Joe Debono Grech has a close encounter with a blogger (sorry, not me)

Published: October 5, 2012 at 11:17am

Joe Debono Grech checks how Joseph Muscat’s pregnancy is coming along. You can do wonders with IVF these days.

RUDE, ARROGANT, OR JUST PLAIN STUPID?

by Michelle Sullivan

One would expect public figures to be the example, certainly in other countries those in public office, rock stars, actors and generally anyone famous has to set an example for others.

Where the law is broken, those famous often get heavier sentences as an ‘example’ to others, indeed as a person who has worked for a customs office I was warned as part of my induction if I was ever caught in possession of drugs I would likely get the maximum sentence by any court etc. Where laws are not broken but ethics are, jobs are lost, people are distanced from colleagues and the culprits are discredited. So the question is how does the Maltese political parties fair in this game of showmanship?

Well yesterday I had to fly back to San Francisco for my 3 monthly visit to ‘Head Office’ and I wasn’t looking forward to it. United Airlines are renowned for the worst service of any passenger airline, and traveling some 60,000 air miles per year, I have to say I have had my fair share of their awful service.

However, my ‘travel dramas’ of the past were surpassed to my amazement and disgust by an incident at the very beginning of my journey – Happening right in the Malta International Airport (MLA).

I was waiting patiently in line for a checkin assistant to become available with at least one person in the queue behind me, and a couple of friends being served already, then an older man came up and stood near the desk.

Thinking this guy was just after asking a quick question I did not challenge him, checkin continued and my friends started to move away, and to my amazement the guy stepped forward and put his suitcase on the conveyor belt and handed over his passport.

I immediately called, “excuse me! excuse me! There is a queue here you know?!?!” to which the reply was, “I see no queue.”

I did not hear the reply, but my friends had, I repeated myself with the addition, “are you really such a rude person that you will jump the queue whilst there are others waiting?”

The reply, came under his breath, “F’oxx …” (I did not hear the second word but am fairly sure it was “Ommock” .. Now for the benefit of the non Maltese speakers, “F’oxx” is equivalent to “Fuck” in English and “Ommock” is “Mother” (ie the term is “Fuck your mother”, which is used rather offensively instead of “Fuck Off”) .. I was outraged and turned to the checkin assistant who was a young girl and she said, “he’s Flypass”

Now Flypass members get preferential treatment, they get to use the business class lounge etc.. However, their privileges does not extend to queue jumping, and in the event that someone does have that privilege they are to use the ‘business class’ line, or wait to be invited by the assistant.

Remember me saying that I travel around 60,000 air-miles per year? Well, that’s around 20,000 ‘Flypass’ miles per year, I am known to Air Malta staff in Malta, Germany and the UK (though not this girl on the check in desk). I was flying Premium on Lufthansa in this case, I am a Gold ‘Star Alliance’ member (Lufthansa Miles and More, and United Airmiles etc) I am a silver British Airways member and just 4,000 airmiles off being a Platinum Etihad member…

I fly a lot, and have been doing so since 2009, I don’t enjoy it…. Not that it made any difference in this case the assistant still allowed him to continue and the poor people behind me had to wait for this ignorant twit.

Another Lufthansa staff member became free and checked me in.

I spent 30 minutes in the departure lounge wondering where the person had gone to, and boarded the flight on time, several minutes later one of the last people to board came into view, and who would it be, you guessed it, the rude person from checkin, and to my astonishment, he continued past my seat into the economy area and sat approximately half way down the plane…

Yes folks, this guy was not even a premium class traveller.

Incensed by finding probably the most rude, ignorant person in Malta, I formulated a plan. The plane landed and I jumped up and got off the plane as fast as possible, taking my carry on luggage with me, little did he know I would be waiting at the gate in Frankfurt with my Nikon D3s and F2.8 lens…

Camera checked, turned on, set to highspeed shooting (9 frames per second).. he walked off the plane and one of the pictures was uploaded here.. My plan to name and shame him into better behavior… Give him an unwelcome 30 seconds of Internet fame… Little did I realise who “he” is…

Within minutes of posting the picture to Facebook several people messaged me to tell me it was none other than Mr Joe Debono Grech, a politician parliamentary candidate for Labour.

