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Posted by Lomax, in response to Joan aka Yana Mintoff’s assertion that she and her family are seeking legal advice with a view to suing the makers of the film Dear Dom:
So we’re back to fuming and stamping our foot because somebody dares step out of the line dear Dom imposes on us.
Is that the way in which you intend to protect our human rights, Yana, if you’re elected?
Nonetheless, thank you for reminding us once again (not that I needed any reminding) that the words ‘Mintoff’ and ‘oppression’ go together.
Your father and all his acolytes deserve to rot in hell for what they did to us. Pierre Ellul’s film portrays but a drop of the ocean of misery so many thousands of us had to live in day after day.
I couldn’t stop crying during the second part of the film and many of the people watching it were crying too. I could see people hiding red eyes on their way out and so many people just sat in their seats waiting for the credits to come to an end, possibly trying to dust themselves off and pick themselves up.
So many of us are still trying to come to terms with what we had to live through. It’s a pity I’m not amenable to using foul language because the expletives at the tip of my fingers as I write this would attract the wrath of the most lax of censorship boards.
You all deserve to be banished from Malta for ruining our lives. And yet, that Skip King continues to woo you.
Yana, we see through you and your father. And, above all, we have the tools and the freedom to set you aside and to defend ourselves against your deeply offensive behaviour.
You should hang your head in shame not defy the pain of so many of us.
Go to hell, and leave us in peace. What are you up to now? Throwing manure at us as you did at British MPs?
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What is so dear about the Dictator Of Malta?
Dear DOM,
another film Labour doesn’t want you to see.
You may say many things against Dom Mintoff, but he will always be remembered for making Malta a free Nation and giving the maltese workers real freedom.
[Daphne – Nation is a proper noun and Maltese isn’t. Fascinating, Carmel. You give so much away.]
F**k off, Carmel.
[Daphne – I felt I should put two asterisks in your comment, if you don’t mind, even though I share your sentiments.]
Please, go ahead. This is your salon and we are your guests. But really. Why do we even, in 2012, have to go through an orrery of sophistry to rebut the fires of Mintoff-worship, which are still alive and burning in about 200 000 of our countrymen?
I mean if someone had just replaced “Mintoff” with “Ceaucescu” they’d get raspberried right out of the room. And we have to put up with THIS? In the name of what? Misguided Xarabankian all-opinions-are-equal? No they’re bloody well not.
So fuck off, all you Mintoff lovers. You, and a cowardly PN, are the reason that monster isn’t rotting in jail.
A ‘free nation’, where the word ‘nazzjon’ (nation) is banned. Yeah, right.
I have no intention whatsoever of watching this film.
My recollections of the 70s and 80s in Malta are still the subject of nightmares after thirty years.
Some of my closest and dearest stood up to the oppressor and paid dearly for their stand.
My extended family was devastated.
We were hiding cousins in the washroom.
We were sitting in cars for hours on end outside police h.q. waiting for our aunts and uncles to be released from phoney interrogations.
We were ferrying university students to the airport in the middle of the night hoping that they would be allowed to leave before they got framed.
Those of us already in the UK were setting up refugee camps in their miniscule apartments in London and elsewhere.
Does anyone expect me to watch this film ?
Forget it.
The film does not eulogise Dom Mintoff. Hence Yana Mintoff’s tantrums and bluster.
Very well said. I agree wholeheartedly. Prosit.
‘You all deserve to be banished from Malta for ruining our lives.’
That is what should have happened in 1987.
Used to work out in the same gym as her sister, a sullen, sad creature. Guess she was worked over by her old man, too.
Yana has conveniently ignored her father’s malicious fabrication of slander about Paul Boffa and his daughter, done to have him removed as party leader with Mintoff taking his place.
What sort of person would do a thing like that?
Under Sir Paul Boffa, the MLP was respected and heading in the right direction. Unlike your father he did not foment class division, hatred, or well organized Labour violence.
