Labour’s immediate credibility problem
The Opposition’s immediate credibility problem now is justifying its decision to vote against a Budget which, as the prime minister put it yesterday, is the only one in Maltese political history to have the backing and agreement of the Opposition.
Justification is made more difficult by the fact that we cannot excuse them (not that this is any kind of excuse) on grounds of abnormal psychology, as with Franco Debono.
Nobody would bother about the Opposition’s decision to vote against a Budget of which it approves were it not for the knowledge that this means its certain defeat. The Opposition’s vote, because it is the Opposition, doesn’t generally matter.
The defeat of the Budget will create serious problems for the economy, as the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise pointed out (not that it should have needed to, as this is obvious). That will mean problems for us all, problems nobody needs.
Given that the prime minister has said an election will be called at the same time regardless of what the vote tonight might be, the Opposition’s action is also pointlessly and capriciously malicious, and highly irresponsible.
Not that an election scheduled earlier by a few weeks would be any justification at all for creating problems for the very people you expect to vote for you, but at least it would be some reason even if entirely perverse and egocentric.
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Labour will only be voting against the budget to please the pea-brained supporters (not all Labour supporters) who will be cheering because “waqqaw il gvern”.
Looks like he forgot to do up his belt. Was this photo taken after Christmas last year?
I have had enough of the way Franco has made a mockery of our highest democratic institution.
I can’t wait for him to make a fool of himself tonight as his pride blurs wisdom and he seals his future as the greatest joke this country has ever witnessed.
There again, he is so unpredictable that it would not surprise me at all if he decides to vote in favour of the budget tonight only if he feels that in doing so it will be more destructive as he cannot ever be blamed for the fall of this government.
This makes fine reading. I’d highly recommend it.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121209/opinion/Don-t-mention-Franco.448815
Daphne: Both Gonzi & You have got it all wrong. Dr. Muscat did not say that they agree with ALL the Budget. the PL agreed with the positive measures and will implement them. But certainly DOES NOT AGREE with the fact that minimum wage earners will be taxed as result of this measure. Besides the Budget in itself is a VOTE OF CONFIDENCE in the government. How can the PL give a vote of confidence to Lawrence Gonzi AFTER all the mismanagement, CLOUDS of corruption, a litany of scandals etc… ??? All you wrote is a cut and paste of what Gonzi and his props in the Chamber have said !
Go on Eddy enlighten us. 50%?, 60%?, 70%?, 80%? of it…
Speaking about clowns of corruption, Eddy – what can you tell us about Lino Farrugia Sacco and Joe Cilia?
“Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox”.
The PL parliamentarians should prove they really mean this by voting in favour of the budget.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Labour-MP-holds-back-from-comment-on-calls-for-judge-to-resign-20121210
David Farrugia Sacco and Jose Herrera contest the same electoral district.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/Labour-leads-with-9-points-as-PN-edges-closer-20121208
The effect of the budget proposals that affect positively the majority of the voting population are starting to be felt.
More lost sheep can be herded back to the fold if out-going ministers ensure that traditional vote-losing entities in their portfolio take heed of the justifiable complaints of voters and act accordingly in the coming weeks.
The Nationalist party can win the forthcoming election.
A monkey in a finely tailored shearling winter coat shopping for Swedish style furniture has more credibility than the Labour party.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/12/ikea-monkey-runs-amok-on-twitter.html
Whatever is obvious to normal people is not obvious to the PL and Franco Debono, each for its/his own motive.
The PL will applaud a defeat of the government tonight, which in it’s shortsightidness, will be treated as a victory. When one considers that the PL is made up of people like Luciano Busuttil, Owen Bonnici and Prof. Zammit, who were smarting a smirk all through Joseph’s Muscat old fashioned, Mintoffian style, speech last Wednesday, one shudders to just imagine that there are switchers out there ready to vote for them. Joseph’s statements that he will retain this budget after his election to PM in 2013 are being betrayed by hiso wn actions.
Franco Dedono, on the other hand, in his frenzy to get to Austin Gatt, is foregetting that he is in parliament on the PN ticket, and by voting with the opportunistic opposition, he is betraying the PN voters in general and those very PN voters who trusted him, in particular, and outsted two veterans in the hope of voting in new blood to parliament.
