How did I miss this? Must read the Government Gazette more often.
That four-limbed septuagenarian Mintoffian beard, Richard Matrenza, has been appointed to the three-member Public Contracts Review Board.
Matrenza is one of the most awful, insufferable, pompous, dull-witted and egocentric asses I have ever had the great misfortune to have dealings with, and that’s saying something, given that I live and work in Malta.
He is also the most dreadfully rabid Mintoffian.
How comforting to all those who want their public contracts reviewed to know that he will be the one reviewing them.
When George Vella was appointed foreign minister the first time round, by the Labour government of 1996-1998, one of the first things he did – after freezing Malta’s application to join the EU – was make this washed-up two-bit 1970s red ‘consultant’ Malta’s envoy to the Court of St James.
Here he is, riding in an open carriage on his way to present his credentials.
Wasn’t there some episode involving a leather wastepaper basket? I remember it but dimly. Perhaps somebody else remembers it more clearly.
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If I remember correctly, the leather waste paper basket was amongst his new London office expenditure.
It was, but it was his PREDECESSOR’S purchase, hence the fuss Matrenza made in a newspaper interview.
I now expect him to raise hell once the Hamiltons take over and splash out at our expense.
Daphne,
If I am not mistaken the notorious WAISTpaperbasket should be credited to that genius – Toni Pellegrini
[Daphne – No, this was something else. Definitely to do with Richard Matrenza and a leather wastepaper basket at the High Commission in London.]
Hadn’t someone found out that it cost one thousand pounds or something?
One hundred pounds. Matrenza thought it was a scandalous waste of money, having failed to notice he himself was paid several times that amount for being a national embarrassment.
Sheets and towels to the cost of £1,687
Former High Commissioner wins libel appeal – Times of Malta
http://www.timesofmalta.com/…/former-high-commissioner-wins-libel-appeal
[Daphne – The link is incomplete.]
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20060201/local/former-high-commissioner-wins-libel-appeal.64650
When he got there, the cupboard was bare, and so the old dog had none.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20060201/local/former-high-commissioner-wins-libel-appeal.64650
This is what I have and it worked for me:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/…/former-high-commissioner-wins-libel-appeal
There was the purchase of an expensive car invoiced at the same time, right?
Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society? What’s going on here?
is Mr Ancilleri on that board related to the rabid left -wing sans -coulotte, Leninist -Mintoffian ”Ancilleri of Zejtun” who has nothing to do all day (and night) but hog every possible phone -in on the local radio waves spluttering hatred and venom against the hated kapitalisti, sinjuri li jerdu demm il haddiem?
I bet that he is.
No he’s not. This Mr Ancilleri is a teacher (not sure whether retired).
Not sure whether the other Ancilleri is still around – last I heard of him it was on Radio Malta and he was complaining that his beloved Super 1 was not giving him space and not allowing him to call anymore. He managed to annoy even them presenters!
No. This Lawrence Ancilleri was for a time a teacher of history whose knowledge seemed to have fossilized about the time of the Egyptian Pharaohs.
I don’t know if other students found his lessons interesting but for me they were as boring as watching a whie-washed wall for hours on end.
You are right about him being a rabid Mintoffian. Maybe now he is on the Public Contracts Board he might have a project in mind to build a Pharaonic Pyramid as a Mintoff Memorial.
No – I think that guy’s surname is Cirillo ?
There was also a dreadfully embarrassing scene in a restaurant when he asked for Perrier and another brand was served. There followed a great show of indignation: “Don’t you know who I am?”
And the waiter replied “If you don’t know, I don’t know either.”
Ha! Franco Debono had tried that at Café Jubilee when he was an MP, and was ejected from the establishment.
Daphne. If I recall correctly it was more a question of satin bed sheets
Most probably, the episode at the back of your mind had to do more with bed linen and towels. Have a look here: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20060201/local/former-high-commissioner-wins-libel-appeal.64650
[Daphne – No, it was a leather wastepaper basket. He made a scene about it or something.]
There was definitely a scene about a leather wastepaper basket. Matrenza’s predecessor had bought it for the office. Matrenza gave one of those I’m-an-important-man-now interviews that Labour favours. The most pressing item on his agenda was the cost of a waste paper basket.
Not the original scene, but here is a reference to the episode:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101121/opinion/towelgate-revisited.337153
If I remember correctly, on being appointed High Commissioner, he made a statement criticizing his predecessor for spending about 1500 pounds on a leather waste paper basket.
What is a ‘DPE’ from Oxford then? And how does that square up with FRES?
Lawrence Ancilleri is another die-hard Mintoffian, forever praising Mintoff and how he changed Malta.
You describe him so well Daphne. He was always a clown since his Lyceum schooldays.
I dont like it when people use post-nominals to impress.
Daphne perhaps you should check what he means by DPE from Oxford. To my knowledge no such degree is offered. is he making it up?
http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwoxacuk/localsites/gazette/documents/universitycalendar/style–current_for_2011.pdf
I am impressed with the large number of people holding an “Oxford degree” and occupying high level positions.
http://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Government%20of%20Malta/Ministries%20and%20Entities/Pages/Finance-Portfolio.aspx
We must be a nation of really high achievers. We even invent our own post-nominals DSS, DPE (PPE?).
Brilliant.
He’s so ridiculously POMPOUS.
The way we remember him here is how he took at least a quarter of an hour to explain (on radio, probably to his Labour blockheads during the KMB days) the significance and importance of a ZERO in simple mathematics.
As if that had anything to do with the political implications of KMB as Mintoff’s successor as head of government.
Daphne, perhaps this is of interest to your readers. The Maltese government is headed by experts who make their fellow partisans think they are superior beings, because they studied at Oxford. I refer to:
Lino Spiteri:
http://mt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lino_Spiteri
Edward Scicluna :
http://www.edwardscicluna.com/profile/
Richard Matrenza
Are they true Oxford??? This article explains:
http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/9th-august-1968/8/platers-19-oxford-diplomas
Plater College was never part of the constituent colleges of Oxford, in fact members are not eligible for alumni/associate status (read below). This means that if we are to show off and put post-nominals on public records please ensure that these are factual, hence Oxon should be eliminated.
https://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/page.aspx?pid=920