Boffa worked very hard to improve the standard of living for all Maltese, but your father was full of envy and he did everything to destroy Boffa and the country.
All Maltese regard Boffa highly but as you can see it can’t be said about your dear father. History will be unkind to your father. Stay put and you will see more films in the cinemas educating the young about the violence that he brought on Malta.
To think that even today, Labour’s still scared of considering the real motives and methods of Dom Mintoff.
Indeed, who would do a thing like that if not someone who was endowed with malice? This is what Labour should be asking, and then, maybe, things will fall into place.
One only has to see his erratic foreign policy, resting on convenience alone, a direct result of an utter lack of faith in this country.
Whenever a Chris Fearne comes along, declaring the collective to be mediocre, all he’s doing is being the quintessential ‘Mintoffjan’. Constructive opposition my foot, especially when they’ve outsourced that role as well.
Then there’s the gibberish about the twenty five year reign, when they had better remember that Sant’s government came down when all stakeholders started piling up the pressure on his energy bills and taxation system. It was chaos in 1997, financial figures were taking a life of their own.
Is it just me, or are we to seriously start worrying how Joseph, if possible, will do to make political ends meet? What happened to the programme by the way?
Maybe Yana aka Joan could entice us with her own version of her daddy’s biography.
‘Daddy Dearest’ by Joan Mintoff.
Mrs Bland is getting all the criticism she deserves but we should not forget Joseph Muscat. Since she is going to be a candidate for the next election, what she says impinges on the Labour Party as well.
When are our journalists going to ask Joseph Muscat, point blank, what he has to say about this very unobjective view of the Mintoff years?
Joseph Muscat’s plan is a very simple one. Let Mrs Bland talk in a way to appeal to the old Mintoffians. Let Deborah Schembri appeal to those who are considering themselves liberal. In short, let everyone hear and like a particular candidate. All that is needed for the new salvatur ta’ Malta to get elected is a majority of number one votes. What happens afterwards only time will tell.
I would like to remind Ms.Yana that her father signed a secret pact with North Korea and brought over to Malta fire arms and ammunition to be used against the Maltese people.
History has always taught us that man with great thoughts and great minds are always attacked by men with small minds and egostic thoughts.
I am not only referring to Mintoff but to Christ.
What cheek! So whilst I grew up with the permanent scars infllicted by the undemocratic Mintoffian rule during my childhood, Mintoff’s own daughter lived in a democracy.
Dr. Mintoff Bland should count herself lucky that former Prime Minister Dr. E. Fenech Adami promoted national reconciliation and tolerance that spared Mintoff the same ending as Benito Mussolini’s or Romania’s Ceaucescu or Libya’s Qhaddafi,
Someone should educate Dr. Mintoff Bland on what life in those years was like so that she can recoil in horror and hang her head in shame.
I recall those years vividly.
Thugs boarding school buses looking for the children of Nationalist families to beat the living daylights out of them, with steel bars.
Children in state schools being made to march on Freedom Day and parents fearsome that if they did not succumb to the pressure of sending their children along, they’d become arson or victims of violence.
Children waiting to savour the taste of chocolate smuggled from Sicily as opposed to being fed the horrible Deserta, Catch or Huskie.
Children crying desperately that they will never make it to university because they were forced to study Arabic in school, taught by unqualified natives in state schools who in line with their culture treated girls with contempt.
The inability of parents to make a trip to the corner shop to buy essentials for fear that if they spoke their mind about the human rights violations of the time, they’d be assaulted by the Zejtun mob.
Parents explaining to their children that although the then regime was wrong if asked by adults they had to sing the praises of Mintoff, for fear of retaliation.
Families reciting the rosary ever fearful that they’d wake up the next day to find paint splashed on their front door or worse a bomb.
Children getting all excited at the thought of a colour TV, for which their father had to pay a bribe.
Fear on Sunday morning when father would return with a bundle of newspapers including The Sunday Times, as stationers kept track of who bought which newspaper.