This, not to mention, that his antagonism stretches to CMB, RCC, Joe Cassar, Lawrence Gonzi, and there might be even more MP’s on his hate list. Besides all this, Franco is also giving himself away by the fact that nowhere did he comment adversely or otherwise on the budget.
He keeps repeating himself about Austin’s Gatt presence in the cabinet and that’s it. He is treating the electorate as a convenience to relieve himself.
Having said all this, after tonight’s vote, Franco Debono will be consigning himself to the labour skip of PN rejects, unwept and unsung.
Labour believes it’s voting against the government but it’s really voting against those same people it says can’t make ends meet and to whom it will deny all the benefits of the budget.
The suggestion put forward by thre prime minister is unprecedented.
If the Opposition were to approve the budget and deliver a “no confidence” vote in any other way, they would only gain by giving real evidence that for them “Malta comes first and foremost”, and share the merit for the implemenation of the budget proposals that benefit the citizen. This would benefit them as well in the campain for the imminent election.
Lino Spiteri’s opinion that should there be a government defeat today, elections should be held within five weeks makes no sense since three of these weeks are a festive period during which the two parties have already agreed that there should be no electoral campaign.
Is that Sharon at the back, clapping?
If the budget is so important to the nation, shouldn’t the party in government take action itself? Why doesn’t Austin Gatt resign so that Franco Debono votes in favour and the budget goes through?
It’s less of a democratic price for Austin Gatt to resign than the opposition to collude with the party in government – maybe it’s a higher price to pay for the party in government, but after all this situation has been brought about by the same party that both Austin Gatt and Franco Debono are part of.
All the moves that are to be made should be made by the government – this is it’s duty after all, that’s why it has been elected. The opposition’s duty lies in it’s name – to maintain due checks and balances.
Whatever action Franco Debono takes are in the end the responsibility of the party he is a member of.
Austin Gatt does not resign because you must NEVER give in to blackmail.
The only thing I don’t agree with the Prime Minister (yes, he is still that) is when he talks about the Maltese having ‘sound values’. We haven’t got a clue.
There you go. Your much loved ex-PM gave you your answer.
http://www.inewsmalta.com/dart/20121210-efa-ma-jarax-irkostanzi-straordinarji-biex-oppo-izzjoni-tivvota-favur-il-ba-it
PL supporters are being told not to go to Valletta. Is this a taste of things to come? Remembering the very dark days we had, very unpleasant memories.
Joseph Muscat has painted his party into a corner.
In the past few days, I had this dream.
Seeing Joseph Muscat entering Parliament at about 6.20pm tonight, beaming. It is not usual that he is early to important appointments – in fact he is usually late – but this one is of personal interest.
He releases a sound bite to Charlon Gouder of Super One: “Illejla ser nassistu ghall-implowxin tal-Gvern ta’ GoNziPn.”
Then, at 6.30pm sharp, the PM’s speech. It is full of hope and energy. A lucid explanation of the budget measures and how they will benefit the economy, the families, the individuals.
As expected, this will be followed by Franco’s speech, which, as expected, will end as follows: “Mr. Chairman, b’Austing Gatt fil-Kabinett ser nivvota kontra l-budget. U dan bi Privilegg. Hekk Hu Go Fik Austin. Hekk Hu Go Fik Tonio. Hekk Hu Go Fik Lawrence.”
At this point, Austin Gatt will rise from his seat and he asks to speak. “Mr. Chairman, qieghed ninforma lill-kamra li b’effett immedjat qed nirrizenja mil-Kabinett. Dan sabiex l-Onor. Franco Debono ma jkollu l-ebda ostaklu jivvota favur il-budget ghal gid tal-familji Maltin.”
Commotion in the House.
The Speaker calls for the vote on the budget. The entire Labour opposition votes against the budget, which it says it will implement. This is not a surprise. It has always been an “oppozizzjoni tan-Nay-k.”
Franco votes with the government and the budget is approved.
At which point, Joseph Muscat will rush out of Parliament, in tears, and heads straight to Burmarrad, where Michelle has been busy preparing his “soppa tal-armla” without cabbage and “gbejniet” because they are too expensive “u dan il-gvern qeridna bil-guh.
