You know what they say: He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon

Published: July 4, 2013 at 2:30pm

Dalli and Muscat

Times of Malta has reported the prime minister’s reaction to the rapidly unfolding Bahama Mama saga.

Joseph Muscat told the newspaper that “he is expecting a personal visit by Mr Dalli to explain his position”.

Bit weak, isn’t it?

Prime ministers summon their people for explanations in situations like this. They don’t expect them to turn up at their leisure and pleasure.

The prime minister knows that he is failing badly in not coming out with a strong statement in which he drops Dalli like a dead weight and regrets ever having given him his trust.

But I suspect he can’t do that because Dalli has him and the Labour Party by the short-and-curlies. The very same leverage that Dalli would have used to ‘sort out’ his prosecution in Malta, leaving Silvio Zammit to carry the can alone, and to get himself an executive position in Muscat’s government, will be the same leverage he can use against the government now.

The reasons for which he was rewarded come to have, by a simple reversal of the dynamics of the situation, the potential for threat or blackmail. And Dalli is now a cornered rat whose premature mass of thanksgiving clearly did not amuse the Almighty at all.

So now the prime minister appears to have two men with a vice-like grip on his goolies: Jason Micallef and John Dalli.

It is a rather worrying notion.




22 Comments Comment

  1. canon says:

    One is holding the left,the other is holding the right.

  2. Natalie says:

    It seems like Godfrey has someone grabbing at his goolies too. It looks like he tried to help the NO but someone prevented the minister (!) from revoking the transfer order.

  3. pazzo says:

    Just a thought as a father. How is it possible to embroil your relative young daughter (son) in this unholy mess?

    If I were Dalli I would call it a day, at least if for nothing else, then for the benefit of my daughters. Oh how money is the root of all evil.

    [Daphne – It isn’t. LOVE OF money is the root of evil. The Latin is radix malorum cupiditas est. Cupidity is the root of evil.]

  4. Giovanni says:

    Could it be what Jason Micallef knows about Joseph, John Dalli too knows about it. If not that than the election financing takes first preference.

  5. Spiru says:

    In that case no need to worry any more – no more goolies to grip.

  6. Alexander Ball says:

    Is that why everyone is making the most of it?

    Because Dalli is going to bring the roof crashing down?

  7. Jozef says:

    Jigifieri Dalli se jkellmu ‘personalment’ mbaghad jinzel it-tarag ta’ Kastilja ghal fuq il-palk biex iserrhilna rasna?

    Hallina Guz, ghadu qas beda’ jizreg u diga’ sajruk.

  8. ROTTEN says:

    It took 25 years for some rot to set into the PN. It has taken less than four months for rot to completely take over the PL.

    Prosit Joseph you are truly delivering.

  9. Watchful eye says:

    That strange phone call on the 16th October 2012 at 5.00 pm Brussels-Hamrun.

  10. John Higgins says:

    What has Lino Spiteri to say about the situation which the PM created for himself by appointing Dalli to his executive position.

  11. 4gonzi says:

    Is it possible that Gaddafi money put the LP in government?

  12. ciccio says:

    Muscat says he is expecting a personal visit.

    True leaders act differently.

    They call the political appointee in their office, and then they explain how the position held is politically untenable because of public and political trust and because the institution is separate from the persons, and then demand the resignation in writing within 30 minutes, failing which, the political appointee will be dismissed. In this process, it is explained clearly and in writing to the political appointee that his/her right to clear his/her name in public is not prejudiced.

  13. Catsrbest says:

    It seems that the switchers, together with the usual stupid faithful, who always vote PL, have chosen the most corrupt lot to govern in Malta’s history. Dr Gonzi (GonziPN) is so swiftly being vindicated. My oh my, how I rejoice on his behalf.

  14. victor says:

    This Dalli and Muscat thing will have great repercussions . Malta is at stake . EU will look upon us as Furbani and cannot be trusted . What a doomed faith .

  15. Gahan says:

    Can Silvio Zammit be offered a presidential pardon to spill the beans?

    Would he tell the court the whole truth without a pardon?

    I think it would be great if a great white shark is caught and punished by the courts.

    • Ta' sapienza says:

      I can think of a million reasons why Silvio tal-imqaret wouldnt spill the beans. I mean even as things stand he will only get a slap on the wrist for his utterly preposterous proposals.

  16. Wot the Hack says:

    The PM replied to the journalist’s question about Dalli by saying that now that Dalli must have returned to Malta, he is expecting Dalli to give him a personal explanation.

    Why did Dalli have to come back to Malta to give Muscat a personal explanation?

    When Dalli was told by Barroso to resign or be sacked within 90 minutes, the first person Dalli called (possibly after the PM) was Joseph Muscat, directly from Brussels.
    Dalli and Muscat have no excuses why an explanation has not been given.

    And what’s more: this week, the roaming tariffs have been reduced in Europe. All the more reason why the first thing Dalli should have done when he landed in Munich en route to Sweden, was to call Joseph and explain in detail his dealings in the Bahamas, or in its airspace.

  17. Ghoxrin Punt says:

    No Alexander, it’s because 45% of the voting population are sick and tired of saying, I told you so to the remaining 55%.

    I just wish the PN actually tell those 36,000 YOU WERE WRONG, and this is the result. I think the 36,000 should be apologising to us and not vice versa

  18. Village says:

    Eddie, u mbaghd Gonzi w Il-Partit Nazzjonalista warbuh lill-Dalli fi stadji differenti pero ghall-istess raguni. Wheeler dealer ma tistax tafdah u mhux tajjeb fit-tmexxijja.

    Joseph qabad patata tahraq pero timidu biex jitlaqa.

  19. just me says:

    I have a feeling that Muscat already knows the whole story. We must not forget that he was the first person Dalli called after Barroso asked Dalli to resign.

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