Your sister ending up sleeping at a friend’s as on her return from a night out, the Zejtun mob had closed off the village and mother crying fearful for the safety of her daughter.
Families torn apart and caught on different ends of the political divide. nationalist leaning families scared that their own blood would spy on them.
Children being indoctrinated and given copies of the Green Book.
Families unable to sell inherited property in Zejtun, unless for a pittance to a foreigner who asked if it was true that in Zejtun there were street shootings. Perhaps Dr. Mintoff Bland would like to dig into her own pockets and make good the shortfall in price of my grandparents’ property which under normal circumstances would have left my family relatively finanically secure.
Bulk buying and the unavailability of decent food, clothing or consumer goods.
The numerus Clausus for entry into university, not to mention the requirement to have a sponsor.
The doctors’ strike which led to a brain drain of the best medical brains.
Mintoff rose to power by inciting class hatred amongst illiterate peasants. Ironically by waging war against church schools he introduced into state schools children of middle class parents who gave working class children a glimpse into a different way of thinking.
I visited countries like Poland right after the fall of communism and found that 80s Malta was no different. I visited Libya in the Qhaddafi days and took the next flight out on day 3 as I could not stomach having my memories of the 80s rekindled by the billboards depicting Qhaddafi in revolutionary poses or witnessing the same poverty I had experienced in my childhood.
I have read books by Milan Kundera depicting life behind the iron curtain and count amongst my friends former Eastern Europeans and can assure Dr. Mintoff Bland that Malta was as backward in those days.
The one memory I will never forget is attending state school in the aftermath of the 1987 election, wanting to celebrate with my nationalist leaning friend the dawn of a new era but having to pretend to be in shock lest my fellow indoctrinated Labourite leaning school mates would report me to the Labourite leaning Assistant Head of School who meted out p unishment to Nationalist leaning kids like me.
Finally, Dr. Bland may wish to give me back my childhood, which was spent in fear and gave me exposure to concepts like vindictive work transfers, human rights violations and deprivation which no child my age should have witnessed.
Dr. Mintoff Bland has no place in today’s Malta and her inability to speak Maltese only adds insult to the injury suffered by those who had the misfortune of growing up during her father’s and his mob’s years in power.
Zejtunija, you have reopened a slowly healing scar as I have lived in that beautiful town of Zejtun.
We in Zejtun who do not vote Labour are waiting with trepidation for the next election. I, for one, have been told by one of the Mintoffian gangsters that when Labour is in power, our day of reckoning will arrive immediately.
I think a few photos of all your tortured body,like for example,pulled out nails,broken limbs, a few broken teeth and so on , would have given your write up more punch.
I must admit that they were not very nice times,but only for trouble makers. No persons living their normal lives and not causing any trouble were badly treated,I can vouch for that,and I came from a fervent Nationalist family.
All my three boys attended St.Edwards College,they were never beaten up,and me and their mother were always in front when we were protesting against the, as you call it,the war against Church schools,when they wanted Church schools to be free, which ironically was implemented by a P.N.Govt.
I’m afraid your write up shows that you should keep away from writers, such as Kundera,as perhaps you are a person who is too easily influenced.
[Daphne – ‘I must admit they were not very nice times, but only for trouble-makers’. Like the staff trapped inside the burning Progress Press building, for instance, or Mrs Fenech Adami and her children, perhaps. You also miss the point, Silvio, that oppression and suppression are in themselves great evils, and it is not simply a matter of keeping your head beneath the parapet.]
It’s incredible to what lengths some people will go to delude themselves. Silvio, even with truth staring you in the face you stubbornly refuse to acknowledge what was happening around you.
@Antoine
This is not a question of deluding oneself or not. It is just that there are always two sides to a coin and you might be looking as just one of the sides. Try for a change looking at the other side as well, because you might be in for a surprise.
