Turn-out slightly down on 2008 and trends negative for PN (but we knew that, didn’t we)
So turnout was 93.1%, 0.2% down on 2008. The trends are looking negative for the Nationalist Party, but no surprises there. It’s not as though we haven’t had lots of time to get used to the idea.
I’m not one who thinks that is-sewwa jirbah zgur. I never did, because all evidence of history and human experience points to the contrary.
I also know (for the same reasons) that people are magnetised by evil without even being aware of it, and that the idea of chaos and damage is perversely attractive to many. It doesn’t scare them – they actually enjoy the idea, even the reality.
There is also, in Malta (for a mix of reasons) a certain level of self-protective disengagement. A significant number of people, even those who vote, disengage by persuading themselves and others that politics exist in a vacuum and that whatever happens ‘life goes on’. This makes them oblivious or indifferent to proper political analysis and the consequences of voting one way or the other.
I had an interesting discussion some time ago with somebody who said that people vote spitefully because they don’t fully comprehend the long-term damage this does.
I did not agree. I said that it is precisely because they understand the damage they’re doing that they go right ahead and do it. In Maltese culture (well, what I call The Other Malta), spite is valued and respected, and acting out of spite is considered perfectly reasonable, valid and justifiable. That is why it was possible for people like Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono to do what they did. In another culture, they would have been seen for what they are (and in Malta’s other, minority, culture, they were).
The fact remains that if governments were chosen by an independent authority on the basis of a proper and thorough assessment of all aspects, the Labour Party would not even have been considered eligible as a candidate, let alone chosen for the job.
But this is democracy, and people choose or don’t bother to choose. Beyond that, Malta’s is also a malfunctioning democracy – something I have always said even when the Nationalist Party wins, because the fact that it has to struggle to win is already evidence of this. There is obviously something seriously wrong when a party of crooks and corrupt thugs who brought Malta to ruin, a party still led by Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, wins 45% of the vote against the incumbent Eddie Fenech Adami and his team in 1992.
There is obviously something very, very wrong when Alfred Sant, who addressed mass meetings while apparently not quite sober, who was voted out with a total hammering after just 22 months in power because of the disaster he wrought, almost won against Lawrence Gonzi in 2008.
I honestly don’t even blame the Labour Party anymore because if people carry on buying the product it’s because that product has been made in their own image: they have created Labour by voting for it repeatedly and no matter how bad it is.
The reason I found Martin Scicluna’s piece in The Malta Independent so outrageous, last Sunday, is because he was totally wrong about the nature of a democratic system that works well. A system that functions properly (that is, one in which people think hard and vote purely on the basis of the better party to run the country, leaving aside all petty issues and personal problems, fashion trends and shallow thinking) is not one in which there is alternation of power regardless of the parties involved, but one in which bad parties are voted out and out and out repeatedly until they become fit for purpose.
What we have here is a situation in which a bunch of old crooks who destroyed Malta in the 1980s, led by an ex Super One reporter who wouldn’t even make the grade for a job with a good investment management firm, are being voted in while those who turned Malta into a magnificent success, with an economy that is the envy of Europe, are being voted out.
The man who fought against EU membership and nearly succeeded in depriving us of it has been rewarded by those who would probably kill rather than relinquish their EU passport, while those who made sure we got in have been punished.
It is interesting to see how people hold Labour and the PN to vastly different standards. Even as they vote in the crooks from the 1980s in an unreformed Labour Party (if it were reformed, they wouldn’t be there – reform is not about logos or attracting new supporters using the methods of a sect), they say that they do so in the hope that the Nationalist Party will ‘reform itself’.
It’s very perverse, but it’s Maltese culture, where human nature tends to be on display at its condensed worst. It’s the reason why so many non-Maltese who live here for any length of time find it so very difficult to understand the Maltese mind and Maltese behaviour.
Seeing the political parties for what they are and the situation in Malta for what it is (not only in terms of the economy, but certainly that), they are bewildered at the idea that the Labour Party had even a fighting chance let alone that it was slated to be the victor at the outset. I have sat through so many of these conversations that I have lost count.
I tell them that the only way you can understand it is by assuming that the normal rules don’t apply, because for a wide variety of historical, geographical and mainly social reasons, Maltese people tend not to develop in the same way as people who must survive in large and far more challenging and difficult environments. We tend to remain immature, intellectually irrational and emotionally undeveloped, so Maltese adults can seem (in many cases because they are) quite childish in their reasoning, behaviour and even speech – and this takes by surprise people who come into this society from the outside. They take a long time to get used to it and sometimes never get used to it at all and find it intolerable.
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I suggest you get some bitter lemon!
Thanks Daphne ! You have played an important part in Dr. Muscat ‘s and the PL’s HISTORIC VICTORY ! Carry on with your blogs in your usual style. You will guarantee a PL victory in 5 years time !
@ Eddy privitera
You always speak in fragmentations of truth, well it is always like that with some. God works in mysterious ways.
If the PL does a good job so be it. Time will tell. The same words apply to you because you are one of those many who never admitted that the PL were sent to the opposition for nearly 25 years.
Now we have a sound system with a very good reputation as a young state. Let us hope and pray you will improve on this.
At least Joseph had the decency to admit that the Dr Gonzi you have hated throughout has done an excellent job. Do you endorse your beloved leader’s words?
As usual Eddy, always half truths.
You never mention anything negative about your party.
At least Daphne, when she thought it was right and just, criticised the PN heavily. On the other hand, you see your party’s crap as diamonds.
Why don’t you tell us about all those who have been arrested in the oil scandal as being ex-allies or very close to the PL?
What is going to happen now? Will they be let go free?
What about JPO who you so vehmently criticised in 2008, playing Alfred Sant’s music?
Or have you forgotten what you wrote about him in the newspapers back then? Shame on you.
Issa when things start going sour, you tell us how constructive your criticism can be. The Kasco guy has been given an important appointment and he will be practically running Malta, telling Muscat what to do, like he did during the campaign.
Lest you have forgotten what Anglu Farrugia said in his angry interview with your friend The Sunday Times about the 4th floor of the Great House in Mile End. Keith Schembri was running everything from Labour HQ, and now he will be running everything from Castille. Malta taghna lkoll Eddy, more yours than ours insomma.
Where’s the decency in admitting Dr Gonzi did an excellent job after such a venom-filled Labour campaign, calling for a change in direction? If Joseph Muscat had any decency, he would admit to lying and hoodwinking the Maltese electorate.
The shame-on-you people have no shame themselves.
The only “change” I saw in the Labour Party is that they replaced a frowning idiot leader with a smiling idiot leader puppet.
MxC: You can’t understand that such comments can only increase Dr.Muscat’s popularity !!!!!
Now we want action not popularity Sur privitera, time will tell.
Let’s not get too excited. You can’t take it at your age.
Mao was popular. So were Hitler and Mussolini and Labour’s one-time paymaster, Muammar Gaddafi.
And so was Tony Blair before he was dumped.
In the same way Labour was sent to the Oppostion for 25 years, Eddy
The price of ‘popularity’?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/local/fknk-expects-new-hunting-season-next-month.461124
They want their pound of flesh, and they want it warm and dripping with blood.
There is little doubt Dr Muscat’s popularity is influenced by trivial matters.
You’d have to be fairly poor in logical and rational thinking to base your political views, henceforth the “popularity” of politicians, on somebody else’s blog comments (with no disrespect at all to MxC).
You’re only confirming the poverty of thought.
Mr Privitera, your beloved leader is already breaking his promises u ghadna fil-bidu. More to come. I was looking forward to this inevitable charade. Now it`s time to sit back, relax and watch ghafga wara ghafga.
and that idiot got 55.1 % :) have a nice day
Saddam Hussein won over 90% of the popular vote.
Which speaks volumes about those 55.1%.
My day’s fine, thank you, as my expectations were low, here’s hoping you can say the same.
want some lemons?
Better save them for the future, Joanne – I suspect you will be one of the first who is going to need them when the euphoria is over.
What lemons Joanne? You consumed all lemons on the market these past 25 years, and honestly I don’t want to spend extra cash on lemons, now that your beloved leader put Bartolo Evarist as the minister of education. Back then he removed the students’ maintenance grants, I wonder if he’s going to repeat the same tactics.
at least we have new ppl new leader and new everything as this is not the old labour party this is a moviment….. issa as Joseph always said: jista jkun li ma taqbillx maghna imma tista tahdem maghna…. you choose
[Daphne – I hope you realise that’s a threat. Our Fearless Prime Minister is very clear in his mind that it is. You just haven’t worked it out yet: it’s the 2013 version of Min Hu Mhux Maghna Kontra Taghna.]
The people will get the government that they deserve. Democracy has spoken and for better or for worse, we’re going to have to make do until the time comes to speak again.
At best we might be pleasantly surprised. At worst we’ll be royally fucked.
What a strange idea you have of how a democracy works.
For better or worse is a vow you take when marrying, not when electing a government. And why should you make do until the time comes to speak again? Indeed, why should you make do at all?
The implicit promise of a democratically-elected government is that it should respect all aspects of a democracy. That includes not meddling with the institutions of state by turning them into agents of government.
Muscat’s first raft of appointments does not bode well. Are you to wait five years before you say or do anything about them?
Scrutiny and criticism are essential at all times, not just in the few weeks before an election. You have eyes to see with, ears to hear with and a voice with which you can speak. Use them.
At the end of it all, it’s the tal-pepe/Sliema vote which has lost the PN the election.
Some of their disgruntlement was due to lack of parking spaces.
I wish them alot of empty parking slots in the next five years. Or maybe hordes of Labour voters will be so well off under Joseph that they will flood the place and give the Sliema business community their custom. I will try and lessen mine to a bare minimum.
tahseb li 37000 minn tas sliema biss?
[Daphne – Ha naghtik lezzjoni fil-‘mets’, Joanne. L-ewwel nett, tal-AD kellhom 6,000 vot. Id-distakk bejn il-PN u l-MLP hu ta’ 30,000 vot. Dan jigifieri li 15,000 votant (u mhux 30,000) ghamlu d-differenza. Jekk tnehhi 15,000 voti minn tal-MLP u zzidhom ma’ tal-PN, jigu indaqs. U imbaghad tibni minn hemm.]
Assumption: Not voting pl = voting pn…
AD closes shop obviously supporters migrate to their natural home the pn – unlike their leader who voted pl last time round :)
Rational assumption or should I dare say twisted logic?
Sliema district? Intom bis-serjeta jew. Wiehed mil-ftit distretti li ma tilifx kandidati.
Assumption: mets professors know how to do their HW properly
37,000 – AD vote = 31,000
31,000 /2 = 15,500
Pretty straightforward, don’t you think?
ghalaqlu ja sahhara kerha. issa l lesson tal Maths tija la jitfawk il Libja ;)
emmmmmmm sorry ha naghtik naqa privat jien dear… its written MATHS and not METS my Dear
Kemm tafom is somom daphne the witch.min jaf xi dwejjaq ghandek.hahahahahaha
[Daphne – Lanqas xejn, Neville. Ftakar li jien ghixt hajti minn sitt snin sa 23 sena (jigifieri kont mizzewga b’ zewgti tfal u qatt ma kont naf xejn aktar) taht gvernijiet ta’ Mintoff u KMB. Next to that hell, it’s all a breeze.]
t bonello, if wit and sarcasm hit you right in the arse you won’t even know it.
Always the Sliema wankellectuals that hold the PN to ransom. Let’s see if they get some poetic justice at long last.
Why do you keep mentioning Sliema? Sliema is no longer the PP stronghold it was before, a lot of people from outside of Sliema have come to live here. Anyway, I am from Sliema and I always had, and always will vote PN and I am proud to be so.
The spoiled brats want more because they can’t have enough, when they’re told that they can’t be handed out more , these egoists just switch to the other public convenience , which welcomes them with open arms.
Other people in the comfortable zone normally working with public entities, can be capricious with our future because their salary and constant pay cheque increases which are inversely proportional to their efficiency , is guaranteed. They normally try to find an excuse not to vote for Gonzi.
Then there are the really selfish bloodsuckers who expect to hunt and trap birds whenever they like wherever they like , together with the squatters of public land and the cowboy builders who build without permits outside development zones.
I will do my damn best not to finance these so called conpatriots with my taxes.
Labour will win this election , and hopefully it will have the EU breathing down its neck , that’s my only consolation.
You are so right.
Unfortunately Gonzi didn’t get rid of the squatters in Armier. Jason Azzopardi had started to take some action but then was evidently stopped in his tracks. Why?
They had 15 yrs to solve this. Gonzi indicated that there would be millions to pay in compensation? Again why? Is it because if some deal they signed with the squatters?
If anything it is the squatters who should be paying for all the time that they have had prime beach land for free. This was one stance where the wrong message was given – that starling pays.
Now Joseph is going to legalise their position and there is sod all we can do about it. Do you think that means that I can go and build a little house by the beach too?
Daphne, percentages do not mean anything with such slight changes. One has to look at the actual number. A 93% turnout means that there are more than 15 000 votes than last election.
I’ve just realised that we have voted in a dictator! With nine more Movement members in parliament, the opposition might as well stay at home. This government can pass any law, good or bad at any time. What a tragedy! There are no safeguards that I can see.It is does not look good at all.
You’re excluding the influence of lobbying and public opinion. It’s not only in parliament that government’s held to account. You can make your objections heard outside of parliament, and very publicly too.
And he will not wait one second before he starts doing just that. He is a topmost fake and a dirty rotten liar; I am astonished how the people did not see this so clearly. To me he was simply an open book – could read him from front page to end page.
Don’t forget that he wants to change the Constitution and that might mean that we will have the election in 8 years time due to dragging…
Tried to get used to the idea but just can’t…not even in the next 10 years
Well better get use to it…….blame it on the PN dear maybe now they will learn to respect people.
[Daphne – I take it you are serious. In that case, you require an explanation. It is the Nationalist Party that respected and still respects people. Labour never did and still does not. Respect is not promising things to which one is not legally entitled. Nor is respect ‘listening’ to somebody. Respecting people is ensuring rights are upheld and that the economy is sound and that education and healthcare are good and free. But the first of those – the upholding of rights – is the most important because all else flows from that. Labour remains a threatening presence where freedom of speech issues are concerned. It is a party which talks about the right to civil partnerships while it has serious problems accepting the right to freedom of speech.]
I have long since decided that the Maltese people do not vote according to what is done or what is said by either party.
The party they support is the equivalent of a football team they support, so it doesn’t really matter whether or not they play badly or well, they will support them to the death no matter what.
I am going to hate Me-Shall’s parading but I am going to enjoy sitting back and blaming Joseph for everything, from the weather to my children’s behaviour.
Putting it simpler, if the PN would have paved all the roads in gold, made multi millionaires of every Maltese person, managed to make every man and woman look like a film star, they would still have struggled to win.
Perversly, whatever Labour does, is deemed acceptable. PN supporters have high standards, as far as it concerns their party.
Exactly my thoughts. Many PN supporters do not appreciate what the party did for Malta. They just grumble and want more.
You belong to the 70s darling!
Yes they want more positivity, more love, more serenity, more peace and that is certainly the kind of politics that the PN WAS NOT able TO GIVE. Look around and see the party spirit, in a positive ambiance look at all the positive posters. When will you ever learn to generate smiles and positivity. STOP BEING SO BITTER because you were given a really good lesson last sun. DONT HOLD YOURSELF TO HIGH BECAUSE THE FALL WILL BE HARDER.
[Daphne – Positive posters? Bit of a twit, aren’t you. I’ve been watching Super One for the last five years and I can see absolutely nothing but lies and negativity there. Five years of negativity and destructive behaviour, then Joseph and Keith Kasco put up a couple of smiley posters and tell you their campaign has been positive, and you swallow it whole. That was a five-year campaign, Rosalie, and the five years were concerned with destroying Lawrence Gonzi and the perception of everything he achieved. The couple of weeks of positivity were stuck on the end of that. For your own sake and those whose fate you decide with your vote, do please grow up.]
Daphne, the elves have become fairies now.
It’s five years of twinkling on all comments boards next.
Utter hell.
Daphne, why you assume that your view is the right and ours is the wrong and all 160000 are twits and the other 130000 are the enlightened ones just baffles me to no end.
[Daphne – Because that’s life, Nadine. The views of rational and well-informed people, and decisions taken on a rational basis rather than because of emotion, anger or spite, are the right ones in every circumstance, including general elections. Popularity does not make someone or something right or good. Common sense should tell you that. Majority rule is not about the best party winning, but about the most popular one doing so. Sometimes you can have a confluence of popularity and excellence, and sometimes you do not.]
How wrong you are. We don’t expect anything except what we deserve. Don’t you all realise that the pie looked nicely baked but the contents were missing. Unless you all stop this nonsense and realise the mistakes that had been done PN will never be electible again like the alfred sant lejber. Thank God Dr Gonzi has already realised this and is going to change.
u dare say a bit of a twit and than have the audacity to say that your campaign was positive. let me enlighten your simple mind a little. I used to be a nationalist just like you but than i saw that after 25 Malta needed change and its refreshing to think that the majority think like me and the minority think like you and don’t bother denying the facts. MY DEAR IF YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN WATCHING SUPER ONE YOU NEED GLASSES AND SOME MALTESE LESSONS CAUSE YOU WERE THE ONE OUT OF THE FEW WHO DID NOT GET THIS POSITIVE MESSAGE
PS i have too much to do to bother coming back to reply to whatever nonsense you are going to post. HAVE A NICE DAY, KEEP ON SMILING AND DONT FORGET MALTA NOW IS TAGHNA ILKOLL :))))))
[Daphne – Give that the majority appears to include a preponderance of people who think and communicate like you, Rosalie, I’m the one who should be, and is, relieved that I’m not part of it. The thought that I shared my decision with the sort of people commenting in such a crazed, irrational and vulgar fashion here would keep me awake at night worrying what’s wrong with me. The opposite is the case.]
The only positivity that went out of PL was during the electoral campaign. While the PN was in government, it was a continuous campaign of negativity and mud-throwing at Lawrence Gonzi.
Postive posters:
http://tinyurl.com/cg73jgu
Now, what did those lead to?
So this blog is a rational one rather one written out of emotion, anger or spite? Because everything you write seems very emotive. How can you call yourself rational and still generalize that a rational and well-informed PN supporter exists but a rational and well-informed PL is paradoxical. I beg to differ.
[Daphne – Differ away. It’s a free country, no thanks to Labour.]
Stockholm syndrome.
I would put is as Masochism, sensei
Go enjoy the sun Daphne, don’t worry too much.
Hopefully Daphne will be surrounded by thousands of tourists enjoying the sun. If not, we will be truly and surely in deep shit.
Looks clear now it’s gonna be a waddle,waddle led government.
Speaking of ducks, Paperon and Eva Peron were seen in Valletta today.
Perfectly said Daphne. Many voters have missed the woods for the tree. They will realize in a few months time what problems and hardships are when the real ones start emerging. The only regret I have is that we, who have voted for the PN to continue with a peaceful life, will have to endure the consequences of their free vote.
Pardon my ignorance as one of these foreigners that you aptly described as not understanding the Maltese mind and behaviour – but a drop in voters in predominantly PN districts could also mean that the Labourites may have abstained in voting and that an increase in the Labour districts that the Nationalists this time all went out to vote. Truth is, the figures don’t say anything concrete at all.
Very unlikely, Katrin. If you knew the hardcore labourites’ mindset well, you will discern that for them, even if they are head-over-heels in sh*t they will still vote labour no matter what. There is no floating-voting amid them at all.
Labourites always vote. What makes of breaks an election is whether Nationalists do.
Envy is an unfortunate trait in the DNA of the Maltese population.
Mintoff and all his successors, including the current incumbent, have preyed on this characteristic. I would go as far as saying that their entire manifestos are built around it. Envy is one of the main drivers behind the Labour vote.
Envy is a terrible thing.
So how do you describe the vote in favour of the PL BY THOUSANDS OF NATIONALISTS ?????????
People who vote for the Labour party are Labour supporters by definition.
Socialism – the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of ENVY. Its inherent virtue: the equal sharing of misery. Embrace yourselves people. So you see actually, ENVY is a gospel, thus an ideology. Who said that ideologies do not exist anymore?
I agree with you 100%. Mijjja fill-mijjjja.
chooses people and situations that lead to disappointment, failure, or mistreatment even when better options are clearly available
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-defeating_personality_disorder
Spot on!
I thoroughly share your views. I am in business and can fully appreciate the positive effects of a buoyant economy both from a business and family point of view.
PN have done wonders for our economy. Yet people prefer to focus on their defects and vote them out.
Time to fasten our safety seat belts.
people have for weeks been drawing attention to pn officials about the telqa in the 12th district, which was already being reflected in the uncollected votes.And the writing had been for years on the wall. The pn has been losing votes in the 12 district particularly st pauls bay election after election. Parties always get hold of ID cards of non voters after elections, and i cannot understand why at least these non voters do not get house visits – once they abstained once they’re likely to do it again. There are 3 pn candidates hailing from st pauls bay but there were very few house visits from pn candidates in st pauls bay area whilst pl candidates such as deborah visited even pn families.If they don’t have time for it just don’t go for it.
Does not the Commissioner of Police think it’s wise to issue an immediate international arrest warrant for John Dalli before 11.00a.m?
Only in that way will he be credible. Let him take action before we know the official election result.
Through his cowardly actions, John Dalli is giving credence to the OLAF report. Aren’t these people supposed to be intelligent or what?
Dalli boasted so much that he wants to clear his name. Come and do it in the proper forum, a court of law, John Dalli.
This is the crude truth and very well delivered. Dr. Gonzi will hand Malta over to the PL on a silver plate. I just hope that Dr Muscat clasps it tightly with both hands. It will be a real shame to see it all slide off.
We have lived so good that we take for granted what we achieved. Jobs, free health , stipends, education,pensions, etc. Joseph Muscat now has to deliver what he promised and he promised quite a lot. If he fails to deliver everything starts to crumble. Than we will have real problems to deal with.
Great piece. So right in everything written. Labour mentality started in about 1955 when Mintoff started to try and run the country from the streets and giving rise to mob rule, and that culture still prevails in Labour.
That’s what my elderly relatives so often say. It all started with Mintoff in 1955 and the consequences are still with us today.
@Dorian
I agree with you completely. From “Great piece” to the Labour mentality. Although I wasn’t there during Boffa’s time I still remember my father’s admiration for the gentleman. My father was no Boffist and it was only Mintoff’s demagoguery that subverted him.
Daphne’s insightful assessment of the collective sub-conscious of “the other Malta” (which shouldn’t be superficially taken as the Labour support block) is quite correct.
As she has shown with concrete examples, there are supposedly intelligent persons who fall in the same “collective irrationality” category. Our own fathers and forefathers had identified that behaviour in the expression:
TAQTA’ MNIEHREK BIEX TINKI ‘L MARA (and its variations with body members!), or literally translated “To cut off your nose to spite your wife”.
And those who believe in the trite maxim “Vox populi vox Dei” (- so shut up!) would do well to familiarise themselves with Herbert Marcuse (Marxist philosopher and Professor at the University of California).
He used Freud’s psychoanalytic tools and methods to analyse collective (therefore political) human behaviour in the industrial and technological civilisation.
They can then (perhaps) appreciate the above article in its proper context and perspective.
Well said, Daphne – I have been resigned to a Labour victory for a couple of years now – seems like PL will get a very clear majority of votes and seats in parliament.
All we can do now is just hope for the best – PL will be taking over a country that is stable, economically vibrant and in excellent order.
PN has rolled out a red carpet all the way to a fully restored and splendid Castille with some great opportuniues coming our way as a country including the 1.128 billion.
I need to think positive and really hope that all this hard work will not just go down the drain. I guess construction of our new power station will start on Monday 11th March. Or won’t it? This will be the first mess out of a series of many others.
Ian, pray that the proposed power station and its adjacent LNG re-gassification facilities are never built. This scheme is wrong-headed, and far too expensive and dangerous.
The only hope for reduced energy tariffs is interconnectivity with the continental grid and access to EU funding. The Labour Party’s energy plan is designed to do the exact opposite.
Rather than spend Eur600million on a power station we do not need with the adjacent gas tanks, wouldn’t it be far more cost-effective to simply give a direct subsidy to every household in Malta until such time as we are connected to the continental grid.
Like that we wouldn’t be lumped with a power station we do not need with the consequent irreversible damage to the environment and the risks to home, life and limb to persons living in the area.
Unless Joseph emulates his infamous predecessor: Alfred Sant and starts whining and lying of course (he is used to that now) about the hofra (deficit) the PN left behind them.
Daphne, can you imagine what Borg Olivier must have felt when voted out of power in June 1971, less than 7 years after achieving independence, which the PN had fought for for 84 years. And choosing Mintoff in his stead … And again in 1976.
I read what you wrote. I know what you are saying to be true but I cannot except it deep down.
I accept that PL won obviously but I do not understand this horrid mentality. How come these people do not love thier country as much or half as much as I do?
Oh Daphne, how true and how very sad.
Daphne, the only reason for the Maltese voters seems to be illogically voting is for the simple reason that the maltese history is different from other countries. whilst the labour government is synonymous with the government of the 1980’s and most of the people vote in favour or against such government, the nationalist supporters on the other hand are primarily those against 1980’s labour government at first, and then because of the progress made by the PN government. I simply cannot understand why the labour government after 25years in opposition need to do a movement instead of increasing the labour popularism support, and on the other hand the PN supporters still mentioning and holding their guns on what happened in the 1980’s and not what good there was in these years. at least most of the fanatics (and there are a lot) don’t change. I think what ruins our democracy is not our politics but our partisanship.
Spot on.
It is so sad that Eddie who did so much for the country, will now see it being handed over to the same thugs plus one ex reporter, who he and those around him had to work so hard against. His one failing, not holding them accountable, is going to come and bite us in the ass.
They inherit a wonderful country, with a rocking economy and a solid infrastructure, far cry from the wreck they left behind. Let’s hope that not even they can screw it up. You’ve got to be bloody hopeless to wreck what has been built with a package of eur1.12 billion to spend. The irony is that they get to preside over all the fruits of successes which are not of there making but rather which they fought against. Whoever said “life’s a bitch” got that right.
… spot on!
The Times this morning seems elated
Of course they are. They have their own agenda which is already starting to take shape..
Before the elections, Dr Lawrence Gonzi said that 5 seconds can affect the next 5 years.
This is correct, but Lawrence Gonzi refused to consider that the previous 5 years could effect those five seconds.
He was constantly being told that he was cut off from the people’s requirements, that the PN had changed for the worse, that party loyalty was in the gutter and that this would be reflected in a general election.
Lawrence Gonzi did nothing to redress the situation, his obstinacy prevailed and this is the result.
Time for a change – time for Simon Busuttil to take over and pick up the pieces.
Governing a whole country does not exactly boil down to satisfying all the peoples’ requirements and fantasies.
Yes, there were drastic measures that had to be taken and he most appropriately and courageously took them in the nick of time, like the Dockyards, the public transport and the Valletta project.
For this alone, Dr Gonzi has my topmost admiration and I have been hailing him everywhere as the crème de la crème of all the PN Prime Ministers of all time.
We have turned our vote into a weapon, a blackmail tool. Either you give me what I want or I will not vote for you.
Exactly Maryanne.
The downfall of democracy. The glorification of petty corruption.
To Dr. Gonzi’s eternal credit he did not pander to this mentality.
And he was punished for it.
Brilliant analysis as usual, Daph.
The crux of the thing as you said is that people hold the two parties to different standards: nothing short of excellence is expected from the PN whereas a kumitat tal-kazin tal-banda is acceptable on the other.
My only consolation is that I did my utmost to prevent it happening, and this is also thanks to you who did not allow us to forget and get complacent.
The kazin tal-banda, becomes the local council which becomes the movement. Problem is the kazin doesn’t have an opposition, the local council doesn’t delve into politics.
What the movement is in practice is still to be seen. Dominic, or Domnic Fenech was on ONE this morning, apart from the usual platitudes about the birth of socialism in Malta, he found it difficult to explain the dynamics of the Moviment.
All he managed in the end was that the partit is the instrument and that the Laburisti have to understand that being Laburisti doesn’t put them on a higher level to the rest.
A ‘breakthrough’ in politics he said. I give up. These people are either brainwashed or else they’re masters of public manipulation.
The problems you talk about are part and parcel of a parochial, provincial, patriarchal, society.
Daphne, unfortunately many Nationalist were not as privileged as you to analyse the performance of the Nationalist government from your vantage point. I consider it ironic that you adamantly defend your freedom of speech as you should but define those who share a different opinion as immature, intellectually irrational and emotionally undeveloped. I do hope that one day you would realise that oozing bias and spewing venomous ink are poor tools to change public opinion.
[Daphne – I don’t write to change public opinion. I write MY opinion. Venomous ink? Honestly. Mur gibkom tghixu Londra jew New York, jew anke L-Italja. The true example of ‘venomous’ is somebody who acts out of spite – say by voting Labour to spite the PN and not because of a belief in Labour. I don’t have a privileged vantage point. I am merely able to assess facts and situations. This is fairly simple, and if people can’t do it it is not because their vantage point is inferior but because their powers of observation/analysis are.]
Carlos Tabone, oozing bias on a private blog site is a right , everyone has it, and is freedom of speech. But spewing venom is not. I agree with you somewhat. People above a certain income can afford PN, and their voting priorities are not effected by spending power fluctuations. This is democracy and they have their right for this stand.
Where they are cut off from reality is that they will never understand people (or even recognise that they exist) who are barely making ends meet. I do not believe there is any famine in Malta, but under this administration people on the fringe of pcverty have increased, as confirmed by non-political NGOs.
Spending power has been eroded to some extent, and it is safe to say that some of it was government’s fault. It was more of an issue than job creation. Gonzi spent a campaign repeating ad nauseum the 20,000 jobs thing. He, or his advisers, should have known that if high unemployment is a good recipe for a defeat, full empolyment alone is not a guarantee for a win. There may be an element of self-interest in this, but it is not the point. Winning election is not about changing human nature (as Dr. Gonzi tried), or blaming it (as Daphne tries). It is playing to it.
Contrary to what many think, people does not much like to change. When Maltese people had the perception that they were doing well, they did not vote for change. Consistency demands that the majority is either always right or always wrong. The majority of yesterday, is almost the same of the divorce, 2006, 2003 election, 2003 referendum, and 1998. I voted in all.
All in all, a Party is not a status symbol. something to have all the time. PN may be a poshy groomed thing, but it became way too expensive for the country to afford.
[Daphne – The fallacy in your argument is that Muscat was elected by those who can’t make ends meet. He wasn’t. The people who think that way are Labour’s core vote to start with. He was elected on the strength of a shift of votes by people who have more than enough to live on. The reasons why they did this are various. But they are the ones.]
If it’s true, one also has to see what Labour’s role is in all this.
When Silvio Parnis and Yana Mintoff declare they’re approached by people who are in difficulty, are we sure these would have been guided thorught the right channels?
Yana said she went around factories herself looking for vacancies, why didn’t she go to the ETC? How many more of these look at Labour as the only way?
Parnis does the same with health services, are we sure these people weren’t conned into thinking they don’t have a chance?
Rumours are rife, a lot of people talking about the ridiculous promises some of which result available. And it’s not the ‘manifest’ we’re talking about here.
On another note, Did anyone catch Toni Abela’s comment when Simon mentioned Palumbo?
‘Issa tara, l-haddiema kollha mdejqin’. This was a week after the same workers demonstarted at the gates, in favour of the company when they were blamed for bad work practice.
There’s so much the PN can do, if what we face is the clientelism rife in southern Italy, we’ll soon notice.
Fost il-karozzi li rajt il-bierah jiccelebraw (bil-bandieri b’kollox) kien hemm BMWs u Audi.
if you ever lived in london or new york my dear the police will beat the shit out of you if you post this hatered on the net…. int bis serjeta? int tejd li tifhem? jew inkella li int xi brava…? you have no idea how hatered you have caused between us Maltese…….
[Daphne – If I lived in London or New York the police would beat the shit out of me for writing this blog. Indeed. You’re very backward, aren’t you. Get out of your village once in a while. You’re meant to be progressive and liberal, remember. Oh, and feminist, too.]
@ bonello.
The only hatred I see is from persons like yourself. Daphne keeps the blog open to all, whether you agree with her or not, and I am sure is quite happy to enter into rational argument with you even if you disagree with her.
However, many of you keep ranting on and on that it is Daphne who is spreading hatred when it is you who write in who are doing that.
If anything, it is Daphne who is the target of venom simply because those who spew it are unable to express themselves civilly and incapable of appreciating true political analysis – which is amongst the best written in Malta – and attack her because she dares criticise “Joseph taghna” or others from his stable.
True she occasionally refers to persons from what she considers are the ‘other Malta’ in somewhat disparaging tones. However, one could argue that it is fair comment in the light of social analysis.
Moreover photos which are uploaded are freely available on Facebook and therefore fair game.
The bottom line is that this is a personal blog. You don’t have to read it.
This blog is a great outlet for like-minded persons to share their thoughts and feelings – and thank God for it.
If you don’t like the sentiments shared here or are unable to disagree agreeably, simply do not log on and you will not be exposed to the type of commentary there is here.
Issa mur ghasar zewg lumijiet, sbejha, u hallih ihabbat. Xoghlok ta’ propagandista Nazzjonalista eccellenti issa ghamiltu, ghalkemm ma nahsibx li ghamiltu tajjeb ghax il-mibeghda u l-hdura jgibu izjed mibeghda u hdura. U t-tnejn mix-xitan gejjin, mind you.
I agree. I find it disheartening to say the least, that people allow themselves to be influenced by the perceived thought that a party needs a lesson.
The fact that a person cannot take responsibility for his actions, but must always blame someone else, in this always the PN, is pathetic to say the least.
The amazing thing is that these same people, who pride themselves with being intelligent purely because they are criticising PN, still have not bothered to see how the country has performed over the last 5 years and still do not bother to see and analyse what is happening just beyond our shores.
They believe what is being fed to them by people with vested interest, without even caring about the truth, like this bullshit that growth in high-earning industries is only good for the people who work in these industries.
These ideas that 20 to 25% of children are at risk of falling below the poverty line, is by definition the fault of the government and not possibly of the parents that spend their money on gambling and enjoying themselves, whilst not caring for their children.
These idiots do not realise that by their apathy and their ignorance they are condemning these kids at risk of poverty to actual poverty. These idiots do not understand that unless there are high earners in the country paying taxes, a government can do nothing. They do not realise that the moment the economy takes a hit, all the high earners will lose their jobs, leaving even more children at risk.
But, I foget, the important thing is that they can divorce. Because that is what counts.
Whatever the outcome I know that I did the right thing yesterday and voted for ALL the PN candidates and nobody else in both the LC and General elections.
If Malta has been so successful against all odds, imagine where we would be if the Gahan Malti mentality weren’t a factor at all. Imagine where we would be if every political party that got to govern left behind the same kind of improvement we have seen in recent years. Imagine!
Ajma zaqi kemm tugani lumija jonqosni ara kolla Pufti intkom tal PN
Spot on..& that’s a pity for Malta….but then again-we’re going to get what we deserve.
Nihdu lil ommok biex tinhexa
U mur orqod a hmieg.
This has to be symptomatic, here they are, replicating everything to turn it on its head. They need the PN and its symbols to simulate, enact, a victory. Or better, a legitimate one.
It’s a plastic party, with floaters attached, not a movement, otherwise we wouldn’t be here dealing with this gratuitious rubbish.
I have not yet read a single comment which outlines where this movement intends to take us. The ones written in coherent language are all geared to justify the spite. An alibi to get themselves off the blame. Don’t look at us, you made us do it.
How does that translate into conviction? What does that do to the PL compared to the PN?
Labour may have won the election, but it doesn’t have any relevant popular consent, definitely not those who can grasp some totality. The only ones, it seems, who feel at home with Labour’s ‘message’ of unity belong to the ja hadra brigade. Quite a paradox.
Strange and interesting at the same time.
These people don’t even speak the same language. They don’t share the same values and trying to rewrite history together won’t work. There will come a point, where one side will have to give in.
