than that, David Cameron would not have been able to trust them with details of the covert Hercules airlift, because there would be no reassurance that international secretary AST or some misguided Gaddafi fan like Labour’s programme-writer who was driven around by Julia Farrugia’s father wouldn’t bleat to Tripoli.
I think at times like this the real difference between the two political parties is driven home hard: that one is a professional outfit made up of people who in the main know what they are doing even if they can often be so bloody irritating, while the other is an amateurish, make-do-and-mend set-up of clunkers, clowns, opportunists, dinosaurs and deadbeats, with a spoiled kid in charge.
There has been a shift in perception and the Nationalist Party leader’s stature has grown immeasurably over the last few days. There are two reasons for this: the way he has handled the situation after his initial reluctance to commit himself and the country to a proper stand, and the fact that in the face of a real and immediate external threat and with a common purpose, a country pulls together and behind its ‘leader’, as long as we perceive him to be doing the right thing.
It will now be almost impossible for the twerps on his backbench to challenge his authority and try to make him look like a fool. They were able to do this without being slammed down before because they derived their credibility – such as it was – from his weakened image.
And our notorious prisoner in Brussels can now go and take a flying jump straight into the lap of John Bundy and Saviour Balzan. Nobody else is going to listen to John Dalli when he tells us how useless Gonzi is and how much better off we would have been with Prime Minister Dalli.
That’s right: imagine what the scenario would have been now, with Prime Minister Dalli scrambling to save his business interests in Libya and a hotline to Saif Al Islam Gaddafi.
Let’s not even think about it. Bye bye, Johnny Dalli. When your prison sentence is up, you can have a go at becoming the Tsar of Tripolitania.
Even Saviour Balzan and Matthew Vella at Malta Today don’t dare talk about the prime minister with contempt now because they might be a bit thick, but they’re not too thick to see that their editorial line is out of synch. Instead they don’t mention him at all (Mr Video Blog has had nothing to say about Libya for the last week) and try to compensate by using ‘statesmanlike’ photographs of Joseph Muscat standing behind a battery of mikes.
Malta Today didn’t dispatch anyone to the prime minister’s press conference yesterday evening. It was the perfect chance for them to ask the searching questions they keep telling us about, but they passed. They would rather pretend that the prime minister doesn’t exist if they can’t spit on him instead.
They continue to say that Aisha was circling overhead – what strange fantasies those men must have – when everyone involved, including the woman herself, has denied it.
I wrote last week that the plane which was refused landing permission carried pilots and engineers who had come unannounced for the Mirage fighter jets (the prime minister had mentioned it at a meeting with people who have investments in Libya, and one of them told me). But when you’ve sold Al Jazeera a load of bull, you’d better stand by it.
The prime minister spoke categorically last night: that the end of Gaddafi is inevitable (he could have said that a week ago, but we’ll let that go now), and that if he does not go, then the territorial integrity of Libya cannot be guaranteed.
I find it strange that this, to me the most salient point as I watched the press conference live on television, was let go and not zoomed in upon.
Maybe the Maltese reporters there didn’t understand what this means: that if Gaddafi doesn’t go, international forces will probably have to go in and get rid of him. Hence the panic in getting everyone out fast.
The prime minister was speaking Maltese when he said this, and so the international news agencies wouldn’t have understood.
We should have worked that out anyway, because everything has been building up to it. The Labour Party has certainly worked it out, because Joseph Muscat made a point, in his flaccid remarks yesterday (in which he told us that the prime minister is consulting him, when the word he was looking for was ‘briefing’, which has a different meaning) that Labour has no problem with humanitarian exercises.
So gear yourself up for a spot of ball-breaking should a proper military exercise become necessary if Gaddafi goes Waco, as it looks likely he will.
I trust the prime minister will have the good sense to stop briefing Muscat at that point because he is surrounded by people who cannot be trusted where Muammar Gaddafi is concerned.
I find it amusing that on the internet, the man who was gOnZipN until last week, reviled and mocked by the usual suspects whose peculiar thought processes allow them to think that Muscat is by far the better option, is now not just The Prime Minister but actually Our Prime Minister.
Indeed. It takes a terrible crisis to wake people up to reality.
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Dedicated to KMB, Reno and their folk
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Hear Hear
“Something tells me that the ongoing crisis is going to be the making of Lawrence Gonzi. ”
I said the same thing to a work colleague only a few moments ago.