[Daphne – You’re talking about opinions here, Silvio. But facts are absolute, and that’s different. If something is green, it’s absolutely irrelevant whether you have an opinion that tells you it’s red. It’s green, full stop. Camping is fun/camping is horrible and boring. Now that’s an example of an opinion open to discussion.]
Now let’s take as an example: the Zejtun incidents. Labour supporters say that it was the PN demonstrators who went with the intention of attacking their homes and families. If not, why was it that most of them were armed?
[Daphne – Silvio, you are JUST UNBELIEVABLE. They were armed because they wanted to attack, that’s all. When they drove about shooting at PN clubs, was it because they thought the PN clubs were armed and about to attack them as they drove by? When they ransacked the Fenech Adami home and assaulted Mrs Fenech Adami, was it because they were afraid that Mrs Fenech Adami was armed and about to assault them first? When they set fire to The Times building with members of staff still trapped inside, was it because they thought Charles Grech Orr and Anthony Montanaro and Wilfred Asciak were going to let rip with submachine guns? For God’s sake, Silvio. Honestly.]
On the other hand the P.N. wanted to affirm their right to hold meetings anywhere n Malta.
Those days where nothing but tests that our small nation had to pass through to confirm that we are worthy of being called a nation. We are somewhat lucky that we passed the tests and we are now proud to have even some mini martyrs to boast about.
Up to the Seventies we were just lackeys to foreign countries. Now thanks to the little blood we shed and to the sacrfices we made, we are now a nation.
So you see, there are always two sides to a coin.
Most are so annoyed with Bland’s reaction to Dear Dom, that we seem to ignore the fact that all she is doing is play to the tune set by Muscat and his senators who made it a strategic goal to reinstate Mintoff as the party’s all-time hero.
Well expressed Lomax. Your comment reflects the feelings of thousands of Maltese who suffered under the Mintoffian regime. Yana has nothing to proud of.
And yes, please Yana, go to hell and leave us alone. We have grown as a nation since the people kicked your father’s party out of power.
You treat us as if we were a bunch of morons and like your father, you have no respect towards our intelligence or even our human dignity.
You CAN’T and WILL NEVER understand the feelings of those who suffered under your father’s regime, no matter how hard you try or give the impression that you actually do understand.
While we suffered, you lived elsewhere, free to follow your choices. And now you come back with an arrogant attitude dictating to us (like your daddy) what we should do and how we should do it.
Joseph Muscat and the PL have nothing to boast about when they parade you on their podiums.
Daphne, jiena nhoss li tkun qeghda taghmel tajjeb anzi thank you,li fejn tara’ hazin tikkumenta,pero l-attakki personali jdejqu nies, imma irrid nighd kollox ,lilek wkoll jinsulentawk.Daphne l-artiklu ta’ Mizzi ex-chairman tal AirMalta, semma kemm hawn politici mhux onesti miz- zewg nahat tal kamra,ghalhekk nixtiqek tkun moderata,mhux kontra kulur wiehed biss.Inti taf li Mintoff ghamel affarijiet tajbin, u lilkom nisa kien jhobbkom ,ghax l-ewwel ma tak il-vot,imbaghad paga ugwali daqsl-irgiel,imbaghad ta plots ghad djar b’xejn, u hafna affarijiet ohra,Issa zbalji goffi wkoll ghamel ,Nehha Blue Sisters,ghal xejn,Is-Suq stagnah.Bulk buying tar racanc etc.etc.U ghidli Daphne, min jorqod biss ma jaghmilx zbalji
[Daphne – Mintoff veru kien ihobb lin-nisa, imma mhux kif tahseb int. Kien ihobb lin-nisa kif ihobbhom DSK ta’ Franza, biss biss ma kellux dawk l-opportunitajiet li ghandu DSK, and so he had to make do.]
I can’t vouche for this, but I was assured that it happened.
Mintoff was in London with a delegation which included Miss Barbara.