I sense a sense of urgency in having the opposition capitulate, a foreboding to what reality and its exercise could bring.
Dare I say that never before does this put me on the right side of history. It’s pacific.
Seeing them here, insisting on endorsement or wishing the worst on whoever’s in the way. Such conflict, so fragile, it’s schizophrenic.
Some very interesting times ahead.
Blinkered outlook, deficient mentality, limited vocabulary, typical Labour voter.
I would love to hear your thoughts on a “way out” for the trend that you describe in your last paragraph. There are Maltese people who defy that trend, but I would agree with you that they are a minority.
Isn’t the causal aspect of the trend the way children are raised? If so, is this about parenting? Teachers in schools? Peer influence? In short: what is to be done?
Build fewer schools. Reduce our taxes. The millions of euro spent to date have done nothing to open up closed minds.
Very well said.
Qahba. Spiccajt!
Issa gib lil dak iz-zobb stordut ta’ Loo biex isalvak!
True Labour coming out from behind its mask.
Komplu uruna x’issarfu.
L-atmosfera li nara minn hawn hija dik tal-festa tar-rahal fuq skala nazzjonali.
La tghaddi l-festa u jigu tal-Kumitat jitolbu l-flus ghall-festa tas-sena li gejja l-istess nies jibghatuhom jixxejru, jistennew il-festa li jmiss ha jergghu johorgu jiccelebraw.
Dear Daphne
Its 11.00 am and the moment of truth is up us, all the media are forecasting a swing in favour of PL, our only hope are the youth voters in the traditional Labour districts…
IF PL wins, may God have mercy on us.
Hopeful but not confident.
Dear Daphne, I read your article with sadness. I fully agree with you. You fought the war against ignorance, but like Napoleon he declared failure. People walk over areas where angels fear to thread.
There was a politician who once declared that democracy is the worst system he ever knew, but there he never found any better.
Sometimes life decrees situations where, when we lose something good then we realise what we lost, and it is always too late.
When we learn from mistakes we learn much more, as the saying goes “x’jaf min ma garrabx?”
I am a believer, and I always say that God acts in a very mysterious way.
Remember if Labour did not win in 1996 we would not be where we are today. Just imagine the dire consequences if Alfred Sant lost in 1996, and won in 2001? We would be probably still out of the EU.
So on a positive note let it be. Let them have Lejber if that is what they want. As you said evil and the prospect of harming others is more exciting and more tasty than mere good which sounds boring. In life we always reap what we sow and just going back in the 1971 years Labour suffered a lot through their obscene behaviour.
If Labour behaves well then God Bless, after all what do we really want? We want prosperity and moving along in a peaceful life.
If Labour wishes to continue on the good that has been inherited then continue to gather momentum, then again God bless, should they forget the reason for which they are in government and resort to old Labour customs, then I can predict their downfall, because life has changed and we are too exposed to make mistakes in this day and age.
You did well, you are considered to be very highly intelligent and sharp wit. Your blog has created a lot of awareness. I have a love and hate relationship with you. You anger us, you amuse us but in the end you mean well which makes us believe in you more and more.
This electoral campaign was interesting thanks to you. Let’s not give up and let’s start building again, as de Gaulle said we lost a battle but not the war.
This morning I began my day of mourning for the five years which could have been.
Tomorrow, however, I will report for work as usual. Actually I will be better than usual, better dressed and driving my best car.
Min ghandu l-ghali jkompli jzidu. Most of the LP supporters out celebrating dejjem mejtin bil-guh kienu u mejtin bil-guh jibqghu.
If they think that a Labour government will change that they are in for an unpleasant surprise.
You got a car Qahba nispera mhux ser tmur towm arwina ghax ghandi listonku mhux floku illum wara xarba birra u il buzziqa ta l awrijna mimlija bewl fil kas jekk trid nisqijilek
Sabih tieghi meta trid qalbi ejja Bugibba u nghidlek jien min hu mejjet bil-guh. Jiena vvutajt Labour ghax hassejt li hemm bzonn bidla, imma meta trid ejja u naraw min hu l-mejjet bil-guh. Meta trid ikkuntattjani u naraw
Bil-mod Pawl.
Nafu li mimli liri tinkwetax ghax tidher minn kliemek.
Issa meta jdur ghal-tieghek ghidli.
Looking forward to having Leo Brincat, Karmenu Vella and Evarist Bartolo as ministers again.
Daphne, take care of yourself and keep safe.
Soooo upset
Are the ones of the nationalist party that didn’t vote or voted for lajbor satisfied now?Malta taghhom biss.Boloh!
Mandra ikteb xi haga … ifga f demmek
Qeghda thalli f’idejk cuc. Ma ndunajtx li hi demokratika zzejjed Ms Caruana Galizia. Li kien il-blogg tieghi kont nibblukkjak – mhux b’xi blokka trab abjad tafx, li l-Prim Ministru l-gdid inqabad jigdeb dwarha.
Yet one more hand of friendship being stretched out, I see. As with everything else that Joseph Muscat says, there is a huge gulf between that and stark reality.
Ghal inqas dan jammetti li hu XITAN.
You have described the situation there perfectly. Just received an SMS from the Times, a comfortable win for the reds. Incomprehensible to me, but understandible after having spent 20 years there. Sad times ahead.
Well done Sliema.
Is-sewwa rebah!
Qed tara min hu nofs mohh?!!
Ghandek lumi bizzejjed?
Have a nice day.
Iva, Issa nafu min ghandhu nofs mohh, dawk kollha li poggew lil Joey fil-gvern ghaliex bahnana li huma ghadhom ma ntebhux x’gamblu jinten bellalhom.
And after he was received with shouts of glory on Palm Sunday, the same people crucified him a few days later.
Have a nice day, Evelyn.
You’re not going to say insane to people who voted PN now eh ?! ;) Learn how to talk lady. Have a good day, I’m sure you will.
get a life and listen to the obvious outcome
Il-hamalli kollha ta’ Malta fit-toroq illum.
Rajnijom Hamis snin ilu qahba
So true noname all the Maltese hamalli are celebrating including us the ex-PNs who dragged the same party we supported from it’s power throne, from it’s dynasty. As for tirrant truly the laburisti are the so called lower class they don’t know how to write in English or in Maltese because you are the untouchables, the immaculates, the invincible, the elite etc. Still dividing north from south. From what I notice and analyse PN needs a reformation from it’s roots.
Now that the result is out. may those who voted out of spite, or simply “for a change”, have all the time in the world to enjoy their victory. Those of us who voted with our heads have nothing to regret.
Tippruvawx iddahqu u tghidu li vvutajtu ghal gid ta’ Malta, intom tivvutaw biex tibqghu tithanzru minn fuq il- poplu. In- nies xebghu bl- arroganza taghkom. Ghandkom ghalxiex tisthu li dejjem gibtu l- interessi taghkom qabel pajjizkomm, mhux ta’ b’ xejn li konna daqshekk hazin, b’ 5 biljun deficit u l- enemalta fil- hara. U l- poplu jitkisser ghax kollox joghla u intom tibqghu tibilghu minn fuq daharna. Issa nqatatilkom il- pappa imma!
[Daphne – The voice of the revolution, again. You’d think it was pitchforks on the palace, not a general election.]
My my my what envy!
Maybe now that Joseph is Prime Minister, you probably think he’s going to be sending you a cheque every month by post.
Ha nkellmek bil Malti issa ha tifhimni zgur.
Il-flus jaghmlu l-flus u l-qamel jaghmlu il-qamel.
Jekk kont fil-qamel taht il gvern Nazzjonalist, fil-qamel ha tkun taht il-Labour.
Li ma tridux tifhmu intkom hija li bil-hila tieghek biss tasal.
L-gvern opportunita jaghtik, u jekk tkun kapaci, tahtfu.
Xejn ma jaqa’ f’halqek.
Issa taht il-Labour, wara d-daqq u zfin u xorb zejjed, trid tmur ghax-xoghol bhas-soltu.
U l-kontijiet ha jigu bhas-soltu, jekk mhux ghola ghax niggarantilek jien, ma jafux min fejn ha jaqbdu jibdew.
Id differenza qeda hawn –
Dawk li ghandek daqshekk lanzit ghalijom ghax ‘ghandhom’, xorta jifilhu jhallsu, anke jekk jghola.
U int? Ha tkun tiflah thallsu?
Rather quiet here today …
You can always go out to the streets. There is a lot of noise there.
Is-sewwa jirbah zgur, but eventually.
Life is better all round than it was in the past. We live longer, healthier, more interesting and more comfortable lives. We have access to information. We live in a more peaceful world and people who used to be so easily marginalised in the past have their rights safeguarded. There are less countries suffering from famine, there are less dictatorships than there used to be and democracy is much more widespread.
The problem is that we suffer so much to get to these standards. Europe was completely devastated before it decided that peace and economic cooperation is a better option.
Few are those who think as clearly and as logically as you do Daphne. Foresight is, sadly, a rare commodity. Many only learn after being repeatedly being beat over the head, and sometimes not even then. That’s why progress is painfully slow and why the world is still so uneven.
It takes great people to change the world but it also takes convincing the rest. The second is arguably the hardest part.
Yes, is-sewwa jirbah zgur, eventually. It took more than 40 years of Gaddafi rule and countless lives ruined for freedom to win but it eventually did.
Where are you this morning you monstreous creature,still on the toilet vomiting your hdura to all that is red. God did not spare you from seeing Joseph and his beautiful wife ( not like you) running this beloved island,so if you do not like it or cant’ take it emiigrate and we will only be happy to get rid of bad rubbish like you
Malta Tagna Ilkoll the word is ‘ruining’ not ‘running’.
Malta taghkom kollha.
Malta taghkom biss.
malta kienet taghkom biss qabel Lilla, issa ghal kull min hu ta rieda tajba u min mhux qieghed hemm biex ikun opportunist bhalek u jibla kollox hu, imma l- gid jinqasam ma kulhadd
Kompli ohlom Mark Vella.
Meta jibghatlek xi cheque id-dar, imbaghad kellimni.
PN Lost – they did not deserve to but they definitely asked for itt. They completely abandoned the electorate. The lesson they never really learnt/
Old-timer, how did the PN ‘abandon’ the electorate – by building a sound economy, by putting the nation’s finances in order, by building from scratch a hugely successful and lucrative aviation servicing industry, by creating literally thousands of jobs in companies basing their international offices here, by vastly improving the roads, obtains millions in EU funds to restore and regenerate historical buildings, by ensuring free and quality education for all including up to post graduate levels and, above all, by creating and maintaining a safe and serene living environment.
The touble with the PN is that when they sworked to save the thousands of jobs, when they worked to put malta on a strong financia position, when the PN was seeing European countries crumbling, they did not (as usual) blow their trumpets. Another thing: When PN is approached for “favours” or simple things, but mean a lot to the “beggars” they smile and turn their heads : – Simon Busuttil said that all this will be remedied- a bit too late, dear Simon. Not all people understand that Malta has had a Government of sound policies – in fact the MINORITY understands this. We shall now wait and see, and also hope that Muscat will deliver on all his promises – a bit hard but still let us see his performance in the first 100 days. Of course there will always be “MISKIN. TAF, JOSEPH SAB DISASTRU>”
FB is full of people gloating that they voted for spite / revenge. They want everyone to know it.
[Daphne – Oh yes. I forgot to mention in this blog-post that acting out of spite and revenge is considered completely acceptable to the point where you can and should boast about it and expect to be admired for it.]
Of course you did. With all the negative attitude your government governed. I suffer a lot under his leadership. We needed this change for our own good.
Like HOW did you suffer Joseph Cutajar? Kollha titkellmu qiskom li intom ir-redentur. And how is voting out the genuine thing that has excelled in its performance, to vote in a fake with a sorry record in decision-taking, going to alleviate your ‘suffering’?
Problem with you is kull ponta tara tumur. The success of the PN government has ensured that you are shielded from real suffering as is being experienced in Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, and now also in France, the latest country before Malta to vote for change.
Instead of being thankful for that protection, you see it as a target for revenge. Idiot.
MIn Jaf: Mela ħalli tkun taf. L-ewwel ħaġa turix l-arroganza tiegħek meta tgħajjar lil mingħand oponjoni ‘Idiot’.
Staqsejtni fejn soffrejt? Meta titlef li job wara 35 sena, fl-eta’ tiegħi ta’ 54 sena għidli min se jimpejgani? Dak il-miġnun li qedt min jien.
Għadni s’issa nirregistra għax-xogħol u l-internet qedt iħallsuh t-tfal. Jien ma nitkellimx qisni xi redentur imma l-fatti. Issa rigward il-Partit Nazzjonalista naħseb li tilef l-elezzjoni għax kien il-bogħod hafna minn nies u mexa b’arroganza kbira. Nawgura lill min jilħaq flok Gonzi jibdel il-klikek li għamlu il-partit tagħhom flok tan-nies.
And now you have it.
What was the nature of your suffering?
It appears the change you needed was to wreak revenge for some imagined slight.
Foxx I’ll kelba hanzira ommok.issa tkellem ja liba
And the same to you,and have a nice day.
Typical hamallu, injorant, salvagg. pffff… these are the people who could easily have me spend the rest of my life behind bars.
If you end up there, Dez, make sure you try the bread. By far the best on the rock. Was able to enjoy it in 1996, last time the reds (Sant) threw me into the slammer.
Liba kera
Ghall inqas din il-‘liba kera’ ma tibzax turi isimha u wiccha mhux bhalek ja injorant minn guf ommok.
Int zibel
Foxx ommok, you are a clear example of state education funds misspent, for you cannot even string more than a few words together to form one sentence.
Joseph dejjem kien onest u qal li kien l-underdog.
Hekk hu. Joseph qatt ma gideb.
Anglu Farrugia ser jaghmluh Speaker. Bhal John Wayne. Qalla sitt tiri u baqa haj.
7 to 9 seats to Labour in parliament.
There goes your historical decision to introduce the turd party.
And now it’s official 55% Labour 43% Nationalist
Enjoying the day? Maybe you want to start packing instead of making a fool of yourself on this lousy blog? Where are you heading, cuba, panama? Make sure to take your better halves with you. I am sure that you won’t post this message, but it gives me great pleasure knowing that you are reading it before deleting it!
You got that one wrong Joey, because Cuba and Panama will soon be joined by Malta mohxija.
How come? Have the chicken left?
It’s so much worse than I could have ever imagined. Oh well. Let’s hope for the best now.
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
Abraham Lincoln
isthi jekk taf kif, you are talking about your countrymen and women like they are imbeciles….immature, intellectually irrational and emotionally undeveloped? were you looking in a mirror while you were writing this blog? well the imbeciles have spoken…all 55%of them. doesnt it feel good to be part of the intelligent elite?
[Daphne – Yes, it does indeed. It brings back fond memories of walking into a party full of businessmen who voted for Sant in 1996 and who were keen to boast about it, while I thought to myself, just you wait.]
Watched Joseph on Close Up.
He ‘needs to check with Enemalta’ whether Standard & Poor’s report is correct. Read 2015 for the interconnector.
Pierre Portelli pressed him saying this shouldn’t affect energy bills reduction in 2014.
Joseph replied saying he has to ‘check with Enemalta whether existing agreements carry obligations to purchase oil until later than 2014 as this could carry implications’
Day one.
I strongly recommend a table of all his comments before and after elections.
Here we go. He’s in, he’s happy, he doesn’t give a shit.
M’anekx x’tikteb issa aaaa li tiehdu f’oxx id-demm qares li bi zball halqek!!!!
Issa fl-ahhar nista npattihielek … u qares hafna!!!
Well done TCB – verament Malta Taghna Lkoll hux hekk?
Inpattilek! Heqq sewwa, Joseph jghid taghna lkoll!
TCB, I am currently searching for a private Maltese tutor for my son… You seem to be what I’m looking for.
Well DONE PN…… we knew you could CRASH all the way from CANADA….leave the theatrics and get a life…..
Love it
Yeahhhhh
As a fellow Canadian, I feel I have the obligation to call you an unmitigated asshole.
Daphne caruana galizja thank you so much for helping us win this election may god gives you what you wished for us and you are well come in malta taghhna lkoll
It’s fascinating how all the semi-literate, badly spelled and poorly constructed hostile and vengeful remarks are from Muscat’s fans.
Now that they have got their government, they are still unhappy and full of resentment. Labour never changes.
fuck you, you fucking c-unt. Change has finally come and the rule of Ali Gonzi and his 5 thieves is over. You fucking skank
Joseph Muscat only a few hours in power. Tremendous breakthrough in research into local fauna. Stephen Sammut, a true PL diehard, discovers a new life form: the fucking skank.
At least this c…t can spell his name right.
I have just heard Dr. Gonzi say that he will not remain as party leader. I do not agree at all!
That would be our geatest loss, even bigger than losing the election.
Please Dr. Gonzi do reconsider. We still want you as our leader. We will win the next election and you will be again our Prime Minister to continue moving our country forward as you have in the last 9 years.
… “Life is better all round than it was in the past. We live longer, healthier, more interesting and more comfortable lives. We have access to information. We live in a more peaceful world and people who used to be so easily marginalised in the past have their rights safeguarded. There are less countries suffering from famine, there are less dictatorships than there used to be and democracy is much more widespread.” – not thanks to Labour governments, that’s for sure.
If you are comfortable speak for yourself! Just look at the level of people in the risk of getting poor rising. THAT is thanks to your PN government!
Well the result is out and it is more bewildering and overwhelming than anyone ever expected.
I think not even the LP thought that victory would be this massive. With well over 30,000 votes and a probable 9 seat majority this is the biggest victory and defeat for any party in recent history.
All this happened after 5 years of relative prosperity especially keeping in mind the situation elsewhere. I find it hard to understand this nation of ours but that is democracy for you.
Paul Borg Olivier did the honourable thing and conceded defeat straight away. Not that he had much choice anyway with that massive a gap. Now he should do the second honourable thing and resign.
As for the party there is a tremendous soul-searching exercise to be done. For years it ignored much feedback that its supporters and grassroots were saying.
After the 2008 miracle victory and the debacle a year later in the MEP election the party still did nothing, even though they had confessed to getting the message and would be working with the people to tackle the issues. Four years passed and nothing happened.
In any other democracy this would probably have worked anyway because the government would have been elected once again on its own merit. But this is Malta and things here do not happen in a rational way.
This result is almost a photocopy of the MEP election result. The party shrugged it off as being a protest vote. They did nothing and look what it has got us into.
Now I will make a coffee and wait for the barbarian onslaught.
Agree that PBO should resign.
Prosperity for you few, yes, but for the rest of us, hell no!
[Daphne – My God, what stupidity. Unbelievable. The country prospered as a whole, Mark. It prospers through economic growth, not hand-outs and ‘kuntratti’. What do you imagine – that Joseph Muscat is going to be knocking on your door with a nice big cheque? Put all 160,000 of the people who voted for him on the state payroll? You are quite, quite absurd.]
who care really… We get to celebrate like the ‘injoranti’ we are! and it’s been a wonderful couple of days :) Glad to have 35000 extra on our side! Feels warm over here no matter what this hate-filled blog says. Nothing can take this feeling of bliss away…
And no. We don’t imagine that JM will put all 160,000 of the people who voted for him on the state payroll because Malta belongs to everyone including the 130000 who voted against. D stop being so hateful. JM has been elected. That’s how democracy works. We will not go “dritt ghal gol hajt”. We didn’t under Gonzi or Sant or Fenech and we sure as hell won’t under Muscat. He is a good leader, with good foresight and has set a good example. Assuming that anyone and everyone who is PL or joins PL is stupid or has stupid, ignorant ideas is just plain silly. Let it be for 5 years.
[Daphne – It’s frightening to think that you are old enough to have the vote and yet you reason like this. ‘Let it be for five years’ – unbelievable. Let’s let the country run itself because Joseph doesn’t know how to do it.]
Because that is how josephmuscat.com – the movement convinced them to believe. People with pea-brains and so easily brainwashed.
Catsrbest: If you are brainwashed it’s your problem. But maybe, people like sedqa and the dominicans are all convinced by joseph as well! Your low I.Q. just shows us why you vote for PN
imma zewgek hadu il kuntratt ta nofs miljun ux hi?????!!!!
[Daphne – Fil-fatt le, ma ha ebda kuntratt. Dik kienet gidba tal-Orizzont, li gabu ‘right of reply’ bhalma ghamlu tal-Maltastar. U Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, li rrepetiha, se jkollu kawza l-qorti dwarha.]
Nadine, believe me – that feeling of bliss goes away very very easily. Been there, done that. Thanks to Labour.
Looking forward to Simon snapping at Joey’s heels.
Will they last a full term?
Yupp trid tisten 20 sena u ikun zmaga imbat
I do not believe they will.
A gentleman and a statesman until the very end.
Circumstances dealt this great prime minister a very bad hand. Read and try not to cry.
http://mychoice.pn/
It’s not circumstances that dealt a very bad hand. It was nasty people like Franco Debono, Jeffrey Pullicino, John Dalli, and Jesmond Mugliett, throwing tantrums and demanding attention like spoiled toddlers.
Imagine having to steer a country through economic and geopolitical crises while this lot were screaming themselves blue in the face and rolling about on the floor.
I was watching Joseph (this is the way he wants to be called) on Close Up and he already started to post his ‘disciples’ here, there and everywhere, including JPO and FD.
It seems that he has got a place for all the turncoats who helped him and obviously these are going to be paid from our taxes (mill-kaxxa ta’ Malta). Addio finanzi fis-sod.
By the way, what a fake he is, he is trying to emulate Dr Fenech Adami when first elected in 1987. He definitely watched that video.
A Laburista decides to comment beneath Lawrence Gonzi’s message on my choice.pn and under many legible and sensible comments:
Grace Borg Bonello · Salesperson at JB Stores
viva labouer isa bil mod u iridu inehu il hmieg li hala gonzi u joe bicca xol ibsa caw hi ha mur nicelebra
How this illiterate lot ever made it is beyond me. The next five years of blogging are going to be VERY interesting.
Imma kif ma hawnx Laburist li jaf jikteb?
Issa tigi int talimni pufta
Meta trid intik il-lezzjonijiet tal-Malti qalbi, jiena Laburist u gradwat u nista’ ntik lezzjonijiet tal-Malti, Ingliz, Franciz u Taljan meta trid. Ahjar tnehhu dil-mibeghda kollha li ghandkom go fikom.
Paul Vella, tammetti li hafna Laburisti ma jafux jitkbu bil-Malti jew bl-Ingliz?
U jekk ha nitkellmu dwar lingwi, jien nista’ ntik lezzjonijiet ta’ dawk il-lingwi li semmejt int, kif ukoll tal-Germaniz u l-Ispanjol. But so what? Jibqa’ l-fatt li hafna Laburisti ma jafux jiktbu bl-Ingliz jew bil-Malti.
tinnat, probabilment l-istess persentagg ta nies nazzjonalisti… statistici m’ghandiex pero u nassumi li anqas int.
Paul Vella, bil-lingwi kollha li tghid li taf u bil-lawrija li gibt meta ggradwajt, hasra ma talbukx taghmel testimonial int ukoll. Xejn xejn, il-Partit ma kienx jerga’ jfakkarni fil-Ligi dwar l-Indhil Barrani. U bil-Malti kien ikun jista’ jilhaq hafna iktar nies b’mod dirett milli bil-Franciz jew bl-Ingliz tradott.
U la fakkartni fl-Indhil Barrani, taf jew ma tafx li f’Malta Maltija ebda gazzetta jew perjodiku, imqar religjuz jew filantropiku ma setax juza l-kliem “MALTA” jew “NAZZJON” fl-isem tal-publikazzjoni minghajr il-permess tac-Censur tal-Gvern, wiehed minnhom l-avukat li hemm jirrapprezenta ‘l JosephMuscat.com fuq l-Awtorita’ tax-Xandir?
Imma dawn l-affarijiet probabbli ma kienux fis-sillabu, la tal-lawrija u lanqas f’xi wiehed mill-hafna ezercizzji li normalment isiru meta tistudja l-lingwi. Avolja minn dak li ghidtilna int studjajt hafna lingwi.
You made me laugh for the first time today!
Can you be anymore childish! This Grace person isn’t part of the Labour candidates which you just called illiterate.
Just accept the result….. PN need to change everything about their party. The people, their image etc.
[Daphne – Or they could just keep the people for 25 years and then let them loose on you again, Liliana, amid a sea of coloured placards.]
Dear Gracey tal-JB Stores, birds do tell me that even before you will have gone out to celebrate your friends will have by now been littering and defacing the main streets of Sliema with empty bottles and all kinds of imaginable rubbish.. Which rubbish will not be an easy task to get rid of.
nev….the rubbish and litter will be removed after these days of big celebrations.Every electoral result brings a lot of people in the streets and rubbish,it’s quite normal i guess.What did you pretend that the labour supporters remain at home?
[Daphne – Expect, not pretend. If you are going to insist on using English, learn it first.]
IDDISPRATA.
Malta Taghna LLKOLL.
Did you feel Joseph’s earthquake which you so billittled in the past.
Have a nice day and ebjoy the next 5 years.
[Daphne – I shall. There will be so much to write about. It will take me right back to the Sant years, which were extremely enjoyable from a columnist’s point of view. When the government gets so much right it leaves me with little room to manoeuvre. No, I did not feel Joseph’s earthquake, I am not desperate (I am a level-headed person of a certain age) and might I remind you that Malta has been taghna lkoll since 1987.]
Daphne – you can write, you can protest – but let’s face it we have 9 seats in parliament!!
that is a little bit difficult to shake, don’t you think?
NINE SEATS!!!
and we are so humble to still want to work with PN. That is humility – not like your arrogant lot!
[Daphne – Who is ‘we’? Are you a Labour Party member or official, or do you think of politics in terms of football teams? I don’t think I have ever referred to or thought of the Nationalist Party as ‘we’. Shake or take? What frightens me is not the nine seats (life is long unless ill fortune intervenes) but the preponderance of ignorance. That appears to be permanent and the source of much damage.]
Oh dear, wasn’t the age of parties over?
I came across Joseph this afternoon promising not to take advantage of this major result.
If I may, it’s not that he shouldn’t, duh, it’s that he’s bound to deliver all his promises.
Farrugia was right, Joseph did get too close to big business. It remains to be seen how those votes came to be.
It’s the result itself that isn’t feasible.
Ix-xewka, “you” do not have “9 seats in parliament”.
We = the people!! Ms Daphne.
Ignorance? is that what worries you?
can I give you an advice than?
if you are such a bright spark, have you not yet realised that you are a liability to your party? People reject your methods. People don’t want hatred. That is past.
You are extinct. your methods are extinct.
And, the probability is that you will even be more extinct within five years!!
talking about intelligence!
Xewka, the PL would love to make believe that it’s out of humility that they intend to work with the PN; but they can only succeed in doing so with people who post comments like yours.
You need not be a party member or official to be part of the labour party.It’s a party that has united all people,and the result speaks volumes.It’s a white wash dear,even after your gimmicks on friday to scare people with the 80’s and violence.It did’nt work.
People out there don’t want people like you spitting venom and hatred since you started blogging….but want unity and honesty.The 35,000 votes majority…are very different from the 7,600 Sant won with in 1996.People are more mature today and think with their minds.Scaremongering and negative politics don’t work.
[Daphne – ‘People think with their minds’. Gosh, who would have thought it. So that’s why they voted for Joseph, then.]
It is the royal “we.”
Did you see the Royal Family walking down Republic Street earlier today? Drew a lot of attention. In fact, the post of the Prime Minister of Malta will from now on be a ceremonial office. The government will be left to run on its own devices.
@ix-xewka
“NINE SEATS!!! and we are so humble to still want to work with PN. That is humility – not like your arrogant lot!”
You are so humble, eh? What are you talking about – a religious commitment to monastic life? In politics you need a lot more leadership than humility.
You want to work with PN, eh? Mintoff was more “democratic” and “liberal” than you lot here. He used to tell foreign correspondents interviewing him that “the workers” and “the people” ran the country.
We who lived through those 16-long years know what Labour’s extended hand of friendship means. You’re either with me or else I will destroy you. This applied both to individuals and institutions.
Working with PN? What do you think Parliament is for? Bringing together charitable institutions? In normal democracies parliament is made of a governing side and an opposition.
At the moment you can keep on dreaming but any time soon you will have to wake up and take your position in the hot seat.
Then we can talk about the results.
Good for you Daphne. That`s the spirit.
We too shall keep turning to this blog, and enjoy reading it and lapping it all up, as we always have.
Still have to come out of shock.
Like always you’ll be a voice in the desert. Don’t delude yourself only a few morons today read your shoddy, infanile and childish blogg.
Hope to see you next Saturday as we celebrate on the Fosos.
Enjoy your 5 years of dispair.
[Daphne – No, I was expecting it, having understood pretty early on what 32% PN and 25% undecided (more of whom trust Muscat than Gonzi) – figures which didn’t change right up to the end – really meant: people planning to vote Labour after having formerly voted PN, but not wishing to admit to it even to themselves, so saying ‘undecided’. This is not a voice in the desert but one of Malta’s top-ranked sites. It is not read by morons because the language and reasoning are too difficult. I will not have five years of despair but five years of an interesting subject to write about. Meanwhile, please take spelling lessons. Unless you hope Joseph will give you a job for which writing is not required.]
5 years of despair?
Is that what your tin-pot-dictator-in-the-making is offering now?
The mask’s ome off sooner than I’d thought.
‘ malta top ranked sites ‘ soon to be abolished !! :))
[Daphne – I find this reasoning fascinating. How will josephmuscat.com abolish my blog?]
@Fb
‘ malta top ranked sites ‘ soon to be abolished !! :))
So that’s how you intend to make “Malta Taghna Lkoll” – by dominating our minds after abolishing the dissemination of dissent.
Qed titkellem ghal dak iz zmien fejn kont ghadek ma tkecejtx minn kull gazzetta li hawn malta????
[Daphne – Ilni nahdem ma’ l-istess gazzetta mis-sena 1996. Imma billi ma taqrax gazzetti hlief forsi L-Orizzont, dan ma tafux.]
The Age of Men is over. The Time of the Orc has come.
Jason king? Pufta bla coff dak.
Hope this is the end of your ‘career’ too!
[Daphne – I’m sorry, but I don’t follow you. What aspect of my career, and how and why would it end?]
You are so right darling….you DON’T have one… maybe one of the tabloids in the UK or Italy might need a gossip spinner like you…
I really hope Daphne continues – it is a guarantee for another PL victory!!
please continue Daphne!
[Daphne – Please don’t go all out to prove my point that Labour is elected on the stupid vote.]
Mela hawn stupids, nahseb int il professur, lol!!
Impressive victory for MLP. I had no idea that Dr.Gonzi was this unpopular. I am afraid Malta will be out of the EU in weeks’ time. Jason Micallef is king now.
Looks like Jason Micallef will not be getting elected.
On another note, Yana Mintoff Bland has got a whopping 70 votes from the 2nd district.
[Daphne – Let us be grateful for small mercies.]
The clue lies in the name …Bland.
I think, rather than unpopular, it is a case of Dr Gonzi having too many enemies, and worst of all enemies from within. A house divided does not stand.
I hope that the last thing that Dr. Gonzi does before he bows out is to send one last letter to Franco, Jeffrey and Jesmond.
Joseph Muscat is taking over not only a country with a successful economy that enjoys international respect, but also one very valuable asset that was consistently denied by Labour to successive PN governments – a responsible Opposition.
PN should give us a snapshot of the financial and economic indicators that have impressed foreign news agencies commenting on these elections. We’ll then be able to compare the new government’s performance.
Sure, during the first couple of years it will be reaping the benefits of the previous government’s achievements. This year’s budget is already cut and made for JM to present to and get approval from the new parliament.
On another note, when he became party leader he promised an ‘earthquake’ (within his party of course) and he can point to his electoral campaign and victory as his prize.
Unfortunately for its victims, an earthquake usually happens all of a sudden. We’ll have to wait and see what type of earthquake he can cause as head of government.
May I post this comment on my fb profile please?
@Tania
What? If you mean my comment, go ahead. I’d be flattered as my skills in the use of social media are quite poor.
Issa, x’bi hsiebek taghmel ? Temigra jew toqod ma din il qaqoca evels :-)
1989 is sewwa rebah u kompla dejjem jirbah
Issa rega rebah, u jerga jirbah 5 snien ohra.
Li mhux fi trieq ta sewwa huwa inti, ghax hlief mibeda ma ghandekx, nispera ghal l- inqas qeda sewwa mal kuxjenza tieghek.
Dafne li kont minek itfa kilo konkos go halqek u tifthux aktar bil odju
[Daphne – Oh look. The peasants have arrived. What a great surprise. Ha nghidilek bil-Malti, Duminku. Tista tivvota kemm tivvota ghall-partit rebbieh, imma xorta tibqa hamallu vulgari u injorant. M’hemmx taghmel.]
Daphne there are many “hamalli” as you say…. My God 55% of the whole population is HAMALLA.. I wonder what should we say about you? irrizenjalek Gonzi tieghek hi the one you love so much… I hope you manage to live with us in this population of hamalli or else I wish you bon voyage my darling adios
[Daphne – I have managed to live with you for 48 years, MM. That’s a pretty good track record. Of course it does make Malta a rather more unpleasant place to live in than certain others, because you’re all over the place, but somehow, one copes.]
ehe hamalli ahna tajnijilkom ir risposta u bic car u mahniex partit tal 80s kif kontu tipruvaw dbezzaw in nies
[Daphne – Robin, l-istorja tad-dinja hija mimlija b’revoluzzjonijiet tal-hamalli u m’ghamiltu xejn gdid. U iva, fil-fatt intom partit tal-eighties u l-ewwel nies li rajt fil-counting hall mal-Fearless Leader kienu l-AST u Ronnie Pellegrini, dak li kien il-‘bitch’ ta’ Lorry Sant.]
Joseph Muscat’s first-ever public appearance on the purposely-built balcony at the Mile End after today’s victory, accompanied by Eva Peron, would have looked like a scene from Evita, were it not for the presence of AST right there behind them.
@ciccio
That wasn’t AST, that was Che.
The Labour Party will never change. They were and always will be the party that has to use corruption, force and threats to make themselves feel good and in power. They have individuals that have to be led like cattle to the slaughter. Just shows their lower class and how mislead they can easily be.
If there is someone Anna who will never change is you sorry lot. Just keepp on spitting the venom, and instead of seeing what went wrong, you just call us names and remain in medieval times like your ‘friend’ here Daphne the witch
[Daphne – How ironic, telling us that we live in medieval times while simultaneously calling me a witch. Oh well: Labour – Brains Not Required.]
Daph dear…remember, it was peasants with pitchforks who beheaded the queen… ;)
[Daphne – Yes, that is precisely why I currently have a couple of police officers stationed at my gate (against my will and not at my request).]
They will either be removed or replaced by spies the minute the new minister is appointed.
Oh poor darling…and you probably also have an army of flying monkeys protecting your castle too ?
[Daphne – No. Joseph has cornered the market in those and is at present deciding which ones to appoint to his extensive cabinet.]
bis serjetaaaaa??? against your will….? ghax batimlok gonzi imma…
[Daphne – Look, this is getting VERY trying. It is as though an entire Labour horde is pouring in here to prove the point that the mass of subliterate DEs vote Labour. You are giving a very, very bad impression.]
If as you say most of the most people are and i quote
“We tend to remain immature, intellectually irrational and emotionally undeveloped, so Maltese adults can seem (in many cases because they are) quite childish in their reasoning, behavior and even speech” why do you still live here why don’t you leave us in piece you ugly stupid bitch.
Your comment proves Daphne’s intention.
You are in one piece, mara antipatika, so what are you on about?
@mara antipatka – “why do you still live here why don’t you leave us in piece you ugly stupid bitch.”
Ghax MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL, antipatka (qed insejjahlek biss b’ismek). Milli jidher kulma tafu taghmlu hu li tirrepetu s-slogans bhal pappagall.
“Taghna lkoll” tfisser tolleranza, jew kif ihobb jghid siehbek Louis ‘Che’ Grech, PAJJIZ INKLUSSIV.
