Comments on: Imagine if Austin Gatt had done this: now it’s jobs for the WAGs

By: Ghoxrin Punt

Ghoxrin Punt — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 20:00:07 +0000

In reply to Spiru. I seriosly suggest that people start watching Net and reading The Malta Independent. Simon Busuttil is talking and has been doing so for the last couple of weeks. Ignorance is no excuse. [Daphne - Yes, it is. It is not up to your audience to reach you, but up to you to reach your audience. You don't tell people where to go to listen to your message. You take your message to whatever it is they are reading or watching.]

By: Volley

Volley — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 10:35:58 +0000

In reply to Angus Black. Spot on, Angus. Simon Busuttil's tete-a-tete with Saviour Balzan was quite interesting and show-cased Busuttil as a potential Prime Minister.

By: Sue

Sue — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 08:15:09 +0000

One assumes that the 1970s Mintoffian just appointed as Malta’s ambassador to China (when he lives there already) is unable to do the job.

Remember what our Foreign Minister said: ‘qualifications are subjective’.

By: benny

benny — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 23:44:26 +0000

My dearest Daphne – Yes , the issue was, as in many cases which were approved , that one needed this “supreme being’s” go ahead.
You know who I am , and I can show you all the papers you require.

By: benny

benny — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 21:48:23 +0000

Dear Daphne – It is still too early to stamp a “refused ” on the Governments’ works !
Somehow you mentioned Austin Gatt- As I am no heavyweight surname, I had begged for years and years to hold a meeting with Gatt , but to no avail. And this to invest millions into a project on my piece of land, within the development zone. I guess I was considered and looked upon as one of the “dubbien” . May I draw you attention to the fact that primarily Gatt and a few others( gods ruling the people) were the cause of the PN’s historic defeat.

[Daphne – I’m sorry, but I have to part company with you on this one. I come from the school of thought – perhaps alien to the southern Mediterranean – where seeking (still more, demanding) meetings with government ministers to bring them on board with our plans and desires is WRONG and ABUSIVE in itself, precisely because it opens the door to, if not abuse and corruption, then certainly the possibility, and hence the suspicion, of abuse and corruption, or just plain cronyism. If you have plans for a project on your land, and for investment, you go to your bank and the Planning Authority, not to a cabinet minister.

Labour was voted out in 1987 partly because the ‘meetings with ministers’ culture had spiralled into outright abuse. And now I hear the same people complaining and saying that they voted the PN out last March because they couldn’t get a meeting with a minister to talk about their pet project. Can’t you see it’s the same thing? When you demand a meeting with a minister when you should be going to the MEPA or the banks, what you are saying is that you believe the minister can over-rule or harry both or either. So without knowing the details of the case I have to say that yes, Austin Gatt was correct not to give you a meeting, and I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you “are no heavyweight surname”.

My God, how I hate this culture of meetings and favours. What a mentality. So effing primitive. We have a planning authority and we demand to make a private project presentation to the cabinet minister in the hope of…what, exactly?]

By: Angus Black

Angus Black — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 21:26:51 +0000

In reply to Spiru.

If you tune to TV One, you sure won’t find them there. The Times, Independent, NET and even TVM have featured various clips of Simon criticizing many government appointments.

If you heard his interview with Saviour Balzan, you couldn’t possibly have missed a series of barrages in response to Balzan’s questions, more notably about the NP never hiring ministers’ wives.

More accurately you should have made the accusation in reference to Joseph, Konrad, Manwel, Godfrey at al, all silent about secret deals, scandalous appointments and errors of judgement.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 18:48:53 +0000

In reply to Spiru. Simon Busuttil mentioned this scandal several times this week and was particularly forceful at the meeting yesterday.

By: Stephen Borg Fiteni

Stephen Borg Fiteni — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:43:09 +0000

I can’t understand this argument. If people expect bad things from Labour, then why do they vote Labour?

[Daphne – Because analytical skills and rational thought are at a premium in Malta, a result of in-built deficiencies in the educational system and at home. People in Malta tend to be illogical and irrational, and not only in their political choices.]

By: Dez

Dez — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:23:43 +0000

Mallia and his wife put me in mind of those ‘foreign brides’ dating sites laiming to be the last bastion for fat, ugly westerners who can’t get a proper date any other way, at least not with somebody attractive.

By: Spiru

Spiru — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:01:22 +0000

As is all silent on the Simon, Mario and Beppe front! What the heck do we have an opposition for?