They lied, and we missed it
This Reuters picture shows rebel fighters relaxing in what used to be Gaddafi's private plane.
Salvu Felice Pace in The Times today makes an important point that the rest of us missed (well, I don’t know about you, but I certainly did).
Despite the Labour Party’s fudged statement that ‘the current administration can categorically deny that it received donations from Gaddafi’, we know of at least one widely reported donation.
Because we were thinking ‘donations = cash’, we forgot all about donations in kind.
timesofmalta.com, 3 August 2010
Dr Muscat returned to Malta on a private aircraft provided by the Libyan government.
Muscat had been to Tripoli to visit Muammar Gaddafi, accompanied by Alex Sceberras Trigona, Karmenu Vella and Kurt Farrugia.
Remember that Muscat does not represent the state, and that this was strictly a Labour Party delegation. So that trip in a private plane – not a dinky thing like the one our prime minister sometimes uses (and pays for), but a great big whack-off Air Force One outfit the size of a commercial passenger plane, fitted with gold taps and gold-plated lavatory seats – was a donation to the Labour Party.
They lied, and we missed it.
I think you should watch the timesofmalta.com video I’ve posted beneath.
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So did I!
Here’s the timesofmalta.com video:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100803/local/repatriation-of-immigrants-libya-confirms-governments-version-of-events-muscat.320813
One of the comments on this story. by the infamous and not-at-all-missed lgalea: “. . . the jet provided by the Libyan Government shows the respect they have for the PL leaders. . .”
Interesting green tie worn by Joseph Muscat. Was that in solidarity with Libya’s eco agenda or with the Green Book?
Alas, so much cockiness in ignorance.
Well, I didn’t, if I may say so, but took it in stride knowing very well the intimacy between the PL and Gaddafi.
Such treatment, although verging on the ‘unacceptable’ is taken for granted between the two regimes.
It proves that the general public is conditioned to believe that the PL’s ethics are low and it does not expect any better.
‘Come fly with me’, We crash together.
Inside Gaddafi’s plane – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BoT4eBWOuU
So when Tonio Fench accepted a flight and a ticket for the Arsenal-Villareal football match from a prominent businessman, wasn’t that a donation as well then?
[Daphne – Yes, and that’s why we dissed him for it. Now imagine if he had taken a far more pricey trip and heaven knows what else besides from Gaddafi, as Muscat and his people did. Can you see now that Muscat was in absolutely no position to criticise the finance minister?]
Fully agreed, but Joseph Muscat is just a party leader, Tonio Fenech is the current Finance Minister.
[Daphne – G-R-O-A-N. Joseph Muscat is not ‘just a party leader’. He is the prime minister in waiting. Tonio Fenech is not.]
What I mean is this, in Joseph’s Muscat case, whatever trips or anything else he may accept is pretty harmless whilst sitting on the opposition bench.
[Daphne – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Deep breath. OK, now. The leader of the Opposition has a constitutional role. He is not ‘just a party leader’ like, say, Michael Briguglio of AD. He is also, the way Maltese politics go, always the prime minister in waiting. What he does is not ‘pretty harmless’ or insignificant. Given that he is likely to win the next election, the people who wish to have his favour then will be trying to buy his favour now in anticipation.]
I would expect the voters to judge him in the next general election, and decide whether they want to trust him leading the country or not.
[Daphne – Exactly. And on what would you judge him?]
One may argue that the same applies for Tonio Fenech. However he is the CURRENT Finance Minister so his actions have a direct adverse effect on the taxpayer’s money TODAY, and there’s nothing the taxpayer can do to stop him, only the PN as a party can.
[Daphne – Actually, it’s press scrutiny. And Tonio Fenech’s actions have not had a direct adverse effect on ‘the taxpayers’ money’ (I suppose you mean the economy), but the direct opposite. For that, he deserves praise. I can’t see how Karmenu Vella would have managed, or Charles Mangion, or God help us, Leo Brincat. Who do they plan to land us with as finance minister, anyway? They’re still rummaging through the skip trying to come up with something that doesn’t date back to 1977.]
Tonio Fenech has already been trusted by the people, Joseph Muscat is yet to be trusted. I would start worrying about Joseph Muscat’s visits to Tripoli when he’s the prime minister. That’s the only distinction I’m trying to make between the two.
[Daphne – You are just incredible. No wonder Labour leaders get away with murder and incredibly low standards when they have supporters like this. Joseph Muscat has a constitutional role. He is leader of the Opposition, which makes him the alternative prime minister. As leader of the Opposition alone – still more as alternative prime minister – his actions should be subject to intense scrutiny and discussion. This is fundamental democracy, lesson 1, grade 1.]
I never really thought on who would be the finance minister in a PL government, but now that you’ve asked the question, I’m really intrigued!
[Daphne – I’m sobbing in despair here, love. You’ve decided to vote Labour without even considering who the finance minister is going to be, when that’s the most important portfolio?]
Who on earth told you that I’ve already decided to vote Labour?
[Daphne – I don’t need telling. As somebody who doesn’t vote Labour, I don’t need to have things spelled out. I think you come from a Labour background and have convinced yourself you’re a floating voter (definition: trying to find reasons why voting for Joseph is a good idea).]
Floating voters have backgrounds too, you know.
To be completely blunt, I am actually a floating voter who in the past elections voted for both the PL and the PN and am currently undecided between the lesser of two evils, PL with its new image (plus some old faces) or the PN and the arrogant attitude of some of those who represent it.
[Daphne – Funny how people always describe the PN as arrogant (it’s been happening since the early 1990s). My observations tell me that it’s the Labour Party and its succession of up-themselves leaders who are truly arrogant, though of course they are now looking at some stiff competition from the likes of Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Jesmond Mugliett and John Dalli. But then we probably have different dictionaries. ]
Of course, as a floating voter, I try to find reasons why voting for Joseph may be a good or bad idea as much as I try to find reasons why voting for Lawrence is a good or bad idea.
As a floating voter I question my background and try not to be conditioned by it. We may not see eye to eye on this one because you are obviously not a floating voter.
[Daphne – Why would I be a floating voter, Mr Nobody? I’m 47 years old, have raised a family, worked and still work for my living, have my head screwed on right, some say I’m quite bright, so why would I be unable to make up my mind? There’s nothing to float about. But then I did have the considerable advantage of coming from a family that supported neither party, which gave me the most terrific clarity and perspective.]
As for the Tonio Fenech/Joseph Muscat trips, I disapprove of both. As a floating voter (with a background) I would expect:
1) the PN to take action on Tonio Fenech whose behavior was unethical for a minister with the most important portfolio.
2) whoever does not approve of Joseph Muscat’s networking in Tripoli, etc. to not vote for him in the next general election.
How you thought I think that Joseph Muscat should not be subject to intense scrutiny and discussion is beyond me. And how, just because I think that Tonio Fenech’s trip should be referred to as a ‘donation’ as much as Joseph’s, means that I’m certainly voting Labour is beyond me too.
[Daphne – You don’t have a sense of proportion, and you are unable to see the great magnitude of implications in the Leader of the Opposition, accompanied by his chief policy-maker Karmenu Vella, visiting Muammar Gaddafi, signing something secret, then returning on his private plane. You actually equate this to the finance minister flying out to see a football match with some businessmen – wrong and damned stupid, but that’s about it.]
I’m just fed up with the 2 scales and 2 measures from both parties, including their media.
A lot of people have still to learn to distinguish between party and government – it seems that Labour has not drawn the line between the two (yet).