U jekk kulma trid mill-hajja hu li tghix ‘in piece’ tidholx f’dan il-blog u minflok mur xi Coffee Morning fejn ikollok hafna nies madwarek bl-istess kunjom tieghek.
Pace in English is “PEACE” not “PIECE” Piece is “BICCA.
Hamest isnien biss ghandu miskin. Jaqaw l-ohrajn diga tilifhom b’xi daqqa ta’ ponn jew?
Waslu tal-muviment (tal-imsaren).
Never trust a man in a beige suit – http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-03-10/news/watch-dr-muscat-hails-historic-victory-1122467841/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
I’m not half as sartorially knowledgeable as Baxxter but even I can see that that jacket is awful in every kind of way.
What is it with socialist/communist leaders and their terrible dress sense?
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1915593_1915596_1915608,00.html
Here’s a nice pic of the Prime Minister of Malta from the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21734277
Ciccio.
You managed to make me smile. He looks terrified miskin.Poor, poor Joseph. What he promised he has to deliver now.
Ah! Trust Darrin Zammit Lupi to come up with a picture that says it all!
Reading the article I found it funny that they mentioned that Joseph Muscat was elected on the pledge of lowering electricity bills. I don’t know from where they got the impression that our rates are among the highest in the world. It’s far from the truth. Most EU countries have higher rates than ours.
It’s unusual for the Beeb to take a wire report and take it for granted.
Never trust a man with a semi-permanent furrow
Or one who’s permanently lying.
It’s not a suit…it’s a sport jacket ;)
[Daphne – Sports jackets are generally made of tweed and are shaped differently.]
jekk rajt sew int gieli xtrajt mill bortex uxx????? mella saqsijhom wahda jekk sport jacket ijix tweeded my dear cause its notttttt!
[Daphne – Generally speaking, yes, it is either tweed or corduroy. This is because the sport in question is shooting (the old-fashioned English sort). But I wouldn’t expect you to know that, either.]
So very true. It’s a pity.
With this result, who needs democracy. They can basically ride roughshod over parliament, anything else is against the state.
What we have here, is ten years of Labour.
Ten years? With an optimistic swing of 7,000 per term back to the PN, it will take more than 20 years.
Malta will be totally unrecognizable by then, at the bottom of the EU list behing Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania, and all the new entrants (if we would still be in the EU by then).
The Cypriot government must be thanking its lucky stars today. One of Cyprus’ key competitors will soon commence its downward spiral. This is the good news Cyprus has longed for.
[Daphne – You can’t reason like that. 15,000 votes moved to Labour in five years, not 20.]
Actually its 15,000 votes that moved…
Well, now we have five years to see the new PM fulfil all those promises – not 20.
It will have to be painful. Horrible.
Why are you all so pessimistic? Let’s wait and see what this “muviment” does when push comes to shove.
Let’s see who gets the ministries and who gets the proverbial “ghadma”.
Will it be the newbie to take justice or the old militant?
Who’s going to get the goodies now that so many have worked for this victory?
What about the government contracts – are the others going to stand aside and watch which the benefactors grab all the contracts? How are Labour MPs going to feel when their onoraria is decreased for not attending parliament – will they still be so keen on the idea?
It is true that 9 parliamentary seats is a very comfortable majority, but it is also an attractive one for anybody within that party to show dissent because it lessens the omen on the member concerned.
With so many loose ends, and feeble internal alliances, expensive and irresponsible promises, unfounded beliefs, and incapable/inadequate persons I do not think it will be long before the shit hits the fan big time.
If the PN managed such a huge swing 96-98 in just 22 months, it will surely manage this in a a few years.
Joe Farrugia, not pessimistic but realistic
What worries me is that a good chunk of these 15,000 votes came from new voters – voters who have been raised with the mindset that everything is theirs by right and should be served to them on a silver plate. Upon seeing that they have to work to survive, those new voters will turn into bloodsucking leeches and become convinced Labourites.
The trend that the PN had lost the new vote had been evident in the party’s surveys since September and never changed.
Daphne please don’t abandon us in this dark hour…
You mean long dark hours. Wait until they start installing the new LNG power station. One accident, and we’re all doomed without power. Hopefully we’ll have the interconnector installed by that time. At least we will be able to wash the laundry and watch some TV.
Joseph Muscat has been harping ad nauseam about the Euro 500 fil-gimgha onorarium (subsequently withdrawn) for ministers and for the Leader of the Opposition.
Tax payers, because now Malta is Taghna Lkoll and it is our money, now expect PMJM to ensure that the promised PPA (pay per attendance) system for MPs is put into force in the budget come next April. It is a straightforward and simple change and a direct and immediate money saver.
Failing that the tax payers can draw their own conclusions on the Joseph Muscat’s credibility regarding the rest of his pre-electoral promises.
To be fair to JM, about the Euro 500 weekly honorarium, I remember him promising a Parliamentary Committee to review the whole package of MPs. The idea is not so alien to him then. It will all be done in full transparency, or so we’ve been told. We’ll have to wait and see.
PN kont, ghadni u nibqgha – cert li l-PN kien haqqu jirbah bil-gid kbir li ghamel maz-zmienijiet. Xhur jghaddu u n-nies jibdew jindunaw li zbaljaw.
Issa jibdew l-iskuzi fuq il-weghdi tal-PL specjalment weghdi li saru individwalment lin-nies.
Tghid se jaghmel bhal ta’ qablu u jibda jghajjat bil-hofra?
Issa se jkun izjed difficli ghalih – ghax l-UE diga qaltlu li ghandna finanzi fis-sod f’Malta.
Imma mbaghad, ic-cwiec u l-imzazen li hawn Malta jibilghu kollox, mhux hekk?
Hu ghalhekk li jghidu x’jghidu anke jekk jghidu l-izjed affarijiet illogici (bhal din ta’ power station gdida u zewg tankijiet tal-gas daqs il-knisja tal-Mosta) jitwemmu.
Iva tafux x’jista’ jkollha tajjeb din – li jekk itiru t-tankijiet tal-gas itajru s-sawt ta’ Malta – u addio maggoranza.
You are beginning to sound like a broken record, no credibility and better deal with your past traumas rather than displacing them onto to Labour in the present. Croakie and by the way: you have no style in your dress sense: that checked green shirt may be have been given to you from some forlorn bush in Australia. You and your Lou are not credible so one advice I tell you: Shut up and be a good journalist not a hate journalist.
[Daphne – What do you wear at home in the evening, Shut Up? A tanga and something fetching in shiny Lycra? On another note, my credibility is not vested in the opinion of the sort of people who elect the Labour Party. That would, in fact, upset me greatly.]
‘Shut up and be a good journalist.’
How can you shut up and be a good journalist at the same time? Oh, I presume the paradoxon eludes you – you must be Labour.
Sigh.
Dear Daphne,
First of all my solidarity for what happened to you yesterday… a very serious omen.
Secondly, I had promised myself to punch on the nose anyone who tries to make me understand this crazy, unhinged behaviour of the Maltese (the election result).
However, your piece makes me understand a little of what happened today. I am still very angry, frustrated and with a deep sense of injustice and unfairness.
The Romans used to say that the people have the leaders they deserve, which by inference means if the people are intelligent they have intelligent leaders etc etc draw your own conclusions.
Tony Cachia – Xghajra
Your words are like manna in the desert to me, Mr. Cachia.
I can’t understand the limit of Maltese ignorance.
tony, I understand how you are feeling.
I felt like that in 1996, but now I am older and hopefully wiser.
The PN certainly did not deserve this clamorous defeat after what they achieved for our country.
However, they made many mistakes and neglected the day to day aches and pains of the people. Furthermore, Gonzi lost control over his party by failing to unite them in a common cause.
It is not normal for a leader to have so many dissenting members, still less carry on regardless and taking his party to the point of a spectacular defeat.
There were so many other decisions that did not go down well with the electorate that it is hard to list them all here but a random few would be: Eddie Fenech Adami as president than a Labour one after that, the famous €500 increase which was later retracted when the damage was already done, the divorce vote, the tolerance of dissent, the reward of dissent in JPO’s case and the utter disability to rein in MEPA.
True, Lawrence Gonzi was too busy looking over his shoulder and propping our economy. In fact the result he achieved is incredible and the envy of many of our European partners, but the home front is another story.
Maybe it is time for the PN to consider having a party leader AND a prime minister who are not the same person. Or maybe next time the councillors might consider electing a better General Secretary.
How can the majority of the Maltese people be this stupid !
[Daphne – It’s a mix of genes and culture. I’ve always taken it for granted, so I’m surprised when the PN wins, not when it loses or almost loses. You only have to look at the fact that Sant almost won in 2008 and that nearly half the population voted for KMB in 1992.]
@ ken il malti.
Sorry, but you clearly can’t fathom the intricacies of the argument. You take the easy way out by invoking the maxim: “Vox populi, vox Dei” and interpret it literally.
There are no intricacies in this.
Heck, there are even no arguments.
But it seems there are plenty of gullible and naive people in Malta and Gozo who think that they :
a) Got nothing to lose.
or,
b) Will get even more of what they been getting these last 25 years but it will be bigger and better, more juicier, far more tastier.
They just bought an illusion.
You took the words right out of my mouth …have just been making same point to some shell shocked Nationalists and they looked at me as if I was mad.
4,000 majority against the Labour regime in 1987; 36,000 against a stable and prosperous economy in 2013! Ignorance is bliss.
Gives you an insight into most people’s priorities and intelligence.
May I add that the 4000 majority did not come only after the Mintoff regime but also after the murder of Raymond Caruana.
Exactly … Maltese people are CRAZY.
Dont worry lemons available
It’s not ignorance P Shaw. Read the blog-post again.
Really! So you still did not get it! So now you are the chosen few, The lowest ever minority in the last 50 yrs calling the majority stupid.
This was one good reason why the PN lost the election. You cannot snob and look down on people. Respect.
I am sorry to say that this blog lacks much of it.
[Daphne – ‘The lowest ever minority in the last 50 years calling the majority stupid’. Why not, Matthew1? Sheer force of numbers does not make for intelligence. Majority rule does not necessarily mean that the majority decision is the smart one. It just means that more people have chosen the same thing.]
Matthew, you will get used to having an opposition.
I bet you just couldn’t fathom Gonzi’s calm and serene manner this afternoon.
Do you really think we’re terrified of the possibility Muscat may prove us wrong?
Matthew, let me spell it out for you: that means that when the majority decision is stupid, as is the case with this election result, the majority itself is stupid.
The more intelligent minority knew beforehand that this result is stupid. The majority, on the other hand (being stupid) can only get to know this through direct experience, which they will do during the process of being governed by the inept lot they elected to do it.
Matthew1, qiskom in-naghag ta’ Bendu.
And while on the subject of looking down on others, did you see Joseph Muscat on the Fourth Floor Balcony at the Centru Nazzjonali addressing the crowd? He was so high up above them, they could hardly see him.
They threw the baby out with the bath-water because the doughboy promised them cheap electricity.
What the fu*k were they thinking?
Matthew1, just watch the film 300 and you’ll get your answer.
So now you are the chosen few. The minority calling the big majority stupid!
This was one good reason why the PN lost the election. That is snobbish & arrogant attitude and lack of respect of the government to the people.
[Daphne – Please don’t go out of your way to prove a point, Matthew2. If 10 people make one choice and five people make another choice, it doesn’t follow that the 10 people have made the smart decision just because there are more of them.]
@mathew
Il branco e sempre pericoloso.
Stupid and gullible, ken. They believe that Muscat will reduce the water and energy bills by 25%. Time will tell.
Joseph Muscat promised to reduce the ‘bills’ by 25%. He never said anything about not increasing the tariffs.
People will then still be paying more, but foot in the door salesman Joe will tell them they are now benefitting from a bigger discount in euros.
The sad thing is that the voters that were stupid enough to vote Joe into power, are stupid enough to see that as a further benefit from the deal.
http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20150311T00&p0=255&fg1=ea0606&msg=Konrad%27s+power+station
As a British national living and working in Malta for over four years, this is the most devastating and accurate critique I have read with respect to Maltese society and culture.
Having walked around my locality today, it seemed to me that the streets had been turned over to packs of swaggering, thuggish and aggressive people, most of whom were drunk (and driving).
Very few other people were out and about. To me there was no atmosphere of celebration, no joyous crowds lining the streets, just apprehension as to what these people were going to do next.
They were left to their own devices to roam the streets in an atmosphere of fear and reminded me of the Chavistas in Caracas I used to see on my trips to Venezuela. Also, a lot of people were showing off the old Labour MLP flags which Muscat was desperate to suppress as they were a reminder of the bad old days. They were never seen during the election campaign.
Not proud to be Maltese.
Gary what is actually your point?Were you on another planet…while suggesting there was no atmosphere of celebration and no joyous crowds?I was out in the streets with my friends celebrating a landslide and historic win.
People were celebrating normally as they do in a democratic country….and by no means on our carcade did we encounter any trouble,thuggish and aggressive people.So please get your facts right before saying things that are not true.These electoral celebrations were normal with no trouble being reported.
Regarding the old labour MLP flags.May i remind you that most labour supporters like me are proud and we still like that flag…..even if there is a new one.It does not shame us one bit.If you have a problem about it just try avoiding watching local tv stations these days…..i can’t understand what you are trying to say here mate.Relax a little,the bad old days you are trying to resurrect at all costs will not come again.
Tell that to your friends infesting this blog.
They’re either euphoric or vicious.
All of them seem disappointed there’s people who won’t celebrate the ascent of the great leader.
It’s not that Muscat won’t be judged, or is that the plan?
My friend, I am relaxed. I am on the same planet as you and merely giving an account of what I saw and experienced in the area that I live and was not making a political point as I have no vote and none to make.
Maybe where you live on the island, it was a more relaxed and joyous event. If it was, I am pleased for you and your friends.
As for the flags, the point was that they came out after the election and not before.
I’m not a flag-waver of any sort, but I appreciate people get comfort and security from doing it themselves.
I did not live through the bad old days as I was not here and all I know is what I have been told. So it’s not me you have to convince, rather your fellow countrymen who have related those fears to me and it’s your responsibilty to them to make sure that they don’t return.
My advice to Mr Muscat is to learn from the experience of the New Labour project in the UK, which went very wrong, and not run the country on platitudes and spin because I assure you that he will be doomed to failure if he does.
I wish him well and hope he manages on his mission to unite the political divide.
I personally think that PN worked so hard to provide us with an island that we can be proud of, that a lot of people took everything for granted.
It is sickening to hear certain PL followers saying “ghamel gid dan il-gvern imma xorta wahda mhux ser nivvota lilu ta”.
After all the PN has done during the recession in order to keep Malta from failing like the other countries.
Some people say that PN forgot about the people. Well frankly they are missing the big picture, because everything that is done will affect us as a whole some way or another.
Well now people voted, and they will see the true colours of Labour. I am young and didn’t witness the suffering my parents had to endure when Mintoff + Sant ruled Malta, but yet I was astonished how they still controlled Malta.
I remained speechless when members of my family were blackmailed during this month. I thought Maltese people were educated enough to not go that low.
Well I thought wrong, let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
I entirely agree with your comments and I am frankly disappointed at the low turnout from Sliema, where the predominant middle-aged to older demographic would point to a desire to retain the political status quo.
I can only put this down to the immaturity you refer to; to the single-issue politics still followed by a generation of voters borne of a patriarchical society that is no longer really evident in Malta; they just lack the intelligence to realise this.
However, a higher turnout here would not have been enough to alter the result and we have yet to learn whether those 36,000 or so votes represent the advent of a more significant floating voter element within the domestic electoral process, which will increase in coming elections and which will need to be courted accordingly.
This could have significant implications for the political process going forward.
I can only see a huge regression.
The famous ‘disgruntled Nationalists’ are people who didn’t get what they wanted through the parochial system inherited from the Mintoff regime.
Ministers who did not grant favours were dubbed as being arrogant. People do not want a modern way of government – they just voted in a bunch of dinosaurs who will use their office as a soup kitchen.
The PN is between a rock and a hard place. Remain true to their beliefs and permanently in opposition, or give in and give the people what they want?
Ara tas-Sliema ma jkunx hemm xi hadd igerger issa……ha nidhak (meta suppost nibki)…imma iva. Nidhak. Kulhadd mohhu fih inniffsu u hadd ma ra l-istampa shiha. Issa gawdi il-bidla.
Madoff Arriva u these greedy developers.
@mark H
I cannot understand why we keep on insisting that Sliema today represents the Sliema of the past. It doesn’t – just walk through sliema to see if these are the same people who used to live there.
The intelligentia on this island constantly moved in the past 100 years. They first lived in the Harbour area, then they moved to Valletta, during and post war these were dispersed, but many moved to their villegatura, which was Rabat, San Pawl il-Bahar and SLIEMA.
With Sliema being raped by many Mintoffian buisnessmen, they relocated again, dispersing even more to the north and in certain villages.
So please stop referring to the Sliemizi today to be the Sliemizi of the past, as you can’t. Most of the original post-war Sliema population has left for good, only a few have stayed. Sliema is now a mix just as Valletta is.
Hi Sasha,
I’m sure you are correct here and I at some fault in generalising the point.
However, being a Sliema resident myself I am feel I am constantly surrounded by retired folk who seem to have nothing better to do than to complain about everything around them.
Yes, this is anecdotal, it makes me out to be (a bit) intolerant, and it is an observation lacking in any statistical substance.
However, the low turnout tends to reinforce my perception that this is borne of the same naysayers who should have frankly exercised their right to vote and perhaps looked to support the new candidates. Not only was the turnout poor, but the “usual suspects” were also re-elected. Very disappointing.
I can’t believe this filth is going to reap the fruit of Gonzi’s hard work.
I wish Gonzi weren’t resigning either.
[Daphne – Yes, it’s very unfair and what happened was very wrong. But in the circumstances, he has to.]
I still wish he would contest the leadership but he’s too much of a gentleman.
On a different note I’m glad you are safe and well, I was genuinely concerned with this mob running loose.
[Daphne – There are police stationed outside. You know, because I’m in with the government and they’re going me favours ghax wahda tal-klikka u l-poplu ihallas, like last time.]
I pity you really, dear David. Calling who has a different opinion than yours “filth;” just shows the abyssimal level of tolerance of die hard nationalists supporters. Now you have 5 years to reflect what lead to such an embarrasing defeat for the PN….Maybe filth played a part…..
Of course filth played a part. That, and people’s propensity to tolerate it, admire it and and even vote it into power.
We know why we lost so heavily. It’s our Sicilian mentality and insularity. Our tolerance of mediocrity and crassness. Our lack of political maturity and sense of vindictiveness.
I cannot agree with you more, David. I really feel sorry for Gonzi. As Dr. Ann Fenech put it yesterday, if Gonzi really was imqabbad mas-siggu tal-poter he wouldn’t have bothered securing all those EU funds knowing that all the polls were in favour of a Labour government and that they would be using the funds.
However, he always had the country’s best interests in my mind. He could have acted like a spoilsport in such a situation but he did not. It is very unfair, as Daphne said. I’m proud to say that I’m one of the minority who voted for the PN last Saturday.
That’s the romantic reason. The logical and strategic reason way back in the campaign trail, was other.
Wow David i congatulate you.It’s people like you that cost the PN this loss.Calling labourites filth.Thanks once again.
Ma nafx nidhaqx jew nibkix….x’injoranza.U inkredibilment il-moderator tghidlu very unfair u what happened very wrong….qisu ma qal xejn.Ibqaw xerrdu l-mibgheda.
It’s like I said and have been saying!
The PN government did not listen to the people it worked for.
How many meetings can one go to where you are told that you have a point and something will be done about it, yet they carry on as if the meeting never occurred.
Face it Daphne, Gonzi was no good and his whole ‘I am a saint so I know best’ attitude rubbed people up the wrong way.
I generally believe in what you stand for, regarding free speech etc, but please take a chill pill for a few months, give Prime minister Muscat a chance to start to govern, then if things start going pear shaped nail him to a crucifix, figuratively speaking.
[Daphne – Give Muscat a chance? You must be joking. As for your remark about meetings and having something done about it, I’m afraid I part company with you there even though I know this is a minority view. Governments are not local councils or parish centres. My mindset is completely different and I would never make a personal problem the pivot for my vote. I honestly feel sorry for politicians of all stripes who have to deal on a daily basis with people behaving like large children and backwoods bunnies. It took years to get a couple of electricity poles removed from our garden. I didn’t even connect this to the government, still less did it occur to me to see it as a good reason to vote against the incumbents.]
Lord Lucan, I would tend to agree with your suggestion that the new PM be granted a honeymoon period.
However, I have to agree with Daphne here; none of us should drop our guard. Policy change will unlikely be apparent overnight; it will be incremental. So if early actions appear even remotely wrong it will need to be stamped upon.
I would nevertheless still like to believe that those 15,000 voters represent a more significant element within the electoral process which will increase and which will require greater political accountability and no room for complacency and arrogance.
I don’t understand why Muscat should get a honeymoon period. He promised to hit the ground running with his grand power station plans. If we blink, he’ll have got through the planing and approvals stages of this project. The National Party and journalists need to be there to make sure Labour uses the correct procedure and goes through all the required assessments.
Daphne, sorry to pick you up on this. I recall in another recent comment of yours where you stated that you did not vote at a certain election for some personal reason.
[Daphne – You are so wrong. I have voted at every general election since I got the vote. I never said or wrote anything of the sort and it is absolutely not consonant with any aspect of my personality to avoid voting for personal reasons. You might have confused this with the fact that I don’t vote in local council elections.]
Your comment here about not making a personal problem the pivot of your vote does not quite gel and sounds somewhat hypocritical. On another issue, in the context of Malta ,governments are very much local councils and parish centers. The smallness of the place means it could not be anything else and will never ever be more than that.
Notwithstanding all of this, the energy,persistence,courage and ability to stand tall among the powerhouses of Europe and succeed where most of them have failed augers well for the gem in the middle of the Med. I sincerely hope that Joseph Muscat will not throw any of the gains away. I do not think he will.
This brings me to a question for you and somewhat hypothetical at that. Assuming that Joseph Muscat steers the ship reasonably well over the next five years and assuming he contributes to Malta’s continued growth and prosperity, will you on a very tiny level ever acknowledge this.
[Daphne – I used to be asked this question all the time when Alfred Sant was elected. My response was always the same: that men should be assessed by their character and that good very rarely comes from bad. There is another important point: when you disapprove of the methods, you can’t approve of the outcome.]
If your answer is in the negative,then the constant critique of closed minds and tribal politics is with you all for ever. There is no escape. You may be able to assist in the removal of this tribal mentality by thinking objectively for just 5% of the time and expressing such in your columns.
[Daphne – I always think objectively, Raphael. That is the problem, if we can call it that. My assessment of Joseph Muscat is clear and clinical and I have been impervious to fashion and bandwagon movements and group behaviour since an early age, which makes it easier for me to see the situation for what it is.]
If you could show that same degree of support for the the Pl that matches the same amount of the rare and very occasional criticism of the PN, that would be more than enough. Please do not start by telling us that JM will not or is unable to succeed.Just assume that he will and base your reply on that premise.
[Daphne – See above. I can never approve of Muscat because he is a bad person who used sinister methods to get into government and who rewards immoral and amoral behaviour. I do not approve of bad people though I can see that some find that sort of thing magnetic. The rest flows from there.]
Can’t wait to see the little shit waddle up to face the EU leaders on Thursday. The smirks, sniggers and remarks will be abundant.
‘Is this the same little boy who dumped on us for years because we were no good for Maltâ?’
Sure, they’ll be polite. Then dispense him to the back row for the photo op. Stool will be provided.
It took us one whole year to get some digging done for our home – the actual dig only took 3 weeks tops yet at every stage of the dig we were delayed by every imaginable office and authority for months on end.
It was hell – but as we say in Maltese: ma tistax tara sal-ponta ta’ mniehrek biss.
Malta in general did exceptionally well under this government and under no circumstance would I have wanted to give someone who worked whole-heartedly against so many things we believe in a go at running the country, halli ‘miskin intuh cans u naraw x’isarraf’.
Daphne the primeminister does not need you giving him a chance.170,000 people decided to do so.We had to endure 5 years of dishonest,arrogant politicians and bloggers like you that insult our intelligence.And yet they treated people as if we were on paradise.The people have learned.
[Daphne – Yes, it was a feat of endurance, wasn’t it. It was absolutely terrible, starving in the streets and queuing up for work while losing our homes. Grow up, you effing idiot. Malta’s tragedy is that there are too many people like you about, who benefit from the wise electoral choices of others while trying (and sometimes succeeding) to drag us all down with the irrational stupidity of your electoral choices. I can’t possibly insult your intelligence because there isn’t any there to speak of.]
Bdejna bil-famuza “tuh cans”. Hekk kienu baqghu jghajtu sentejn wara li kien tela’ Sant. Ic-cans kollu tajnieh, u spicca biex waqqa’ l-gvern. Ghax altru b’makkakerija tirbah elezzjoni u altru tigverna u thalli finanzi fis-sod. Eh, bilhaqq, anke xi kariga lil Dr Gonzi jrid jaghti, jekk fhimtu sew. Min jaf forsi joffrilu kariga ta’ konsulent?
Illejla qal li ghandu bzonn cans jara jekk hemmx kuntratti fl-Enemalta ghax-xiri taz-zejt li jistghu izommuh milli jaqleb f’sentejn ghal gass.
Ghax din tista zzommu milli jrahhas il-kontijiet.
Gejja l-farsa tal-VAT version 2.
Irid jaghti karigi ghax mhux kapaci u biex jekk imbaghad ifalli, li hemm cans kbir jerga jwahhal fil-PN.
Glad you are back.
madoffi x biza gew ghalija il-pulizija. ma ridtx nispicca fiz zmien l-eighties.jin ha nivvota PN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Bla Bla Bla. F.wiccek baqa sahara. Ir risposta hadta wahdek int u siehbek lou.
Don’t worry we will keep you expressing your opinion. You will be knocked down and left alone by your own party PN. Keep in mind what I told you.
How can the PN win in 1987 by 7000 votes only while the PL wins this election by 36000! Are the Maltese that thick?
Yep they are, they would have flowers under their nose and they wouldn’t smell them.
Yes they are that thick! Time WILL prove us minority right.
Easy – marketing.
You make me laugh…marketing!!Ragunar ta zmien il-hagar.
Glad to see you’re in a laughing mood, ginger.
Are you denying that the Labour Party launched the biggest and costliest marketing campaign Malta has ever seen, probably bigger that the pro-EU campaign of 2003? Labour sold itself as an element of change and of a new dawn for Malta and the electorate cleared the shelves.
We now have to see if the product lives up to expectations before the guarantee expires.
Actually, ginger, it WAS marketing that did it.
PN is a victim of its own appeasement! Look at the people they appointed, while ignoring loyal people.
MEPA is made up of 85% MLP die-hards.
I feel that Gonzi was a weak leader, even though a good and decent man. Probably he loved Malta more than he loved his party.
And is that weakness?
Loving your country more than you love your party is noble in my books. In my opinion, it is what makes Dr Gonzi one of the greatest leaders the PN ever produced in spite of this unjustifiably massive defeat.
Additionally, Dr Gonzi also had to deal with three major issues left over from previous MLP and PN administrations – namely: the public transport reform (this reform was even attempted by Dom Mintoff himself without success and in extremely hysterical manner with nation-wide strikes, etc) the Dockyards and the City Gate project.
He accomplished them all. Dr Gonzi’s unpopularity only stems from the selfishness and stupidity of so many Maltese.
Just shut up and disappear forever now. The mastiffs are at the door.
[Daphne – Comparing Labour supporters to dogs? Tsk tsk. Not even I do that. As for your first bit, it’s not wise to promote the fact that Labour and free speech are strangers to each other. I have no wish to be part of your movement, but remember that your Fearless Leader did say Malta is taghna lkoll. Not that we needed him to tell us, of course.]
U ejja Daf, he means poodles.
Daphne you are 100% right. People pretend that the Ministers are there for everyone’s demand and favours. Abroad there is no way to talk or shake hands with a minister or high government bodies, let alone asking him to employ your son, rewarding you a contract and so many other things that here in Malta people expect in return for their vote.
Now we have to wait and see if this Muscat manages to deliver all that he has promised. I have my doubts. Gonzi surely didn’t deserve all this, after achieving so many positive results confirmed by IMF, EU and many other foreign entities. We have to wait and see. Time will tell.
“The fact remains that if governments were chosen by an independent authority on the basis of a proper and thorough assessment of all aspects, the Labour Party would not even have been considered eligible as a candidate, let alone chosen for the job.”
Exactly the way Hitler thought and why he eventually ended up in power!
[Daphne – You don’t know much. It is the Labour Party/Joseph Muscat which used Hitlerian methods and discourse to get here. The idea of the movement and the thinking which underpins it is Hitlerian. This does not mean, of course, that Muscat himself is Hitlerian, but merely that the methods used were the same. Also, I am not suggesting that governments are chosen by independent authority, not at all. I merely said that if the choice were expert, it would not be Labour.]
Disgha siggiet Daphne…
If you want we can sell you one, ta’!
Ghandna bizzejjed biex nbieghu issa!!
Daphne, you insist on writing during the silence day – why not now?! Where are you?!
[Daphne – I was taking a ‘nepp’ (like Michelle’s twins) after a long lunch. Thank you for thinking of me, but I have sufficient seats at home.]
Toqghodx tifrah hafna ma tmurx titfixkel f’saqajk.
Well you can now play musical chairs.tsk tsk
I firmly believe that the appointment of Gorg Abela was Gonzi’s biggest mistake. It gave a lot of undue credibility to the MLP.
I beg to differ. Do you think the 15,000 who gave the PL its majority did so because of George Abela?
No, but probably considered the switch to be safe due to the perception / image of George Abela.
I totally agree with you, P Shaw, Gonzi gave PL the rope to hang him with.
George Abela should have been left within Joseph’s Labour Party. There would have been two Labour parties by now.
With George Abela next to Joseph the majority would have been much bigger. That was Dr Gonzi’s best move
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmYRqZEhkwE
Oh please.
Did Briguglio hear what Cassola said when he was interviewed?
They’re into GonziPN now. Qeghdin Sew.
The people leaving these comments – AND your own bile driven opinions, are indicative of a mentality that YOU THINK that you know best…YOU believe that everyone else is an idiot! PLEASE give credit where credit is due. You and everyone else – INCLUDING the vast majority of voters, had FIVE years plus a NINE week campaign to judge the two parties – yet you still vilify those who have in their wisdom, overwhelmingly decided to vote for a fresh start with a new government! Do you or do you not believe in real democracy OR do you only want it when it suits your selfish aims?
[Daphne – I am a firm believer in meritocracy and the best person for the job. There you have your answer. Majority decisions are not necessarily the right ones, but still we must accept them. My aims are not selfish. I worry about what comes next for Malta. But then unlike you, I actually live here.]
Meritocracy? No that’s a good one. Wasn’t that what was Ramona Frendo’s battle cry? Let’s see if I do as well under a Labour Government as she has done under a Nationalist one.
Frankly, Frank, we, who comment here attempt to think things through pragmatically and rationally.
Let us give the boy a few months, maybe a year. Then let’s judge where the ‘wisdom’ lies.
End of August, Harry, the decision for his pet project will have to be taken by then. His words.
Sinjura Daphne, issa wara li titfarfar sewwa, u x’hin tigi f’tieghek ibda irraguna ftit. Dan kif bicca reporter ta super one kellu l-hila jikser kull rekord fl-elezzjonijiet li saru f’Malta mill-1955 l’ hawn.
[Daphne – Ghax il-pajjiz imne**ek, josef2, biex nuza kliem li forsi tifhem car, u m’ghandux storja u tradizzjoni tad-demokrazija. Ftakar dejjem li KMB gab xi 45% tal-voti fin-1992 u li Gonzi kwazi tilef kontra Sant fit-2008. Jien minn dejjem kont nghid li n-nies li jahsbu b’mohhom huma fil-minorita hawn Malta u ghalhekk jibghu ‘jixtru’ l-Partit Laburista u dejjem qishom qeghdin jaghmlu xi pjacir jivvutaw ghall-PN.]
L-ikbar distakk ta voti miksuba u l-aktar deputat li qatt kiseb voti. Issa jekk dan jissejjah bicca, min gie umiljat b’dan il-mod ta rizultat, x’jissejjah? Ghalxejn aghmilt show il-Gimgha ghax ma swielek ghalxejn. Insomma kif jghid Gonzi – PN gass down ghal gol-hajt.
[Daphne – Jekk tahseb li ghamilt ‘show’, josef2, ghandek zball kbir. X’tahseb – li cempilt lil tas-CID ha jigu ghalija b’mandat ta’ arrest?]
It’s a pity that Gonzi had to resign. He’s really not to blame. He’s been the best thing about the PN for the last few years and PN would never have won in 2008 without him.
Also, it doesn’t look like there is a replacement of similar calibre, integrity and charisma anywhere in sight.
If blame is to be laid, it should certainly not be at his feet. Still, he chose to go the dignified way, kudos.
I agree, but the “Chief Executive” is ultimately responsible, which he duly acknowledged earlier today.
Are you serious Mr. Cassar? Gonzi is one of the reasons many nationalists haven’t voted. He has destroyed the party we loved. A closely knit party working for the good of Malta was turned into a party divided by cliques fighting for power
Blame Lawrence Gonzi. Simple, easy, convenient.
Of such weak spirits is this place made.
It would be interesting to know how many would insist on the same vote this week.
Daphne Malta tieghek ukoll nithassrek illum nispera li tieghu taghlima u tibqax tajjar nies tkun injoranta
Vlegga, tista tghidli lil min ghajnet Daphne?
At this point the PN does not have anything more to lose and should take unequivocal stands on issues such as spring hunting and Armier squatters; waffling and being vague (or worse) so as not to upset these categories has not worked.
This also goes for racial integration. The PN should reject any potential votes of xenophobes and racists and be more assertive on this issue. I eagerly look forward to the day when the PN fields its first black candidate.
Hear Hear.
servik it toilet paper daphneeeeeeee ? buahahaha! :P
Aruwa ftiet x’garala miskiena, Dafne taghna. Lanqas irid inkun sufa go gismek, posibli se torqod il-lejla. X’mistura nista intiek ruhi qalbi, bhal ezempju lumi massur b’xi grok wiski, ma nufx ta, ghax din kbira kienet. min jaf ir- ragel tieghek ehhhh, kemm qieghed jifrah li gralek hekk, inti l-ewwel tgaralu il-plati umbad tridu joqod imelsek, bhal kelb ta Gonzi.
Duminku qalek wahda sewwa, ibla skoss konkos issa.
isma ta, jnien nahseb li min dawn il kumenti kolla tieghi biss huma originali u ta veru, mil bqija kolla toqod taghmel u tivinta inti. insoma rebha kbira din kienet, 37,000 mama mia, mur giebhom lura zolli, ghax Daphne bil malti zolli
veru inhossni kuntent.
kemm kellna nies, hemm trid tara kemm qbizna, u nejdu viva il lejber, viva il lejber……nhar it tlieta hadt kuntrat biex inwahal 9 sigijiet ohra il parlament, ghax lanqas kien hemm bizejjed.
zolli ghamluwilek tal PN……………TKAXKIRA BIL BAJD
I’ve read a number of Labour posts here saying (or hinting) that your blog has contributed to the Labour victory, then telling you to shut up an be a good (!) journalist – for your own good.
This is baffling.
If this were so why should they be concerned about it. If anything, it should help them win time and time again.
Morons!
There could be a parallel of Malta’s 2008 and 2013 elections with the British general elections of 1992 and 1997.
In 1992, John Major led the Tory Party to a victory with a slim majority. He had replaced Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister two years earlier. His victory was considered to be a major upset. Subsequently in 1997, the Tories suffered a landslide defeat after having been 18 years in government.
Lawrence Gonzi’s victory in 2008 was to some extent a surprise after 10 years of PN government. Now in 2013, the PN has been in government for 15 years (or 25 years with a short interlude of less than 2 years).
