John Dalli – the new Labour Minister for Health
Published:
June 15, 2013 at 10:49pm
The intro to my column in The Malta Independent on Sunday tomorrow:
It has been announced that John Dalli is to be the new Minister for Health. Well, not in so many words, because Maltese law does not allow for government ministers who do not have a seat in parliament.
Dalli doesn’t have one, though he is certain to contest the 2018 general election, pushing 70 and on the Labour ticket, given that the party seems partial to turning itself into a semi-gerontocracy and some people, Dalli included, never seem to know when the time has come to clear out, clear off and make way for the next generation.
Read the rest of it on line or in the print edition.
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You are the best. No other words can describe you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob6RRcw3V3A
Welcome back – you have been missed!
What is wrong with “old” people running a country? There are many States which have or had elderly leaders as heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, leading members of parliament, judges, leading businessemen and others.
[Daphne – Name some. Go on, just do it. Berlusconi? George Bush Senior? Ronald Reagan? Kim Il Sung? Chairman Mao? The Ayatollah Khomeini? Judges have to retire by law at 65. Businessmen do what they please because it’s their life and what they’re running is their business not their country or other people’s lives. And by that time they’ve handed the day to day running over to others anyway.]
One of the most famous philosophers had stated that “it is for the elder man to rule and for the younger to submit”.
[Daphne – If he were really that famous, David, you would know his name and use it. It’s actually a biblical reference: you know, the same source which tells us that women should submit to men.]
This does not mean that younger persons are not good leaders.
[Daphne – I should certainly hope not, David, for then your vote to make Muscat prime minister wouldn’t have made sense or fitted in with your line of reasoning.]
Finally it is strange that such comments are made when the leading position in government is the youngest holder of office in recent Maltese history.
[Daphne – Indeed, and surrounded by wrecks who were in government or the party hierarchy when I was at St Dorothy’s Convent. The prime minister needs to be a little older and his cabinet needs to be a lot younger.]
Well said, Daph, and good to have you back with fully charged batteries.
Welcome back. I know of some people who were really worried about you.
It’s been one long week. Great to have you back, Daphne.
I have to say this very reluctantly. Godfrey Farrugia is an honourable man. He is a first rate GP. He always does his best.
At this point in time, as things have turned out, there is only one thing left for him to do.
And that is the honourable thing.
Godfrey, think very seriously about this. The PM has shelved you in no uncertain manner. Dalli’s appointment to run Mater Dei is the greatest vote of no confidence by a PM in one of his ministers in Malta’s entire political history.
Godfrey, you have been nicely and squarely cuckolded.
Do not stand for it.
Godfrey, as a colleague and a friend, I appeal to you to go back to your patients.
They certainly think much more highly of you than your PM does.
For your sake, just go.
One’s best is simply not enough. That is a given but what is essential is that a person can do the job. If, as you suggest, he is a first rate GP then he should return to the profession.
Well said, Daphne. Couldn’t wait to read your posts and glad you are back.
OH GLORY ALLELUIA SHE IS BACK!
Laghqizmu sfrenat u organizzat…meta gejja din it-tsunami ha tisparixxina mill-mappa tad-dinja darba ghal dejjem?
Meta l-bridge mibni mic-Cinizi jikkollassa fil-Fliegu.
Welcome back…..
Welcome back, madame – we were lost without you.
Dalli’s hunger for power and money is beyond belief.
Does this mean that Joseph Muscat is not convinced of Dr Farrugia’s ability as Minister of Health?
Hawwadni ha nifhmek.
Welcome back, Daphne.
Muscat has in fact given up on Dr Farrugia.
What else can he do with his Minister of Health who on TV last week declared that to solve the free medicines’ ‘out of stock’ situation requires five years?
His predecessor, Dr Cassar, would have been crucified on One had he said anything close to this.
[Daphne – He did not say only that. He said that the promised delivery of medicines to old people at their homes might possibly start in 2015.]
This appointment is a big blow to Minister Godfrey Farrugia.
First the Prime Minister went on national TV saying that he actually told his Health Minister to stop boasting that there was amelioration in Mater Dei Hospital.
According to the PM the situation at the hospital did not improve even though Godfery Farrugia has been at the helm for three months.
As if this was not bad enough, now he has appointed John Dalli to head the reform there. John Dalli is an arrogant, dominant person who bulldozes everyone who stands in his path. Being given the green right from the Prime Minister himself, I am sure he is going to run the show ignoring Godfrey Farrugia completely.
John Dalli was Minister of Health and despite his repeated public statements he failed to affect any major reforms at the general hospital. He was much more engulfed in other things, including his own private business which was being run by his two daughters.
He frequently flew to Libya, where he has a house (in Tripoli), though not on government business but presumably to see to his business interests there. I wonder what he going to do differently this time round, at least with regard to changing matters at the hospital.
And we also heard Dr. Farrugia saying that he needs 4 or 5 years to solve the “out of stock” medicine problem.
And we were led to believe that he had everything solved nicely before the election. Just follow the road map.
