PL motion against Richard Cachia Caruana: Labour in retreat
The leading article in The Malta Independent, today:
PL MOTION AGAINST RICHARD CACHIA CARUANA: LABOUR IN RETREAT
Labour MP Evarist Bartolo’s outburst against Malta’s ambassador to the European Union, Richard Cachia Caruana, during a discussion programme on the Opposition’s radio station last Saturday clearly indicates that the PL knows it has lost all arguments on this particular issue and is now trying to pick up the pieces.
The PL’s motion against Mr Cachia Caruana smacked of an opportunity the party saw to tempt renegade Nationalist MP Franco Debono to vote against his own government, given that the Għaxaq lawyer had lambasted Malta’s envoy in previous weeks.
The Labour Party has fallen for this on other occasions, but it seems that lessons have not been learnt.
This time, again, the move is backfiring badly on Labour, and the PL is now trying to find ways and means how to backtrack without losing face. In doing so, they seem to be making matters worse for themselves, and this political auto-goal is likely to be of great proportions for the Labour Party.
Withdrawing the motion is no option for Labour, as it would be admitting defeat. But the way things have developed will not lead to victory either.
Mr Bartolo’s statements last Saturday – for which Mr Cachia Caruana said he will sue for libel – are nothing but an attempt by the Labour Party to divert attention from the core matter, which it knows it has lost, to try to raise public sentiment against Mr Cachia Caruana.
The two-hour testimony given by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi during last Wednesday’s Foreign and European Affairs Committee meeting in Parliament was crystal clear and convincing. He explained, in great detail, that there was no wrongdoing.
Yet the more important factor was not Dr Gonzi’s statement, but the weak questions that the Labour representatives came up with afterwards. It was evident that Labour could find nothing to put the PM in a corner.
The testimony will resume this evening, following which it will be Mr Cachia Caruana’s turn to appear before the committee. But it is already obvious that the Labour Party knows that in its haste to portray the government in bad light, it mishandled the situation badly.
The Labour Party probably now wishes that it did not start the ball rolling in the first place.
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This was very evident from what Dr. George Vella said on Dissett last Saturday.
Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech ended by appealing to Labour to hear all witnesses and then retreat the motion after seeing for themselves the proof that they have been mistaken.
Dr. Vella replied with one sentence: Le, ma nirtirawx, immorru quddiem il-Parlament u niddeciedu hemm.
They can be provided with reams of documents proving Richard Cachia Caruana’ innocence. It will be useless. They just want a vote to be taken in parliament and they want to corner Franco Debono and call his bluff.
I have a sentiment that it will be the Labour Party that will be cornered by Franco Debono this time.
Come on Franco, show them the meaning of democracy.
ciccio, have you upset Baxxter?
Hi Troy, Baxxter accused me of e-stalking him. In defence, I argued that he was e-provoking me.
I have noticed his absence. But he had also mentioned something about the prisons. This was at the time when CJ Buttigieg shocked the www with his revelation that the tugging at willies is a way to show affection. Apparently, despite the negative reaction by bloggers, HP tried something similar at work with his boss, and ended up in court (presumably behind closed doors, you know). I think I should have advised him to seek the advice of Malta’s top criminal lawyer. He would have procured bail for him without any doubt, whatever Judge Giovanni Bonello says.
It’s hilarious how they changed their tune from Lawrence Gonzi being intollerant, to the PM being held hostage by the man in question.
Remember the whole exPN diatribe and who was supposed to be the prime suspect?
Who will they blame now, the electorate for having chosen this government? If I’m not mistaken, PfP was an electoral pledge.
They should really start considering how their party has been hijacked by those who’ll get it both ways.
Let me make a wild guess – you wrote that yourself, right?
[Daphne – Wrong. The editors write their own leading articles. And that is quite apart from the fact that I am not on the staff at The Malta Independent.]
When you’re in a hole, stop digging.