The scale of PL’s victory is surprising given that Malta did so well under a PN administration. It seems that the outcome of national elections is determined more by the number of years a party spends in government than by its performance.
The seeds of today’s PN’s substantial defeat were sown in 2008 with PN’s surprise victory.
My thoughts exactly.
The similarities go even further: the Tory government did well in economic terms, Major had to deal with his own turncoats and backstabbers and the Conservative Party was riddled with stories of sleaze and corruption.
I just hope that Nationalists don’t go through what the Tories went through after 1997.
Out of order
TOQODX TAGHMEL DELETE TA………kun sportiva issa, mhux se toqod tnewwah
There’s really nothing left to say but, quel dommage.
Daphne, I am back from a period of political silence and reflection. I wish to express full solidarity with you about what happened on Friday night, and I am glad that you are back with your blog.
The Malta Labour Party has won the elections – but as you say, this had been predicted on this blog.
The result has left me perplexed.
On the one hand, I can somehow understand that the PN lost the elections for an accumulation of mistakes they made over 25 years, and for the detachment from their voters.
On the other hand, I cannot understand how and why the Maltese electorate chose instead to vote to elect the MLP with a majority of 30,000+ votes.
The only explanation that I can see is the electorate’s desire for a change.
However, my intuition tells me that within 6 months, Labour’s majority will come down to no more than 5,000 votes and it will be totally wiped out within 2 years.
I agree with you ciccio. By the end of summer we’ll finally realise that the planning permits for the power station, gas terminal and tanks will not be issued before lengthy studies are carried out and the energy plan will fall flat.
I suspect Joseph Muscat will be tempted to cut corners and break the law to get these permits. NGOs would make feeble token protests so it would be to the PN to oppose such a move.
As far as I am concerned the new Government can build the power plant with or without the permit. I am not a resident of Marsaxlokk and non of the residents raised any objection to the project. I only go to Marsaxlokk two or three times a year and when the plant is built it will be an off limit area for me. What is important for me is that the electricity tariff is reduced by 25 per cent as promised.
Suck up and swallow your venom bitch!!! You are a nullity and wish you all the suffering a person can endure in a lifetime. You deserve to be annihilated and to rot in hell mother fuckin slut.
[Daphne – The voice of the majority speaks.]
Classic example of what Laburisti understood when Joseph Muscat told them ohorgu idejkom bl-imhabba.
Bidlu il-logo, il-kulur, imma il-qalb Mintoffjana tibqa dejjem thabbat gewwa fihom.
Ouch! I wonder what she sucks up and swallows using that sort of language.
However, I wouldn’t label this ‘lady’ as representative of the majority. There are many perfectly intelligent, coherent and politically moderate individuals with perfectly valid reasons for having voted in the manner they have and in many cases, in the manner in which they have always voted.
I’m sure I have met and discoursed with a few of them in the past! For all you know, “Daphne witch” may be someone you know who you (somewhat entertainingly) mauled recently.
Your Joseph of Malta Taghna Lkoll told you to reach out to your opponents. Ohrog l-id tal-hbiberija or is it all drama?
Hemm condition wahda fis-slogan u l-weghda ta’ Joseph taghna. Anke jekk ma vvutajtx ghal-PL ahna lesti li nilqughek b’idejna miftuhin u tista’ tahdem maghna….imma….jekk int tirrifjuta, allura tgergirx li Malta mhix tieghek ukoll.
Kulhadd jaf li n-nazzjonalisti huma mwegghin bhalissa. Veru wkoll li l-Laburisti huma f’ewforja kbira u bir-ragun. Let’s leave the dust settle and give Joseph a fair go. Sincerament nixtieq li l-Maltin kollha jahdmu flimkien bhal ahwa u iva, nikkritikaw fejn hemm bzonn, imma dejjem biex kull Malti jhossu li pajjizina hu tieghu wkoll.
What’s done is done. At least we still have Daphne’s articles and blog posts, shining through as a beacon of hope and clear critical thinking.
oqod hemm bilfors tahtna al 5 snin shah … minjaf kemm thossok tikka zejra bhalissa f ocean ta laburisti bi 36000 voti iktar
[Daphne – T Zammit, I don’t define myself by the political party I support, derive no pleasure from being one of many, and I have held minority views all my life so I am accustomed to it.]
T Zammit, il-PN zammkom hames snin shah fl-Oppozizzjoni b’1,200 vot biss.
U bilhaqq, lanqas haqq dawk il-miljuni kollha li nefaq il-Labour fuq il-kampanja elettorali, ghax wara kollox skond l-opinion polls diga kellu maggoranza sostanzjali qabel il-kampanja.
Vera tafu taghmluwwwa l-ekonomijjjja.
Tajba, erdghajna hames snin kuntratturi ghal xejn.
The MEP elections were only held 15 months after the last general election, and the PN struggled to obtain the 2nd MEP (way before the divorce issue, and all the other events).
Malta taghna lkoll?
Quite scary the way these people think: ‘tahtna ghal 5 snin shah…’ They really believe they’ll be running the country themselves.
I still cannot believe the result. If it was another country the result should have been the other way round. But unfortunately this is Malta.
I’m afraid that we will see great changes in these five years but for the worse.
What Gonzi managed to achieve will be dismantled in the near future and as happened in the Mintoff years. I was going to say half of Malta – but it seems that more than half will be in the seventh heaven, whatever happens and the rest will look on as they see their worst fears come true.
Thank you, Daphne, and looking forward to your very enlightening articles.
Lemons can make you beleive
In Australia, Julia Gillard, who leads the only western economy, apart from Malta, which managed to avoid a recession during the GFC, is about to be be kicked out in a landslide defeat too – if the polls here are right.
She currently sits on a shaky 35% and has somehow managed to keep office for three years with the assistence of independents. This may go someway to suggest that in almost all cases oppositions do not usually win elections, it’s the incumbent who loses. Go figure.
Schultz praises Gonzi. (He should have done it before the election but he favoured his friend Joseph).
“Malta may be the smallest nation in the EU, yet it is strategically located and is enjoying a solid economic performance.”
Times of Malta
I believe that this big swing all boils down to the secret meetings and agreements that Joseph made with Hunters, Armier Illegal Boathouses owners, Enemalta employees and fishermen to name a few.
Did anyone notice Karl Stagno Navarra on tv, tagging along like a slobbering bloodhound behind Joseph Muscat in the counting hall and at the Granaries bash this evening?
Daphne, do yourself a favor and shut up at least for a while. You and some of your friends are one of the main causes for the biggest electoral defeat suffered by a political party in Maltese history. Arrogance, insensitivity, intollerance and snobbery don’t go down very well in this country. Whether you like it or not, we might have finally found a politician who at the age of 39 has understood that the Maltese are sick and tired of confrontational politics. He has obviously got that one ‘spot on’. I only hope he now delivers on his promises. If he doesn’t he will be shown the door in 5 years time. That’s the beauty of democracy but unfortunately despite your pompous pontificating on just about every subject under the sun, it is something you have yet to understand. Good night.
[Daphne – Aren’t you a little too old to be ‘in’, Tony? You vote Labour because you vote Labour, not because of me or anyone else. Your problem is that you are resentful and venomous for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with me, but you appear to have – peculiarly – used me as a proxy for your personal difficulties. I have put up with your unpleasant emails and comments for some years now and even replied politely, but henceforth I shall simply press delete. You are an irrational person: what else would I call somebody who opposed divorce despite living with a woman for 30+ years while being technically married to another one? I clearly remember being shocked when you told me that you didn’t think divorce was a good idea. I am glad to see that you have since changed your views and married. I make no apologies for bringing this up, because you asked for it. I am not in the least bit pompous, as various and numerous members of your extended family will confirm. You, however, most certainly are – pompous and utterly insufferable. I certainly hope that Labour gives you a care home in the community so that, despite your considerable means, you need make no such provision for your son yourself but have the taxpayer fund it. Then you might consider your Labour vote ‘wortit’ even if your family business goes down the spout. One last point: tolerance has a single l, though Labour elves spell it with two. Please don’t bother sending in another comment as I shall delete it immediately to spare you further embarrassment as you are clearly suffering from some psychological crisis – not a midlife crisis as you are way beyond that now.]
If you voted for Joseph Muscat, you should EXPECT him to deliver on his promises, not merely hope that he does.
‘I only hope he now delivers on his promises. If he doesn’t he will be shown the door in 5 years time. That’s the beauty of democracy….’
Erm no, that’s asking for trouble. Jobs for the boys anyone?
Kurt has already found his job in Castile and also Keith… forgot his surname. There is also that ex-GWU chap who will be taking Mr. Grima’s place. — Malta tghana l-koll!!
“Whether you like it or not, we might have finally found a politician who at the age of 39 has understood that the Maltese are sick and tired of confrontational politics. He has obviously got that one ‘spot on’. ”
This politician aged 39 has spent the last five years carrying out one long electoral campaign, scheming and plotting with disgruntled back-benchers of the PN and dividing the nation over secondary issues like public bus transport.
Who do you think you are fooling, Mr. Zammit Cutajar?
I find it interesting that people who criticise this blog and call it “pompous pontificating” are addicted to it and stimulated by its discussions, since it is the only and rare forum in Malta with a good degree of sane arguments.
Otherwise such snobs are obliged to read the immature and infantile comments on timesofmalta.com and other ineffective blogs.
Have you seen timesofmalta.com lately, they are either not receiving comments, or not publishing them. Their goal of helping the PL is now done, now it is time to win back the Nationalist readers. Opportunistic backstabbers.
UP the spout.
Madonna, anke int Zammit Cutajar? Mimli flus, kapitalist w mort tistqahhab mas-socjalisti forsi tirda xi haga.
Ma ghandhekx xofa minn Mintoff? Ma hadlekx assi bizzejjed?
Certain complaints arise due to controversial policies which result in injustice. These must be attended to because complaining to the relative department you would get the usual “that’s the policy”.
In my opinion, there should be an office in the party to listen to such complaints with the ultimate aim of changing policies where needed.
And yes I agree that a complaint should not be used as a pivot to vote.
On another note I think the electorate has been very ungrateful to Dr. Gonzi considering his not so easy achievements during his tenure of office.
I have a feeling that when push comes to shove and the country needs his abilities, they will be unavailable.
Perhaps no one is indispensable, who knows? Time is a great teacher.
Fuck you bitch
[Daphne – I’d rather not, thank you. But you might try a man called Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando. He’s a well-known whore.]
It would be most interesting to ask JPO for his response to this slanderous attempt to slur his character!
[Daphne – Yes, why not.]
… slur his character? What character? He cannot even spell the word. But who knows maybe he is crying again over this insult, poor JPO.
JPO’s smile while meeting Joseph on the stage, doesn’t convince me at all.
Did you see him celebrating yesterday? What was he celebrating – turning his back on those who voted for him in the PN ticket? Vera bandiera JPO.
Daphne, do you ever wonder whether your blog has caused the PN to lose a good number of votes? I suspect that it has hurts and upsets quite a few people. Would you, in particular, consider toning down the articles that bring about more class hatred? I suspect it stings certain people and pushes them away from the PN.
[Daphne – You cannot be serious, but I imagine you are. Remember that I can only think logically (it’s a genetic defect), so using irrational arguments around me is a bad idea because it upsets me and is also pointless. If I follow your reasoning, it is this: I should stop writing or ‘tone it down’ because 1. people think I am a politician, political party or representative of one, 2. they are infantile in their reasoning, changing their vote on the basis of whether they like a blog or not, and I am to blame for what I write rather than they being to blame for their childishness and irrationality, and 3. it is justifiable to seek restrictions, even voluntary, on the expression of opinions so that the irrational and childish may be persuaded not to behave in irrational and childish ways. We are all grown-ups here, and all responsible for our actions. If somebody over 18 votes Labour, it’s his or her choice and he or she – nobody else – is responsible for it. That lots of Maltese adults are emotionally and intellectually stunted has long been evident to me (conversations are becoming more trying and difficult by the year) but this does not mean this state of mind should be encouraged in any way or validated and justified by being pandered to.]
My logic is: Elections are won by gaining a larger number of votes than those obtained by opposing parties. A party cannot win if it does not appeal to the masses. Many times every vote counts. People associate you with the Nationalist Party.
[Daphne – I repeat: 1. That is not my problem. 2. I cannot be held responsible for the intellectual shortcomings and emotional problems of other people. 3. I should not be expected to write differently or stop writing because some other people are infantile and irrational. 4. I enjoy writing what I do and thousands of people enjoy reading it. Everyone else is extraneous to the equation. 5. I am not a politician and do not seek votes. 6. If people associate me with the Nationalist Party, it is because they want to. I do not work for it and I do not stand for election on its ticket. 7. The real problem (for them) is that I am extremely widely read and they don’t like it. Again, that is not my problem but theirs. 8. My job is not maintaining and increasing votes but maintaining and increasing readership. In that I have been an unprecedented success for almost 25 years (what a good thing it is that columnists are not subjected to general elections) – my, my, how arrogant of me – and that is the way I’m going to keep it.]
They may vote for a party (or not vote for a party) for all the wrong reasons and your blog may be one of the reasons (unfortunately). I assume that you’d like to help the Nationalist Party win votes rather than lose votes.
[Daphne – You are quite wrong. And for sanity’s sake, you too should know that you are wrong. Analyse what you have just said: “Hi, my name is John, I’m 40 years old and I voted Labour because I don’t like a woman’s blog.” Please. I know I’ve written here that Maltese people are childish, spiteful and irrational, but there are limits.]
My question is: do you not think that your blog makes the Nationalist Party lose votes?
[Daphne – No, obviously not. People who don’t like blogs don’t make a point of reading them so as to get upset. And given that I am privy to the figures at this end, I know exactly what I’m talking about. That I am a proxy for spite directed against the Nationalist Party – yes, I agree – but I am the default recipient of that spite and not its cause. I have lived long enough in this society to know that spite is always a pre-existing condition which is directed at various targets as the moment suits.]
It may be that don’t care about the Nationalist Party losing votes as long as you don’t “validate or justify Maltese adults’ state of mind (i.e. emotionally and intellectually stunted)”.
My point is, if Maltese adults’ minds are emotionally and intellectually stunted then your blog probably harms the Nationalist Party.
[Daphne – Dear God, Dumbledore. No. It is not my blog that harms the Nationalist Party, but those emotionally and intellectually stunted minds for which I can in no way be held responsible as I neither bore nor raised their owners. What you are suggesting here is that I write differently so that childish people who might be inclined to sulk don’t do so. This is a sick and perverted argument. The new restriction on freedom of speech: tantrums.]
I follow your logic and understand your reasoning to an extent. Let’s stop here.
Interesting remarks, Daphne. Are you saying that having fun writing and maximising readership are your only goals with this blog? It would be disappointing to learn that you are not also writing to bring about the societal change you evidently would like to see in this country.
Coincidentially, last night I stumbled upon a YouTube playlist where a former Christian talks about his process of deconversion and about why it is so hard to persuade people to let go of a firmly held belief, even by means of sound rational argument. A most interesting and recommended listen that I think is very relevant to the quasi-religious nature of Maltese politics.
One particular point stood out: “You’ll never cause someone to see your perspective unless you show them that you understand their perspective.”
I think we all need to take a step back and reassess our strategy, myself included, at least assuming that our goal is a more rational and mature society where the kind of madness we saw this weekend cannot happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12rP8ybp13s&list=PLA0C3C1D163BE880A&index=3
Dumbledore, I suggest that 90% of the Labour majority do not read Daphne’s blog, if they can read at all.
Daphne, it is not illogical; actually it is very simple and logical. Let me explain please;
DCG in the mind of people stands for past politics of hatred etc.
+
DCG sides very aggressively with GonziPN
=
GonziPN gets a bad image
=
Landslide Victory for Labour.
Got it now?
Please go on and continue. We love you! you are an asset!
[Daphne – I do not take lessons in logic from individuals who have a low intelligence quotient and can’t spell.]
Oh I get it now. You guys think that we bring up the past because we like that “model”, so to speak, of politics.
You don’t see it as standing by a set of principles and not letting supporters of human rights violators back into government. You see it as a technique used by one party to keep the other out.
Muscat’s talk about reconciliation makes sense to me now. He thinks we talk about Lorry Sant because we want people to be scared of Labour.
It’s not about being scared of Labour. It’s about protecting the democratic tradition in Malta. Something we have failed to do because people from the 80s are back in power. What sort of message does that send future generations? That as long as you stamp your feet long enough you will never have to face consequences?
Yes she is an asset – but not as understood by your illogical frame of mind.
She is an asset because she is unique in her own right as an opinion writer and she speaks her mind not Joseph’s or Lawrence’s.
And by the way she is an asset to democracy. But then, you lot don’t even know how to spell the word, do you?
Tick Tock Tick Tock times up
Kemm nixtieq nara wiccek ara kif int mahruqa.
[Daphne -You’ll be surprised to see that I am just the same, and I haven’t been anywhere near a fire recently.]
Gawdi qahba
Morpheus, mela gawdi qahba zgur mhux ghal Daphne qied tirreferi ghax skond int din qeda tbati mit-telfa, hux hekk?
Mela habib/a qied/a tirreferi ghal mummy tieghek.
Morpheus, just scroll back to the top of the page.
Manuel Mallia elected to Parliament. Good for him, now he can fill his water jerry cans on his way home at the end of the parliamentary sessions. A ministerial post would be even better, ghax ikun jista jqabbad id-driver.
.
This will be a short-lived benefit. Parliament will soon be moving to City gate. The only free water Mallia can get there is from the public latrine at the old bus terminus.
Yeah right, dak mill-bar tal-parlament jibda jimla’, jekk jghaddi mill-kuritur.
Biex tghaxxaqha, Muscat z-zieda ma ridiex.
Marlene Mizzi x’ghamlet?
So , the numbers are in and a new Government will take lead. Some feel lost others euphoric. Love him or hate him he will be leading the country for the next five years, or until he falters gravely, which remains an option.
In all the talk, whispers and considerations, I’d like to propose a new philosophical view at the events which have just transpired.
Worse Case Scenario: The new Prime Minister proves to be inept and incapable to govern making one bad call after the other leading the country to a fast track downhill. After much tribulations and damage wrought, a change of scene happens yet again and things start a new.
Best Possible Scenario: The new Prime Minister, having gained the much coveted seat of power, decided to defy the odds by actually heeding warnings and experience from those around him, including the Opposition. This leads to a scenario where MAYBE, he doesn’t do half a bad job and the country will not go drastically worse for wear from it. The defeated P.N. does some reformation coming stronger from it and be ready to service the nation better after lessons learnt and soul searching done.
More of The Same Scenario: After having secured an outstanding result, the facade of unity and nobility falls as yet again we get a case where the ‘outfits’ and faces have changed but it’s more of the same of them and us, us and them and everyone wants to show the rest how smart they are and they half ass it as they remain dead locked in petty arguments and nonconstructive day to day business.
Having said that It will be interesting to see the days to come and what comes from it. I am sure that regardless the various media and bloggers will fill our lives with plenty of scrutiny, half truths, and biased opinions with the hope of some good measure of humour and sarcasm to break of from the tension and dullness of it all.
At this moment I recall the Bush administration, Bush Jr. that is. While his administration nearly destroyed the US and sky rocketed the national deficit it provided comedians with a mine of humour and delights to ease the pain for all.
End point, there is always a silver lining and things are not always necessarily as bad as we think they are.
As the Maltese saying goes “l-iblah taqlalu ghajnu u jifrah”.
I have already seen this scenario once before in ’96. Sant was then touted as the best thing since sliced bread, his partit gdid having been miraculously cleansed from all the filth it had accumulated.
A few weeks after the novelty wore off, the bitter truth started to emerge. The same will happen this time round, except that there will be no Mintoff to step on the brakes.
And now, the inevitable – http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20150311T00&p0=255&fg1=ea0606&msg=Konrad%27s+power+station
Mandy, Konrad promised a reduction of 25 to 35% for residential homes as from March 2014 so this is even better…tick tock tick tock
http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20140301T00&p0=255&msg=The+promised+reduction+of+25%25+to+35%25+on+residential+energy+bills++
Does anybody here know anyone in MALTCO, to ask them if they are ready to open bets on the completion date of the proposed power station?
put this on your facebook wall it is driving them nuts already http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20140309T00&p0=255&msg=Resident+energy+bills+reduction+of+25%25+to+35%25
Was thinking about that this afternoon.
Brilliant.
Does anybody here know anyone in MALTCO, to ask them if they are ready to open bets on when the reduction of the 25% in energy bills is going to come in effect?
Watch little Joey have his Enemalta gnomes shut down the grid to stop the clock.
You should be blamed for this electoral disaster! You potty mouthed slop with an opinion on everything! Down with GonziPN: up with a new clean and humble PN leader!
[Daphne – Tsk tsk, an opinion on everything. Surely that should be against the law. Daphne should leave some opinions for others who don’t have enough.]
As can be seen, the Socialists have become more sophisticated. Until now, they had a problem with others having more wealth than them. Now that they have more wealth than others, they are jealous because others have more opinions than them.
Where did you come from, Monty Python?
It’s the ministry of silly talk.
Daphne… Thanks for helping us win – and by such a phenomenal margin.
[Daphne – I didn’t. I’ve been around for ages, remember.]
Is-sewwa jerbah zgur daphne. U missu ma rebahx is sewwa. U l-hazen ha tkaxkira u jalla tiehdu taghlima li haqqkom.
[Daphne – This is actually the triumph of evil and stupidity, Spiteri, but I don’t expect somebody like you to understand that.]
Ghala “you dont expect somebody like you to understand that”? Ghandi xi haga anqas minnek u ma nafx?
[Daphne – Ahjar ma nirrispondix ghal dik id-domanda.]
Vera deher Joseph kemm hu “evil”. Risposta lill-PN se jaghti. Il-kampanja tieghu kienet ibbazata fuq il-paci u s-sliem filwaqt li intkom fuq il-biza. Issa naraw Daphne. Issa naraw!
[Daphne – Maaaa, jahasra x’injoranza. Ghamel kampanja ta’ gimghatejn dwar suppost paci u sliem, u hames snin shah jaqla l-problemi u jaghmel il-hsara flimkien ma’ JPO u Franco Debono.]
O Mulej, il-gvern tal-paci u s-sliem.
Daphne I cant understand why you bother to stoop down to answer these mediocrities. You have dedicated this whole page by exposing their stench of intolerance. Anyway I shall hold my head up high. I voted PN because I believed in this party, but then as I previously declared democracy is not a perfect system and I can’t find another which is better.
No, manum, I don’t agree with you. Let her do her own thing. I don’t see her stooping down at all. Let them come out with their illogical stupidities and let her respond as she sees fit.
They are the same people who accuse her of being snobbish and supercilious. Perhaps some of the more intelligent among them will, over time and real-life experience, realise she had a point or two somewhere.
Besides, I find her impromptu comments and replies equally instructive. She is forthright and witty; and in a number of cases we get to know more about the motives behind her detractors.
So Daphne what does this make me???? I’m a nationalist that voted labour this election because in my opinion it was the best choice for me and my family! Does that make me cheap or in your words ‘hamalla’?!?! Why don’t you write with less hatred? What’s the matter with you? What happened in your life to make you act like this!!?!?!? My God woman, have some dignity!
[Daphne – People like you remind me that I was fortunate to be born with a functioning mind. If you voted Labour you are not a Nationalist (it is not an ethnicity) but a Labour supporter. Live with it. ‘Best choice for me and my family’ – ah, so we’re talking electricity bills here. Talk about priorities in a twist.]
No i’m not ONLY talking about the electricity bills. I’m talking about other things like for example the law of IVF. Mater Dei has been open for 6 years with an IVF clinic ready and waiting to be used!!! There are many many couple out there with fertility problems and IVF is the only solution for them but they cant afford to go the private route. I wouldn’t accept you to understand that being that you have the maternal feeling of a wilting plant!
[Daphne – I have three children, Liliana, and without wishing to cause offence to anyone, I had them at the age intended by biology so no, I had no need of IVF. But had I needed IVF, my only option would have been Josie Muscat’s unregulated lab. Also, do please cut the moaning. There is nothing free in life and you should be grateful that other people’s tax-money is going to be diverted to make up for your failure to reproduce naturally. How that becomes somebody else’s problem is beyond me, but since we now expect everything for free, why not that as well. Lucky for you that both parties agree, particularly the prime minister who was fortunate enough to have parents who paid for his.]
I will live what i choose to live with and not what you want me to live with. Do me a favor and spend these coming 5 years reflecting on what you should do to become a better person.
[Daphne – We do not share the same idea of what constitutes a better person, so I’ll pass on that.]
You know what dearest Daphne. I just decided that I don’t give a rat’s ass about what you think about me or about people like me (which by the way there is a lot!)
You are not worth my time or energy.
Have a nice life and enjoy the company of the police guarding your door.
Isma Lilliana inti ghazielt tinvolvi ruhek fil-kummenti ta’ dan il-blog. Nahseb li hadd ma ser izommok hawn.
Yes, there are a lot but that does not change the fact that you are all morons.
Being part of the majority does not make you intelligent – in this particular event it is the exact contrary.
You too, Liliana, have a nice life under PL. You just wait and see and you will understand that the PL will be not worth the time and energy of the support you gave it.
All of us will soon be enjoying the company of the police, especially those who show dissent towards the Midget Kim Il Sung and his party.
Today, the announcement of the first three appointments prove what Daphne has been saying all along. The Kasco guy is going to run the country, and not Muscat. Malta taghkom biss, Liliana, that is how narrow your mentality is.
By the way bitch i have 2 beautiful children also and i hope you rot in hell for insulting people with fertility problems! You are a really sad person who’s only reason in life is to provoke others!
PS: I feel sorry for your kids….
[Daphne – My sons are just fine, my dear, and there is no need to worry about them at all. And do please stop saying ‘kids’. The word is ‘children’ and in any case, mine are grown men despite my being in my 40s not 60s. I am glad that you have a brace of ‘kids’ and that they are beautiful. I hope that you do not raise them in your own image, for that would be a tragedy. I do not insult people with fertility problems. I am merely predisposed to defending the right of others not to have to pay for those problems to be solved. These are things we should deal with ourselves. After all, if you do not have the financial werewithal to create a child, then you do not have the financial werewithal to raise it properly. Children are a whole lot more expensive than IVF. But that is just my view and others might think differently.]
A family of four will average a discount of around €250. Is that worth losing all the benefits a family will receive and all the opportunities.
With that they can buy half a dozen more cheap skimpy dresses to add to their beautiful collection and some fancy fake nails too, Charles.
Mhux tajjeb? Xi trid aktar?
liliana I doubt your intentions and your words. But if you so insist that you are a Nationalist and voted lejber , then I hope you stay there. I voted PN with my head up high, and I will never regret it. But if you voted against your beliefs then I would love to see the day when you weep your own blood.
My wife is Maltese but I am Irish.
The problematic way that many Maltese vote that you identify Daphne also occurs with Irish voters. In Ireland we consider it a consequence of a post-colonial society.
Power and decision-making were in London. The main focus of Irish politicians was to lobby for or against measures but not to make decisions themselves. So many Irish voters vote out of spite, rather than looking at the parties, individual politicians and their policies.
Having said that, one of the great things about the voting systems in Ireland and Malta is that voters vote for individuals, not for parties.
Imagine if Malta had party list voting and someone like Yana Mintoff would be getting elected on a Labour list even though it is obvious nobody wants her.
Probably the biggest reason that the PN have lost this election is that two of the elected PN candidates at the last election – JPO and Franco De Bono – simply were not up to stratch. JPO certainly should never have been allowed to be a candidate.
Then we have John Dalli – an EU Commissioner who had to resign when facing corruption charges. These people made the PN look like Labour with the same cronyism and in-fighting. In many cases those voting Labour have chosen new candidates rather than the old guard.
I like your take on the post colonial ambit. I need to look into this re political voting.
In effect I discussed the post colonial issue with the word “Politics”, its connotations and meaning in postcolonial countries versus non.
It clearly emerged what a negative connotation this word has in post colonial countries, whilst it had no added meaning to the other countries. Thank you for pointing this out as it may have even more interesting connotations considering the Maltese are looking at the context of the EU as the UK in a colonial mindset. Food for thought even for political strategists.
You cannot generalise that much. In all mature democracies, every vote carries elements of merit, spite, collective and self-interest, and loyalty.
[Daphne – Speak for yourself.]
Daphne Daphne VAFANCULO u ghandek fejn alla jbierek
Is that the hand of friendship Joseph told you to offer?
Joseph said “tomorrow.”
I’m waiting for the cherry on the cake – Eddy Privitera to come in and serve us all horrible PN-apologists a wise little sermon about our shortcomings.
I wonder if he is still anti eu within lejber?
Eddy is probably asleep by this time. We had advised him to stay away from the blue ‘tablets’ after that ‘red-faced Joseph’ billboard ‘scandalised’ the Labour supporters.
Prepare your seat belts and air bags because it won’t be long before we will be going gas down into a wall.
you mean when you try to elect your next leader? you need lots of gas there…. definately, to get rid of the old rats!
[Daphne – Why would the PN need to get rid of old rats? Look at the Labour Party: it kept them for 26 years and won with a 30,000 vote majority.]
sinjura daphne,
irringrazzjajtu lil gonzi talli GAB LIL PN L-AKBAR TELFA FL -ISTORJA TAL PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA U KBURI LI JOSEPH MUSCAT MHUWIEX IR REPEATER LI GHAJJRU S SUR GONZI FIL MEETING TAN NAXXAR LI TANT CAPCAPTLU INT L EWWEL WAHDA.
Imma giddieb jista’ jghajjru u ma jistax ifittxu ghax bil-provi.
@laburist onorat
L-akbar telfa fl-istorja tal-PN gabha Dr Pawlu Boffa b’60% fil-mija tal-voti validi fl-1947, qabel gie Mintoff u qata’ l-Labour Party minn saqajh, sa llum il-gurnata.
Ftakar li l-istorja politika ta’ pajjiz ma tinkitibx biss mill-mumenti u r-ritratti tal-gurnata jew mill-ghadd ta’ voti jew numru ta’ rebhiet. Ghall-istorja dawk huma dettalji.
L-istorja tinkiteb u titnaqqax fl-effetti fit-tul li jhallu d-decizjonijiet il-kbar (dawk li nghidulhom strategici) u l-policies li jittiehdu.
dear,
just accept that you lost and you deserve it. wtf do you think is going to happen just because labour is the new government ? you’re very close minded. you think that there’s going to be bombs and shit? and wht you teach young nazzjonalisti to not go out because its scary? actually it was quite fun and entertaining. dont be a sore loser even gonzi congratulated Joseph and your a low life blogger who has nothing positive to say
are the labour party all wrong? and wht your perfect?
you should really start being positive hanini
the new gov hates pl like you (esp you) so for once stop attacking peoples personal lifes and check your own
k. bye
Hmmm, I saw the word ‘hate’. Mela mhux Malta Taghna Lkoll? Lanqas jafu x’jigifieri…
kompli deffes rasek fir ramel. Hu naqra lumi hi, tkaxkira bhal dik mantikx tort li tkun indannat ta
What YOU need to do is start taking some English lessons.
Joseph Muscat qal li minn ghada l-pajjiz ser jibqa miexi fin-normalita’.
Allura ma kienx hemm bzonn ta’ bidla fid-direzzjoni.
posted at 09.56AM
Spot on.
It is so sad that Eddie who did so much for the country, will now see it being handed over to the same thugs plus one ex reporter, who he and those around him had to work so hard against. His one failing, not holding them accountable, is going to come and bite us in the ass.
They inherit a wonderful country, with a rocking economy and a solid infrastructure, far cry from the wreck they left behind. Let’s hope that not even they can screw it up. You’ve got to be bloody hopeless to wreck what has been built with a package of eur1.12 billion to spend. The irony is that they get to preside over all the fruits of successes which are not of their making but rather which they fought against. Whoever said “life’s a bitch” got that right
Joseph Muscat has been harping ad nauseam about the Euro 500 fil-gimgha onorarium (subsequently withdrawn) for ministers and for the Leader of the Opposition.
Tax payers, because now Malta is Taghna Lkoll and it is our money, now expect PMJM to ensure that the promised PPA (pay per attendance) system for MPs is put into force in the budget come next April. It is a straightforward and simple change and a direct and immediate money saver.
Failing that the tax payers can draw their own conclusions on the Joseph Muscat’s credibility regarding the rest of his AEpre-electoral promises.
AE, Joseph Muscat IS hopeless.
I said “bloody hopeless”.
He did run a near perfect campaign helped with tons of dosh and beat more seasoned persons to the post of Leader, so there is something about the man we are underestimating. It may be a certain cunning but so far it has served him well.
AE, he’s a salesman with some very aggressive techniques.
He will not be pinned to anything and will appropriate any positive symbol to make his the good feel factor.
He’s had a good dose of luck and concentrated on being the first to spot an opportunity. The two tend to be reciprocal.
He’s also cash rich.
I will not enter the blame game, but seeing Gonzi under fire the whole term and the PN sitting pretty was rather irritating.
Even because the leader of the opposition was basically absent from parliament and its affairs. The prime minister wasn’t.
I will not discuss the two leading newspapers, all I know is that at this stage, the PN cannot remain without an English language portal.
The meet up experiment could also be considered.
Keep Muscat’s prying eyes away from certain ideas. If only to keep him concentrated on running the country.
The PN must not play the morality card with this individual, it has to concentrate on the results he won’t deliver instead.
The first will simply alienate everyone.
What I see now is Muscat’s horrible predicament, given that a couple of his preferred cabinet colleagues could have gone missing.
Not good, not with this result, it only shows he was pleased to have them but couldn’t be bothered to see them through himself.
The problem with salesmen is that they’ll do anything to clinch a deal but the how and then is never their problem.
He also seems rather keen on some fabulous experiment with cabinet, ministries and departments and if Keith Schembri gets to run the house, we’ll see more of the trendy business operations extended to government.
Either the PN starts treating him for the ‘cavaliere’ he is, or we’ll still have him around in twenty years time.
This thing with Kasco Keith will be the first of many, business replacing politics, literally, Muscat may be weirder in his views on ethics than we think.
There’s nothing he won’t mix and match, the consequences however, won’t ever belong to him.
We’re definitely aware he lacks foresight, and hints of impracticality are starting to show.
You are correct in observing that Muscat has views on ethics. That’s it. No ethics, per se.
Probably, because Joseph Muscat made so many promises to all and sundry, he is going to make all 37 MPs ministers or parliamentary secretaries. Then, bye bye finanzi fis-sod.
DaCaGa…..perhaps now,you might contemplate in putting your poison pen away. I have just seen you in your green lumber checked shirt being protected by AUST’s cousin bondi-.. you sure have a funny accent when you speak Maltese..but then again you DO think you belong to “tal-pepe” class…however with all the crap you manage to put forth ,me thinks you would be more “tal-popo”….hehe..
by the way, if you are so much against the “gag” Law on the eve of an election…how come you did not manage to convince your mate lawrence to remove it…after all he HAS been “leading” the island for the past 10 years!!
[Daphne – I do not have a funny accent when I speak Maltese. I have the accent of my social class. Some people are embarrassed of it and try to hide it. I don’t give a damn what peasants think and display it with pride. The peasants can go right ahead and impale themselves on their pitchforks with rage if they don’t like it. I see that your lot really have a serious problem with checked shirts, no doubt because your class associates them with lorry-drivers and you are keen to take a step back from that. I have no such problems. If I want to wear a checked shirt at home or outdoors I will. Where I come from, women don’t wear fleeces and lycra. I don’t think I belong to the tal-pepe. I actually do. And guess what? Without trying.]
DaCaGa? I like that. May we start using that as your nickname, DaCaGa?
I love your reply re your accent, ectually.
Your accent doesn’t reflect your social class…. It only reflects where you come from.
[Daphne – No, it reflects my social class precisely. But you wouldn’t know that.]
Ha ha … Daphne, I admit to always reading your replies to the comments before the actual comments themselves. Wish I had longer coffee breaks… I get totally hooked.
We share something in common – ‘No Tolerance’ for stupidity and hamalli. Well, unfortunately, we’re suffocatingly surrounded by the lot, making life pretty uncomfortable.