Many describing him as a relic of the 80s, some stating quite clearly that my report about his conduct has made up their minds on which way to vote at the next election.

Personally I am shocked that someone holding public office would conduct themselves in such a manner that brings their party into such disrepute. Labour, not for the people, for everything they can get for themselves, is what comes to mind.

Well Mr Debono Grech, I will not stoop to your level, I will not tell you to “F’oxx ….” I will not use my frequent flyer privileges to be rude and inconsiderate to others, I will be the example you obviously cannot set, and I pray that the people of Malta never have to suffer election of someone so ignorant in the future.

I fully expect you to use your contacts to make my life hell, well do your worst is all I can say, I currently pay 4000EUR in income tax per month, I can claim most of those back with all the loop holes in the tax law, I choose not to!

I put my taxes into the community for the benefit of all, I support local artists where I can, often at great cost to myself, and never charge a penny. I am polite most of the time (I am just not polite to people who don’t take ‘no’ for an answer) and I believe in the Maltese people and way of life.

I was not born here, and I do not have relatives here. My only connection with Malta before I moved was that my father was stationed here in Malta during World War II..

I am 43 years old now, and I have never in my life seen *anyone* with a attitude as disgusting as yours, and I am just glad the new generation of Malta, whilst not following in as much tradition as many would like, are better behaved and respectful to others than yourself.

Oh and the right (Dis)Honorable Joe Debono Grech…. just for the record… you won’t be getting my vote either.

PS: I am learning Maltese, not because I have to – but because I WANT TO!! So yes, I could understand what you said to the assistant.




56 Comments Comment

  1. elephant says:

    michellesullivan above cannot open – is the defect on my side?

  2. Jozef says:

    You should see him, in his Sunday best, marching behind the effigy of St.Helen.

    He’s got his own Kazin, Circolo Luigi Borgia, which cause is to return the basilica back to the residents of Birkirkara.

    Fancy that, part owning a church and all that’s in it.

  3. mattie says:

    No, can’t open either.

  4. edgar says:

    He should check ‘elephant’ Anglu who seems to be in his sixth month.

  5. Spock says:

    During the Mintoff Golden Era I remember how once I had a rather noisy altercation with the then minister’s chauffeur. Debono Grech’s ministerial car was parked right in front of his house, on the ‘no parking’ side of the road, effectively blocking this busy thoroughfare.

    I was in a rush because of an emergency. While everyone was honking like mad, the chauffeur sat there placidly as if nothing was happening.

    When I got out of my car to tell him to move along, he started swearing and cursing and shouting his head off about how dared I complain when the car was actually that of the minister.

    Twenty-eight years later LABOUR is still the SAME.

    • If what this lady recounted is true, and the person concerned was indeed HJoe Debono Grech, then he was wrong and if he did say what this lady quoted him saying, then it is shameful too !

      But surely, what one MP does should not put all his colleagues and party in the same boat. The PL’s leader is the epitome of correctness and good manners. Surely, Dr. Austin Gatt’s arrogance and bad manners should also not reflect on the behaviour of his colleagues!

      • Homer says:

        Do you seriously consider Joseph Muscat to be the epitome of correctness and good manners?

        Did he not arrive late to multiple official appointments?

        Did he not keep waiting passengers fuming on a plane delayed by his late arrival?

        Did he not bugger off on holidays instead of attending national events?

        Did he not milk the EU for all it’s worth (MEP salary and perks, lower education fees for his part-time studies – which he undertook whilst on paid holidays in Brussels, etc.) after having tried his damnedest to deny us the opportunities offered by the EU?

        Did he not stand by Alfred Sant blatantly declaring victory in a referendum they clearly lost? Did he ever apologise for the above? U hallina Eddy!

      • Francis Saliba says:

        The important point is that this arrogance, when the Labour Party is not even the governing party, is not a shameful, wrong conduct restricted to one LP member of parliament. It is only the latest many such incidents. I quoted another, still more shocking, and I know of many more.

        It was the modus operandi during the Mintoff-KMB era and, with the return of the same old actors on the LP political stage, we are being provided with a foretaste of things to come.