In the confusion, Joseph leaves the teleprompters behind. They are already switched on and the first part of his planned speech is being filmed by the crew of Net News: “Ghadna kemm assistejna ghal-isbah mument ta’ din il-legislatura ta’ GonZiPn. Mument bhal dan kien ilna hafna nistennewh.”
End of dream.
I guess I may be the one crying tonight, with the only consolation being, as usual, some nice words by Eddy Privitera.
But maybe not.
What a nightmare, Ciccio!
Having to put up with Our Hero for another three full months, boasting about having saved the government and their budget for the benefit of the whole nation can be the worst of nightmares.
But your and our consolation is that that is only a nightmare, and at last we’ll be seeing the back of him.
Can you imagine him voting for the budget and somehow someone somewhere proposes that the ban be lifted and succeeds, and we’ll be having him monkeying about in parliament again, possibly in government?
Now THAT would be a living nightmare.
FP,
Actually, I see the lifting of the ban in those circumstances as a possibility. That way it would be his constituents, not his party, who would have caused his eventual self-inflicted exile in Italy…
Berlusconi might give him a chance…
Ara x’qed nghidilkhom: hekk ser insallabkhom meta nkun jien prim ministru.
Time is up! Go down the drain
Your nick says it all – so Labour.
Is that where you have been for the last 25 years? Go back.
What if Franco has been stringing Labour along all this time by saying he will vote against the budget and then voting with the government?
[Daphne – In his mind, it is not the Labour Party which is Debono’s adversary.]
Ahjar milli joqoghd jiftah idejh u jikkumiedja fuq il-palk jghidilna x’se jaghmel ghax qisu bhall li kieku hawn pajjiz imbazwar bhal ma’ kien bejn is- 70 u t-80 u se jkun hu li jsolvi il-problemi kollha.
Dik bicca xoghol li Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami biss ghamilha ghax minn infern gabna nghixu go genna li dejjem baqghet taghmel il-frott bnin bhal per ezempju l-investiment li il-partit tal-Labour dejjem gerrex minn Malta ghax kien hawn biza kbira bil-politika li kien ihaddan gvern Laburista.
Konna bla xoghol, l-istudenti u l-gradwati fosthom it-tobba kienu jigu msawta fit toroq anke minn ministri stess. Ministri jduru bil-bulijiet maghhom qisna bhaz zmien il-cowboys u l-indjani.
Swat gewwa id-depot tal-Pulizija u sa hansitra Pulizija li qatlet in-nies gewwa id-Depot u sparat anke fuq in-nies fit-toroq fuq nies innocenti ghax in-nies kienu d-disprati bis-sitwazzjoni u d-dwejjaq li konna nghixu fiha.
Anqas x’nieklu sura ta’ nies ma’ kellna u konna imcahdin minn hafna affarijiet u l-barranin li jghixu vicin taghna kienu jitkazaw u ma’ jemnux kif konna qedin nghixu u nigu ttratati f’dawk iz-zminijiet ta’ dwejjaq kbar u dlam, u bla futur ta’ xejn ghal hadd.
Studenti jemigraw biex ikomplu jistudjaw jekk kellhom flus ghax min ma’ kellux baqa’ l-art. Skejjel jigu maghluqin u tghalliema jigu msawtin. Gurnalisti barranin jigu arrestati biex il-kumplament tad-dinja ma’ ssirx taf x’kien qed jigri gewwa Malta.
Kazini tal-PN mahruqin u ivvandalizzati. Anke djar ta’ certu nies kienu jigu attakkati sakemm marru sa hansitra id-dar ta’ Eddie Fenech Adami u kisrulu id-dar u sawtulu il- familja bit-tfal b’kollox ghax il-Laburisti huma nies slavagg u jemmnu fil-vjolenza li kienet isehh ta’ kulljum u bi hruxija kbira kontra in-nazzjonalisti u nies ohra ta’ rieda tajba.
Persuna li kienet xufier tal-Ministru Vella u li llum ghadu jokkupa gholja fil-partit u qieghed vicin ta’ Joseph Muscat hafna Spara fuq zewg kazini meta kienet qed toqrob l-ellezzjoni u f’kaz minnhom qatel bniedem zaghzugh innocenti.