My frustration lies in the fact that I’ve been searching for a solution to this problem most of my life here in Malta, leaving me with none but the will to embrace it (to which I am at a loss, for, the will I do not have).
Haven’t you, charles sammut, heard Yana Mintoff (or Mintoff Yana, if you prefer) speaking?
This business of Maltese accent is really stupid and I won’t discuss it again here. Suffice to say, I’m a rahli myself, and I speak that accent when I’m in that milieu.
As D said it’s part of your social background and I’m neither proud nor ashamed of it.
Prejudice is the worst form of low self-esteem.
social class?? Il klassi tal hara?
[Daphne – Spoken like a true Mintoffian, Joanne. But the joke is that your dead and rotting hero married One Of Them, which is why his daughter doesn’t speak like One Of You.]
Fuck it, life goes on. Glad to know you’re fine
What I loved is this;
Daphne got arrested “under” her own government (breaking the silence) and she starts moaning that the “day of silence law” is antiquated.
Excuse me Daphne?
Did you party not just spend 25 years in government? did they not have enough time to update this law? or were you so busy dishing out hatred that you forgot?!!!
talk about intelligence Ms Daphne!!
[Daphne – Yes, I agree it should have been repealed. Might I now suggest, given that ‘Joseph’ is in power, that you ask him to repeal it? The Nationalist Party is not ‘my party’, but the party I support. ‘talk about intelligence Ms Daphne’ – not with you, for it would be a waste of time.]
I’ve never been so proud to form part of a minority as I do today.
Jaqaw il bierah sar xi terremot qawwi ghax smajt li tal PN kollha ntradmu.
@Jerry
Iva ta, sewwa smajt. Terremot. Pero trid toqghod attent ghax dak sinjal li l-art m’hix soda u hemm it-tendenza li ma jdumx ma jfaqqa xi terremot iehor fi ftit zmien.
Jekk tifli sew x’gara fl-Italja (hawnhekk gejologikament qed nitkellmu) l-ewwel kellhom wiehed fl-Aquila, xi sentejn, tlieta ilu, u issa kellhom iehor fl-Abruzzo, mhux il-boghod wisq.
Ghalhekk siehbi, iccekkja sew li qieghed fuq art soda.
L’Aquila il-belt kapitali tal-Abruzzo,
Daphne its quite normal that after such a poor result obtained by GONZIPN or the original PN have to carefully examine who of the two was realy playing the game and responsable for such an earthquake to happen.
It seems to me that Joseph already prooved himself credible & douable before take off,he promised an earthquake and he done it.
It is up to you now to hold tight as much as you can,because soon a TSUNAMI is going to follow not by Joseph against you but by the two fuctions mentioned above blaming you & your BELLA COMPANIJJA for your stupid articles.
Seeing you soon in the middle of the ARENA like a gladiator.
Count on me.
Anyone knows what the two functions mentioned above that are blaming you are?
Something to do with calculus. That’s math, not an ancient caesar., nor the salad.
What’s a ‘function’?
Daphne you are SCUM on this planet .You will ROT IN HELL.
Dr Mallia alone won over 2,000 votes from eks Nazzjonalsti.
Like Eddie used to say “IS-SEWWA JIRBAH ZGUR “
2,000 votes from ex Nationalists? Don’t make me laugh. Mallia was not that much loved, not even by Nationalists.
So what went wrong then? Why did evil little waddle, waddle Joseph win?
Ex nazzjonalist my foot! From your tone you have always been a Laburist ahdar, born and bred in a familja Laburista.
@Dr Mallia alone won over 2,000 votes from eks Nazzjonalsti.
M’ghandekx biex tiskanta jew tinfexx tghajjar b’dak il-mod, eks nazzjonalist.
Daphne stess ghamlitlu l-aqwa promozzjoni minn hawnhekk ma eks Nazzjonalisti bhalek, meta ddeskrivietu bhala Nazzjonalist pompuz tan-1930s — ta’ zmien Strickland jigifieri — bhalma taf int, eks-nazzjonalist.
Ma tantx ktibt ghax hemm zewg sentenzi ohra biss b’ta’ sehibna Manuel (Dr) fin-nofs. Dawn iz-zewg sentenzi l-ohra ihawduni ghax jikxfu certa dizordni fil-personalita tieghek:
Fl-ewwel wahda titkellem bi hdura IKKUPJATA li ma toqghodlokx. Fl-ahhar sentenza qisek l-anglu tal-Gustizzja (Divina).
And the saddest thing about it is the fact that those out there hooting don’t really believe they have voted for people who will do a better job with running the country.
Those who still can’t make heads or tails of the situation should read this detailed analysis of Hugo Chavez’s rise, his rewriting of history, his luck in finding resources he didn’t personally work for, his personality cult, his ruination of Latin America’s progress and ultimately his rotten legacy and the exploitation of his death by his successor.
It is in many ways a mirror image of what Mintoff/Muscat have done. A peasant revolution through and through which the uneducated masses will love.
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21573095-after-14-years-oil-fuelled-autocracy-hugo-ch%C3%A1vezs-successors-will-struggle-keep
Daphne, you mentioned a couple of times that democracy was imposed on Malta, and I tend to concur with this argument.
I was recently discussing with a Russian colleague the state of democracy in Russia. We talked about why democracy is not embraced and understood over there.
My colleague’s arguments sounded identical to the case in Malta and explained how Russians love autocratic leaders because somehow they give them a sense of security and national pride in a culture of insecurity and inferiority complex.
The Russians feel lost in a democracy and don’t know how to act on their own initiative. The three most popular leaders in the Soviet Union / Russia were all tyrants (the Tzar, Stalin, and Putin) who all rammed nationalism at the expense of democracy.
These tyrants are still seen as heroes and strong to this day. On the other hand, the most despised leader in Russia is Mikhail Gorbachev (very popular in the western world) who is blamed for the collapse of the Soviet Union, even though the system was crumbling from within.
Similarly in Malta, autocratic leaders like Mintoff and Muscat are idolized, because they are seen as macho and strong, while Gonzi is punished.
P Shaw, you heard only one side of the Russian story. While with all its imperfections (defects may be a strong word in this case), I will die for democracy, after the Yeltsin experience Russians also equate democracy with high level of corruption, oligarchies and all. But still yes, for Russians nationalism and national pride seems more of a priority than democracy. Unfortunately.
One cannot say that democracy was imposed on Malta. Those who still say it, to their detriment, are still stuck in the 80s, and wrongly assume that PL is still a threat to democracy. 1998 already showed that it was not. When Labour lost parliamentary majority it went into election that it knew that it will lose (ask the present day President of the Republic).
There is an underlying statement in this site that come what may, PN deserve to be in power all the time. Even at 36K deficit, it’s not the party that was wrong but the people!! Such an argument is anti-democratic in itself.
@Floating — with all its imperfections (defects may be a strong word in this case), I will die for democracy,
I would rather die for FREEDOM than for the rule by the people. In other words, I will only die for democracy if it guarantees freedom.
Freedom of speech, of opinion, of expression, enjoyment of property, etc.
@One cannot say that democracy was imposed on Malta. Those who still say it, to their detriment, are still stuck in the 80s
What does the 80s have to do with the imposition of democracy on Malta? Am I missing something here? If anything, the 80s represent the worst example of a democracy!
All the violence, thuggery, negation of majority rule, political frame-ups and even the loss of life were all legitimate (or at least condoned) under the pretext of the written law or of provocation by the other side.
@ There is an underlying statement in this site that come what may, PN deserve to be in power all the time.
Not at all, FLOATING. The underlying statement is that on the basis of its excellent performance (which has been recognised by many objective observers) — and “with all its imperfections (defects may be a strong word in this case)” — the previous government deserved to be returned.
@ Even at 36K deficit, it’s not the party that was wrong but the people!! Such an argument is anti-democratic in itself.
No, even at 36K deficit, the argument IS NOT anti-democratic. An argument can never have a democratic value attached to it. An is either correct or false.
Whether the 36K surplus made the right choice or not can be argued ad nauseam but whether that choice is correct or false can only be gauged by experience, both in the past and in future.
Lastly, you call yourself Floating and that is exactly what you claim to be: neither here nor there. Unless you are just pretending! You seem to have the intellectual ability to take an informed and reasoned position.
If you don’t you might as well continue, well, floating! But stop imputing things which non-floaters like you didn’t say or do.
Amen to that. This personal anecdote also comes from foreigners, but from a totally different environment.
Yesterday (Sunday) I was at the airport sitting next to a small group of (female) Italian tourists. At one point, after hearing the horn-hooting and letting off of fireworks, one of them asked:
“Questi sono i Laburisti che hanno vinto, no? Dalle bandiere… Ma dimmi una cosa, questi Laburisti sono di destra o di sinistra? Perche da quello che ho letto e sentito loro sono anti-Europei e nel passato hanno rovinato l-economia.”
The one who answered her question was a lot more soft-spoken and from what I could gather she seemed familiar with the Maltese scene. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear her properly so I couldn’t understand what her reply was.
But the question posed was very relevant and worthy of reflection and study, particularly by Labour. But I seriously doubt they will address it squarely.
All they’ve done after Mintoff was to gloss over it and propose new slogans, new colours, new (and expensive) campaign billboards.
So have you packed your bags already and ready to leave first thing tomorrow? Or will you spend the next five years as a freedom fighter helping the thousands of people who will get arrested for voicing their opinion under muscat’s tyrannical rule?
[Daphne – Why would I leave?]
Well, I think you made it quite obvious that you’re not ready to relive the horrors of the 80s..
the best is yet to come Ron! history is repeating itself just like 1996-1998
Run Ronney run.
Most of you followers of the “Taghna Lkoll” slogan writing in this blog should be ashamed of yourselves.
Joseph Muscat has not yet been sworn in as prime minister and he’s already failing.
I guess you all left your white and red masks in Hamrun or on the fosos this evening and you’re showing the mettle you’re really made of.
Not only does Joseph Muscat have a mammoth task to keep up to scratch with the good things GonziPN left us, he also has the insurmountable task of keeping you on a leash in a bid to prove he’s the man for all the mortals on this archipelago.
If you bother to read your own words you’ll notice the irony in complaining about ‘Daphne hate’ while using words of hate yourselves. But alas it appears that intelligence and good will is lacking among the “Iljuni tal-Lejber”.
failing in what you idiot? Go cry yourself to sleep
Let me explain it to you, Joanne, since you seem to have your red blinkers on. Rather still I’ll say it in Maltese maybe it will sink in better.
Malta tagħna lkoll hija (jew milli jidher aktarx kienet) it-tema tal-kampanja elettorali taghkom għall-Elezzjoni Ġenerali. Kampanja suppost pożittiva, fejn il-messaġġ kellu jkun wieħed ta’ għaqda nazzjonali.
Mela minflok ma taqghu baxx u hamallu messkom taraw kif tippruvaw tipperswadu lill min ma jaqbilx maghkom u theggu ghall-ghaqda mhux il-firda.
Qeghdin turu li mhux veru li min ma jaqbilx maghkom jista jahdem maghkom. Mela Muscat diga falla bil-kbir fuq din ghax intom prova ta’ dan.
Issa r-rebha hadtuha pero kull ma ridtu huwa l-poter f’idejkom u mhux l-ghaqda nazzjonali. Kien Eddie li hadem u gab ir-rikonciljazzjoni u Muscat jafu sew dan ghax fahhru kemm il-darba.
Lanqas toholmu kif tuzaw il-politika ta’ perswazjoni li tant kien imsemmi ghaliha Guido Demarco.
ghax Malta taghna lkoll qalu. look at this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=320223301413699&set=a.287044741398222.46806.286724964763533&type=1&theater
Today I feel ashamed to be Maltese. We have kicked out a statesman, a true gentleman who has worked his socks off to put Malta among the elite of Europe. He managed to help Malta weather the storm, keep unemployment low, and record a positive growth.
He took the blame for the defeat even though it wasn’t his fault. He managed to get 1.1 billion for Malta despite the fact that he knew he wasn’t going to be the one to use them.
We replaced him with a man full of himself, a man who so actively tried to deny Malta a place in the European Union. We even went against what the foreign media was saying about Gonzi’s track record.
If only the Greeks, Cypriots, Italians, French, Spanish and the Portuguese could have voted today. I hope we won’t end up like them (but I am sure we will with Karmenu Vella and Edward Scicluna).
I seriously doubt that those who voted Labour know that the price of petrol will increase as from next week. Muscat said he will keep the same budget. By voting Labour, Malta has already lost 63 million in EU funds (the gas pipeline project will be abolished). But the people get the government they deserve. The Nationalist government spoiled us and gave us everything.
“The tiny island state is a rare example of a eurozone state with low unemployment, respectable economic growth and solid public finances. The unemployment rate is 6.0 per cent and, according to the latest estimates, the country clocked 1.5 per cent economic growth last year.” Where will we be in 5 years time?
Like prophets, no statesman or great man is recognised in his country.
Dr Gonzi can hold his head high. He did what was needed from him and what was right. He did a lot of reforms that were necesary. He privitased the Drydocks because it was bleeding the nation. But the workers and their families didn’t see it that way. The Government privitased Maltacom. It was necesary to open the telecommunications sector to competition. But it affected Maltacom’s workers. The Government also privitased the public transport to be modern and more efficient. The old bus owners and their workers didn’t like it. The Government also made the rent reform because the old law was very unfair with the owners. Certain businesses were affected. It takes courage to make these reforms but Dr Gonzi acted for the common good.
Ahjar taghmel ftit Blue Pain relief u tiehu lumija man tidher li tlift hafna personalment issa oqghod erdghu bil-kwiet
For those out celebrating today, tomorrow’s reality -that their life will probably not improve an iota just because we have a change in government (unless they bring it about themselves) – will slowly but surely dawn on them.
Their alarm-clocks will go off and through the haze of the mother of all hangovers they will realise that they still have to get out of bed and drag themselves through the daily grind.
Meanwhile, untested Joseph and co have to start pulling rabbits out of a hat to please his new majority while simultaneously juggling with a growing number of international challenges and making sure his team produce results.
… making sure that his team produce results. Everything left to Louis, and when he fails, Karmenu l-guy comes in.
that is the reason why no matter what happens he will never resignes because he can blame it on others
Ex nazzjonalist? Jaqaw int xi wiehed minn dawk li ma nqdewx u qelbu?
Malajr drajt maghhom ghax qed titkellem il-lingwa taghhom.Ta’ HDURA. U tahseb li is-sewwa rebah?
Hodor intom. Ibda minn dil wicc ta bala daphne. Ila titfa hdura fuq dan il blog. Qas tisthi titkellem hekk fuq in nies. Ma tharisx fil mera ax tibza li tinkisrila!
God bless, kemm int intelligenti, Joanne.
Mohh ta’ tigiega jahdem bil-bosta ahjar minn mohh tlett kwarti tal-popolazzjoni Maltija.
X’misthija, lil bqija twaqqghulna wiccna l-art ma l-popli kollha li jigu mid-dinja civilizzata.
Naqbel mieghek 100% David.
Fuck you demel…ibki Issa foxx il liba ommok udak il baghat missierek
It’s not (just) the language thatof many Laburist comments that is shockingly revolting but the fact that they are devoid of any substance or content.
Daphne is often accused of venom and ridicule of public figures. True, she can use strong language but that is always in the context of an argument or opinion about a public issue or figure, with which you may or may not agree.
Referring to strong language used in an article or post out of context, without giving due weight to the substance of the piece, is grossly unfair.
After all is said and done, freedom of expression is paramount and any attempt to stifle that right is a serious threat to our basic human rights.
What many of those celebrating do not understand is that after back to back PN governments, headed by Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi, the bench mark is set at a very high standard. The usual Labour mediocracy would not cut it in today’s Malta.
I sincerely feel gutted; Malta has once and for all shown that the foremost national trait is not the very much vaunted (and blatantly misplaced) hospitality but pure resentment at anyone else’s success.
The Malta taghna Lkoll slogan is nothing but a subscription to mediocrity: everything must be the same for everyone.
What is ironic is that the notion is pinned to meritocracy whereas in fact it is anything but.
However my greatest regret is that Lawrence Gonzi has been shown the door in such an unceremonious manner. Granted the divorce issue and the honoraria mess, amongst others, should have been handled much better but we lose a true statesman who weathered the Arab spring with admirable composure and humanity (while our new Prime Minister just saw it as an opportunity to attract tourists), and who steered us through the economic crisis with an unparalleled mastery, whilst our new Prime Minister would have us harbour in the Cypriot ports.
I would love to conclude with a “May God help us” but I do not believe we deserve it.
No doubt much will be written about Gonzi’s mishandling of many matters including his obstinate refusal to go to the polls on losing parliamentary majority.
He threw us into a year-long electoral campaign the people had no appetite for, rammed politics down our throat evoking bad memories of life in the 80s and caused considerable psychological fatigue amongst many PN supporters.
Not to mention the many faux pas of the PN admin, I have previously commented about.
Simon Busuttil disappointed me big time. Gone was the lucidity of the IVA movement campaign, replaced instead with calls to defend the government at the grocer’s.
What was he thinking? Anglu Farrugia may not be the brightest spark but calling him “hmar” on Xarabank when it was Simon who was not aware that Anglu had indeed won the court case.
The whole PN strategy revolved around belittling the PL, coming across as condescendng whilst Joseph Muscat was giving the PN credit where it was due. The PN campaigned too agressively focussing on character assasination of its opponents rather than explaining its policy.
I would like to see Mario De Marco heading the PN. He took a reasonable stance on divorce, reviewed censorship laws and comes across as moderate in his speech and ideas.
The reason I admire De Marco is that way back at Uni he struck a brownie point with me, then a law student. I’d reasoned out an exam question perfectly but arrived at the wrong conclusion because in my ignorance I did not know that goods are carried on deck. Dr. De Marco, during the oral exam that followed took the pain to question me on this issue, leading me to realize my mistake.
Now we all know, uni lecturers aren’t paid well but amongst the approx. 200 written papers he must have corrected that year, he did a sterling job showing much dedication. Unlike his late father, he was never late for lectures, and delivered impeccably, again unlike his father who just used to go on rants.
Maybe these are not sufficient qualities to turn a lawyer and lecturer into a good party leader but to me they spell a person with sound moral values and judgement.
The main unifying factor for this landslide result was not the (misplaced) love for Joseph but hate for Gonzi and Austin which was the real driving force behind this ‘movement’.
I will TRY to wait and observe for the next 100 days Joseph’s government’s modus operandi. I will TRY to be the devil’s advocate, so to speak.
As far as I’m concerned Joseph did well up to now.
I wait in abatement when push comes to shove on the (pie in the sky) LNG power station at Delimara, and job creation.
Imminently, there are jobs at stake at De La Rue and the R&D section of Actavis.
On a lighter note there is the spring hunting and trapping season waiting on his doorstep to have the door opened.
qed ixxomu il lumi dalodu. nahseb ax ghandek biex!!
Really sorry that Labour won… and by so much.
It’s a real shame, I think many were selfish and even stupid, I must say.
Just heard two RTK presenters are leaving their morning show. I think they are going to be presenting a new show on PBS.
Also would like to express my solidarity to you. What the police did is a shame in a democratic country.
Our political parties may as well be renamed Manchester United and Juventus, as the way people voted amply shows that they care little about policies, ideologies, principles and past performance but they are only taken in by the colour of the (football) shirt.
It’s absolutely sad that PN lost and sadder that PL won. I’m still in disbelief even more so that Dr Gonzi is leaving as a leader of PN. He left a legacy and gave his all.
Anyway, now PL hooligans will get to see how much PL cannot deliver.
Hope that they won’t be in government for five years. We are back to giving jobs and favours because one is a Laburist and not because of your credentials. That is why the election result of PL voters was 55%…all about the ‘favuri.’
ARRIVA please note.
This morning at the Valletta bus terminus. One of the Arriva ‘supervisors’ was opening his uniform jacket to show a large 10″ x 12″ photo of Joseph Muscat on his chest (on top of the white shirt).
Another bus driver was on his mobile phone, while driving, talking about radical change of bus routes and addirittura the dismantling of ARRIVA.
Can we please have some discipline or isn’t it MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL?
Good, we’re back to the old system then. Let’s have it.
Yep. The old sickstem reappears.
Labour supporters going into Valletta this morning.
” Ara xi kruha ta’ bieb ghamlilna.”
Kenneth Zammit Tabona must feel so at home with these people. He should invite them for lunch.
fik gurnalista wkoll waqaft taghti l-updates tal-elezzjoni… uzguuuur minjaf x’panic ghandek fuqek ghax bizzejjed ghamilt dik il kummiedja kollha ma Lou Bondi, din it-tkaxkira kien jonqsok.
EMIGRA U IBDA PAGNA GDIDA GHAX F’MALTA KULHADD JAF KEM INT TAN-NEJK!
Doesn’t it occur to you that even if Daphne had to leave Malta she’d still be writing exactly the same things and uploading them online for all the world to see?
[Daphne – No, it doesn’t occur to them because they have no idea how much time I actually do spend away.]
Then why not spend the REST OF YOUR LIFE AWAY – you bitch.
[Daphne – Because I don’t want to, even though at times it is sorely tempting because there are far too many ugly, nasty, ill-educated people like you. The worst ones are the ‘positives’, a forced facade which hides a deep well of spite and envy. But I wouldn’t expect you to have that level of insight, even into yourself.]
Dear Labour supporters, we know you can’t really help anger. But this is the moment to mix in some cheer.
We’re looking forward to the first historic changes of JM the PM.
1. Presenting the very budget he blocked three months ago – probably off the same budget speech.
2. Participating in the EU summit this week, after a fierce campaign against the opportunity ten years ago. Presumably without an interpreter.
About point 2, he will be telling his counterparts how he led his “Moviment Laburista” (that’s what Reno Bugeja called it on one of the PBS news) to a “historic landslide” on the basis of his “roadmap” which has a solution to all problems.
He will explain to them that his government’s vision for Malta is that of reducing electricity tariffs by 25%, as reported on the BBC.
And then he will probably have to answer their questions about his past position against the EU, his “Made in Brussels” programs on Super One and his recent threats to use the veto.
The people celebrating in the road, and indeed our newly elected government, are akin to the fish in the final scene of Finding Nemo…..they will soon realise what they are in for and will soon exclaim “Now what?”
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=3MyZTPPgsZA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3MyZTPPgsZA&gl=GB
The Maltese have chosen abstract over substance, form over function.
An aesthetics based decision, usually afforded by an affluent society. Substance and function generate affluence.
Malta, with a population of more than 400,000, is the smallest and one of the most successful economies in the eurozone.
With its strong tourism and financial services sector, the archipelago has relatively low unemployment, a good growth rate and low government debt. BBC News 10/03/13
Yesterday was a truly historic day. This is the best mission statement a country could ask for. However, it seems that the people want more than this……wow!! This new government certainly has quite a lot to live up to.
An English prime minister, I think he was Pitt, when he lost an election said: they are ringing their bells now they will soon be wringing their hands.
I hope this will not happen to all Maltese.
It will. Incompetence now prevails.
Game Over gonziPN RIP.
The amount of photos I have come across on Facebook of people celebrating is shocking.
I can’t believe how many people I know have voted for Labour.
My only hope now is that they saw something we didn’t and we were wrong.
Please let us be wrong and Joseph actually turns out to be a great leader. But in the eventuality that we’re right, it will be hilarious to see them go back into hiding. It will be a bit of a laugh while we struggle.
Watching Joseph Muscat walking towards President’s Palace to be sworn in. Maybe I’ll finally be able to accept the result. But on another note, hadn’t Michelle said she had ordered a hat for the ceremony? Where is it? Ooooh how nice, they’re all wearing blue.
Rain.
The smugness was revolting.
Just had another thought. Since the Cardinals are presently voting on a new Pope, and I was led to understand today that they can elect any Catholic, not just any old Cardinal, why not little Joey? Sure the hell would help out little Malta.
Qed tarah it-TV Daphne? Fuq il-Malti bhalissa??
Watching tvm right now, Dr & Mrs and co walking through Republic Street. Chavism at its best. Bdejna insomma.
Daaphneeee………calling you but you seem to have vanished! Pity you’re not joining us for the celebrations. Maybe you should change your point of view and join us. We’re friendly and happy enough to teach you how to be nice. You don’t need to be cheeky anymore. Your work is done – albeit unduccessfully!
[Daphne – God, how brainless. Politics as a one giant barbecue and social network.]
I sincerely think that Daphne’s political scenario is always linked to the past. Malta has moved forward, thanks to the old labour party led by Mintoff & thanks to Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi. Now its Joseph’s time let’s hope that his clear vision will be fulfilled otherwise all this ‘Malta taghna lkoll’ would be nonsense.
Yes, Mr. Buttigieg, you can keep hoping.
Politics is not a religion, whether it’s hope, faith or love. (OK, nor a football match to enjoy seeing your favourite team win, or a game to bet heavy money on.)
Politics is about making choices between (imperfect) options. This happens also in our everyday life where we have to make choices with the resources available to us at that point in time.
I may want/hope/wish to live the rest of my life in a villa but that is beyond me even if I try to take a loan — I won’t qualify.
I could move on to explain why I chose PN last Saturday, but that is useless now. We’ll have Labour in government and while I’m prepared for what to expect, the rest will have to wait and see what its performance is going to be.
We all know what the previous government’s performance was.
Whatever our opinion may be on that take in Malta it is a fact that, despite its errors and defects, the previous government’s performance caught the admiration of independent foreign institutions and observers.
Whether we like it or not it’s now JosephMuscat.com’s turn to be in the hot seat.
What we’ve seen so far (at least that which I’m aware of) is that he has appointed his campaign manager (a major businessman who has since ‘resigned’ his company directorship) as his chief-of-staff and his Party’s communications head as Director of Information.
Some, including myself, may say “Welcome to George Orwell’s (1984) Ministry of Propaganda” which doesn’t augur well for our freedom of expression as we knew it these last couple of decades.
Still, let the performance begin, but in spite of any hope you may have, I hope (because I don’t know you) you don’t get offended by any criticism that comes along with the performance.
Keith Schembri has not yet divested himself of the directorships of his several companies.
Are you still alive?
Here here, take the lemon.
I fully agree that the Nationalist Party, for which I am proud to say I have always voted, did a great deal of good for Malta.
Joseph Muscat would not even be thinking in terms of “Malta Taghna Lkoll” had it not been for Eddie Fenech Adami and the Nationalist Party in the eighties because there would have been very little Malta and very little “ilkoll” to talk about without the new thinking and rebirth of the island back then.
Having said that, I do not agree with the thinking that the Maltese voted badly or voted Labour in because they are “ignorant”. Malta is a great democracy and once the voter expressed him/herself that is it. That vote has to be respected.
The country just got the government it deserves.
The Maltese may want to be pampered and heard and place great importance on their little “problems” and “needs” – that is probably due to the size of Malta and the strong Christian faith. If that is the case, than a good Maltese government needs to lend an ear and be accessible. After all it is Maltese politicians who knock on people’s doors (literally) every five years.
True, 25 years of granting wishes can be pretty stressful because it is impossible to satisfy people’s personal interests all of the time for such a long period of time unless you have a magic wand.
A magic wand is Joseph Muscat’s only salvation. He is going to be inundated with requests for “pjaciri” which are going to be jolly difficult to meet especially with his Malta taghna lkoll cry.
Let’s wait and see how much of his mega-majority he will be losing on the way. What you call “ignorance” or what I believe is immature voting goes both ways.
In the meantime, alea iacta est and one hopes for the best for Malta.
The reason why Muscat was elected was because of personal interest. People where not getting enough favours from the PN and now hope that the PL can do so.
how can someone opt for change when JM in the first place did not want to join the EU, introduce the Euro and make use of the Cyprus RoadMap. If we where in the gutters with GonziPN, in what worse situation we would have been if we had done as the PL wanted?
One should note that Gonzi put Malta into place during a recession that destroyed much larger economies. Malta received PRAISE and STATISTICS show it is up there with the best.
With Gonzi’s decisions which where not so popular with individual’s own interest, resulted in Malta Beating the recession and having economic stability.
Many large projects funded by the EU. funds that would have not been available if things went as JM wanted. large hypocrisy shown by going to work in brussels thanks to the joining of the EU.
LG brought 1.2 BILLION euros one of the many track records.
I want a simple answer to a simple question/statement.
Muscat OPPOSED to the EU, EURO and wanted to be like CYPRUS.
GONZI did the opposite and it resulted in a success.
Why change for someone that clearly takes the wrong decisions?
A big well done to all those that voted labour. Time will tell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhoGzBM2lsk
Simon Busuttil has obtained 2564 first preference votes more than Lawrence Gonzi.
So what? They were not on the same districts though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa6Ur_z3rE0
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis re spite, but I think there’s more to it (and here comes a poorly constructed rant).
When Karl Gouder (who could be an outstanding Prime Minister if he is given the space to grow) is blown out of the water by the likes of Robert Arrigo (friend to the likes of Nikki Dimech) and Marthese Portelli (not quite the sharpest knife in the drawer), serious questions need to be asked about the way the Nationalists select and promote candidates.
Aside from Karl, the PN turned off the best people of my generation. In part, this is due to the cutthroat politics of the pre-EU accession era. The party did not tolerate intelligent dissent and instead ended up with the likes of Franco Debono and Robert Arrigo, whose interests were purely personal and whose dissent was therefore spiteful (so we come full circle).
The powers that be in the PN are too out of touch to realise that they need to farm the best minds of the next generation of leaders. Like it or not, the Nationalists are held to a higher standard than the other parties. 80s throwbacks who are spiteful without having lived through the worst of the MLP just turn most people with an ounce of humanity off politics.
PS In some measure it’s pointless to blame a spiteful electorate when a government fails to put systems in place to ensure that people are treated equally and according to merit.
I know of a number of people who have been successful in applying for extremely competitive public funding/jobs in the UK but were turned away summarily in Malta (while entirely undeserving candidates who would never make it in the UK were supported instead).
The tragedy of the electorate’s spite is that Labour functionaries were in on the corrupt practices too.
Intelligent people can see this and would not vote Labour/AD simply because the Nationalists were dismal in some respects. But the Nationalists must be living in another world if they think they can rely on a thinking electorate.
Fine, if the evolution has to come, the first thing to do is to approach the PN.
Hadu li riedu imma issa jitilqu l-hemm. Il-Boghod minna.
I have just seen Jeff Pullicino Orlando walking with LP candidates along Republic Street wearing red trousers. How undignified, both for his sense of dress and the fact that he switched allegiance. Let’s see what happens to Il-Mistra now.
What you say about him is now confirmed.
Not only five years in despair but five years in silence. NO MORE PROTECTION.
[Daphne – I’m sorry, but I don’t follow you. What sort of protection? And without the protection you assume I have, what do you assume will be done to me? You people are savages. A hundred years ago you were burning mills en route to sacking homes and shops in Valletta, 30 years ago you were looting and ransacking public and private buildings and setting fire to party clubs and printing presses, and now here you are, barely able to contain yourselves. So primitive.]
From the Planet of the Apes to the Rock of the Apes.
Ghawdex taghna ukoll hahahahahah!!!
What a mess. I can’t believe Malta shot itself in the foot so thoroughly.
The PN fell not because of practising too much corruption, but because it did not practice enough corruption – the petty corruption of the “job mal-gvern” and the “naghddilek kelma” type – which is what passes for good governance on this thoroughly Southern Mediterranean island.
It’s what senior officers in Mepa have been saying.
Muscat has simply fragmented what took twenty years to build. I cannot ever forgive him that.
He doesn’t understand that his travesty of a philosophy automatically excludes the ones he needs most.
Why should I endorse Muscat? This emphasis on consent is sickening.
mela waqaft titfa l-velenu issa??????? fejn huma l-10/15 postings kuljum!!????????????? You are on the way out!!
as if PL hasn’t copied Obama enough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kla-IvXv4-8
Look at the comments here after someone smashed in Jason Azzopardi’s window: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=584023428277458&l=9323c4becd
ghawdex taghna ilkoll
Ovvjament, ridt tghid ‘taghna wkoll’.
What’s this Taghna Lkoll rubbish? Do you really want everyone to be part of one political movement? What’s this – some one-party state like communist China?
You really do not know what you are saying. This movement business is destined to collapse unless you have totalitarian intentions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_movement
Good morning. Don’t you know they do have totalitarian intentions. That is the reason why I despise them most, apart from the fact that they ruined my childhood, deprived me of proper education and from going to university to study what I desired, because Mintoff’s regime thought the course was not necessary. There were only 7 courses to chose from in those dark ages.
They have shown all along that they are totalitarian in outlook. The rise of a totalitarian government is the product of popular support. The situation’s perverse, but then so are the people who voted him in.
Daphne, where are you? Please please, do come back. Would love to read your comments regarding the latest stunt of our Prime Minister climbing on the
running board of the official car to wave to the crowds. And JPO walking down Republic Street and shaking hands with the unwashed. OMG please help us. Daphne come back.
ed tahra tahtek Helen? Hu naqra te bil lumi… bwahhhahahahaa
Those orange drainpipes say it all. Any other comment is superfluous.
Just like Berlusconi in San Babila.
haha nispera li jarrestawk, ja sahhara hazina :)
[Daphne – Fuq liema bazi? Jew se nibdew bl-arbitrary arrest?]
u int tahseb li dan jaf x’igifieri ‘arbitrary’?
I’d hate to stoop down to your level and comment in your fashion, but I cannot help not too. I watched the footage of your arrest and I realized, Oh, she has a lisp! If I recall correctly you used to make fun of Tony Zarb’s lisp imma kif nghidu bil-malti, kull min jgholli idejh ghandu xi jxomm!
[Daphne – A lisp? No, that’s my accent.]
That little toad shit JPO was at the swearing in parade this morning, marching right through the middle of Republic street with the other hangers-on acknowledging gracefully the applause of the crowd.
Every court has its resident dwarf court-jester I suppose.
And yesterday he was at the Fosos on the stairs leading to Muscat’s stage. I couldn’t believe my eyes but then saw pics of him on Facebook and confirmed. He is such an attention seeker.
He was dressed like a jester too.
The following is by way of my opinion in the context of the right of freedom of expression:
Still no comments DCG? Are you still threatening to unleash the vicious mastiff against public officers doing their duty? Have you not recuperated from being pissed on by the great majority of the people? Ciccio, Baxxter, that sewer cock-sucking shit-hole Antoine Vella. where are you now? The people have shit on you and you are just shit-dumpsters. Turds who bullied others now reduced to scat. If indeed sewwa jirbah zgur, you should be cowering in corners. You are all fit to eat the shit of the sewers of Calcutta where lepers empty their bowels for you to nourish yourselves on. You’re just putrefying carrion. Eat shit for the next five years. Already many GonziPN stalwarts are licking the assholes of PL movement exponents. I’ve seen a member of a distiguished PN family cowtowing to our hero Joseph this morning. It’s your turn to bow and serve now. So submit and serve.
[Daphne – Oh, I saw her too. So did her friends, family, assorted colleagues and others. She was utterly pitiable, and probably had no idea the television cameras had zoomed in on her at that moment for the entire watching nation to see. As for me, you crass and vulgar peasant who appear to think that this was a pitchforks revolution and not a general election, you clearly have absolutely no idea who you’re dealing with. Nor do you have any sense of perspective. Electoral glory is transient and former prime ministers walk the streets largely ignored as ordinary citizens. I think this might be the time to remind you that this is not a dictatorship. Also, your language is foul and does your Malta Taghna Lkoll movement no justice.]
“Malti minn dawk li r-rispettabilissima u aristokraticissima familtek ighidu “lil dawk ma nafuhomx”” sounds ever so much like Albert Gauci-Cun(t)ningham does with the shit (to quote him) that he posts on Facebook.
Incidentally, the recently-deceased grandfather of the “member of the distinguished PN family” must be rolling in his grave following his grand-daughter’s arse-licking actions this morning.
Some people have no shame, nor have they got respect for what their own family went through. Shame on you, Mikela Fenech Pace.
What did Mikela do?
[Daphne – Push her way to the front of the small crowd of OPM employees on the Auberge de Castille stairway landing, to kiss and embrace Joseph and Michelle Muscat.]