      • Angus Black says:

        Wrong again Eddy. The behaviour of one Labour MP does matter and it surely reflects badly on the whole Party.. He is a cheap bully, a foul mouth, loud, ignorant – and this I say not in connection with the Ms. Sullivan incident. We have seen him in action, in video clips often foaming at the mouth insulting anyone or anything Nationalist. He is good at fist clenching and banging on podiums.

        Do you honestly doubt Ms Sullivan’s story? Typical Labour. Witnesses don’t count, photo evidence doesn’t count and I bet one lousy euro that history rewriters are already furiously preparing a slightly different version from Ms Sullivan’s in defence of their star candidate Joe Debono Grech.

        The above subheading summed it up very nicely indeed. JDG is “RUDE, ARROGANT, OR JUST PLAIN STUPID” – no question mark required.

      • steven gerrard says:

        Kull meta tighid xi haga ma johrog xejn ta’ sugu, Dwardu. Isma minni ixtri qasba bil-pensjoni full li tiehu u ibda mur istad.

    • Saviour says:

      They never change, that’s why I will NEVER trust them.

  6. Matt says:

    Joe Debono Grech is the most militant and arrogant in Malta Labour Party. For Joseph Muscat to embrace him is conveying a message that he identifies with Debono’s behaviour.

    The Labour violence of the 70s and 80s is on the horizon again. Let’s hope the people open up their eyes.

    • Jozef says:

      Joe Debono Grech had to be restrained from assaulting Mintoff in the chamber by his fellow mp’s, when Sant’s government was in its last days.

      At one point he even made a rush for the corridor housing services leading behind the benches. Mintoff used ot sit at the very far end next to the speaker.

      It was actually quite funny.

      • Indri says:

        Eddy, Franco bniedem tan-nejk bhakek.

        Allura ma niskantax li qal xi ghoxxata bhal ma tghid int il-hin kollu.

        X’tippretendi minn bniedem mahruq li ma tistax tigieh wahda tajba? Jista iwaqqa il-gvern jew xi ministri imma mhux se jaghtuh sodisfazzjon u jirrezenjaw.

        U haga ohra: it-tronga Debono nehha dik il-post minn fuq il-blog tieghu.

      • Jozef says:

        Int lili qed tghid?

      • Indri says:

        Le lil Eddy Privitera. I wrote my comment in the wrong place.

    • Matt Read what Dr. Franco Debono wrote on his blog today, about the violent acts of the 1970s and 1980s !

      • H.P. Baxxter says:

        Can you give us a summary???!!!!

      • H.Baxter: Dr. Debono has shed grave doubts as to who could have provoked the violent acts in those years. Franco wrote that those who go around “with their gangs in peacetime ( referring to today), just imagine what they did in the time of turmoil (a reference to the 70s and 80s !

        Dr. Franco wrote this after having reminded one commentator about Dr.Gatt’s “gang”” who were guarding Dar Cantrali.

        Anyone who read Dr. Debono’s comments could only have concluded that Franco believes that there were nationalist “thugs” who provoked violence in those years. I agree with him. Of course, there were Labour “thugs” too who resorted to violence. But it wasn’t just one way !

      • Jozef says:

        Kemm tifhem fil-vjolenza Alla jbierek.

        Ghandekx lil Karmenu jghallmek meta ssir legittima tintuza fuq in-nies f’isem il-gustizja socjali?

        Aqtaghha Sur Privitera, u ghidlina ghalfejn Sammy Meilaq nehhewh minn esekutur, bzajtu li jikxef il-borma mid-dehra.

      • H.P. Baxxter says:

        You will address me by my proper name, Mr Privitera. It has two Xs, and two initials, H.P.. Thanks. I meant thanks !!!!

      • ciccio says:

        Sur Privitera, mela Franco biddel id-diska?

        Ftit ilu kien jghid li ir-rizultat tal-form 2c ghalih hu importanti ghax kient tal-1987, meta inbidel il-gvern minn dak Laburista tas-70/80s ghal dak Nazzjonalista.

        Allura nghid jien x’ried jiccelebra b’dak ir-rizultat Franco jekk qed jinsinwa dak li qed tghid int?

