“Mintoff was the stingy type. If you ask him what he wants, he’ll take everything” – Albert Mizzi
Businessman Albert Mizzi, who worked for Dom Mintoff’s government on several projects including Air Malta, interviewed by The Sunday Times on 25 March 2012:
Mr Mizzi adds he does not for a moment think that any of the prime ministers he worked under were corrupt and is quick to vouch for them. “Mintoff was the stingy type. If you ask him what he wants, he’ll take everything. Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Eddie Fenech Adami, who I worked under for a time, Alfred Sant and Lawrence Gonzi are all honest people.
“Corruption was more common during the Mintoff days. That’s a fact. Because, unfortunately, Mintoff only heard from ministers what they knew he wanted to hear. He did not mix with people so he didn’t know what was happening.
“I remember one time when someone mentioned something to him about corruption. He turned to me and said, is it true? I replied: ‘That what’s people are saying’. His response was: ‘What can I do if that person has helped me to build up the party? Can I take action against him?’ You see, this is small Malta.”
I don’t think Mr Mizzi’s words there can be interpreted as vouching for Mintoff. Rather the opposite: he makes a special case of him and sets him apart from the other prime minister, who he specifically describes as honest. By which, I suppose, he would mean ‘not interested in money or acquiring things’, because really, there was much that was dishonest about Sant and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici as political leaders.
18 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
OMFChrist
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120413/local/president-to-carry-out-missionary-work-in-arequipa-peru.415312
Effing brilliant. Is this part of his job description? Is there any way we can make him step down?
Don’t worry. SNAFU.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120413/local/korean-news-agecy.415311
Is he serious?
Somewhat unrelated, but tragic, news:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120413/local/korean-news-agecy.415311
I see the new PL is still flirting with the “democratic people’s republic of korea”…also k/a North Korea….rings a rather familiar bell this..
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120413/local/korean-news-agecy.415311
Maltese Party Leader Hopes Everything Will Go Well in DPRK
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) — The leader of the Malta Labor Party expressed deep condolences again over the demise of leader Kim Jong Il on behalf of the Party Central Committee and on his own behalf.
He met with Han Tae Song, DPRK ambassador to Malta, on April 3.
He was convinced that the Korean people would greet the centenary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung with shining achievements in economic construction under the wise leadership of the dear respected Kim Jong Un, he said.
He hoped that everything would continue going well in the DPRK.
Satellite launch is a legitimate right of sovereign states, he said, expressing his will to work hard to expand the friendly relations between the Malta Labor Party and the Workers’ Party of Korea and between Malta and the DPRK in the political, economic, cultural and other fields.
The satellite in question was envisaged to transmit non-stop military marches praising the great leader born somewhere in the remote mountains under a blazing star.
It crashed a few moments after launch. Sehitilhom.
Jozef, who can blame Joseph Muscat for supporting the dear respected Korean leader about the legitimacy of Korea’s launching of its “satellite of love”?
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/NC22Dg01.html
And according to North Korea’s own news agency:
“There will be little doubt left in the eyes of the south Korean people that Kim Jong Un has what it takes be another super Kim Il Sung, as the world’s youngest national leader is about to complete a challenge of Sisyphean proportions in a creditable way, taming for once and for all the American military presence.”
http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201203/news29/20120329-32ee.html
You can see where Joseph gets his inspiration of becoming another Mintoff.
According to the North Korean news agency (KCNA), the satellite did not crash, it just failed to enter its preset orbit:
“Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) — The DPRK launched its first application satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at 07:38:55 a.m. on Friday.
The earth observation satellite failed to enter its preset orbit.
Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure. -0-“
Oh, and I have to add, before Daphne picks it up, that Kim Yong Un has now beaten Joseph Muscat to being the “World’s Youngest National Leader.”
Sorry about that, Joseph, it’s Kim Yong Il’s fault.
‘The earth observation satellite failed to enter its preset orbit.’
Where do they get their press releases?
‘……the airport reception desk didn’t explode, it simply got fed up with where it was…….’
Hi Daphne,
Have a look at http://www.redtouch.com.mt
It’s been hacked by the Maroc Cyber Army.
Over 8 hours later, and the government-in-waiting has not yet noticed the problem – or, worse still, they haven’t yet figured out how to solve it.
As if the comeback of the Mintoff family into the scene is not enough, here is another one from the Partit tal-Progressivi u Moderati.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120413/local/korean-news-agecy.415311
Jimmy Magro put in his tuppence’ worth:
“Jimmy Magro
Today, 21:11
I believe that the North Koreans have a proforma public release statement that is issued in such occassions just changing the names of the hosts. … “
The Times’s survey now stands at 12,148 votes.
38% of them believe Mintoff was “Is-Salvatur”
TRAGIC.
It’s not like The Times’s survey made much sense. The choice was between a Labour position (Salvatur) and another Labour position (Traditure, i.e. lejn l-MLP). Then there was the obligatory “None of the above”.
With people like me, it would have to be a fourth choice: “Evil despot”.
What? Mintoff asking Albert Mizzi whether the whiff of corruption was true?
What? He asked for Albert Mizzi’s advice how to handle the situation?
Who? The brilliant Rhodes scholar Duminku Mintoff?
Mr Mizzi should have directed him to Lorry Sant’s office and asked him how many varieties of corruption were being condoned under his very nose.
What was Albert Mizzi afraid of during the interview he gave to The Times? He should have come clean because no dumbest clod heading a corrupt clan would not notice what was going on! Mr Mizzi should have hinted something about the source of Mintoff’s millions, for starters.
Same as when The Times was burning just around the corner and no direction came out of Castille to stop the violence. Dom & KMB must have been choking from the smoke coming from less than a few yards away.
I was there on the night of the burning. Il-Fusellu was in charge of the operation and the Police were under his direction then. It was a night of shame all round. But and a big but we defeated Mintoff because The Times was on the stands in the morning – a bit late – but it was there for anybody who would want to read about THE TIMES BUILDING GUTTED.