“Nannu, we will not only fly the Maltese flag but all that you stood for with it. Thank you for all you mean to us and to the whole country. You were one in a million.”
Is she the same Mikela Fenech Pace?
You said it before me. This certainly sounds like Albert ‘Shit’ Gauci Cunningham.
Who’s Mikela Fenech Pace?
Just 4 days ago she was close to Dr. Gonzi – she’s certainly wasted no time in making herself noticed by Dr. Muscat. One wonders what she’s after now.
@ Macduff – One of Censu Tabone’s many grandchildren, daughter of one of his sons, also called Censu.
She is Censu Tabone’s grand daughter.
Mikela is a high-ranking civil servant at OPM. I believe she heads the Defence department or whatever they call it here. She played a major role during the Libya crisis. She’s savvy enough to know that she would have to work well with both sides and one’s political views do not come into it, just as it should be for all members of the civil service.
D. Zammit – There’s a difference between ‘getting on’ with someone and going all out to lick arse.
Well then, if she’s a high-ranking civil servant she should act like one and know her place.
I have never seen any high-ranking civil servant pushing herself to the front to kiss and hug an incoming PM and his Mrs.
What perplexes me is how come on this “big” day of celebration for the “sewwa jirbah zgur” there are so many angry lejburisti venting their anger on a computer.
[Daphne – They are probably using their smartphones in some bar, and judging by their language, they’re halfcut already.]
Shouldn’t you be out celebrating this new era? Shouldn’t you be stretching out your hand for friendship as your leader told you? Haha totally pathetic.
1. If my party had won I would definitely not be at home on my computer hiding from masses of hamalli who take the opportunity to offend you if god forbid you happen to be outside and not smile or wave at them.
2. I would never follow a blog that pisses me off. You just love to get furious and offend people. If Daphne offends you, it’s very simple, don’t follow her blog. Mind you it would be a pity because the venom coming out of you is very entertaining.
Cowtowing is what you Malta Taghna Lkoll lot do when you take your animals back into the barn after a day’s work.
Ħarqek.
[Daphne – Not at all, Martin. I am merely being charitable to unfortunates.]
@Malti
Are you saying that the “Muviment ta’ Gvern Gdid with a roadmap” will reduce Malta to the Calcutta sewers and the Maltese will become lepers, and that ‘we’ can then eat their shit?
Given that you’ve given up already on Joseph’s capability to serve, of course we will, the country.
If it means keeping you bridled with this blog, by all means.
You sound like a bunch of toddlers on their first outing.
Does this pompous, self righteous arsehole think that he has been avenged and bettered himself as a man by his dear Joseph’s rise to power?
This comment screams ‘self pity’ and ‘inferiority complex’, so much so that it’s laughable and I’m almost tempted to pity the person.
The ‘distinguished family member’ can grovel and suck up to the Dear Fearless Leader as much as she pleases. It is not like I had time for her sort irrespective of her background and political party of choice.
She’s in good company with the other undignified minions.
I’ll get back to reading Thompson’s ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.’
Who are you referring to?
I’m here, you supporter of the Piece of Shit Party. Know then, that whatever the electoral result, I’m still right and you’re still wrong, and Labour is still the pits, because I base my judgement on reason and logic, not bigotry and blind masochism.
So there. When all is said and done, when the battle’s lost and won, I’ll still be better read, better spoken, better dressed, more cultured, vastly more intelligent, with more honour, integrity and moral fibre than the boy-man we now call Prime Minister.
And the same goes for many of us who frequent this blog, because we found here the light of civilisation that is denied to us in our own country. This blog is the Europe we yearn for. Malta, it saddens me to say, no longer is.
Take heart, my friend. Daphne’s blog will, I am sure, point out the failings of this bunch of tramps.
Their total incompetence is already being unveiled, as little Joey has begun to backtrack on his energy promises, due to ‘previous contracts’..
Hear Hear.
After reading all the crap posted by tal-Labour, I suggest they should start singing ‘Malta taghna biss’. Monkeys.
During the swearing-in ceremony this morning they were chanting “Ghax ghandna Joseph maghna, ahna maghqudin ..”. I would have loved to be there just to see Astrid Vella, Kenneth Zammit Tabona and a couple of others chanting it in unision with them.
1. While logically one might say that the PN in government did well, politics isn’t about logic and reason. Politics is about the psychological.
2. A party in government doesn’t have to resort to nepotism to hear what citizens are saying. However Gonzi decided not to listen and this is the price you pay.
3. PN’s electoral billboards were way too reactive rather than proactive. That is a doubtful message.
4. More than ever before the electorate will massacre you if you don’t understand what they are saying. A political party has to adapt to the electorate rather than the other way round.
5. Now PN has the chance to overhaul itself. It has to find a new meaning and vision to its existence, clearly define its values, craft a new strategy and choose a leader capable of implementing this strategy.
Daphne, kemm hadt gost nara dak il-video li ha Lou Bondi. Anyway, nheggek tkompli tikteb b’dik il-hdura kontrina l-laburisti halli nkomplu nitilghu fil-gvern. L-ghajnuna tieghek kienet kbira! Int ghintna hafna u hafna izjed !! Grazzi mill-qalb, l-appogg tieghek huwa sostenn kbir ghalina!
Biex tara kemm Joseph vera jiswa sitt habbiet.
maa daph, THEY won, x’biza .. don’t go out taaa hiii … did you buy enough supplies to stay inside ehh hon? isma babe, issa stay inside hi and stay watching Joseph on TV ta kissing Michelle, i know you wish it was you cos deep down you love him but pacenzja babe, don’t go out ta hiii if you need anything just call that used toilet paper and he’ll get you what you need .. what ?? who ?? mhux LOO !!
What, cat got your tongue now you bitch? you ugly witch? nothing to say? you think you can get a couple of votes if you post this ?? you can satick them up that ugly ass of yours you ugly bitch. Have a good life asshole, you and your middle-finger bastard ‘fuck you’ offspring.
BITCH
[Daphne – Joseph didn’t kiss Michelle, my dear. She tried to kiss him in the window and he pulled away. So sad.]
And you probably got off watching THAT scene …now didn’t you ?…tsk tsk tsk…
[Daphne – I can’t say I know anyone who ‘gets off’ on seeing a woman try to kiss her husband while he pulls away, Kemp. You must move with a very unusual crowd.]
Hamalli kontu, ghadkom, u issa aktar ha ssiru.
U ‘tal-pepe’ ta’ xejn jipprovaw juruna kemm huma puliti ghax la qablu maghkom, hamalli aktar minnkom.
“Malta tghana ilkoll”. Can anyone enlighten us common mortals how the infamous Sandro Chetcuti ended up near Joseph Muscat at the swearing in ceremony? Thanks.
He proved himself niftier than Karl Stagno Navarra, JPO and Martin Scicluna all together, at elbowing himself next to Joseph Muscat for a photo-opportunity.
They are both in the Musumeci and Consulo Herrera social circle.
Ghax Malta taghna lkoll, proset ara intkom partit ta sitta, dak il laqam il gdid taghkom u taf minn hargu ex deputat parlamentari tal PN il kbir Franco Debono li ukoll illum huwa parti mil moviment ta MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL
Nies jistennew sentenza mistiedna Kastilja ghal-hatra tal-prim.
Trid tkun Labour. ‘u mhux xorta?’
Minn ghada kollha ix-xoghol irridu imorru. Ma nafx xi bdew jahzbu li ha itellaw lil Labour u jibdew jibghatulhom il-paga id-dar. Kollha jparlaw u jeqierdu u imbaghad kollha bid-dwiefer u extensions u online shopping.
L-aqwa li jiehdu ir-relief u jghidu MALTA TAGHNA LKOLL.
I was sure of a PL victory but I never imagined by this much.
I thank Lawrence Gonzi for all the good he did for this country and for having brought Malta to a point where it is envied by so many European countries.
Xi tghidilna issa ja wicc ta kera? Ara xi tkaxkira tajnikom, nirra Alla jaharqek ta kemm ghajjart Laburisti. l’Alla ghadek trid tarah taht il Labour int. 37,000 daphne id differenza, minjaf x’selha ghandek u kif blajt ilsienek!
Dear Daphne, I suggest you delete this filth that these idiots are sending and don’t even bother answering.
These comments are all full of vomit and poison that has been collected for the last 25 years. It comes from people who think that their life is going to be completely different under Joseph.
They think they will not wake up to go to work, they will not struggle with their bills as from next week and they expect the state to provide everything for them.
I’m under the impression that they will be in for a big surprise – a surprise that will be much more painful than a 36000 vote defeat.
As usual, you are spot on, Daphne.
I shall never forgive my fellow countrymen (I am not referring to peasants, here) who did this to my country and to the rest of us.
This is to all those who should know better:
You are selfish and hypocritical – a bunch of opportunists and unthinking minds.
Wara li gvern Nazzjonalista ghamilkhom nies, lilkhom u lil uliedkom issa ghandkom il-wicc tiftahru kemm intkom kburin ghax hlistu minn min hadem bi shih biex il-pajjiz mexa l-quddiem.
Issa is-servizzi u il-prodotti ecc. li toffru uhud minkom morru bieghuhom lil eluf li ghamlu bhalkhom ghax minn ghandi ma intkomx se taraw centezmu wiehed li hu wiehed – flusi nonfoqhom ghand min irid il-gid ta’ pajjizu mhux min jahseb fl-interessi tieghu u inheggeg lil dawk ta’ rieda tajba jaghmlu l-istess.
U tinkewtax izzejjed – dalwaqt se jsibuh sehmhom. U Alla hares le.
U le, Catsrbest, I am just going to sit back and enjoy the show now, as I am sure very many thousands like me are going to do – that, at least is definitely going to be fun.
It’s just that hearing some people telling all and sundry how proud they feel that the ex Super One man won the elections and is now Prime Minister (taghhom biss) when in fact it is thanks to Eddie Fenech Adami and Lawrence Gonzi that they and their children became what they are today (and that includes Muscat and Michelle), it makes me see red.
Irid ikollok wiccek il-vera miksi bil-kartapesta biex tghid kemm thossok kburi bi Prim Ministru li 10 snin ilu kien tant kontra li Malta tissieheb fl-Unjoni Ewropeja meta illum INT jew uliedek irnexxilkom tiksbu ‘top jobs’ f’xi istituzzjoni minnhom, fost hafna affarijiet ohra.
Diga’ bdiet.
NIspera li tlabt ghal hafna aktar pulizija biex joffrulek il-protezzjoni int u siehbek Lou, mhux ghax gejjin xi laburisti ipaxxuk u jghatuk xi xeba imma ghax ikunu n Nazzjonalisti stess li ghad iridu jdewquk id-daqqiet ta ponn tal hsara li ghamilt.
[Daphne – Is it just my imagination or has nothing changed with this crowd of hamalli since 1987? Home must be such a great influence that even the best free education can’t eradicate it.]
What’s this crap about governing “with the Opposition”? It’s all hogwash.
Since when does a government which obtains a clear majority govern with the Opposition? What idiots. Honestly. As if the Opposition is going to take on the responsibility of “governing” with the government. In democracies, everyone has a clear role to play.
Also, Muscat is great at copying. Is it my imagination that he is now copying Beppe Grillo with his “muviment” and insisting that “people have had enough of Maltese politicians”.
Notice how they’re going on about the Tsunami, Grillo’s campaign was called the Tsunami tour.
As for the novel idea of governing with the opposition, it started yesterday evening with Toni Abela.
They’ve been trained to think that GonziPN was a dictatorship, an elite, linking it to the relative majority.
Now that they’ve got a considerable majority, it seems they’re terrified of the same. The messages are chaotic.
Joseph cannot adapt without a script.
There goes our Mistra boy!
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-03-11/news/jpo-greeted-by-labour-supporters-in-valletta-1135280130/#prettyPhoto%5BcarouFredSelMediaGallery%5D/3/
Ghandu Press card?
LOVELY! (I was going to say ‘surrealistically’ so but I realise it is very realistic. So, what D was saying all along was true. Not that there was any doubt about it after all HIS theatrics since 2008. What a political party! Kellu ragun Alfred Sant ma jidhirx maghhom f’din l-elezzjoni.)
Dwar JPO bhala chairman, qalilkom il-prim ministru (mhux izjed elett, imma guramentat issa) li “TISTA’ MA TAQBILX MAGHNA IMMA XORTA NISTGHU NAHDMU FLIMKIEN. GHALHEKK EJJEW MAGHNA, ISSIEHBU MAGHNA, KUNU PROTAGONISTI, etc, etc.”
L-istess jghodd ghal Mikela Fenech Pace, head of the Strategic Policy Secretariat fl-OPM ta’ Dr L Gonzi.
Anke lilek D, hariglek l-id tal-hbiberija, hux? Qrajt li baghatlek zewg pulizija biex jghassuk, minghajr ma tlabt ghalihom int (wara li baghatlek il-pulizija b’mandat ta’ arrest biex jinterrogawk f’nofs ta’ lejl).
Roll on time, let the big show begin!
Taghna Lkoll! Taghna Lkoll! Taghna Lkoll! …..! …..!
VERAMENT Nithassrek! TAJNIHIELEK IL-PORGA!
EMPTY VESSELS MAKE MORE SOUND!
You can say that again about empty vessels, “Jeffrey Said” – they were out in full force in Valletta today. (Sorry, Baxxter – beat you to it.)
KEMM KIENET ELEGANTI IS-SINJURA MICHELLE MUSCAT, IL-MARA TAL-PRIM MINISTRU TAGHNA LKOLL JOSEPH MUSCAT. GHAJB LI MA TIHUX XI FTIT LEZZJONIJIET MINGHANDHA. VERA LI GHALXEJN GHAX FIL-KAZ TIEGHEK, KERHA KONT U KERHA TIBQA!
JA SAHHARA KERHA!
[Daphne – Ara, x’sorpriza din! Mela bqajtu qabda criecer u hamalli fil-moviment ta’ Joseph?]
@Jeffrey Said
L-ewwel darba li qed narak hawn. Fejn kont tkun qabel? Mela m’ghadux aktar interessanti hemm? Veru m’ghandekx x’taghmel biex waqajt ghal daw’ il-vavati ta’ kummenti li qed taghmel.
Kienet qisha n-nanna.
Daphne, you got more balls then the Labourites spreading their venom here will ever have.
I have the highest respect and admiration for you sticking to your guns and facing those nincompoops. Your guts are truly inspiring – and I mean this honestly.
L-ewwel tliet ħatriet fl-Uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru.
Mario Cutajar eks ufficjal gholi tal-GWU – Segretarju tal-Kabinett.
Keith Schembri tal-KASCO li mexxa il-kampanja elettorali tal-PL – Chief of Staff.
Kurt Farrugia li kien Direttur tal-Komunikazzjonali tal-PL – Kap tal-Komunikazzjoni tal-Gvern.
PL=Gvern u partit haga wahda…Malta Taghna wara biss hames sieghat mill-gurament ta’ Joseph Muscat
Meta mistoqsi jekk Keith tal-Kasco hux se jkollu ‘conflict of interest’ f’dik il-pozizzjoni – wiegeb li se jitlaq mid-direttorat tal-kumpaniji.
Fl-opinjoni tieghi dan mhux bizzejjed – jigifieri jista’ jitfa’ l-kumpaniji fuq xi hadd tal-familja u jistghu jibbiddjaw xorta u ovvjament jirbhu t-tenders.
Se tinqata’ l-korruzzjoni qed taraw u izjed u izjed qed tifhmu xi ftit?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/top-appointments-in-the-office-of-the-prime-minister-announced.461035
The Coconut will be heading the government’s communication department? Keith tal-casco chief of staff?
God help us all.
IMLEJTU L-LOKI DAPHNE?! HAHAHAHHHAHHAHA!!!!
YOU’RE SO FUNNY!!!!!!!! QAS IL-LOKI MA JIFILHEK!!!
issa iftah halqek u tbattal fik ha sserviha ta’ loki int…
U iva Jeff, int ilek timlieh ghal 25 sena jew forsi ghal 15. Min jaf kif inxift eh?
Daphne ma nafx ghaliex thalli kummenti insulenti meta dawn kellimhom sena ohra diga’ bdew kollha iridu xoghol mall-gvern u promotions. Kennies lanqas jaf jikteb kisser l-ixkupa ghax qal li issa huwa jrid isir foreman.
Keith & Kurt……
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/top-appointments-in-the-office-of-the-prime-minister-announced.461035
I was caught up in a traffic jam is Sliema and the Malta taghna people were shouting Ja Slimizi kollha l*ba. I smiled and said to myself, yes you are right. Some of them are.
I happened to be caught in the same traffic jam and heard the same sagacious remarks.
I must say I agreed too.
The “new appointments” of Malta taghna lkoll have started to be announced. Mela, taghna lkoll. Kemm hsibtuna cwiec PL?
Dan m’hu xejn. Dan ghadu biss il-bidu. Il-kbir ghadu gej…
LET THE BIG SHOW BEGIN.
Ippermettili, Daphne, nuza lingwagg li l-Laburisti jifhmuh zgur ghax mid-dehra lil Joseph ma fehmuhx peress li kellimhom nofs bl-Ingliz u nofs bil-Malti.
Dawn il-Laburisti stmaw f’sormom dak kollu li qalilhom Joseph u addio Malta Taghna Lkoll skond dawn il-kummenti li tefghu.
Kurt the coconut is now officially the government’s head of communications.
Keith Schembri of Kasco is now officially the Head of Staff at Castille.
Head of Civil Service – Mario Cutajar of GWU.
Lil tas-Snobby fejn ha jitfaghhom tghid?
Kenneth is educating the Snobby sisters so that they could perform in the opening ceromony of the ‘roofless theatre’ with a roof designed by Charles Buhagiar or 3Citydesigns.
Minflok omm Byon-Jo, tghid?
As a buffer zone between the head of communications and the press.
This interview from some years ago describes Mario Cutajar as a radical activist and he says he is happy with the description. I wonder how that fits in with his new position.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2001/0422/people.html
He’ll have public servants carry a little red estacode in their pockets.
He fits in very well with a Mintoffjan prime minister.
Mikela was employed at OPM as head of a strategy group to improve chances for PN. I never trusted her but I never thought she’d be such a traitor.
There you go. Anyone else?
So, in true Malta Taghna Lkoll fashion Dr Muscat has made the first appointments.
Here is Mr Mario Cutajar, the new cabinet secretary, ranting against Malta joining the EU.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2001/0422/people.html
Isma hbieb taqawx ghal provoganza ta hadd halluhom jiktbu blogs nies ghax issa mhemmx min jiddefendija anki xeba kliem hazin u paroli fi vojt! Nuru bhalma ghallimna Joseph li ma naqawx ghal provoganza ta hadd u nuru li ahna superjuri! Hadna pjecir bierah niccelebraw u fosos niftakru f’dak mument sabih! Issa labour rebah u taraw bidla zgur specjalment mostly fi kontijiet ta dawl u ilma! Anki li ha titlaq chimney bizzejjed! Gharemm ghax ghidt Chimney malajr titnejjek bijja Daphne bhalma ghamlet lil Michelle ghax qalet nap! Il-problema tieghek taf xinhi Daphne ghax int mohhok biex tparla u twaqqa ghan nejk nies u dika mandiex tkun! Ghidt li il-malti jibqa bl-istess immatur, jiena nahsibha differenti minnhek nahseb poplu wise bizzejjed biex jaghraf tajjeb u hazin wahdu u ir-rizultat ta bierah ura bi car! Nahseb Daphne int bhal l-istess tipikament li trid tejd fuq nies per ezempju mara ta Joseph Muscat mara helwa, onesta u semplici li int xbajt titnejjek biha. Waqqajt f’bassezza kbira meta tnejjikt b’isem tfal ta Joseph. Come on get a life! U titnejjek kif jimxi Joseph li vera urejt kattiverja kbira! U last but not least fuq Mintoff ghalfejn bniedem mejjet tejdlu “may you rot in hell”,! Ghalistajkun int nisranija ghid? Ghax zgur ma tidhirx hekk! Ha nejdlek anki issemmi naha minnhom ta malta issa fi blog ahna la hemm naha u lanqas hemm ohra ejja nnehhu din tip ta mentalita Malta ta kulhadd ghax jiena ma noqodx nejd ma nkellimx lil dak li jkun ghax nazzjonalist imma nkellem lil kulhadd! Dik kienet wahda mi problemi li Gonzi tilifha elezjoni ghax nies ma jridux dik tip ta politika! Haga ha nejdlek Daphne isma minni jekk int gurnalista uza don tieghek tajjeb u tkomplix taqa iktar f’dawn bassezzi ghax mhu gid la ghalik u lanqas ghal hadd u nieqaf hawn!
[Daphne – Joseph has made you feel well-behaved and grown-up, has he? I’m afraid that you and others like you don’t know one very important thing: that in REAL democracies the world over, what I write here is NORMAL and TAKEN FOR GRANTED. Your objection to it, and your failure to understand it, shows that you have no exposure at all to this sort of thing or believe that Malta should be a special case.]
Prosit Daphne – how true.
They have no idea and have never understood that criticism is the healthiest tool in politics.
… “criticism is the healthiest tool in politics.” Only in a true democracy though.
The intelligent ones know that the MLP are undemocratic and totalitarians and that is why the real (not the fake) Nationalists never ever let it cross their mind to vote Labour.
By the way, do you hear him, again and again mentioning the word ‘class’ – just like totalitarians his MO is ‘divide and rule’ and fomenting class division.
Minghalija darba Joseph kien qal li f’Malta l-illetterizmu huwa gholi hafna meta mqabbel ma’ ta’ pajjizi ohra. Li ma qalx hu li dawn l-illetterati huma kwazi kollha segwaci tal-MPL. Provoganza?
And here we go.
Mario Cutajar, a ‘radical activist’, ex GWU, embroiled in fake petitions, head of the civil service.
Keith tal-Kasco, chief of staff OPM, ghax tajjeb fil-bizniss.
Kurt Farrugia, chief of government communications. Rumour has it his office will be downstairs.
Imma ghall-Presidenza ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropeja, jekk fhimt sew, irid l-appogg u l-ghajnuna tal-Oppozizzjoni!
X’haseb dan, li ghadu fir-4a sular imexxi l-kampanja elettorali bil-‘voluntieri’? Dan jaf li sar il-Prim Ministru u jrid jiehu d-decizjonijiet HU issa.
Jew ghadu qed JOHLOM bil-Malta li jixtieq jghix fiha HU?
Mohhu fit-tieni repubblika issa.
Jixtieq jara ‘dan l-ezercizzju lest ghal nofs il-legislatura’. Meta Portelli staqsih xi dettalji semma l-abozz ta’ Franco fuq il-finanzjament tal-partiti.
Mur ghidlu li n-Nazzjonalisti diga’ bidlu kollox daqskemm kellha tahwid.
Apparti li Simon diga’ tefghalu referendum ma’ saqajh. Jekk Muscat behsiebu jdahhal it-taxxa tal-politika hu jrid ikun.
Bil-haqq, dan ma qalx li kien se jippublika l-ispejjez tal-kampanja? Ara vera kien ilu jitnejjek.
Kurt’s new office http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/600×39953.jpg
Bdejna tajjeb. L-ewwel appointments juru Id-direzzjoni l-gdida. Probabli ma sabx nies ahjar fil-moviment gdid.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/top-appointments-in-the-office-of-the-prime-minister-announced.461035
tista tifga fdemmek issa purcinella
so now we know what was in store for the Kasko guy and the lil dwarf http://www.maltarightnow.com/?module=news&at=L-ewwel+%26%23295%3Batriet+fl-Uffi%26%23267%3Bju+tal-Prim+Ministru+Muscat&t=a&aid=99845511&cid=19
Jien nahseb li minflok twahhlu f’kulhadd taraw sew x’ghamiltu hazin – ma kientx l-ekonomija li tefghatkom lura. Kienet l-arroganza, id-distanza u non-accountablility li kellkom fil-partit u l-kabinett. Nehhu certu nies min ma saqajkom u gharblu sew kif stmajtu l-elettorat. Ma nahsibx li 36,000 nies kienu mgienen u taw il-vot taghhom oout of spite….nithassrek ghax rasek dejjem deffista fir-ramel.
[Daphne – Yes, I do actually think that, because it’s a fact. Anybody who places frivolous personal reasons above the general good of the country, and who doesn’t factor in the strength of the economy or takes it as a given, is intellectually deficient in one way or another. To quote a recent US president: ‘It’s the economy, stupid.’]
Futur fis-sod, The Nationalists already did what you suggested. They got rid of John Dalli, JPO, Franco Debono and Jesmond Mugliett. And you know what? They all found themselves in Labour skip.
mela komplu ahsbu hekk – ahjar ghax nibqghu b’partit wiehed
Bumm ghal gol hajt mortu – Imshuha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flash news: First decisions from Castille confirm that Malta Taghna – Biss.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/Man-behind-Labour-s-electoral-campaign-is-Prime-Minister-s-new-chief-of-staff-20130311
The Labour Party has always been against the EU. It was against the EU in the past and it is still against the EU.
The reason why it was against the EU was because of sovereignty, because as we all know people like Mintoff sowed the seeds of patriotism and isolation. He was always against the foreigner and he brought that attitude to his politics and party.
That is why so many people in Malta are naturally inclined to vote for that party. It is the post-colonial attitude that rules them. Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox has been the theme of that party and its supporters for generations.
You can see it even today with the way they accuse Nationalist supporters of sucking up to the English or the EU. Many PL supporters still spout anti-EU comments on timesofmalta.com’s comments board.
Muscat says he has changed his mind. I think that just isn’t true. Those Mintoffijan values still hold true to him, hence his praise of Mintoff when he first became party leader.
Look at how he behaved when he was told there was no translator. That emotional and defensive response is quintessentially Labour and exists all over Malta.
This is significant because once the EU tells him that he cannot have his energy plans without following the proper protocol he will come back saying “They want to rule us from abroad” and will fire up that anti-foreigner spirit within him.
You might think that then there will be a shift against him, but there won’t be because all those switchers who voted Labour demonstrated their lack of appreciation and value for the EU by voting for someone who hated it in the first place and who tried to keep them out.
We will be heading for a referendum which the “In” vote will not get. And we’ll be out, left to the mercy of a Labour government.
Not quite prophetic, but, sadly, very spot-on.
Personally I believe it is too late to hope for anything different. I hope I am wrong.
@ Edward
How can you ever refer to Mintoff as patriotic? That adjective applied to him makes me feel ill. It is like calling any past dictator patriotic, ask any national who had one and see if he agrees with you.
Yes, patriotic. His creed was Malta first and foremost. Now it s become Malta Taghna Lkoll. Which means when the EU doesn’t allow Muscat to go ahead with his plans he will drag us out of it kicking and screaming because he will say that we are being ruled by foreigners.
Karmenu Vella was already gearing up for the Big Move before he was elected.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/128166205/Karmenu-Vella-says-Malta-s-membership-of-the-EU-can-be-revised-l-Orizzont-23AUG2012
Exactly. Here we go with the partnership rubbish all over again.
Expect more trouble from this one too, especially since he now got a hotseat in cabinet and another at the top of the civil service:
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2001/0422/people.html
Let me difer. Why after a year that the PN were in power i.e. 2009, people voted and elected 4 labour MEPs ??? The people were already fed up with your lot –
I believe you have not mentioned the real adjectives that suit both Mintoff and Muscat, which are despots and tyrants. These are the real characteristics of the two and certainly not patriotic.
We will have to wait and see what happens next.
“In an effort to instil confidence in the political class, Dr Muscat said he was committing himself to ensuring that the members of the Cabinet would not be given a €500 weekly raise as happened in the last legislature.”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/pm-promises-stability-serenity.461037
Does this mean that €499 weekly will suffice for Dr. Joseph Muscat and his cabinet?
Given that he’s going to establish so many new ministries, he doesn’t need to give them any raise for the same amount to be forced out of the taxpayers’ coffers.
After the second world war Winston Churchil lost the election.These things do not only happen in Malta.It is wrong to call the inhabitants ignorant or other names because they voted your party out of government.There are many things that are different in other countries…for example here even after many fiascos or scandals under their watch ministers do not resign.In the U.K even if they are caught with a mistress they resign ! here ministers claim ”I was not involved and did not know about it.” I did not vote labour but I did not vote PN this time either.Before the nationalist party recognises its mistakes it will remain in opposition.I do not know how you can call a side crooks either as the ones we had were no different.The way you are reasoning daphne I used to hear old labour supporters saying the same things after the 80’s .I do not expect it from you.
I believe the assessment of voter ignorance is based on voting the Labour Party in, rather than on voting the PN government out.
Face it. Among the first elected Labour MPs is the Golden Years relic Karmenu Vella, closely followed by Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Leo Brincat and Joe Mizzi.
And Alex Sceberras Trigona, another Golden Years relic, is rather more prominent than desirable. He was among the first to greet Muscat at the counting hall, joined the royal entourage on their balcony, is a prime mover in managing Muscat’s relations with Libya and China, and has been photographed in the company of Libyan officials at Muscat’s tent events.
If you really wanted a break with the past, you’d have voted out this lot again.
You forgot to mention the arch dinosaur Joe Debono Grech and regarding the relations you also forgot to mention North Korea. So democratic and liberal.
Alex Sceberras Trigona’s agreement with North Korea:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/128167661/Alex-Sceberras-Trigona-Signs-a-Secret-Agreement-With-North-Korea
Winston was voted out because the other lot promised better wages etc
Ma tal-biza, rajtuh lil Muscat x’hin hareg mil-palazz, fethulu l-bieba tal-karrozza, telgha bil-WIEFQA fil-karrozza biex ixxejjer?
Prim ministru ta’ Malta ma jaghmilx affarijiet bhal dawn, tal-misthija. Nistennew aktar.
Kemm int party pooper say! : )
Have you seen the idiotic JPO in Republic Street wearing orange pants and brown jacket, shaking hands with people? Really a purcinell tal-prima klassi.
He looked like a clown. I think the circus was in town.
Yes that I do agree with!
What I’d like to see now happening in the Nationalist party is some real changes. How about choosing a woman as leader. Perhaps someone who was not even a candidate in these elections. Of course not a woman just for the sake of it but someone with substance. That would give a real shake up to politics.
My thoughts exactly. This would be great for the Nationalist Party.
Baxxter, be a gentleman and pass around some insightful observations please. Having a woman of substance take the PN to the next level would be very healthy indeed.
Simon Busuttil should be leader.
This is not a Mario de Marco put-down. He would make an excellent deputy leader. But Busuttil has the right mix of intelligence, integrity, experience and leadership. And he has the right international contacts, which de Marco, because of the nature of his post in Malta, does not.
Besides, and I’ll attract a lot of flak for this, for I’ve had this argument once too many, we do not need dynasties in democratic politics.
So: de Marco for deputy leader, for the Maltese touch, turning policy into action, and Busuttil for leader, for the global view, taking policy-making into the 21st century.
As for Mikela Fenech Pace, you should pay more attention to my posts. Didn’t I mention her in connection with Alex Sceberras Trigona? You wish to know who can be trusted? Come to H.P..
Join the Žaliūkai.
When did you mention her in connection with Sceberras Trigona? More precisely, what is the connection?
Wine never lies. You want to know who’s chummy with whom? Watch government officials at cocktail parties.
I think Muscat is already freaking out at the mammoth task he has.
After the swearing in, he said he needs to work with the opposition for the smooth transition. on Tvhemm Toni Abela said that unfortunately in Malta there is no system where the outgoing Prime Minister gives the handover to the new one and because they have been so long in opposition, transition will take some time also because Labour have never governed under EU.
He even had the nerve to say that when they went into the office, lanqas bicca karta ma kien hemm. What did he expect, that Lawrence Gonzi was going to leave him instructions? God help us.
X’haseb Tony Abela li Lawrence Gonzi ihalli xi trab abjad warajh.
The Economist on Muscat’s desk during his official photoshoot at Auberge de Castille yesterday carried the title ‘Bring in the clowns’.
How long are we going to continue seeing Toni Abela at Castille? After the celebrations ended he had no place to be there.
We were told that Joseph and Toni and Louis discussed initial steps to be taken by the administration. If Toni and Joseph wanted to have a discussion they should have gone to their headquarters in Hamrun. Louis is another matter because he is an elected MP.
Trust them to confuse the state with a Labour mass meeting, music, screens and all.
At least Ray Azzopardi wasn’t on mike, ‘Sinjuuwri, kap tal-partit Jowseff Muscaat…’
Isn’t that ironic? Blokka silg Abela bemoans the lack of continuity while his boss issues order to remove the only structure in place that assures continuity.
Come to think of it. “Yes you are an idiot”
Daph as my first post I would like to do something nice for you. We have a large field in gozo filled in excess of lemons. I saved them for us just in cast but seems that i dont need them anymore. If you need a truck or more let us know. Ill bring them over no hassel
I thought that lemons were out of stock after 25 years of being in opposition.
LOOOOOL Daphne!! You’re such a waste of space!!! OMG your hatred is so evil!! Insomma ha niktiblek bil malti aa sahhara tal bidnija..int vera mara tal misthija waqqajtilna wiccna lart!! Jien nazzjonalista twilidt u nazzjonalista immut.pero int kont ftit mill kagun li il partit taghna tilef..Dak lodju li tfajt tajjar in nies sa anke sahansitra tellajt tal partitarji nazzjonalist u tajjarom Li huma Labour waste of space..Ghajjart bniedem marid bil cancer..Imissek tisthi tajdx li int nazzjonalista ghax waqqajtilna wiccna l’art!! U xi najdu fuq it teatrin li amiltu int u lou bondi?? Izjed hammigtuna ! Tajdux li intom nazzjonalisti twaqqawnix izjed ac cajt izjed milli waqqajtuna!!imissek tisthi!!!
[Daphne – Oh, you used to vote Nationalist? Funny, then, how on turning Labour you adopted the exact same style of discourse and spelling.]
Lilly, mela mur intefgha fl-iskip ta’ Joseph bhal ma ghamlu Jaffry tal-botox u Frankie Tabone, ghax maghhom postok.
ma ktibt xejn Daphne illum, jaqaw ghadek fuq il loki,
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130311/local/top-appointments-in-the-office-of-the-prime-minister-announced.461035
So now the transfers begin. I hope all the PN who voted Labour realise who has been posted and what is coming their way. This plan has been 5 years in the making and you believed it you fools.
I am angry not because the PN lost. It had to happen some day. But to see so many gullible voters who cannot see beyond their Facebook posts is simply tragic.
So, according to Labour, businessmen were friends of the administration. Now they have been given a promotion. They are going to run the country.
For a minute I thought Joseph was going to appoint Zaren or Caqnu as Chief of Staff. They have more business experience than Keith Schembri. Malta would fare better, according to Joseph’s logic.
“The whistleblower act will be implemented as soon as possible while political corruption will no longer be time-barred.” http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-03-11/news/government-to-pass-budget-as-presented-in-november-muscat-1139408899/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
Will it be retroactive? In case, he can probably scrap many of the “new” cabinet-to-be.
A little bit more & will get rid of you hopefully, we will make it in a clever manner, destroying you psychologically so you will end up depressed & eventually end up in a mental institution with other crazy people.
[Daphne – Or you could take the shorter route and have me committed straight away, as Mintoff did with Karm Grima.]
Nice one, D. (Another, I should say).
They’re starting to think they’ve broken you. They just need to exert a little more pressure. Ha-ha.
They’ll be smarter this time, so they “will make it in a clever manner (!), destroying you psychologically (in the style of totalitarian states) so you will end up depressed & eventually end up in a mental institution with other crazy people.”
The clever moron is probably too young to know what Mintoff did with Karmenu Grima.
They want us to believe they’ve changed, that they admitted their past mistakes. How right you’ve been. Changed, my foot!
They are so clever that they have spelled it out to you how they are going to do it. Go figure. So clever indeed, if they are preparing you to counteract. Do I laugh or do I cry?
Malta taghna lkoll… nahseb iktar Malta tal-Kasco
Daphne….. hadt lumi :) ?