      • Angus Black says:

        @ Eddy Privitera

        Tghid il-‘gang’ ta Austin Gatt keskes lill-merhla biex jattakkaw it-Times, ikissru l-Kurja, id-dar ta Fenech Adami, jaghmlu herba mill-qrati, jisparaw u joqtlu lill Raymond Caruana? Jonsbu lill Pietru Pawl Busuttil?….

        Kemm int u kemm Franco Debono qed tghidu c-cucati, jew aghar, qed tigdbu. Nahseb li t-tnejn li inthom qabghadkom paniku! Wiehed ghax ha jibqa minn barra w ftit gimghat ohra isir Dr.Zero Mk IIc, u int u shabek ghax forsi qed taraw gejja repetizzjoni tal-2008?

      • steven gerrard says:

        Dward int u Franco qiskhom id- di u id-do. Ma naghmlux mod li tinhabbu?

  7. Interested Bystander says:

    Michelle, get used to it, queue-jumping happens everywhere in Malta. The fault is not this bloke’s, (for although clearly he is so used to telling other people to do to their mother’s what he must have been doing to his own mother for years) but the person on check-out.

    If they tolerate queue jumpers, and they clearly do, then my advice is don’t get angry, get even. Start queue jumping yourself. Or more specifically queue jump the queue jumper. Be prepared to trade insults, generally involving incest or the private parts of the virgin mary. Indeed I have picked up a stock of tried and tested phrases, some of which I don’t even know the english translation.

    Of course being six foot three and built like a brick shithouse, I can present myself as somewhat intimidating. But a woman’s scream is far more effective. So stand up to the bullies. Scream insults in their face and don’t stop until you get what you want.

    Of course he might hit you. So learn karate and kick him in the nuts.

    • At 6’1″ myself, many don’t try it on with me, and whilst I might get annoyed, I rarely get angry. I do, however, get even.

      I do not need to stoop to their level to get even though, it is better to take the higher moral ground and do something like I did – name and shame.

      Best regards,

      Michelle

      PS: I kickbox, I don’t need to learn Karate.

    • Snoopy says:

      For the sake of fairness to other permanent Flypass holders, using the business class checkin at the AirMalta checkin desk is one of the (few) privileges that Flypass holders enjoy.

      This is obviously not available for other airline checkin and similarly other airline card holders do not enjoy it for Airmalta flights.

      This this not in any way excuse the rudeness and arrogance of Joe Debono Grech and his group, even more if he did not use the business checkin but just the normal checkin!

      • Interested Bystander says:

        I suppose to be even fairer to him, he was talking to what to him would appear to be a foreign woman, which to him would be the lowest on the social scale, slightly above a black foreign woman.

        He saw no queue because he saw only women and they don’t count.

  8. canon says:

    “F’oxx Ommock”That is the only language that Joe Debono Grech can read and write fluently.

  9. Toni says:

    Interesting: “I currently pay 4000EUR in income tax per month, I can claim most of those back with all the loop holes in the tax law, I choose not to!” – And the rich get richer – at least she is loyal ! :)

    • Last Post says:

      @Toni,
      dan x’kumment hu? X’taf fuq Michelle biex tghaddi dak il-kumment?

      L-inkwiet tieghi m’hux li “the rich get richer” imma a) li jistaghnew b’mezzi illegali jew anti-socjali; jew b) billi jevadu t-taxxa. Wara kollox li tkun sinjur jew fqir huwa kuncett relattiv.

      Li s-sinjuri ‘per se’ huma s-sangisugi tas-socjeta’ huwa diskors mhux biss antikwat imma wkoll bla logika u bla bazi fir-realta’. Jezistu ‘fqar’ li huma sangisugi!

  10. David S says:

    Dear Ms Sullivan . You are being a wee bit touchy . Joe Debono Grech saying ‘F’Ghoxx Ommok’ is his best behaviour.

    When he was a minister in labour governments he probably could have been charged with GBH – but within the parliament chamber you can get away with murder .

    • David S. Do you read ALL of Daphne’s articles and comments ???? Joe Debono Grech is an amatuer in comparison !

      • H.P. Baxxter says:

        Which articles are you referring to? Sorry, I meant referring to ????? Give us the links !!!!!! Go on !!!!!! Go on now !!!111oneone1!1!!!!