Being stil lin his prime, he wanted to enjoy the night life there, but being as they say a bit stingy, he refused the offer of one of the Soho girls, telling her that in Malta no one epects to pay more than two pounds for that kind of thing.
The next morning, it being a nice day and to save on the taxi fare, they decided to walk.
Miss Barbara was at his side when they came face to face with last night’s girl, who looked at them and said:
“See what you get for two pounds in London, sir?”
Labour has been trying to rewrite history for the last 50 years but their history still haunts them. Mintoff will be remembered for defeating the first Labour government in 1950, again in 1958 again in 1998 as history repeats itself. He fought with everyone beginning with his own party.
Star comment of the day: Petrol price up 6c
Looserpool’s Day. Ha ha, like that one.
I think Malta has had its fill of this man – I do not think we need more reminding. If I had to have my way, I would scrap that film.
No elephant I woud’nt scrap it. It should form a compulsery chapter in the teaching of History/Social Studies in our schools. Most of our youngsters both in PN and Pl families don’t know this important part of our recent history.
When I watched parts of Ghanja ta’ Poplu I was taken aback about how much I’d forgotten – and I lived through it.
Today’s youth look askance when certain episodes are mentioned.and the PL is trying to rewrite its ugly past. So this film can help to redress this lacuna.
Thank you, Mr. Ellul.
I have just read Zejtunija’s entry above and it was like reading about my own childhood and teenage years.
Zejtun, today a beautiful and tranquil village, was a difficult place to live in if your family were not Mintoffjani.
I remember how there was a period when someone’s front door was attacked every second day, so we all lived in fear who next.
I remember waiting up every night praying that my dad would come home safe and sound.
I remember the day when a group of thugs stormed into the Beland band club in broad daylight, stole their musical instruments and did a march of terror around the village banging away at the instruments as they went around.
I remember how they stopped outside our front door, smashing our gate, to the sound of the drums and trumpets blaring. We were alone at home with only my mother to protect us as my father was working. I was 10 and had to hold my younger sister back from throwing stones at them, praying they would move on to their next stop. I knew already then that calling the police was pointless.
Or the time when my father’s workplace was smashed. Amongst the debris, I clearly remember photos of our family torn to shreds.
Our Sunday treat of buying Roger’s pastizzi from near the church became a thing of the past as it was too dangerous to walk in the street alone. Riding my bike too.
Dead rabbits strung on our front door was a common occurrence as was paint or oil on our door.
No child should have to live with any of that. Our parents tried to shield us from it as much as they could, trying to make our childhood and teenage years as ‘normal’ as possible. But there is only so much they could do. Friends would deride me for living in Zejtun – the RITZ they would call it.
I remember Tal-Barrani only too well. I was 17 then. The night before my parents could not come to pick me up as Zejtun was barricaded so I had to find a place to sleep. The next day I caught a bus to Marsaxlokk (there were none going to Zejtun). I couldn’t bear being safe in Sliema and not with them.
I walked through a throng of people blocking the road to Zejtun, who let me through though not without the occasional jeer. I walked as fast as I could and climbed over the rubble wall blocking the drive into our home just to be there. That day I held an air-gun in my hand in case there were any intruders – not that it could have hurt anyone but to me it gave me some small comfort as we held the fort whilst my parents (in spite of the odds of getting out of Zejtun) still went to the meeting.
O zmien helu…….my foot.
For all his wisdom, Eddie Fenech Adami was in too much in a rush to build a country. Where was the “gustizzja” that we all craved? Sweeping it under a carpet was a mistake. It remains there, unresolved.
There could be no reconciliation without acknowledgement of what we went through, without some form of redress.
There still isn’t. Otherwise why would Joseph Muscat think it a good move to raise the Mintoffjan spirit again or to keep in the fold the same misfits who were part of the ugly ’80s when Labour made a mockery of our democracy.
Not until they get rid of every single one of them can they be even considered as fit to run this country again.
On their youth targeted FB Page they say, “B cool B Labour”, I say “Too young to remember”.