Watching the PM’s conference last night, I felt secure in the knowledge that he knows what he is doing – ‘Par Idejn Sodi’ came into its own these past few days.
I know some real deadbeats who would be highly offended being compared to MLP.
And oh yes, JPO must be fuming…
Please give some credit to the Maltese press
http://www.maltarightnow.com/?module=news&at=It%2Dtmiem+tat%2Dtmexxija+ta%27+Gaddafi+hu+inevitabbli&t=a&aid=99826425&cid=19
And the reporting on Net Tv was on the same lines.
[Daphne – A faithful report of what was said, except that there is no mention of the very thing I said was overlooked: that if Gaddafi doesn’t go, there is no guarantee that Libya’s territorial integrity can be respected, followed by an explanation of what this means.]
You may be right but…unfortunately people have short memories.
‘Flaccid remarks’ juxtoposed with ‘briefing’ with regards to Joseph conjured up an image in my mind…I will not spell it out because I am a well-brought up girl, but it sort of underscores the Lijder’s impotence in bringing anything useful to the table…be it on national matters, let alone on international ones.
Actually, I had the precisely the same thoughts myself – good one!
http://www.facebook.com/lou.bondi#!/video/video.php?v=10150110909543363&comments
”Indeed. It takes a terrible crisis to wake people up to reality”
Unfortunate, but very true.
What about Reno Calleja’s comments this morning stating that the Prime Minister should never have stated that Gaddafi in nearing his end? Can you ever mediate with such an atrocious murderer?
Our PM could not have said the words beforehand. when we had many Maltese citizens still there, in the middle of it all.
Even mighty Obama was silent in the beginning. fearing a hostage situation, and this was actually reported.
You can’t make certain statements until your people are safe back home. This is obviously done to avoid some sort of reprisal against your people.
The PM’s right in saying what he said. Gaddafi’s end is nigh.
This is the point of no return.
Even if the rat-dictator by some miracle survives, he will still be found guilty of international war crimes and be left to rot in some cell somewhere, a lose-lose situation for the cockroach
This is what we meant by ‘Par idejn sodi’. Not just a slogan, but a commitment and a belief that national interest comes first with sound decision, in times of great need.
[Daphne – ‘National interest’ depends on interpretation. Some think that the national interest means mediation, others that it means staying out of problems ‘which are not our own’, and relatively few people seem able to understand that it is very much in Malta’s interest to get rid of Gaddafi.]
Better not think too much about the scenario if Alfred Sant had been Prime Minister. Probably by this time we would be still arguing about the definition of ‘neutrality’ or some form of ‘mediation’ inspired by Labour’s Gaddafi acolytes and meanwhile refusing to share our responsibility in the humanitarian crises caused by Gaddafi.
Thing is Daph, this can’t be Lawrence Gonzi’s making as elections are somewhat distant…..unless of course…
Margaret Thatcher called elections in 1983 soon after she showed leadership in winning the Falklands war.
I had that thought yesterday while Gonzi was addressing his conference, and this thought recurs when I see how Labour is totally compromised about the Libya issue.
Thank you Mr Prime Minister for being you. We are so proud of you. May God be with you, always.
This story just highlights what I mentioned before:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110228/local/former-minister-critical-of-gonzi-remarks-on-inevitability-of-gaddafi-fall
timesofmalta.com put up a video of Julia Farrugia’s press conference (announcing that she was suing an unnamed person) immediately.
But I’m guessing the prime minister’s press conference was not that important.
I could be wrong but I could not locate it on video anywhere on timesofmalta.com.
Issa ma nghagglux!
I do agree that Dr. Gonzi’s performance during that press conference was commendable and praiseworthy.
But …. that does not take away anything from the fact that he (“he” meaning his Government) is making a right mess of good governance.
Also, I believe that it’s simply way too early to state that he’s already “demonstrating the leadership qualities that lots of people didn’t think he had”. He certainly didn’t show such qualities a couple of weeks ago when he met Col. Gaddafi. The tough times ahead (if indeed there will be) should be a good indicator but it’s not as if his leadership qualities have been tested until now.
[Daphne – That’s what I said, they’ve not been truly tested until now. The true test of leadership is in a situation like this, not utility bills. And please do shut up with the good governance. It’s so tedious. You get fed a term and repeat it ad nauseam, barely knowing what it means. Il-vera tedjanti. Good governance il-prezz tad-dawl? Tghixu dinja ghalikom.]
