At last, some fight-back
On timesofmalta.com this morning:
Muscat ‘threw seriousness out of the window’ – Gonzi
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted before a large crowd at the Luxol Grounds this morning that the government tomorrow expects a clear vote of confidence, without conditions, to enable the government to continue to work in the interest of the workers.
Dr Gonzi said Opposition leader Joseph Muscat threw seriousness out of the window when he moved the no-confidence motion. The nine-sitting debate showed how he had no reasons to justify the resignation of minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.
Dr Gonzi heaped praise on Dr Mifsud Bonnici, saying that on Wednesday he had distinguished himself over the way how he acted, his integrity, values and sense of service. Somebody else showed himself to be just a boy, Dr Gonzi said.
Dr Muscat was showing that he wanted to be prime minister at any cost, he said.
If there was anyone who deserved a vote of confidence, it was Evarist Bartolo, who converted student stipends into loans within weeks of Labour coming to power in 1996 when Labour had promised that stipends would not be touched.
Also deserving of a no confidence motion was Alex Sceberras Trigona who signed a secret arms treaty with North Korea behind the people’s back.
Some argued that these things took place years ago, yet these people still sat alongside Dr Muscat, Dr Gonzi said.
Also deserving of a vote of confidence was George Vella, who froze Malta’s application to join the EU, embarrassing Malta.
Indeed, Dr Gonzi said, all the members of the 1981 Labour government, such as former minister Karmenu Vella, should face a vote of no confidence for governing Malta against the will of the people.
Wednesday’s no confidence vote, Dr Gonzi said, showed how Dr Muscat had changed his tie but Labour remained unchanged.
That was why the government needed to continue to work hard throughout this legislature in the interest of the people, and a clear, unconditional vote of confidence was needed for this purpose tomorrow.
Dr Gonzi also hit out as remarks made by Dr Muscat on Friday, when he said that a Labour government would provide homes for people with disabilities where they could live when their parents passed away.
It was disgusting, Dr Gonzi said, how Dr Muscat had sought to take political advantage from people with disabilities. His comments were especially shameful because such homes and such assistance was already being provided in homes in Fgura, Kirkop. Marsascala, Cospicua, Birzebbuga, Mellieha and other places, with the government buying such services from the private sector and foundations such as Arks, and Wens.
Dr Gonzi promised that is-sewwa jirbah zgur (truth will prevail) but urged his listeners to work hard and to show confidence in themselves and the country.
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The PN should do more than this to unmask Joseph Muscat and his PARTIT Tal-LUPI.
I would like to see posters and viral mails showing him at Sant’s meetings flooded with MLP flags and red shirts together with speeches or quotes vilifying the EU, burning of flags etc.
It’s unbelievable how fellow Maltese who lived through these vile episodes in our recent history tend to forget all this.
Forgiving is a virtue; forgetting is a crime against contemporary and future generations.
“Somebody else showed himself to be just a boy, Dr Gonzi said.” At first glance I took this as a reference to Franco Debono. Alas, it was not. This is just routine handbags between the leaders of two parties. I don’t see any fight-back.
I agree with you. The PL will keep on harping that we should forget the past. No way, we will not forget the past once there are the old guard still very much in view with the PL leadership.
It’s more than that, Etil – there’s a gas-down drive to re-write history on PL’s part. Not surprising really, given a track record that produced N O T H I N G positive for this country.
Not only must we not forget, we must actively put people straight on what really happened.
Let me give you an example: whenever you ask a socialist what did Labour ever do, the first reply usually shot back at you is “Air Malta”.
Imma skuzi, was a company with such a virtual monopoly that fleeced us for millions for years (due to lack of competition), whilst being Wistin’s employment agency for Zwieten, a good thing? Something to boast about? etc etc
The Prime Minister was brilliant this morning and showed his true fighting spirit. And the reaction from the sizeable crowd was a clear display that apart from fighting back, lost sheep begin to realise what they stand to lose if JM, God forbid, should win the next election.
Joseph Muscat never explained why he needed his deputy leader for a weekend burger in Sicily.
Surely it couldn’t have been his personal distaste for Eddie Fenech Adami, given the praise he was heaping on him at the time.
“It was disgusting, Dr Gonzi said, how Dr Muscat had sought to take political advantage from people with disabilities.”
During Carm Mifsud Bonnici`s tenure of office, a law was passed – the Second Scedule to the Civil Code – which regulated the law on social purpose foundations (such as the above-mentioned Fondazzjoni Arka and Fondazzjoni Wens) and also on private foundations which, amongst other things, can be used as vehicles to provide for the administration of the estate of deceased parents of disabled children.
Now we learn that the Labour Party has adapted this idea and included it in its electoral manifesto.
To further illustrate how far-reaching Carm Mifsud Bonnici`s legislative enactments were, an article by Max Ganado in today`s The Sunday Times shows how the the whole fuss about polical financing and political party regulation is a non-starter and the suggestion that political parties are not regulated by any law is incorrect as political parties are associations which are regulated by the said Second Schedule to the Civil Code.
The Chairman of the House Committee on the consolidation of laws is opting for a special law replicating a lot of what already exists, rather than just issuing regulations to the existing laws.
The above-mentioned law, which Carm Mifsud Bonnici had the foresight to legislate and implement, laid the infrastructure for some interesting developments, and lawyers and notaries are realising its potentiality in various aspects.
The Honourable (and I use the word judiciously) Carm Mifsud Bonnici was a quiet reformer though not prone to blowing his trumpet and he deserves to be given full credit for his unstinting service to the country.
I heard a good part of Dr Gonzi’s speech and oh boy, did he ever hit hard at Joseph and Franco, directly or indirectly.
I thought it was an election campaign style speech and I suspect that Dr Gonzi has had enough of Franco and has resolved, that if an election had to come about, so be it but he will not give in to any last minute demands by Debono.
He sounded like he is in a fighting mood. He was forceful, eloquent and determined. It was vintage Gonzi at his best. He rallied the troops and the response was electric (high tariffs or not).