Muscat has lost control of Jason Micallef before he’s even got into government
Joseph Muscat is supposed to be the Labour leader, but he can’t prevent Jason Micallef from contesting the general election even after he agreed not to contest.
And Micallef has stayed on as chief of the Labour Party’s television and radio stations in defiance of the party’s standard practice.
Evarist Bartolo has done the same.
timesofmalta.com reports today:
Candidates in party media – Muscat confident of ‘good sense’
PL to hold Congress next month
Labour leader Joseph Muscat this morning avoided giving a direct answer as to whether Jason Micallef and other Labour election candidates such as Evarist Bartolo should step down from their posts in the party’s media because of conflict of interest as the general election approaches.
Questioned during a press conference held to launch the forthcoming Labour Congress, Dr Muscat said it was always his policy to use the party’s best resources in the best possible way.
This issue, he said, boiled down to prudence. For him, it was not an issue whether Mr Micallef should step down at One Productions and he was confident that good sense would prevail.
(…)
Muscat can’t control Alex Sceberras Trigona, either – but that comes as no surprise to me. I remember him in government, when neither Mintoff nor KMB could keep him in check. But then I’m assuming they might have wanted to.
The Times, today:
Sceberras Trigona’s article was ‘academic’ – Muscat
PN: Muscat’s defence ‘shameful and insensitive’
By Mark Micallef
Labour leader Joseph Muscat has sidestepped the implications of an article penned by his international secretary, Alex Sceberras Trigona, saying the piece claiming the government had lost its “constitutional legality” was an academic exercise.
Asked if Dr Sceberras Trigona’s analysis reflected his position, Dr Muscat said he would rather focus on the political implications of the current “unsustainable” scenario and added that it was up to the Prime Minister to make the necessary decisions.
Dr Sceberras Trigona’s was “a good academic exercise”, Dr Muscat said.
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Does Muscat, who claims leadership of the MLP (no use trying new names) mean that Alex Sceberras Trigona is not valid to be practical. What a disgrace.
Little Joey’s ‘solidarity’ boast begins to crumble. The raptors are snapping at his ass already.
http://www.maltastar.com/dart/20120809-pl-would-create-framework-for-first-co-operative-bank-in-malta
AST is actually viewed as a highly respected academic and international relations expert within the PL. I found this out (much to my dismay) when I was conducting some research – and everyone kept on telling me to speak to him.
Good. The in-fighting and bitching on the PN side has gone a bit stale. This is comes like a breath of fresh air.