Finally, I frankly feel it is inappropriate to highlight the increase in stature of Dr. Gonzi by comparing him to Dr. Muscat. Much as it is inappropriate to laud the qualities of a Mercedes by comparing it to a Tata. It’s simply not on!
[Daphne – Your comparison, not mine.]
Daphne your reply is a tad tedious.
“The true test of leadership is in a situation like this, not utility bills”
That’s boll*cks! Handling of cost of living (read “utility bills”), corrupt (or allegedly corrupt) or inappropriate practices, good financial administration … those are the real tests of a Maltese Prime Minister, indeed of any Prime Minister / President that governs islands or small states who have little or no impact in international affairs.
[Daphne – Really? Well then, why don’t we just advertise in The Economist for a general manager, and have done with this democracy nuisance. It’s people like you who are tedious, forever missing the big picture. Going on holiday with you must be a real blast. “Oh look, there’s the Taj Mahal.” “Yes, but somebody’s left a sweet wrapper here on this bench.”]
David, just for the sake of my pure and simple curiosity, how would you suggest addressing the utility bills issue?
Surely you must have an alternative if you state that this administration is making a mess of this test.
U ija if you say so …
I’m missing the big picture then. Methinks you’re missing the frame!
[Daphne – Well obviously, I know less than you do and you know more. So let’s leave it at that.]
Joe, quite simply I don’t have a clue.
But then I’m not the Prime Minister !
And thank heaven for that.
Wrong use of the term again this morning, as quoted by The Times (news story on Reno Calleja). This is deceiving and deliberate, and definitely not related to inherent ignorance.
In a few months’ time (once their friend Gaddafi is eliminated), we will start to hear the rewriting of this chapter – how Muscat conceived the humanitarian aspect, how Labour objected to the dictator.
“The leader of the opposition is being continuously consulted by the PM and has been assured that Malta’s role is purely of a humanitarian nature,” the PL said.
http://www.josephmuscat.com/pages/lc/articleDetails_lc.asp?id=2455
“Matul din il-laqgha d-delegazzjoni tal-Partit Laburista kienet tinkludi, lid-Deputat Mexxej ghall-Affarijiet tal-Partit, Dr.Toni Abela, l-Kelliem Ewlieni laburista ghall-Affarijiet Barranin Dr.George Vella, s-Segretarju tal-Ezekuttiv Nazjonali Dr.Lydia Abela u Reno Calleja”.
“par idejn sodi”
This is probably where Joseph would adopt the slogan “flimkien kollox possibbli” to jump into Gonzi’s well-deserved limelight.
Again, I fully agree with you, Daphne, expect for one small detail. You refer to Gonzi’s “initial reluctance to commit himself and the country to a proper stand”. This was more a concern of putting many Maltese nationals in danger if he came out too strongly.
Now that most foreign nationals are out of Libya, the crisis will enter a new phase where the possibility of military intervention by Nato becomes increasingly likely. Hence, the repeated calls by Cameron, Sarkozy and others to Gaddafi to step down.
This next phase of the crisis will be even more difficult for Malta and this is where good leadership is crucial. Malta’s role will be, and must be seen to be, strictly humanitarian to provide aid to Libyans and others who will be affected by what may well be an escalating conflict.
Gonzi is also showing good leadership by briefing the Opposition Leader. To PL’s credit, apart from Calleja’s gaffe, they are doing nothing to politicise or in any way weaken Malta’s position overseas.
Why all this pseudo neutrality? Malta is in the EU and the cold war is over.
Talk of “twerps on the back-bench” – in the midst of the Libya crisis, I came home last Friday evening to find a visiting card from one of them in my letterbox with a note saying “I called”.
When everyone else has the Libya crisis on their mind, there goes one particular back-bencher doing the rounds and making hay while the sun shines.
Now that poster really makes sense: ‘B’Gonzi Mohhok Mistrieh’.
Having a LEADER or another can truly be pounds, shillings and pence which won’t change our lives that much because we all know how that goes – a country’s budget is what it is.
What matters most is how a LEADER manages in a crisis, a crisis which can flip everything which in recent history we all took for granted.
The Talibans were removed, Saddam Hussein was removed, Gaddafi will hopefully be removed. Let’s pray that Libya won’t become another bloodbath similar to what Afganistan and Iraq irrespective of the removal of their dictators had become.
Let’s hope that Libya will not be split in pieces as happened with former Jugoslavia.
Absolutely right. I shudder to think what Joseph and co would have done had they been in charge. They are so embarrassing at the best of times. Being prime minister is not a job for amateurs.