Labour’s Mintoffian tactics have worked. And certain reporters at The Times were gulled into inadvertently being used as tools.
Some of us registered the fact at the time that the obsessively neurotic campaign against the new bus service wasn’t normal and that it was grossly disproportionate to reality.
At certain points it reached the levels of a certain kind of mass hysteria – about buses – and was obviously being fanned up and fuelled.
Now, post-election, and given the government’s determination to break the operator’s back and force it out of Malta, it is not just the few who can see the situation clearly, but most.
These are Mintoffian tactics at their very worst: a sordid, determined attack on a private company so that this private company’s business can be taken over by party favourites. In the 1970s and 1980s we saw it all the time. In the late 1990s, under Alfred Sant, we saw him attack private businesses by reading out the names of operators who refused to absorb the financial damage caused by his introduction of that crazy CET.
This morning, The Sunday Times reports:
Bus service operator Arriva has asked ticket retailers to return all their stock to the company by Thursday in a move that fuelled reports about its plans to leave Malta.
The company is deadlocked in talks about with the government on changes to the routes and the return of bendy buses. The company has made huge losses over the past two years and disagrees with the subsidy it has been offered for the adjustment of the routes.
However GWU section secretary Jeremy Camilleri said that company officials said in a meeting last Thursday that the company was not going anywhere.
I think somebody really needs to explain to the dangerously stupid Jeremy Camilleri what “not going anywhere” means in idiomatic English. I’ll do it myself. Mr Camilleri, when a relationship – for example – is “not going anywhere”, that means it has no future. When somebody says that he is “not going anywhere” in his career, it means he is stuck and wants out. It does not mean that these people have decided not to move to another country, or not to move out: it means, in fact, precisely the opposite.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131027/local/arriva-asks-retailers-to-return-ticket-stocks-fuelling-pullout-talk.492039#.UmzAY8u9KSM
Some observations:
Correct me if I’m wrong but bus routes were planned by TM and not Arriva or at least not by Arriva alone.
the main complaints were about the routes not the buses, drivers or company, so why not amend these? If so it’s TM to blame not Arriva no?
unless of course the roadmap/government is making it impossible for arriva on purpose so it can grant/keep another pre election promise?
Initially, routes were a coordinated affair by Arriva officials, Transport Malta personnel and consultants. The result was a network very similar to what is found in most major European cities- Circular routes. To get from A to B you might have to board 2 or 3 buses, but you’ll end up getting there much quicker.
This system was overly complicated for the Maltese to understand apparently, and everyone wanted ‘direct’ routes. So it was a return back to the old hub and spoke system of bus routes, which means you not only take longer, but the buses are operated less economically, with fewer passengers on longer sectors.
Since then Transport Malta has been dictating what it thinks is appropriate. The bendy bus affair was probably the last straw. Just for comparisons sake, the bendy-buses compromise a small percentage of the Arriva fleet, yet carry 40% of its passengers. They are amazingly economical.
I believe the fire incidents were sabotage, but I have nothing to back it up with. In any case, Joe Mizzi’s IQ deficit became apparent when he insisted that Mercedes-Benz was not a reliable authority to re-certify the buses.
Transport Malta is creating an environment that is detrimental to private industry. In any developed country, transport regulation is about maximizing safety and improving efficiency. By bringing out the old Co-Op buses, it has had the absolute opposite effect.
The routes were very different when the Arriva service went live. Arriva’s costings during the bidding process were based on those routes.
Because of the public outcry, the routes were changed afterwards. I seem to remember that the government offered Arriva some sort of subsidy to make up for the operational losses that Arriva would incur as a result.
Apparently those subsidies did not quite cover the true losses.
The public bus service operated by Arriva in Gozo is said to be excellent, and has been so from day one.
In contrast, Arriva bus services in Malta were subjected to planned sabotage from day one, when two-thirds of the bus drivers, many of whom were engaged from the older bus services that Arriva replaced, failed to turn up for work.