Swat lin-nazzjonalisti waqt li kienu jkunu sejrin jivvutaw u anqas nieqaf ghax konna nibzghu nimxu fit-triq ghax dejjem b’xi storja vjolenti. Nies tad-Dockyard johorgu bit-takkijiet bil- hadid f’idejhom biex jitterrorizaw Malta ghax hekk biss kienu jafu jaghmlu tal-Labour.
B’dawn l’affarijiet kif stajna qatt nibnu fiducja fil-pajjiz u nhajru biex jigi l-ivestiment?
Kont tishi tghid li int Malti. La kelna dawl u anqas ilma bit-turisti imbelhin bis-sitwazzjoni li konna nghixu fiha.
Imbaghd il-Ministri u il-bazuzli kienu kollha bil-villel u jaghmlu il-kuntrabandu u jxahmu buthom.
Zammew il-poter ghal hames snin meta il-poplu qallhom car u tand li ma’ ridomx ikomplu jmexxu, Izda il-korruzzjoni kienet fniethom u saret togoghbhom. Il-poter kien jogobhom ghax gabu pajjiz bil-ligi tal-gungla.
Dan imissu jghidlu lill-poplu Joseph Muscat ghax missu jisthi bil-passat tal-Partit li illum hu huwa il-kap tieghu.
Kien hawn dwejjaq kbar fil-pajjiz mhux bhal llum kullhadd bid-dahka fuq wiccu u kullhadd jghid u jesprimi ruhu kif jixtieq u inkluzi gurnalisti laburisti. Dr. Fenech Adami ghallimna nghixu flimkien u gad serenita’ kbira fil-pajjiz li ahna konna nahsbu li din is-serenita ma kient tista tigi qatt.
Ta’ dan kollu nghidulek:
Grazzi Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami u Alla jtik is-sahha biex tkompli taghti il-pariri siewa tieghek ghax int bniedem politiku kbir li ftit ikun hawn bhalek ghax irexxielek li lill-Malta tohroga min dik is-sittwazzjoni:
MAHMUGA, VJOLENTI u KORROTTA
ta’-zmien Il-Gvern Laburista.
Gvern Laburista hekk jerga jaghmel ghax ma’ ghandux hila jaghmel moghd iehor.
Min ghandu kapaci madwaru Joseph Muscat?
Importanti wiehed janalizza u jirrejalizza x’jista’ jigri jekk dan il-bniedem jigi f’dat bil-poter. Ma’ haqnix nitilfu dak kollu li hdimna ghalih f’dawn is-snin hekk zbiek li kellna bi gver Nazzjonalista.
Eddy Privitera,
Int qed tghid dwar il-korruzzjoni?
Ghadkom daqs dawk investigaturi fil-partit u qatt ma’ gibtu prova wahda ta’ dak kollu li allegajtu.
Int wiehed antik u m’ghadix dubju li tiftakar x’tip ta’ korruzzjoni kien hawn fi zmien il-partit tieghek meta kien fil-gvern.
Ha nibdew:
Ministri minn haddiema tad-dockyard b’numru ta’ villel.
Impjegati tal-gvern laburista li kienu jahdmu mal-Lands spiccaw propretarji ta’ diversi artijiet kbar.
Ministru li ghadhu fil-parlament sal-llum jidhol l-Ghadira bil-lanca moghbijja bil-kuntrabandu.
Postijiet tal-gvern jinaghtaw lil nies laburisti biss.
Impiegi mal-gvern jittellghu bil-polza fil-parties tal-Ministri u ta’ kandidati tal-Labour.
Jekk int kapaci semmi xi haga minn dawn li semmejtlek hawn fuq li saret fi zmien in-Nazzjonalisti u mhux toqoghod tipprova t’allega falz u tbella ir-ross bil-labra lil min ghadu zghir u forsi ma’ jafx x’kien jigri u x’kienu jaghmlu il-Ministri u shabhom fi zmiem il-gvern Laburista li int taghmel parti sewwa minnu.
Il-Kuzakk ta’ Joseph Muscat diga bil-forma ta’ ‘V’ ghall-Vittorja li min ghalih se jkollu.