And getting the injured from Libya to Malta perhaps? Specialist department in prosthetics? Safeguarding local interests?
Slippery little bugger, eh?
This is part of a cunning plan by John Dalli and the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is participating in it. John Dalli wants to put pressure on the Nationalist Party to obtain open support for his case against OLAF and Barosso. Who knows, perhaps Lawrence Gonzi has to take the witness stand against Dalli.
Says who?
Missed you! You are so well informed and so straight forward – you have a mission; glad you’re back. Keep the analyses coming!
We missed you. Thank God you have returned to give us some good journalism.
Phew… you’re back ! Got worried. Good to have you back :-)
My thoughts are with Marlene. She must be devastated.
Thanks for coming back. My family did miss you much. Keep up your good work, dear. We are at a loss when you are on leave.
Daphne, I agree with your statement. Mr John Dalli has been given an executive role which is already assumed by Mininster Farrugia.
This is a no-confidence sign of our PM in the Health Minister. For sake of respect, I wish the PM to declare how much this appointment is costing the country.
In any case, with due respect to the Min. Farrugia, he seems inappropriate to deal with the major issues in the Health Department, which is confirmed by the appointment of John Dalli.
Welcome back, Daphne.
Muscat really knows how to ridicule people. If Dr. Farrugia has any self respect he should not stand for this. First Anglu, then Jose Herrera, then George Abela and now Godfrey Farrugia. I wonder who is next?
All those he abhors will have to go through it. It’s Muscat’s way of keeping control.
The lust for power is so great these people will hang on to any bit of high admin job they can get, even at a cost of being stabed in the back by your own leader.
Nies bla principju, rispett jew decor.
Insomma Def, fejn kont? Minghajr ahbarijiet attuali u naqqa embellished comments!
Gooooooooood to have you back on my screen. Trust you enjoyed your break.
Welcome back, Daphne! I missed your insightful writing.
Dalli’s appointment is indeed an disgrace in more ways than one.
If Muscat keeps on pissing off his own people in this way, I’ll wager he’ll soon have a mutiny on his hands.
Thank God you’re back, I was having withdrawal symptoms.
So it’s one PN reject replacing another. The PN has made mistakes in candidate selection, but the fact that they (and those it rejects) all seem to find a home at Labour speaks volumes about Labour standards.
Sandro Schembri Adami, John Dalli, Cyrus Engerer, Manwel Mallia, JPO, Franco Debono, Frank Portelli, Jesmond Mugliett, Godfrey Farrugia – with the exception of one of them who may still be in jail (Sandro), all firmly within the fold.
I remember Godfrey Farrugia in Scouts at St. Aloysius College. He was older than me but he ‘returned’ to contribute after he’d left the first time.
Really nice guy, but totally useless in a leadership position. His return didn’t last long, in fact. Looks like it’s happening to him again, poor thing.
Issa jmorru jghidulna “Qed taraw kif lahhaqna bniedem Nazzjonalist”.
Xeba jmaqdar lil-Partit Nazzjnalista fuq is-Super One. Vera Malta Taghna lkoll, vera Malta pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse.
Jidher li Dr. Farrugia ma jiflahx ghal din il-pressjoni, u Joseph Muscat mhux qed jghamillu hajtu facli.
Forsi ma indumux ma nisimghu bir-rizenja ta’ Dr. Farrugia u l-hatra ta’ Marlene Farrugia bhala Ministru.
What am embarrassment for the poor Minister of Health, but I can’t say he didn`t deserve it.
Did Minister Farrugia know of Dalli’s appointment before it happened or did he find out about it through the media? Shouldn’t the Minister have made that announcement himself?
Here’s the link:
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-06-16/opinions/john-dalli-the-new-labour-minister-for-health-1834156038/
It would be good to know if the changes being made in the criminal law to eliminate the statute of limitations for politicians in connection with acts of corruption includes also persons who have held positions of Commissioners of the EU.
Hey Daphne, I hear that you are next on Joseph Muscat list for a chairwoman post. Is this true?
[Daphne – Chairman. The word is like ‘ombudsman’. The ‘man’ is the Germanic ‘person’ and not ‘male human being’, so it doesn’t switch gender. How I would I know? But I doubt it. They know I’d refuse outright, not so much because they’re Labour as because I don’t trust them and don’t like what they’re doing. And also because I am repulsed by the thought of anyone taking pleasure at my scalp being nailed to their scummy political bedpost.]
Finally!! You’re back – I missed your updates so much!
Welcome back !
Ice bun for the ‘father confessor’ John Dalli. Not many are surprised about this. Long gone are the days when Labour used to accuse him of all sorts of corruption scandals involving Daewoo, HSBC and the general hospital.
Insejtu lil John Bundy. Forsi issa jlaqqana taht id-dome biex jghidilna kif qed immexxu b’dawn id-decizjonijiet tal-Mickey Mouse.
As Shakespeare said: ‘Hell is Empty. The Evil people are here’.
Daphne, thanks for returning and for keeping us informed and entertained.
Welcome back…please don’t stay away for so long next time.