That action caused a mass move to use of private cars on the roads on the next day, being the first working day under the new bus service, thereby ensuring that the consequently crippled bus service was further hampered by incessant traffic jams all over the island.
That sabotaged start was then continually fueled by an orchestrated negative campaign, leading up to what could not be other than a planned sabotage of the bendy buses, when no less than three of the vehicles caught fire in the engine compartment in the space of a few hours.
Neither Minister Joe Mizzi, nor Transport Malta has seen fit to make known the contents of the related investigative technical reports to justify removal of the bendy buses from the road, while independent reports initiated by Arriva do not show any justification for such action.
Arriva IS being forced out of the market. Transporting the buses out if Malta will only further add to Arriva’s already substantial losses. Government, or more likely one or two of the unprincipled businessmen that hang on to the Labour Party, then get to buy the buses cheap – no doubt after Transport Malta will have compelled Arriva to pay up substantial fees for use of the Crown Works ditch to store its bendy buses.
This is the same scenario that was set up and executed by Mintoff to take over the National Bank of Malta, the air services and the ground services operated by Malta Airlines, and later on and in slightly modified form to drive Barclays Bank out of Malta.
Sheraton, which operated what is now the Westin Dragonara hotel, and foreign-owned manufacturing companies from the largest like hotels to the smallest like Malta (now Mdina) Glass, then read the signs and packed up and left. Numerous homegrown businesses also called off expansion plans.
The result was mass unemployment and destruction of what had hitherto been a healthy banking and investment climate.
PL is repeating its irresponsible history. Only this time round the rate of destruction and the rise of unemployment will be even more rapid, due to a more advanced and complex domestic economy, the shaky global economic situation, and to the speed with which bad investment news now travels. Also, the ability of our brightest and best to leave the country with their EU passport in worsening circumstances means that they will not hesitate to do so, and high unemployment will be compounded by a considerable brain-drain, leaving behind the least able and least qualified.
Whatever the shortcomings the Gonzi-led government may have been justly or unjustly accused of, it was right in at least in one of its prediction, PL fil-gvern idahhal lil-Malta dritt gol-hajt.
“This is the same scenario that was set up and executed by Mintoff to take over the National Bank of Malta, the air services and the ground services operated by Malta Airlines, and later on and in slightly modified form to drive Barclays Bank out of Malta.”
You forgot to mention Redifusion/MTV which became Xandir Malta and Cable and Wireless.
That article in its full version speaks about Arriva as if it is taking decisions independently according to financial matters. It doesn’t tackle the political side of it, namely that Labour is forcing Arriva out.
It also refuses to acknowledge Times of Malta’s responsibility in the debacle. The flames were fanned by Labour (then in Opposition and looking to subvert any Nationalist successes, especially if led by Austin Gatt), the General Workers’ Union (taking Labour’s cue), those savages who used to run the old bus system (all Laburisti) and The Times (getting all coquettish with Joseph Muscat, gleefully spewing hatred for Austin Gatt and exorcising other demons of its own).
The most telling sentence is the last one:
“People complain about everything related to Arriva and yet when they recently brought in some of the old coaches to replace the bendy buses, nobody complained even though they’re really uncomfortable for senior citizens and people in a wheelchair cannot get on them,” he said.
There’s much more to this story than Arriva experiencing financial difficulties, three buses flaring up and articulated buses being too big for our roads.
The real story is political. Times of Malta should write an article about that.
“Jeremy J Camilleri joseph saliba • 3 days ago −
The GWU has made no such promises. The only promise that we have made in meetings with workers is that we shall allow no worker to be made redundant should Arriva decide to leave.
Now you know.
Jeremy J Camilleri Section Secretary”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131024/local/gwu-walks-out-of-meeting-with-arriva.491782#.Umz41rK9KSN
Also known as carte blanche to employees to sabotage with impunity.
I can’t help but think that most if not all of the problems with Arriva were either invented or instigated by the PL.
Honestly, when I caught the bus it works brilliantly. I didn’t have to wait longer than 5/7 minutes each time, there were direct buses to places there weren’t direct buses to before, and just by following the time-table I could time my journeys properly and still be more punctual than those who drove.