      • David S. I have only started using a computer during the divorce referendum campaign. So I am still a novice and don’t know how to give you the links you wish to see. But I believe you don’t need my help to go back to the articles Daphne had written about Dr. Alfred Sant’s annullment. About Dr. Joseph Muscat’s family, including his children. About Dr. Franco Debono’s mother. And so many other articles which makes many of those who read them wanting to vomit !

        Surely, that kind of writing is much worse than Joe Debono Grech’s ” Foxx ommok”, if what has been written by Ms. Sullivan is 100% correct !

        [Daphne – Excuse me, Mr Privitera, but exactly what did I write about Sant’s annulment, Muscat’s children and Franco’s mother? Go on, what?]

  11. anthony says:

    Ms Sullivan you are lucky.

    That dinosaur was actually quite polite to you.

    He happens to hold a D.Phil from Oxford University in Fghoxxology, none the less.

    I am too embarrased to explain to you what the subject of his doctoral thesis was.

    He does not refer to himself as Doktor out of humility.

  12. Patrik says:

    I can’t help thinking that such behaviour of a prominent politician should be all over the news.

  13. Francis Saliba says:

    This arrogant behaviour wasn’t “within the parliament chamber” or under some parliamentary privilege – this was at the civil airport. And it is happening when the Labour Party is not even the ruling party.

    When the MLP was actually governing, one of its ministers tried to break forcibly into my private residence at night infuriating my big dogs. When that frightened him he had the cheek to go there and then to enlist the assistance of the police to gain forcible admittance to my home. When I still refused he ordered the police to investigate if the dogs were licensed and they obeyed. The dogs were.licensed. It was the Labour minister who was breaking the law when he tried to force himself into my locked home.

    Within a couple of days a bomb was exploded on my doorstep. The police did not follow up my detailed report, in fact I was advised not to persist and for my own good. I did not take that advice,

    That was also the suggestion given by Dom Mintoff to the then Speaker of the House Dr Daniel Micallef when he antagonised the Hon Lorry Sant

    This is a dire omen of the shape of things to come (once more) if the electorate goes mad.
    .

  14. TROY says:

    Expect nothing better from this hamallu, he’s just pure ‘hmieg’

  15. Rover says:

    We do have an issue with queue-jumping in Malta and it is very frustrating as culprits are always ready to lose their rag.

    But Debono Grech’s behaviour is truly abominable. He is a relic from the violent Mintoff years and he has learnt nothing. I guess he is working on re-living the ‘golden years’. What a twerp.

    • Angus Black says:

      ” He is a relic from the violent Mintoff years…”

      He still relies on (animal) instinct rather than intellect. This type is an insult to ‘homo sapiens’.

      The more things change in the MLP, the more they get worse.

      Labour won’t work.

  16. lola says:

    We are an arrogant generation.

    It is not the first time that someone who has some power jumps the queue.

    Once I was waiting at the ID department and a member of parliament came up with someone (cannot disclose name but she was his niece) jumped the queue and had her photograph taken before all the others.

    So dear Ms.Sullivan do not worry too much, as you are not alone. This is abuse of power.

  17. ciccio says:

    Dear Ms. Sullivan, I fully understand your indignation from the incident you described. It is possible that the check in assistant was trying to avoid something like this happening at the MIA.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQG5CxuIXFw

  18. Thanks people, just to note http://www.michellesullivan.org/ does work. It’s just under high load at the moment and it’s not on a very ‘new’ machine.

  19. Tania says:

    A few summers ago, I was waiting in the queue in my husband’s car to board the ferry to Gozo. We were next in line to board when all of a sudden, a car sped up and jumped the queue to take the last space on the ferry.

    Having had to wait for the next ferry and being extremely irate, I got off the car to complain to the nearest staff member who simply shrugged and gave me a resigned look and said that the car belonged to an MP. Yes, you’ve guessed it – it was the same Dishonourable Debono Grech.

  20. Steve Forster says:

    Queue jumping……try Rome airport (FCO) 69 flights this year and nothing changes. God I hate flying since 9/11

  21. Indri says:

    Eddy, Daphne is an independent journalist. So you can’t compare her to Joe Debono Grech. He’s an MP on the opposition side.

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