Daphne drinks tea with lemon regularly. You won’t be able to drink it because you have no idea how to prepare it properly.
You might have tea in some corner hamallu bar near your parked 1970 red Escort bir-rimmijiet, u xi ofuq ghonqok u bil-qalziet ta’ taht fuq nofs sormok barra, u xi wahda ta’ 19 b’ hips daqs kantuniera li se tkun sinil mader u twelled xi Lejburist iehor parassita tas-socjeta.
Nahseb li le, imma Malta kollha hadet tizbita, u ha tiehu wahda ikbar fil-hames snin li gejjin.
Int hadt xi blokka silg a la Muscat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtSuXLcelZY
History will judge Dr Gonzi to be a man of impeccable integrity, who put our nation’s interests above all else.
The selfishness and short-sightedness exhibited by the electorate, two characteristics which I believe are quasi-intrinsic in the voting population, have dumped this singular statesman.
Indeed, mistakes were made in governance at ministerial or lower levels (e.g. questionable practices of awarding tenders; not necessarily significant ones) and I accept that at times, such ill-informed decisions have hurt many. However, these hurts do not justify the humiliation the former prime minister had to go through.
I cannot but feel angry at such an injustice. I despise anyone who abused whatever position one enjoyed. Thanks to their twisted reasoning, a man of integrity was booted out from his rightful position of leadership.
Kemm hu vili dan Muscat, ghadu kif qal li ha jzomm il-bagit li ghamel Gonzi. Bagit Nazzjonalist hu gvern Socialista. Sur Tonio Fenech ara tlestilux ta’ Ottubru li gej ghax wicchom u …. l-istless dawn in-nies.
Muscat dam idur mal-lewza llejla, pero’ milli stajt nifhem , mhux talli jahdem man-Nazzjonalisti jrid, imma jahdem BIN-Nazzjonalisti.
Portelli staqsih jekk hux possibli segretarju parlamentari, Muscat kemmex xufftejh, ‘le ta’, ghax kontra l-kostituzzjoni’.
Pero’ qal li jista’ jaghti ‘takss specifici’ tal-programm elettorali li skond hu, issa sar ‘nazzjonali’
Dan jaqaw jrid ikejjielha Kastilja?
Fil-fatt ghall-ippjanar tal-Presidenza tal-EU qal li jrid juza nies mill-oppizozzjoni.
Fil-fatt jaf li n-nies tal-Labour kapaci biss biex jaharqu l-bnadar tal-EU u mhux se jaslu iktar minn hekk. Ghandu bzonn in-Nazzjonalisti ghal din l-okkazzjoni u minghajrhom hemm potenzjal ta’ flop qawwi.
Nispera li hadd mill-PN ma jaqa’ ghalih, allavolja cert li jkun hemm xi laghqa li jmorru jpaxxuh.
segretarju parlamentari ghal min irreferejt?
Portelli staqsih jekk meta jitkellem bir-rwol attiv tal-opposizzjoni Muscat hux qed jahseb f’xi hatra trasversali.
Kieku jista, Muscat jiddobba xi zewg nazzjonalisti biex imexxi bihom.
Juri bic-car li meta l-PL ivvota kontra l-budget, ried sempliciment li jwaqqa l-gvern u mhux ghax ma qabilx mal-budget.
L-irgulija tal-PL kienet tohrog kieku vvutaw favur il-budget biex il-pajjiz jibqa’ ghaddej.
Wara kollox Lawrence Gonzi kien ga qal li se jsejjah elezzjoni anka jekk jghaddi l-budget. Imma l-PL ried li jwaqqa’ l-gvern. Din hi l-pozittivita li qed jitkellmu fuqha issa.
Come on! You are talking about credibility?? What did LG do about the divorce referendum? Did he voted in favour in parlament?
[Daphne – The divorce referendum was won by people who vote PN, Johan. A disproportionate number of Labour voters stayed home. You have your answer as to how keen Labour voters were on the introduction of divorce in the electoral failure of Deborah Schembri Tabone (Tad-Divorzju) despite her relentless promotion by the Labour Party throughout the campaign. As for Lawrence Gonzi vote against divorce, I said what I had to say at the time and it is pointless repeating it now.]
Whatever happened to Marlene Mizzi ex-Sea Malta ? Still trying to finish her dissertation on governance before she receives her Kartanzjan ?
The likelihood is that she is waiting to get sent to Brussels to replace Louis Grech or Edward Scicluna.
Ha tibqa terdgha sa lanqas qatra, Aunt Hetty.
Ghax ma tmurx ghal kartanzjan u thalli il-post ghal xi hadd ghadu zghir u ghadu irid jibni karriera.
Il-vera qabda mejtin bil-guh.
Jaqq.
There’s Sharon in the way.
The electorate has bitten the PN’s hand that’s been feeding it for the last five years.
The electorate has been spoiled rotten by PN in government.
The more government gave the more people wanted. It has been a matter of ‘what’s in it for me’ on a personal level and not a national one.
Their blurred vision saw only a switch for a personal selfish gain.
This is the small picture Gonzi spoke about but it does not mean that those disgruntled PN followers had a sacred right to get what they were asking for; yet they stamped their feet like children wanting candy.
Those who in the past voted PN and have switched allegiance to labour have not realised that there is no guarantee that their request will be seen to by labour in government. Time will tell. It is already too late and it is them who will regret their spiteful decision.
I, like many others stuck to my belief and sense of reasoning, even though I felt like giving a lesson the the PN. I preferred to be safe than sorry.
The PN today is at its lowest ebb and the only way is up.
The only way is up. PN, pull up your socks, it’s time to start working. I’m not ashamed that I voted for you. It was the right thing to do. Now please walk with us, all those thousands who voted for you. It’s not as if all Malta voted Labour.
There are enough people to work on two fronts. There should be those who work to elect the new leader and other officials but we have others who can scrutinise Joseph and all he is going to do from day one.
Incidentally, day one was yesterday. So open up your archives and start telling those who don’t know who Mario Cutajar is. He resembles the television programme TVHemm – Dejjem hemm fejn tigri l-istorja. And don’t take a Nationalist’s word for it but ask some ‘real’ Labour people who Mario Cutajar is. I am expecting a full page in Il-Mument about him, next Sunday.
Godwin Grima replaced by Mario Cutajar – lanqas ix-xita hdejn in-nida.
With regards to a new leader, someone on this blog has suggested a woman leader. Why not? Dr. Anne Fenech came immediately to mind. She held up the fort quite remarkably when she was invited to a discussion on TVM as soon as the election outcome was known.
It would be a breath of fresh air to have a new face but at the same time an intelligent. mature woman who will knock some sense into the party MPs and candidates alike. She’s a no nonsense personality. I liked her reasoning and her attitude.
Simon Busuttil and Anne Fenech would make a formidable team.
I just hope that no-one of the old guard is elected to the post. The era of De Marco and Fenech Adami is now over. It is no surprise that their offspring have now thrown their hats into the ring. They certainly didn’t lose much time.
Beppe is a very good strong speaker. But I find him somewhat brash. He lacks charisma and is not approachable – certainly not what is needed in a new leader for the PN. Yes he is similar to his father, but those were different times. Eddie was the right man then. I don’t think Beppe is the right man now.
As for Mario De Marco I am actually disgusted. He was conspicuous by his absence in this election, taking care of his own skin lest he gets associated with a losing team. But he was a Cabinet Minister and shoulders the responsibility along with Gonzi.
I have seen some comments on Simon where some are trying to blame him for the defeat. Whether we like it or not this election was lost ages ago and Simon jumped onto a sinking ship to do whatever he could to help. De Marco on the other hand, got onto one of the proverbial lifeboats and stood by watching it sink.
There is a lot to be said for loyalty as we painfully found out in this legislature. Simon had everything to lose by coming to contest this election. He left his position as MEP, something he loved doing, and was paid well for doing, for a sure place in Opposition. De Marco on the other hand, hid in the shadows all along.
How despicable. The Times couldn’t be more obvious if they tried. Today they printed a whole back page dedicated to De Marco’s Talking Point – giving it full internet coverage where these days it is usually just an abstract. He wrote no similar piece in the election campaign, advocating for the government.
It is quite clear that this has been their game plan all along.
Hear hear.
I feel rather disappointed in Simon. Contrary to his appearances during the EU membership campaign, this time round he was unprepared much too often.
And I’m even more disappointed in De Marco for his absence. I fully agree with AE’s comments and others’ in this regard.
As for the holding of forts, the only two that qualify to my mind are Beppe and Chris. They were always there when the going was tough, and they are both capable of strong and clear argumentation. Chris probably tops Beppe on charisma. Both are fluent with facts to back their arguments.
Old guard? Guido is dead, and Eddie is retired. Calling Beppe and Mario “old guard” and disqualifying them (or qualifying them, for that matter) simply because of their relationships and not evaluating them on their own merits is nonsensical.
Dr Fenech? I don’t know much about her, but I wasn’t impressed much by what I saw. Are we to elect a woman simply for the sake of having a woman in a top post?
If we don’t have delegates capable of good judgement, then bring in the professionals to do it for them and get them to evaluate each and every contender on their leadership qualities and performance, and those alone, whether their name be Tom, Dick, or Harry.
AE, spot on.
Simon and David Casa aren’t to blame.
My vote goes to Tonio Fenech or Beppe Fenech Adami.
I have nothing against Mario Demarco, though he is stubburn and not so friendly with people he doesn’t know personally.
Is Mario Cutajar the permament and official link to Castille for the award of tenders that Tony Zarb was referring to in the leaked recording?
No, that must be Keith of KASCO. Mario Cutajar is the strategist holding the puppet strings, controlling the civil service and communications. He is at loggerheads with Tony Zarb, and causes destruction wherever he goes.
Forsi se nahsadkom, s’issa ma rajtx ghajn hazina minn Joseph, lahhaq nies li jafda biex imexxu l-ufficju tieghu u tkellem b’mod rikonciljattiv.
Li qed niskanta hu kif Silvio Parnis diga elett u li Edward Scicluna ghadu ma telax, u dan juri kemm man-nies trid tkun popolari iktar minn intelligenti jew tal-iskola.
Innutajt kemm l-Ghawdxin mhux ta’ min jafdahom.
You have chosen an appropriate nickname. Joseph Muscat is now Prime Minister. He is accountable to the public. His first appointments are dubious. If they haven’t rung any alarm bells with you, there’s something wrong with the way you absorb and assess information.
Muscat did not speak in a conciliatory manner. Even as he made soothing noises, there were manouevres to dismantle any form of potential restraint on what are most certainly going to be his excesses.
Marco, ara tiehdux int il-lumi, time will tell who will need lemon. Il-budget ta Gonzi ha jaghmel ghax ma kienx kapaci jaghmel wiehed hu. Halli Ottubru li gej u tibda tara min ha jiehdu il-lumi.
Daphne mhux ahjar taccetta it tkaxkira li kellkom Issa. Ghalxejn toqghod tibki Issa ghax l istorja inkitbet Issa jekk m’intix lesta li tahdem mghana oqghod hemm u ara kif ghanda ssir il politika Ta gvern serju mhux circus immexxi minn erbbgha clowns
Daphne issa qeghda gallerija, Sonia. Mela tibki?
Maghna? Jaqaw tifforma parti mil-kabinett ta’ Joseph Muscat?
Ghaddew xi tletin sena u ghadhom itennu id-diskors a la Mintoff – “maghna” “taghna”. L-aqwa li tal-lejber moderni. U progressivi.
Viva Malta taghna lkoll.
Sonia,
intom lesti taccettaw lil dawk li jibqghu jinsistu fuq in-numri, it-teknika u l-evidenza matematika? Dik li tissejjah verita’ tal-fatti?
Jew ahjar, lesti tisimghu minn nies li JAFU li l-progett ta’ Delimara huwa kompletament zbaljat?
Jew l-anqas hekk mhu se thalluna naghmlu? Kemm intom fragli u mbezzgha?
Huwa d-dover taghna li nibqghu ninsistu, u issa li Muscat ghandu l-kumdita’ kollha tal-voti, ghandu d-dover jippublika l-kalkoli li wieghed.
Halli naraw min ghandu ragun.
Sfidawh lil Muscat, biex ahna ma’ jkollniex l-iskuza nitmejlu bl-intelligenza taghkom.
Sakemm ma’ jaghmilx dan, ahna m’ghandniex naccettaw l-ebda telfa morali. Pjuttost intom tinsabu bejn il-basla w qoxritha.
Jien wisq nahseb li studju demografiku tal-voti malajr jurina erbgha dettalji interessanti.
Wisq nahseb li l-moviment beda’ jinholoq mill-bierah. U mhux ta’ Muscat.
Lin-Nazzjonalisti nghidilhom wahda biss, ftakru fil-programm u ghalfejn kollna wara Gonzi. Thalluhiex mar-rih.
Ma kontx naf li gejt eletta. Minn liema distrett?
U Jason Micallef baqa’ l-art.
…….and Yana Mintoff Bland. Phew.
A lot of support for Dr. Ann Fenech on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AnnFenech4PN
I, being the comic book geek that I am, couldn’t help but think of this scene being applicable within a year or two, with the (new) Opposition having no choice but to say ‘no’ due to their minority status:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARDhJ2dpuYU
That being said, though, the PN still has one minor weapon in their arsenal. Muscat promised in the beginning of the campaign that he would resign if his energy plan didn’t work out. So if the PN keep reminding him of that and hold him to that promise, they can at least damage his image among the ‘undecided’ voters (the traitorous lot) next time around.
Malta Tal-Kasco. Viva il-Prim Ministru Muscat il-gurnalist.
U jekk mhi se sservi ghal xejn din it-telfa, ser isservi biex naraw min se jibqa leali lejn il-partit u mhux jabbandunah fl-aktar mument li ghandu bzonnu. Shame on you Jean Pierre
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/Former-MP-disassociates-himself-from-PN-s-contemporary-modus-operandi-20130312
Nixtieq insaqsih kienx jippublika l-ittra kieku tela’ fil-parlament.
1987 – PN won with 16,000 votes u il-pajjiz kien TAL-BIZA.
2008 – PN wins with 1,300 votes u kulhadd jaf kif kien il-pajjiz u min kien qed imexxi l-Partit Laburista (TAL-BIKI).
2013 – PN loses with 36,000 votes.
Jista ikun dan kellu ragun?
Le. Ghax gvern mhuhiex qieghed hemm biex jaqdi n-nies imma biex imexxi l-pajjiz.
Totally lacking in style.
I can’t believe that at this point in time, JPO, Musumeci, Franco and Mugliett are still members of the PN.
It’s time to start drawing lines. Please.
And John Dalli too.
Why did he contest with the PN ?
How generous of Varist. He knows that by helping AD to get a seat in parliament the only party which loses out and is weakened is the PN.
Qalbu zokkra ghal AD.
It’s payback time for AD as well. Maybe that is why they haven’t said anything about the businessman who will be helping Joseph to administer the country.
Businessmen have suddenly turned from barons to heroes. Joseph jaghmel il-megiks.
Bartolo backs call for national threshold as AD is left out (The Times)
Keith Schembri is not helping Joseph run the country. He’s actually doing it, or hadn’t you noticed?
Michael Briguglio expects a seat in parliament.
He says Joseph should make a historically just decision and retrieve the 5000 votes ‘lost’. I presume to AD.
In that case, I expect all the other candidates who didn’t make it to have their no.1 votes summed and the corresponding 5000 multiples translated into extra seats for both parties.
Honestly, my head’s about to explode.
My thoughts exactly.
Whichever way they try to argue this, it is ludicrous.
If they want to translate their first count votes into seats, then they’d be asking for special treatment. That’s not how our voting system works. If this were to be so, then we’d have to drop our STV (single transferable vote) system for ALL parties, not just them.
If they want to translate their final count votes into seats, then as you Josef said, we’d have to treat all non-transferable votes of ALL candidates the same, and adjust the number of seats for ALL parties accordingly.
AD hasn’t managed to get to parliament for 20 years through popular support, and they want to get there through special treatment by amending the constitution.
Face facts, AD. Your “policies” have been rejected time and time again. Call it a day.
The very reason that has kept LP in opposition all these years, and now the PN, is the same reason you haven’t made it to parliament: the popular vote.
What’s good for geese … and all that.
Most probably Joseph the liar might oblige. He said he is ready to work with those who want to work with him. Even the opposition members. Probably, because he has no idea of what the job of governing entails, he is going to make a cabinet that includes those in opposition too, because they have lots of experience now. Who knows, he might even consider Dr Gonzi as a consultant. I can sense fear in his eyes and the frown is back, by the way.
Daphne,
Just a short note to thank you for your excellent electoral coverage through this blog. I am sure it must be tough for you too, but I do hope that this blog remains an important presence on the net.
Thanks for your precious time and effort.
Malta will be run by Kasco. Anyone who was grumbling about not having tenders under PN will now be courting Keith Schembri.
Hbieb tal-hbieb u barunijiet!
Daphne,
It has been almost 2 days without your presence on the net. Hopefully, your return will be sooner rather than later.
As Michelle Pirotta stated, thank you for all your effort.
Mela blajt ilsienek ja qahba. Immodera kemm trid imma jien bhala ex-nazzjonalist eziljata jew mirduma irridek. Ma rridx flusi jigu uzati biex il-pulizija tipprotegik – imbghad min fuq titfaghlom il-mastiff. Nghidlek x’nitfalek jien lilek kieku jkollu cans – u tista ccempel ‘DIAL-A-LOO ‘ kemm trid.
[Daphne – Another savage peasant. I thought your sort would die out with 25 years of civilisation and 9 years of EU membership, but sadly not. Nobody can throw a mastiff. They weight slightly less than Joseph Muscat.]
Ara min irid jirraprezentana fl-Ewropa.
Former Labour leader Alfred Sant said that he is “highly dubious” of the PN’s ability to work as a “loyal opposition,” taking a pot-shot at his former sparring partner Lawrence Gonzi. (The Malta Independent)
Keep up the good work, Daphne, but also remember that life is too short to waste answering Mintoffjani posts. It’s just not worth the trouble!
Take care.
oh put us out of our misery and start blogging again. please?
Dear Daphne,
I hope that you’re safe and well as reading the verbal diarrhea that some people wrote is worrying to say the least.
I would like to thank you for all of your hard work over the past months/year that I have been following you. I hope that you come back on line to write and keep me informed and entertained very soon as I (as many others) miss you!
Keep well and keep safe.
Thank you Dr. Gonzi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qwyIJJxml2g
True leadership.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnO-28xLTiQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HF8egkCZU4
Bdejna!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/local/permanent-secretaries-asked-to-resign.461125
Gbajna nxejru bnadar, it was PL’s turn, ifhem after 16 years jixraq jifirhu naqra hux.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/local/fknk-expects-new-hunting-season-next-month.461124#comment_1732999
new obligations are surfacing everyday.
Dear Daph, do you ever ask yourself if you are wrong? Honestly I think everyone does once in a while.. I am thinking you are just one that really likes to be hated.. I wish you well like I wish everybody else. Could you try for your own sake to live a better life and be loved? Please make an effort.
[Daphne – I have no wish to be loved by anyone other than my family, Rg. Those who believe they are loved by anyone else are deluded. No, I do not think I am wrong. I would be wrong not to do this, for if I stopped, there would be a vacuum in which one set of politicians would run riot because the press appears to be unduly preoccupied with another set. That is precisely why they hate me, so good luck to them.]
Eerily quiet DCG. What have you been up to? Still think we will return to the 80’s? The Maltese people don’t seem to think so. They have given you and all others with the same old mentality, a clear answer.
Hope you enjoyed the swearing in of our new Prime Minister.
[Daphne – I did indeed. His make-up was beautiful, even better than his wife’s. And he must have so enjoyed having his stylish scenario ruined by a clown running around in a pair of orange jeans, like a badly behaved wedding guest trying to steal the limelight from the bride.]
I was waiting for this comment (Daphne’s) since Monday morning.
We totally enjoyed the swearing-in at my parents’ home.
What about Tony Abela’s trying to butt in and showering us with his Mafia-style kisses? And the use of Joseph’s personal car and the EMS licence plate?
Are children commonly admitted in the swearing-in of their ‘parents?’
[Daphne – The answer to the last is ‘Yes’. So are parents.]
tsk tsk JPO, the tears of a clown. by Alfred Sant.
After reading all the comments here, I can finally understand the true meaning of ‘Malta taghna lkoll.’
Malta is now run by everyone including all the spiteful, the marmalja and the undedicated sub-literates, who, unfortunately seem to be the majority.
I see you’ve fallen for the Mao Muscat myth. “The people” are not running the country and will never get more than a token say in anything.
In your last point, La Redoute, you are quite right. Where I beg to differ is that if ‘these people’ are not running the country, who some surely are, then at least, they are privileged to run unhindered and protected by the government. Still a scary thought.
It is glaringly obvious why Lawrence Gonzi never stood a chance. The knives are out and The Times and de Marco are at the forefront trying to take over the Nationalist Party as it sits in tatters after this heavy defeat – the very same The Times that owes hundreds of thousands of euros (if not millions) to the man who has now been made Joseph Muscat’s chief of staff, for the machinery it bought for its new printing-press and for the paper it still buys.
Mario de Marco was nowhere in this electoral campaign.
Meanwhile, that poor sod Lawrence Gonzi was trying to run this country not only against all odds but increasingly against internal rivalry that was out to get him and who must now be in delirious glee seeing the heavy downfall of their main target.
They spoke of imaginary evil cliques while operating as a truly evil clique themselves.
I am currently ‘exiled’ in the UK, but saw it coming and flew out on the Saturday evening flight to Stansted, and the first thing I will be doing Sunday morning on coming back is to tell my neighbourly newsagent to stop delivering The Times to my doorstep. I will switch to The Malta Independent, not because it is friendly or of much good, but mainly because I can’t see myself not reading a mewspaper during breakfast, that’s all.
Sorry for this rant but thank you for standing tall for what we deem is right.
I’m sure your tremendous capabilities in sharing your thoughts will come out even more starkly clear once this idiot starts ruining this place bit by bit. Grazzi.
I stopped buying it around 3 years ago.
They’ve already started. The first summary execution was last Monday, the second round was yesterday.
I wonder whether de Marco actually thinks he can wear the badge of state on his lapel.
He’ll have to forego something else.
I too felt uncomfortable about de Marco and also about The Times.
I cannot put my finger on it but I sensed that both were hoping for a PN defeat.
awwww so quiet now that you no longer have the where’s everybody backup and govt. coverage … what’s the matter no more courage to lash out your rudeness ? Its funny you call MLP party and supporters names when you are so much worse when it comes to ethics and manners, so much for your high standards … you prove to be far more ignorant than what you consider a hamallu/a :)
I tried to do the mets and (not for lack of knowledge) can’t seem to make the numbers add up. I mean if we were Greece, Spain, Portugal, etc with the shitstorm that these guys have in their economy, it would be understandable. But Malta? WTF.
Therefore, my conclusion is that this was not only an ‘engineered’ loss but an ‘over engineered’ loss…it’s like someone wants to lose a game – eg of football; doesn’t really care about the score, as long as they lose. The only problem is they end up losing 9-0 and not 2-0 (which is what they hoped for).
IMO – which can be stranger than fiction, the PN (or rather, some elements within the PN) wanted to lose but didn’t gamble on losing by so much.
The architect of such a loss could be anyone who wants to 1. permanently remove the current party structure (klikka), or 2. is in line for the party leadership. My guess is it’s a bit of both. The next few months will be very telling.
You be the judge.
Are the courts still discussing the ‘oil commissions’ case? It’s been fairly silent lately.
Based on the landslide defeat the PN is likely to be in Opposition for the next ten years. Daphne, who would you prefer to see as the leader of the PN, whether newly elected in parliament or from outside that can be co-opted?
[Daphne – When Alfred Sant was elected, everyone said 10 years as well. Everybody also said ‘give him a chance’ just as they are doing now with Joseph. I have no views on the PN leader, because there are no contenders yet. I think the new leader should be a woman. Labour talks a great deal about being progressive and having women here and there, but then elected a man. There is somebody I think would be perfect for the job, but because she hasn’t shown any interest yet, I won’t bring her name into it.]
Is she Dr Fenech?
Kevin would be upset about that!
@ matt
The higher one goes the harder the fall.
Aktar ma toghla, habib, tisbita akbar tiehu.
Agreed on the leader.
LOL @ tina b !! tina b aka daphne mur intrema int go skip haha ax andek odju fuqek tal biza!! u daphne jien il partit tieghi ivvutajt lin nazzjonalisti ax ek twilidt u ek immut..Pero int in nofs tal kagun li il partit taghna tilef!! u fuq hekk int ittimbrata ma hafna nies! u ha najdlek ohra igifiri li kieku jien qbilt mijak kont inkun nazzjonalista pura?? Hanini ha najdlek doctor fenech adami kien il bniedem li ghaqqad il malta u nehha il vjolenza u qatt ma ittollera dawn it tip ta nies li huma bhalek!! In nazzjonalisti m’humiex oddjuzi u baxxi kif int int!! waqqajtulna wiccna lart!! IMISSEK TISTHI!! Issa oqod bil police wara il bieb tad dar ta.ghax il hsara li amiltilna lilna in nazzjonalisti bdak lilsien hazin landek u hammigtilna il partit u hammigt lil doctor gonzi ghax tefaw ritratt tijak mijaw jajdu il friend of friends,TAL BIZA JEKK NARAWK !! ieqaf ghajd li int nazzjonalista thamgilnix isimna izjed..U ohra jien nikteb fil qasir hanini serrah rasek skola naf bhal ma taf inti.u mumiex spelling mistakes..LOL you are such a FREAKY BITCH !!
[Daphne – I’ve run a search on your IP number, ‘lilly’, among the comments on this blog, and have found that back around the time of Mintoff’s death, you had posted comments in support of him, under the name of Chalie. So I think we can drop the show. As I said to you earlier, your language and form of discourse give you away.]
Lilly, isma minni, mur hu Valium ha tikkalma li ma jmurx jigrilek bhal Frankie Tabone.
Inkella mur sal klinik ta’ Jaffry forsi joffrilek xi ‘mukk’ Earl Grey.
Kemm intkom tad-dahq, jahasra.
where are you ugly beast need some lemons ?
[Daphne – No wonder life in some working-class environments has traditionally been hell for women. The misogyny in most of the Labour comments here is just unbelievable. You really are from the gutter. How sad that you have no idea that you actually need to better yourselves and get beyond this. Joseph won’t do it for you. You have to do it for yourself.]
From timesonline:
Eddy Privitera Today, 16:37
“Asking permanent secretaries to resign does not mean that none of them will be reappointed. Indeed, they should have offered their resignation and then it is up to the PM and his ministers to decide whether to reappoint them or appoint a new permanent secretary. That is why they are appointed on temporary contracts.”
Nistennew u naraw.
Trust Eddy Privitera to miss the point. Temporary contracts are supposed to run their course and permanent secretaries are not supposed to resign before that happens.
Mintoffian politics. Day two.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/local/permanent-secretaries-asked-to-resign.461125
How to disrupt the civil service.
Day 2.
Actually,
http://www.independent.com.mt/mobile/2013-03-12/news/permanent-secretaries-asked-to-resign-1151565824/
Maybe The Times should offer its resignation.
Permanent secretaries were asked to resign, though they are not meant to do so. All political appointees are supposed to resign, but Cutajar felt it was necessary to tell them that they should.
Each newspaper reported only part of the story.
In that case, this Mario Cutajar is trouble.
I don’t want to know what will happen to the director of contracts.
INCREDIBLE. No blogpost in 3 days! That’s way too fishy.
[Daphne – I’m working on a project, Drattax. You people are something else. You come in here repeatedly telling me to f**k off and die, but when you see no new posts you are bereft. Life must be totally dull on pro-Labour blogs.]
They’re all hooked on this blog, imsieken.
After all, this had to happen, with one seat and with seven makes no difference. The PN could not stay in government forever. After summer we move on to autumn and then winter.
We had it good under the PN. If the Lejber team wishes to outshine the PN they have to work really hard.
It is not good for a party to stay there for long, just look what happened in Italy, the demoChristiani were completely finished. We could not come to that.
The Maltese nation needs a period of thought and to see what they are missing or losing. I understand that the real result will soon be exposed. Lejber has a terrible reputation, They have to work hard to impress me.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/local/permanent-secretaries-asked-to-resign.461125
And 3,2,1…GO, here the true colours start emerging!
Daphne, I’m dying to read your posts once the ‘new’ cabinet is announced. What about the fact that they asked the permanent secretaries to resign?
[Daphne – I need to clear some delayed magazine work first. Sorry about that.]
Perhaps when understandable anger, shock and sorrow will fade, some people will start to understand the real reasons for this defeat, and they are anywhere but here.
They will also realise that the PN have spent more than the average duration, in a span, that a political party spends governing a country of normal human nature tendencies.
Mostly western democracies, with the same usual spectrum of the ‘hamalli’ reds vs the rest, and some with a bloodier recent political history than ours (of class, liberty and other struggles).
Besides, this ‘spite’ thing is being stretched too far, even if in a democracy it still does not matter. And for rational minds that are still not blinkered by emotions, it cannot be the significant reason. Unless people voting against a party for not liking aspects and attitudes of its governance are wrongly included within this category.
The UK’s conservative party was in power for four terms, starting with Margaret Thatcher in 1979.
Rajt x’imkien imkisser Daphne hi. Tawk risposta l-laburisti u orew lil kullhadd kemm hu poplu matur u mohhu miftuh. And by the way ix-xenata li ghamiltu int u siehbek lou ma rnexxietx. MALTA TAGHNA ILLKOL. VIVA JOSEPH MUSCAT FOR MAKING A NEW TOMORROW.
[Daphne – When your tomorrow becomes new, Samantha, please write in and tell me about it, and about how it’s changed. Until then, you’ll still have to carry on with your usual dull routine, as do we all.]
Samantha, tomorrow does not exist.
It seems that some Labour supporters are suppressing the barbarian inside them, it’s thanks to their idolatry to Joseph that they didn’t do any wrongdoing.
Well, I’m already smirking at Labour’s problems. They’ve broken the promise of Malta Taghna Lkoll by asking ALL the permanent secretaries to resign, leaving the public service without talent and direction, giving us a PPS who is a Commy Union activist and now hunters are blackmailing them and wanting all their demands met, similar to the PLO back in the 80s. Not bad for the first 24 hours.
I am copying my comment from further down….
They are polical appointees…its obvious that they were asked to resign. Obviously after 25yrs of power the PN rooted their people in key places. So a certain reshuffle had to be done. And with all due respect, these people surely would have felt uneasy working under a PL minister and vice versa for the minister too. He needs to be assured that those under his ministry are focused on the same goal and not having a different agenda.
Daphne has a lot to write about, but I think she’s waiting for the official cabinet line up which will come out tomorrow.
[Daphne – Well, actually I’m trying to pull a magazine together…]
Like many of us, Daphne knew that this election was a sure win for Labour, all surveys pointed that way.
The writing was already on the wall that this election was for Labour since the MEP elections, divorce referendum and the Arriva blunder, not to mention the loose cannon fire from Franco, Jeffrey and Mugliett.
[Daphne – The writing was on the wall in March 2008. The Nationalist Party nearly lost against Sant, so they were bound to lose against whoever replaced him, no matter what they did or didn’t do. Those five years were five years of grace – not for the PN but for the country, because they literally saved Malta at a very, very difficult time and covered even the negotiation (just in time before Labour was elected) of Malta’s share of the EU budget. Imagine if all that had been left to Alfred Sant and his magic team. Around 750 people saved us from that, but they saved us.]
I hope we read her Malta Independent article next Thursday.
Many “Labour” voters have started to lose patience waiting for the tax refunds on their second-hand cars “tal-Ingirterra”.
That was MEP Louis Grech’s baby, and Joseph’s solemn promise.
They say that a €32,000,000 expense can easily be inserted in the coming budget.
The Italian saying fits perfectly here: “Ogni promessa e’ u debito.”
Same goes with the trappers who expect to trap for “il-Gojjini ta’ Marzu” this spring. Pity that Dr Michael Falzon was not elected.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090314/local/huge-queue-of-people-for-pl-court-case-against-vat.248779
Sorry it was just €50 million and 14,000 applied.
Watching Bondi+. Extremely interesting questions by Lou Bondi on declarations by Joseph Muscat like:
“Il-Gvern Gdid lest jahdem ma min lest jahdem maghna. ”
And:
“Se niggvernaw bhala moviment.”
The replies by Toni Abela are not convincing at all.
Besides, I could detect that Toni Abela is scared of the task ahead.
Toni Abela is not part of government.
Ara tghidx li kkonvincik Clyde Puli taa….l-istess kummenti qisu ghadu waqt kampanja elettorali. M’hemmx li jinbidlu certu nies. Baqa ma tghallimx li dawk it-tip ta kummenti komplew ziedu id-differenza fil-voti bejn il-partiti
Good on them, the hunters. As the one comment beneath the article suggests, they have delivered their side of the deal last Saturday, and now it’s Joseph Muscat’s turn.
What do the environmentalists have to say about this?
Let’s see Joseph Muscat manage this like a Moviment Malta Tana Lkoll.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/FKNK-congratulates-Muscat-says-time-for-spring-hunting-derogation-20130312
Socialists missing their targets.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21762247
Monsieur Hollande – Joseph’s friend around the EU table – is presiding over more than 3 million unemployed. Nice friends he associates himself with, Dr. Muscat.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/FKNK-congratulates-Muscat-says-time-for-spring-hunting-derogation-20130312
That’s 10,000 hunters Joseph !
I couldn’t stop grimacing at the rude comments left by some poor individuals who think that by swearing and being offensive they are being cool.
Unfortunately they are only living up to their historical reputation and damaging that of those who are not hamalli but who voted PL for their own reasons which I fully respect.
In my opinion, the “Malta taghna lkoll” motto was more intended to gain trust in a changed Labour Party than for a change in government.
I went to a free-for-all university, and all of my coursemates found employment in the public sector regardless of their political views.
If that is not proof of a “Malta taghna lkoll”, then what is?
As for voting for personal interest or by spite, I can add yet another instance. I work in healthcare (where, unlike other government departments your workload far surpasses your salary) and when I congratulated the now former health minister for the agreement reached with the Allied healthcare professionals, he told me that some employees were angered by the fact that a Masters degree was deemed equivalent to 15 years of service for a scale raise.
Typical behaviour of those who go to work just to get a salary rather than for the love of it. This shows that you can never make everyone happy.
I am not rich but have grown up comfortably under a PN government and was content to continue doing so for a further five years. Now that PL has been given another chance by the people, I just hope that they don’t throw it down the drain. Also because the future of our dear little island depends on it.
Has anyone heard the rumour about that PN-vote-stealing-snake-in-the-grass Arnold Cassola? Apparently he’s been offered a consultancy job within the PN due to his expertise in running a small political party. For shame!
[Daphne – Very amusing, jackie. In any country in the world, a political party that represents 43% of the vote is big, not small. As AD itself likes to remind us, throughout much of Europe, governments are formed of coalitions of parties with small percentages of the total vote, and absolute majorities are rare.]
Well Daphne, Joseph Muscat has given Malta the mother of all absolute majorities. Even the conservative ‘hero’ Eddie Fenech Adami could never do to Labour what Muscat has inflicted on the PN!
[Daphne – That is not a reflection on any of the individuals concerned, Mr Scicluna. It is a reflection on the electorate of an immature, post-colonial and very unsophisticated democracy. Even you should be able to see that, for despite coming from a family of Mintoffian 1950s/1960s emigres to Australia, I suspect you have had an education there which should give you some sense of perspective.]
Mr Scicluna may have had an education in Australia but more often than not Maltese emigres and expats with a similar mentality tend to mix and socialise only with people of their same descent and ilk, Daphne.
I have observed this many times. Many Sicilian emigres and expats tend to do exactly the same thing.
Good comment, Daphne, regarding the “immature, post colonial and very unsophisticated democracy”.
What are your thoughts regarding the fact that having the Labour Party in power, who are making the right noises regarding working with people from outside the PL in developing the level of democracy in Malta? Whether it happens or not, of course remains to be seen.
[Daphne – It’s total bollocks. It is a government’s duty to always bring in the best people for the job, as distinct from the best party supporters. This has been happening for years already, with some serious aberrations as when Louis Grech and Marlene Mizzi, two incompetents appointed by Labour to chair Air Malta and Sea Malta, were retained by the Nationalist government even though they couldn’t perform to the required level, so that they would not be seen as ‘guillotined heads’, and when the previous government appointed an unfit individual, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, to chair the Malta Council for Science and Technology, and another unfit individual, John Dalli, to the post of EU Commissioner. Any departure from ‘the best man/woman for the job’ dictum is going to be ill-advised. Those doing the appointing have a primary responsibility to the country, not the party or even the individuals in government.]
Surely in 5 years time, the fact that we hopefully will have two experienced parties contesting will allow people to vote based on realistic manifestos and less of the tribal, mud slinging mess that we just went through?
The past is dwelt on too much nowadays as a form of scaremongering when the important matters are not being dealt with, to the detriment of Malta as a whole. Opening the system up will benefit us as a nation rather than individual parties.
[Daphne – Julo, the past is the making of the present. What we saw today was the partial return of Alfred Sant’s cabinet from 1996 and the return of people who made government decisions in the Mintoff and KMB years. This is completely unacceptable for a wide variety of reasons that I have written about before. Leaving us politics and morality, even on the competence issue alone it should be obvious why they are unfit. If they made such a hash of things in the relatively simple and uncomplicated conditions of a protected island economy in the early 1980s and then the more diverse mid-1990s, how in God’s name are they going to cope in the vastly more complicated scenario of an EU member state in 2013, and at a time of life when both their energy and intellectual capacity are naturally worn down through age?]
How about the PN start rebuilding by approaching those who somehow gave their vote to AD?
And will Robert Arrigo please help the party and stop bashing Simon on the head?
Personally, I would love to join and contribute, but seeing this nonsense doesn’t really make it an attractive prospect.
Simon didn’t do what Franco, Jesmond, JPO and John Dalli did. Can we please put in some perspective, or is Robert so offended Simon vouched to listen to the blessed Slimizi, which I take it, are the quintessential special attention group in this country?
If I may, the demographics have changed, issues have evolved, and a society as microcosmic as ours requires a analysis employing a number of criteria which I doubt Arrigo will even understand.
What we have to do here is stop the fundamentalism otherwise we risk losing another party.
I come on this blog and feel at home, I also share the values which the PN expresses. Sometimes I refrain from answering certain comments which hold no ground in 2013 Malta.
Comments which pertain to a vision contradicted by the bare fact that Malta, to my knowledge, hasn’t moved a centimeter in space, rendering it open to cultural influences which the PL has taken on board.
Can we please subscribe to this, If Labour manages to make inroads into one of the two Maltas, the inverse can be achieved. I would even kick off a study into the sustainability of the Republic.
Lou Bondi was onto something yesterday evening when he enquired about the natural state of this population. Toni Abela was satisfactorily inept and out of his depth.
But that, if I may, requires a pax between the two languages devoluted into the PN.
This can be the opposite of what most fear.
Now if anyone wishes to criticise my deep south nationalist nature, guys, we’re the ones who’ve had direct exposure to Labour’s gut instinct.
Know them to understand. And I’m not even a PN tesserat.
Both me and my wife work to support our family BUT our standard of living has been decreasing over the years. Our salaries haven’t increased much but utility rates and the cost of living has been increasing over the years. As years have passed by, he ended up working more overtime but yet at the end of the day, we don’t get more spending power.
My family based our vote on 1 question; has our standard of living increased or decreased over the last 5 years? The government keeps going on and on about creating 20,000 jobs. Even if it were true, has it made my life easier?
I have voted PN since the 1998 election which was the first time I was entitled to vote, I kept voting PN over all the past general elections but I can’t understand the party anymore. I can’t understand its vision; In fact I don’t even know if GonziPN has a vision anymore. I feel like the party’s ultimate goal was to join the European union but that was it. Our country hasn’t even moved 1 step forward since then.
Joseph Muscat looked interesting, someone fresh in the political world with a bright and refreshing attitude. He had new ideas and a very progressive vision of our country. Joseph Muscat was the better choice out of the stale government of GonziPN made up of conservative dinosaurs.
Why should I be called as being ‘less intelligent’ or ‘an idiot’ for making this choice?
I voted Muscat, we’ll see what he delivers in the next 5 years but I think overall it will be a positive change with great minds like Profs. Scicluna and Karmenu Vella.
[Daphne – Your last sentence is the answer to the question immediately prior to it. I can see your reasoning throughout and understand it. It’s the conclusion that is wrong.]
I’m in the same situation like yours, dear Edward and there are a lot of people out there who are not in this cocoon called Malta who are ‘lucky’ enough who survived this economic depression up till now.
I suggest that you print your comment and keep it in a drawer to serve you as a reminder when you go to vote next time.
Edward, your fourth paragraph also says it all as you are writing in the past.
So you’re voting for a vision of a power station we don’t need and 25% less electricity rates and a great mind like Karmenu Vella? You’re a moron.
You don’t vote Muscat to say ‘we’ll see’.
The ‘we’ll see’ means you’re not sure.
You vote Muscat to say ‘I know for a fact’.
@ Edward Cuschieri
The fact that both yourself and your wife have jobs to go to with overtime to boot is a sign of prosperity and achievement by the government.
People your age in the golden years of the likes of dinosaurs you mention in your last sentence had no jobs to go to.
Moreover if, like myself, you practised your right to freedom of expression/association and openly supported a political party that was not Labour, you would be unemployable no matter how bright and qualified you were.
To be admitted in the civil service, banks and all other entities controlled by the regime you had to be vetted by your local Labour Party club first. And those were practically the only jobs available because the private sector was rapidly grinding to a halt and shrinking by the day.
Unless of course you were ready to join one of the ‘Dejmas’ invented from time to time by the great leader of then. Minimum wage under military rule so kindly made available by the party of the workers. How ironic. No trade unions there.
And if you stood up and complained you could be court marshalled, sacked and struck off the registry.
Yo mention GonziPN made up of conservative dinosaurs. Are you kidding? Now let’s see shall we.
Later on today Muscat will be introducing the ‘new’ cabinet, a great chunk of which will be made up of dinosaurs of yesteryear’s golden age which I mentioned above. But we knew that was coming didn’t we?
And if you did not it’s not us but you should be calling yourself less intelligent and an idiot.
Edward Scicluna, Karmenu Vella, Marie louise Coleiro whatsit, Joe Mizzi, Leo Brincat, George Vella, Anton Refalo, Evarist Bartolo. Bright, fresh and interesting indeed. Progressive? DAZGUUUUR!
So you could not understand PN’s vision but at the same time completely understood Muscat’s vision. And it was? Please do explain it to us, because I am still at a loss.
But of course. It’s a rowd mep. Rowd mep konkret u kostid.
It was a very simple road map that even a dog-jockey like Kurt Farrugia could follow. Basically it was a short, practically straight line from Mile End to Castille and they got there big time.
I can understand, though not condone, people in business riding the gravy train. I could try to understand, unsuccessfully, waiters and barmen turned hotel owner millionaires, under successive PN governments, boasting they voted Labour. The latter I condemn with contempt.
But people like you and your wife, both in a job with overtime, when across Europe and indeed the whole world other couples have been losing their jobs on a daily basis, I can never understand. You might have even kept your jobs by direct intervention by the government which helped so many enterprises in trouble to keep their workforce. They worked their socks off to do this and create new jobs for a load of ungrateful gits.
I wish you all the luck in the world and I think we all are going to need it.
I hope that your job will be secure and start paying better salaries in the very near future. I also hope that there will be so much job creation that you will be spoilt for choice of better jobs. Who knows? Maybe next time I will indeed ‘make the switch’ … off this bloody island.
I’m not happy with a “we’ll see…”
Cuschieri, thank you for your last tragicomic sentence.
“Both me and my wife work to support our family BUT our standard of living has been decreasing over the years. Our salaries haven’t increased much but utility rates and the cost of living has been increasing over the years. As years have passed by, he ended up working more overtime but yet at the end of the day, we don’t get more spending power.”
——–
Your spending power depends on how well you administer your finances, and not on how much money you earn.
I could be earning for example eur5,000 a month. If I don’t look after my finances properly, I’d feel as you are feeling: out-of-pocket.
The Maltese, need to learn that it’s not what you earn but how you administer it, that matters.
If I were in your position, I’d be ashamed to say that you have two salaries coming in, every month, and your spending power has not increased. If this is your case, this is your problem and it has nothing to do with the government (whoever he may be) and his administration. If you don’t have spending power, then something is wrong with how you and wife, are administering your finances.
It is my understanding that the Maltese people are too busy concentrating on the Government’s financial administration, that they’ve forgotten to do something about their own – that perhaps this has led them to lose the focus on their own problems.
We, as a nation, are too interested on what other’s are doing, rather than what we are doing, so much that when things go wrong, we don’t even know that we attracted our own problems, not the Gov.
To Edward Cuschieri: I read and re-read what you wrote and the more I read, the more I realise that what is wrong is how you are managing your two salaries. I’m sure that if you had to earn the third salary, you’d still be complaining.
Which reminds me of my kid – no matter how many toys he is given, he always complains he hasn’t got enough and you know why: because we are doing something wrong: we have spoilt him by giving him more than he needs, so much that he is not playing with all of them and he is not appreciating all of them, and he hasn’t got enough time to play with all of them, so he has nothing else to do except complain that he hasn’t got enough.
Yes, sadly, some Maltese are behaving like three year-olds! Edward, if you’re not managing, then look at how you are managing or get an accountant to do the homework for you.
Hi Daphne, very happy to see that you are still blogging.
For a while not seeing any new uploads was thinking the worst, but now I see this is a time for reflection.
Very timely no doubt, but keep up the good work. They might hate you, but only you do what journalists in Malta should do, keep the political class on their toes. The fun is yet to come.
Malta Taghna Lkoll imbarra tal-permanent secretaries.
Tajjeb li Joe Ellul Vincenti lahaq hareg bil-pensjoni ghax kien jaqlaghha.
I am sorry to see Dr.Gonzi resign. He was too good for us. We did not deserve to have him. Pearls thrown infront of swine. He worked tirelessly for Malta and look what gratitude he received – not.
Dr. Joanna Drake is my favourite for the party leader.
Shame, big shame on those using such foul, despicable language in comments directed at you here.
Dr. Joanna Drake is a very interesting concept to put forward in the Nationalist Party leader’s race. I do agree and would heartily go for the good Dr. and famous firebrand.
Another innovative idea would be Clyde Puli to my way of reasoning. He’s erudite, quick-witted, intelligent, personable, a strong speaker, but maybe too young (?). I’d only endorse Mr. Puli if he promises to take care of changing his shirts and ties (especially those knots) though.
Dr Gonzi may have resigned but that does not mean his political knowledge resigns with him.
Dr Gonzi will now sit and watch, as all of us will be doing. Time will prove that his political decisions for Malta were accurate and correct.
Dr Gonzi, Malta tibqa warajk.
I am under the impression that Joseph Muscat; the greatest presumptuous of all times is almost suggesting a national government, like the one Greece had when it faltered by the great recession. Is anyone else under this impression or am I alone? He said he has a place for everyone, also including Dr Gonzi now. Go figure… after all the hatred and mud-slinging purposely thrown in Dr Gonzi’s face from the PL abetted with others from within the PN itself to bring him down, Joseph is now almost asking for Dr Gonzi’s assistance.
He won’t shoulder government. He was taken aback by Gonzi’s prompt reply to take up the opposition yesterday morning.
Joseph had been procrastinating on opening parliament, he said it would be best left to the PN to elect a new leader first, that’s three months my dears.
I have concern about the current talk about changing the electoral rules to provide a seat to AD because the total number of their votes surpassed the 5000 mark. This number is made up by adding the total number of votes across several districts.
Some are suggesting that if a minority manages to get over 5000 votes over several districts then due consideration for a seat must be given. And which individual gets the seat?
I presume the individual with the largest number of votes – but still below the quota. The total number of votes that should be considered is the total number of votes for a particular district.
On this measure, if this consideration develops into law, when extended to other losing MPs (from all sides) who did not reach the required quota would surely have a valid argument to state that if you add up all of their parties’ lost votes together you should then also allocate an additional seat – per 5000 lost votes – for all those political groupings which exceed say 5000.
You cannot have two weights and two measures. Where will it end?
If representation is based on seats and a party cannot gain a seat with the required quota – then it should not be given a representative. Notwithstanding the constitutional quirk that currently exists to ensure proportionality – which is based a premise that the party with the majority of votes wins power.
One of the ways out of this impasse is to maybe consider limiting an individual’s ability to stand for more than one district. And also limit the number of individuals per political party per district to one.
That will make the political fight much harder and based more on a political party rather than an individual.
It will avoid politicians from the same political party having to compete with each other and also provides a political party with the opportunity to endorse their representative for each district.
With the system the way it stands at the moment minority parties like AD should be focussing all of their efforts, resources and energies on one district – the one district where they think they have a chance of winning. Although this really means it’s one Samson against two Goliaths.
[Daphne – Thank you for raising this subject. I agree with you completely re the seat for AD and had been intending to write about this. You can’t a double system operating on the basis of whether you are a small or large party. ‘Small parties can have a national quota but large parties can’t.’ This is being done for one purpose only, and the clue is in the fact that Labour is promoting the idea. Labour never does anything that isn’t to the Labour Party’s (as distinct from the state/people’s) particular advantage.]
It’s Labour’s move to keep AD in existence. One would think an AD voter cares for the issues.
Environment anyone? The PN will have to do at this stage. Take over Armier, Mepa, Delimara, hunting and make them the non-negotiable matters of state.
And link them to the economy in numbers related to EU funds, fines, drop in arrivals,the works
Just watch Mepa and public transport fold.
The green economy is ours. There’s no way Muscat can somehow spin it.
Ejja PN, no more questioning your voter base, there’s another 30,000 voters coming up in five years’ time.
Does Muscat think Delimara won’t face a stream of protestors in Valletta?
there’s another 30,000 voters coming up in five years’ time.
tajjeb halli 5 snin ohra nirbhu b 65000 hahahahahahahahahah
anzi flaht tikteb ax kiku jin adni stordut b din it tkaxkira li laqqatu!!
MDEJJQIN
Mhux ovvja li kieku int stordut, mela wiehed jikteb bhalek jista’ qatt johlom li jizboq xi haga bhal din.
Intom ghalhekk Labour, ghax m’ghandkomx kont ta’ hajjitkom, u issa mimlijin li l-gvern se jidhol fuqna ghalikom.
joseph, tridx nilghabu mhatra jien u int min minnha t-tnejn ghandu bzonn il-gvern iroxxlu l-flus tal-poplu biex jiekol?
Ma nahsibx li jkun sew nilghablek min jaghti x-xoghol lil haddiehor. Nkun qed nisirqek.
Here are two reasons why the PN lost in a big way.
Including opportunist JPO shooting fish in a barrel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVpPrzC078Y
Is it a coincidence that most of the Nationalists I know and who followed Super One ended up voting for Labour?
[Daphne – Can we cut this crap once and for all? You are what you vote. Someone who votes Labour is a Labour supporter, not a Nationalist.]
The nauseating eks-Nazzjonalist justfication for existence:
I know for a fact that the sun rises daily without fail. But I watched Super One and they convinced me that this was not the case for the past couple of years.
And guess what. 55% of the population were convinced too. And if a majority, correction, a super majority, is convinced, then it must be true.
In a few hours two abstracts have just been tossed out of the window.
Malta Taghna Lkoll
The demonisation of the €500 increase to PN ministers
To be honest I am not particularly surprised by the result (disappointed yes, but not surprised). You would have thought that the fact that Malta is now much better run and in much better financial shape (and is in fact doing rather well – certainly when you look at how much of a basket case the rest of the EU is) would have guaranteed a PN victory.
Unfortunately voters (and not just in Malta but all over) somehow too often just don’t connect the years of growth, prosperity, low unemployment, increased opportunity and all the other good things they’ve enjoyed with the government they had during that rosy period – weirdly, they seem to think it is not connected at all, just, somehow coincidental.
I think it was PT Barnum who said that no one ever got poor by underestimating the taste of the public and he was, without doubt, absolutely spot on. The only silver lining I can see is that having inherited a growing economy with all indicators pointing towards years of prosperity the new PM can’t blame anyone but himself if (when?) a wheel comes off and it all goes tits up.
I know that may not be much consolation but it’s something to keep in mind.
What is the free trade unions’ opinion on Mr. Mario Cutajar being made chief of the civil service and the call for resignation of Permanent Secretaries?
From the begenning of the campaign, Joseph Muscat stressed that now it (the Labour Party) was no longer a party but a movement. On this point I am not so very clear,: Could anybody explain to me the difference? Has it been officially declared? will the change mean that the Labour Party Statute have no legal standing any more? perhaps someone will elaborate for me – thanks
Even they do not know how to explain. Toni Abela wasn’t able to give an answer to Lou Bondi yesterday.
Technically and constitutionally it’s the Labour Party that counts but then Toni tried unsuccessfully to fit in the Movement.
It’s just a matter of convenience. Use the correct term where it fits and according to need.
[Daphne – Toni Abela shouldn’t even have been there on the show. He has no government role.]
The really positive fact about the outcome of the election is that considering the old and true saying,’to create you must first destroy’, the PN is fortunate enough to have been totally destroyed.
[Daphne – It has not been totally destroyed. Please let’s leave aside the hysterical hyperbole. You do not need to first destroy things to create something new. Think about it. You are quoting Josef Stalin, and his words are those of a totalitarian. Quoting Josef Stalin in the context of restructuring the Nationalist Party? I don’t think so.]
They have a clean slate for the first time in 3 decades so have a great opportunity to rise from the ashes and come back in five years time, stronger, leaner and better than they ever were.
The choice of who leads the PN is crucial, and if anyone associated with the last administration is selected then I feel it would be the wrong choice. The PN need to think outside the box, and choose a leader who is a relative outsider, just as Joseph Muscat was.
The only complication that I foresee for the PN is that unlike Labour, which only had a few possible choices of who to select, the PN has a large pool of possible candidates to choose from, and this can create confusion, which could allow someone like Beppe FA or Mario De Marco to slip in, when it is clear that this would be a guarantee to remain in opposition for decades.
Let’s hope the wise choice is made.
[Daphne – Yes, and there is also the post of secretary-general.]
Mela sparrixejt minn wicc id-dinja Dear Daph known as il-Qahba kerha tal-Bidnija and in closer qurters as dik il-kornuta tal-Bidnija. Jaqaw qieghda tistahba ma’ dak l-ikrah l-iehor your friend Lou Bondi li gie jigbidlek il-movie. Ara kif they are going to throw you away like yesterday’s newspaper il-High Class Friends tieghek. You have become laughing stock and the subject of merriment in your so called high class friends’ parties.Hu go fik
[Daphne – Only people like you think of others as ‘high class’, Morpheus. And only people like Joseph and Michelle suffer from social anxiety. It’s not a good idea to project your inferiority complex and hang-ups onto others. You know nothing about how life works outside your immediate experience, so don’t bother fantasising about it. It gets tedious.]
Hey how r u ?? thought you are still on sick leave.welcome back so we continue to lough,it seems that your companies doctors Peppi-Lou-Norman & their nurse Ileen Montesin helped a lot for your recovery.well done to them.
Because you do not want to publish my blog posts i have to copy and paste the same posts to your ex blog so everyone can see it,you had ignored my warning that i gaved you that soon a TSUNAMI will follow against you,it seems that i was 100% right, pls read below i know that at least you can read in english.
De Marco similarly recognised and disavowed politics by character assassinations and personal attacks, personified by Nationalist pundit Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Thanks Daph keep up your good work much appriciated for Malta Taghna Ilkoll.
Always yours RAMBO.
[Daphne – De Marco did nothing of the sort. Read his original article in The Times http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/opinion/five-years-forward-together.461113 rather than the skewed report, with added lies, in Malta Today http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/De-Marco-s-post-mortem-spells-out-aspirant-s-vision-for-the-PN-20130313. Unbelievable how the government has changed and they still can’t shift their focus from the Nationalist Party. Malta Today is sitting on a major identity crisis now. And as for you, Rambo, there really is no hope.]
Jekk irid johrog ftit ta’ ragel il-Prim Ministru ta’ Malta taghna ilkoll imissu l-ewwel haga li jaghmel jitfa lilkhom l-illitterati, ibda bik, Rambo, go camp fuq Filfla taht is-supervizjoni ta’ Maria l-Maws (il-Ministru tal-edukazzjoni) imqar ghal 5 snin.
Forsi ma tafx kif tal-anqas titghallmu tiktbu, imqar bil-Malti.
Ara lil Malta lil min tawha ukoll, “il-puliti edukati, tal-pepe”.
Immaturity is nationwide. How ridiculous is it to be creating Facebook pages for the new PN leadership?
“Mario For Leader”- Give me a break.
Mario de Marco clearly did a Schettino and “diplomatically” abandoned ship both before the election as well as after.
He stood his ground only until he acquired the Austin Gatt vote he was after. Now he is trying to set himself apart using The Times for self-promotion.
Prosit, great way to throw the remaining 130,000 votes to the wind.
With all due respect to the previous generation, Beppe Fenech Adami and DeMarco are definitely not the solution.
Morpheus, why don’t you learn either to write good English or good Maltese and not mix the two? Daphne’s answer should put you in place.
Good for you Daphne. Keep up the good work.
Everything’s easy when you’re in opposition. Now labour is in government and he is expected to deliver. Hunters, Hawkers, the disgruntled who felt let down by the water and electricity tariffs, are already expecting miracles.
As much as I admired Dr Gonzi, I feel, Dr Muscat has a huge responsibility for this country.
Name calling each other will do no good. Results will. I’m seriously going to church regularly to pray for this little island of ours which seriously depends on the government’s good decisions. An island’s only resource is it’s government, who needs to know well what decisions he is making – the results of which are being thrown at us, his people, in order to keep the wheels of our economy turning.
The wheel, in these last 25 years, has always turned.
And leave Daphne alone. Put your focus on the new PrimeMinister who’s got a lot of work on his hands. I wash my car five times in a week, I take three showers and a bath each day, and I wash my street pavement every other day.
Jisthoqqli tnaqqis sew fil kont tad-dawl u ilma, hux? Igri jonqos il-kont, ghax jien hekk weghduni. Ma’ dak nixtieq nara l-gid ta’ dal-pajjiz, jitqassam fost il hafna, u mhux il ftit i.e. nispera li torhos il-hajja sew.
Malta tieghi = Malta tieghek, Malta Taghna Lkoll.
Jekk harrget xi haga sew minn dil-kampanja, hareg li iva, Malta taghna lkoll, m’hemmx differenza allura nispera li l-weghdiet jitwettqu.
And with Konrad Mizzi, as newly appointed full-time Minister for Water and Energy, I expect the reduction in tariff costs, will be made as soon as possible.
Let’s move it!
Gonzi accepted the blame like a great statesman and accepted defeat and resigned.
Now it is someone else’s turn to face the music. Whoever that is, he or she has some big shoes to wear and it’s only our right to expect that he keeps up with the promises and obligations otherwise he will also be a failure.
Always keep in mind that it was peasants with pitchforks who beheaded the perceived ‘ruling class’ (in this case, elected). It was so during the revolutions as it is today and hopefully this will not happen on our shores.
It takes only one mistake and what’s happening around us can happen here.
And now no one can blame Gonzi or the Nationalist Party anymore because the tide has turned. One of the biggest promises in Muscat’s campaign was that the common man will have more money in his pocket. But he is going to have 14 ministers x €42,000 each = €588,028.
Compar that to Lawrence Gonzi’s 8 ministers x €42,000 + €500 a week honoraria = €544,000 – spot the difference.
For all their talk, Lawrence Gonzi’s cabinet was less expensive than Muscat’s.
And I am not adding up the secretariat expense for those extra six ministries. There were 4 parliamentary secretaries reduced to 2 in the last few months. Now we are going to have eight parliamentary secretaries.
In the above we must include all the extra ministerial staff plus minister cars and hired ones and their running expenses. plus refurbishments of offices and their up keep.
The honoraria shouldn’t feature in your calculations. The proposal was reversed and any money paid out was refunded. The real difference is €252, 012, or €1,260, 060 over five years.
Ma kontx naf li se jaghmel 14-il Ministru. Nahseb ghamel daqshekk biex kull wiehed minnhom ikun jista’ JIFFOKA fuq il-qasam tieghu. Almenu dejjem hekk kien jghid JM — ara kemm ghandna rowdmepp iffukata!
Iktar ma jkunu iktar ahjar ghax ikollna iktar FOCUS. Dan se jkun jitlob sforz ikbar biex tikko-ordina l-attivita taghhom flimkien ghax kif kont nismaghhom jghidu fi zmien il-Victory Kitchen: Too many cooks spoil the broth!
U la qed insemmi l-Victory Kitchen ma nistax ma niftakarx f’ Toni Abela waqt Bondi+ il-bierah (flimkien ma Clyde Puli). Apparti l-biki tal-kukkudrilli, qalilna biex ma nahsbux li waslet l-ahhar tad-dinja ghax inbidel il-gvern.
Iz-zminijiet ta’ Mintoff, KMB u Sant, qalilna, qatt ma wasslu lil Malta sax-xifer. Nesa’ dan (jew illum jaqbillu jinsa) li hu u siehbu Wenzu kienu rrizenjaw mill-MLP minhabba l-vjolenza li kienu jwettqu l-laburisti. Naturalment, facli ghalih li jinsa ghax ma damx ma rega sab postu fl-istess partit.
Imma l-iktar li ridt insemmih hu ghax ma nifilhux (lil Toni) jghawweg l-istorja. Tant Malta qatt ma waslet fix-xifef, kompla, li meta tela’ Mintoff wara Borg Olivier fl-1971, dan sab Malta falluta u l-ekonomija sfaxxata, gharkubtejha.
Anzi gietu d-dicenza jsemmi li (barra l-Indipendenza) BO bena s-sisien ghall-manifattura u t-turizmu u kellna ‘boom’ fl-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni.
Minkejja dan kollu Toni Abela ma jiddejjaqx jibqa’ jbellghalna r-ross bil-labra. Qalilna li avolja Malta kienet falluta Mintoff sab il-mezzi biex jintroduci iktar servizzi socjali.
Falluta sabih kienet Malta wara l-Indipendenza taht Borg Olivier!. Tghid mhux ghalhekk il-poplu ivvota Labour dak in-nhar. Daqskemm issa il-poplu ghazel lil JosephMuscat.com ghax qed imut bil-guh!.
Ghandek tghid, iktar ma n-Nazzjonalisti jkabbru l-ekonomija, joholqu l-gid u jgibu sens ta’ sigurta’ fil-pajjiz aktar jaqilghuha fuq rashom! Naturalment, hu jigri dan kollu, il-Labour, bhal kamalejonte, ibiddel kuluru u n-nies terga’ tafdhom. Sakemm terga’ tingidem. Dejjem hekk gara.
U la Toni semma’ wkoll ic-children allowance bhala l-ewwel mizura socjali li dahhal Mintoff ha nghidilkom il-verzjoni tieghi kif seta’ jaghmilha. Ghax il-flus ma jaqghux mis-sema, lanqas jekk ikollna l-ghajnuna mill-UE bhal-lum.
Fi zmien Borg Olivier kien hawn skema ta’ sussidji fuq l-ikel essenzjali bhal hobz, ghagin, zokkor u ohrajn. Dik li kienet tissejjah tar-‘ration’. Kienet voucher f’forma ta’ kartuna safra li tohodha ghand tal-hanut li kien jimmarkalek li hadt il-prodott bi prezz imrahhas. Jien li kont zghir niftakarha u zgur li hawn hafna ohrajn li jiftakruha.
Qabel dahhal ic-children allowance Mintoff zarma din is-sistema u bil-flus li ffranka minnha seta’ jaghti allowance sat-tielet wild ta’ kull familja. Issa min kien wahdu jew ma kellux tfal zghar xorta kien igawdi mir-ration pera ghac-children allowance ma kienx jikkwolifika.
Imma ghalkemm importanti, dan dettall. Il-fatt jibqa’ li c-children allowance setghet tidhol ghax izzarmat l-iskema tar-ration. Toni Abela u shabu, jekk iridu jkunu kredibbli, m’ghandhomx jibqghu jghawwgu l-istorja — bhal meta jghidu li taht Borg Olivier Malta kienet falluta (anzi ma semmiex il-famuza “kaxxa”) u l-ekonomija spiccuta.
Daphne,
Have you noticed how The Times is now pushing for Dr DeMarco to be the new PN leader? I would do away all together with those seen as part of the losing team and opt for somebody from outside, for example Dr Joanna Drake. Malajr ipoggi denbu taht il-blat imbaghad Joseph Malta Taghhom Biss Muscat
now even your party is turning its back on you – you don’t have a place in a new PN Ms Bidnija.
‘De Marco similarly recognised and disavowed politics by character assassinations and personal attacks, personified by Nationalist pundit Daphne Caruana Galizia.’
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/De-Marco-s-post-mortem-spells-out-aspirant-s-vision-for-the-PN-20130313
[Daphne – Clearly, Gordon, you haven’t been to university, where the first thing you learn is: go to the original source. Here it is, and you will find that Mario De Marco doesn’t talk about me at all, not that he would have anyway: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130312/opinion/five-years-forward-together.461113 This is the current Labour tactic: blame Daphne. Because of course, we can’t have Daphne around criticising the government now, can we? Well, let me just tell you this, Gordon: if there are people who are so bloody stupid and childish as to base their vote on like/dislike for me, then that is a reflection on them, and not a reflection on me and the right to freedom of expression. Yes, Malta is the place where adults never grow up and carry on behaving like big children and teenagers well into late middle age and beyond, but there are limits. You should have the intelligence to know that this is a completely unacceptable aberration to normal behaviour, rather than trying to present it as ‘proof’ of something.]
Well said, Daphne. Dr. De Marco was clearly referring to ‘character assassination and personal attacks’ carried out between politicians. Typical MaltaToday twists and manoeuvrings.
You shouldn’t need to quote The Times report to show that, but alas, some people….
Insomma Daph, Malta Taghna Lkoll ghax nahseb it-traffiku zdiedlek fis-site.
Il-kompjuter qed jehilli u qed indum seklu biex naccessa u nirrispondi.
Hafna jgergru, imma fl-istess hin, l-element kurjuz jibqa hemm u kulhadd diehel biex jaqra, jigifieri, xi haga pozittiva hawn zgur f’das-sit.
Jien ma nidholx f’siti fejn l-opinjoni hi bbazata fuq incertezzi u nuqqas ta’ serjeta. Ghax inhobb il-fatti, nigi hawn.
Milli jidher, bhali qed jaghmlu hafna.
Kemm hi helwa Malta. Kburi li jien Malti u Malti ta’ vera. Kieku ma konniex poplu maghqud, Daph, int ma kienx jirnexxilek tohloq dat-traffiku kollu li zgur gej minn nies li ihobbu jaqraw.
Ebda sit iehor, m’ghandu viewership daqshekk gholi, u nahseb li zgur mhux ha jkun hawn. Bil-kampanji kollha li kien hawn, nahseb minn semplici ta’ sit elettroniku, hloqt kampanja ta’ verita, tant li f’Malta Taghna Lkoll, il-Maltin kollha qed jidhlu jikkummentaw u ghaqqadt poplu ta’ nies li anke jekk ma jaqblux, iridu ikunu jafu ghax jidhlu jaqraw.
Prosit!
Il-Moviment ghandu jhallik topera das-sit b’mod demokratiku, kif ilek taghmel ghal dawn l-ahhar snin; u nghid hekk ghaliex das-sit ta’ spazju lil dawk il-Maltin kollha li emmnu fil PN, emmnu fil-PL, emmnu fi gruppi ohra.
Int hallejt il-bieb miftuh lil kulhadd.
Insemmi lil Eddy Privitera li tkellem hawn, iktar milli tkellem fit-Times of Malta. Tkellem maghna, u bil-fehmiet diversi kollha, xorta hassu ‘at home’ hawn, ghax baqa gej u sejjer u jerga jigi.
Kevin ta’ Sharon….il-lista tkompli, u hafna ohrajn.
Ghalkemm hafna nies, ma kellhomx l-istess opinjoni tieghek, hallejthom jizvugaw.
Xieraq biss, li int tkompli bil-hidma tieghek. Nispera li l-Maltin, jaccettawha li l-bieb tieghek, hallejtu miftuh, u erfajt ir responsabbiltajiet kollha bhala kittieba u sid ta’ das-sit li wera bic-car li Malta Taghna Lkoll.
Grazzi Daph.
Santo Subito! The following is a comment from Joseph Muscat’s Facebook page:
“Charles Mizzi Awguri u grazzi mill-qalb Joseph. Int kont il-fejqan tiegħi. Nhar il-ġimgħa, is-sibt u l-ħadd filgħodu kont xi ftit muġugħ. ma kontx naf x’għandi u ma tkellimt ma ħadd. Minn x’hin tħabbar ir-riżultat sa issa (Thank God) ma ħassejt xejn iktar. Grazzi lill-Joseph, Grazzi lil Malta Kolla tal- fiduċja fik!”
He’s become a healer now. OMG.
“More importantly the electorate does not relish negative campaigning directed at the person rather than the message”.
Copy and paste from Demarco’s interview with the paper which gave you the boot, The Times. A perfect description of the rubbish you write on your gossip blog. Here it goes Ms. Caruana Galizia. From the horse’s mouth, and this is only the beginning. Wait till the new PN leadership and administration move in! The Maltese people, or shall we say peasants now, want a strong government and a strong opposition taking it out on each others’ policies not persons. This is the future which the Maltese people clearly want. A civilized, mature, tolerable democracy, something which you seem to have no idea of. A future which clearly does not hold a place for you to fit in.
[Daphne – You really show you know nothing. Negative campaigning refers to the party campaign. It does not refer to a blog written by a newspaper columnist. The rest of your comment is rubbish. You have just voted for a party which embraced Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono and made the first part of the official celebrations on swearing-in day. So much for rejecting personal vendetta and sticking to policies. Grow up, you idiot. I can’t believe so many adults in Malta have the brains of children. It’s actually really frightening: the island of catastrophic immaturity.]
Right you are, Daphne. But it’s useless explaining to people who think that stuffing a room with people of average IQ renders the room brimming with super intelligence.
Regarding Demarco’s analysis, I have lost all faith in the man. He blames the defeat on a negative campaign, when he knows full well that popular opinion crystallized against the government even several months before the campaign date was announced, and has hardly shifted ever since.
The man either lacks acumen, or is taking a cheap shot “biex jidher ħelu”. Either way, he’s off my list. Fast.
Problem is, my opinion doesn’t count one iota in this regard. Politics is all about perception, and if he’s perceived to have what it takes to be top man by the delegates, then he’ll get the top post whether he deserves it or not.
Perception wins the day. Without fail. Even when the end result may be the correct one, it still ends that way for the wrong reasons.
Cheap shots “after” the event, backstabbing your own colleagues and exploiting the influence you have with a major newspaper to sabotage your own party’s campaign does not a leader make.
Come to think of it, Joseph just got himself the PLPN so hated by the wishy washies at AD.
With fourteen ministers and eight parliamentary secretaries, will there be any work left for Joseph?
The whole point is that he will not have to do any work at all other than swan around and pose for historic photographs.
Ghadni kif smajt (ghax kont barra) il-lista tal-Ministri u Segretarji Parlamentari. Imma jien qed niggennen?
Dawn mhux l-istess nies li vvutaw favur il-mozzjoni ta’ Frankie Debono biex il-Gustizzja (il-Qrati) tinfired mill-Intern (il-Pulizija)?
Mela kif issa ghandna ministru tal-Intern (Manwel Mallia) li tahtu ghandu segretarju parlamentari responsabbli mill-Gustizzja (Owen Bonnici)?
Jista, jekk joghgbu, xi hadd jilluminani? Ghandi xi zball x’imkien?