Oh, and we had night buses too, which saved me so much money I would have had to spend on taxis.
Honestly, I think Arriva, the new House of Parliament and the opera house theatre seem to have been stirred up by the PL.
no use crying over “sour” milk now .The senior citizens must have been wiser last March.I suppose they have experenced LP government before
‘I think somebody really needs to explain to the dangerously stupid Jeremy Camilleri what “not going anywhere” means in idiomatic English. I’ll do it myself. Mr Camilleri, when a relationship – for example – is “not going anywhere”, that means it has no future.’
Good observation, but what are the chances that Camilleri gave that statement in English?
[Daphne – The chances that Arriva did are pretty big, wouldn’t you say. He was quoting them.]
The “obsessively neurotic campaign” (couldn’t have said it better) is another archetypal example of the sway Labour’s agitprop machine holds over the minds of so many in this country.
Despite its many flaws and teething issues, the public transform reform was in many ways a massive leap forward, to quote the language favoured by our new friends in China.
The rickety, shoddy carts (The actual ‘fabbriki tal-kanċer’, but who’s counting?) we had been using since at least the 1970s were finally decommissioned to make way for 21st Century buses, complete with Euro V engines, air conditioning, spaces for wheelchair users and pushchairs without obstructing the aisle and of course the added convenience for the latter and senior citizens of the ramp and hydraulics which tilt the bus to one side.
And let’s forget to add decently dressed drivers in uniform to the list; a far cry from the tattered and oft filthy vests and trousers the old drivers used to wear to work.
Yet what seems like the majority of bus users insist on seeing things through rose (or should I say red?) tinted spectacles, coupled with that rather odious Maltese saying: “Konna ahjar meta konna agħar!”. To Hell with the elderly and the wheelchair-bound, who have undoubtedly benefited immensely from the reform, right?
I understand that the new bus service is rife with constant delays, but has everyone conveniently forgotten that the old service wasn’t exactly punctual either? I certainly haven’t.
“A lack of evidence is immaterial to the purpose of propaganda. It’s the power of the myth that counts. To divide citizens crudely into the “good” and the “bad”, the exploiter and the exploited, on the basis of statistics that are open to challenge, has consequences that are impossible to calculate and are all the more dangerous for that. Ministers have a duty to present information that informs public policy in an honest manner.”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/27/observer-editorial-health-tourism-propaganda
It’s the same thing they have been doing with Dr. Trevor Zammit at San Frangisk animal centre.
Contrast the pre-electoral outrage over changes to bus routes (in air conditioned buses), to the subservient acceptance if the current government’s outrageous behaviour.
Someone told me that before the election some PL spokesman said that there are two ‘companies’ which are interested in Malta’s public transport.
It is pertinent to note that the Maltese shareholder – Tumas Group – pulled out of Arriva Malta some months before the last election. The same shareholder is in the Enemalta new power station €360 million deal which was done prior to the last election.
There were problems when Ariva first started, I would say mostly due to the mistimed start to their venture in Malta as they ‘hit the road’ at peak season but I am sure we have not had a better service on the island since public transport started.
True there are delays at times and there were even overcrowded bendy buses (along the St Pauls Bay Sliema route) but the buses were frequent and regular. They added value for the consumer, as for example, on the airport routes. What we did not get was a bus stop behind every door, which Minister Mizzi is now proposing to put right, at a cost ..but then who pays the extra? You and me, of course, not Minister Mizzi.
I would say this is a case of ‘Fools rush in…’, the fools being those who think that a bus service can be prefect for everyone. We will discover this should Arriva decide they have had enough.
What a short memory indeed. It takes only a few years under the Nationalists for Progress Press to feel comfortable enough to cozy up to what was, until recently, the Malta Labour Party.
Perhaps its just a case of Stockholm Syndrome that Progress Press has for PL. Or perhaps, they could see the inevitable turning of the tide and decided to hedge their bets, lest they suffer the fury of the sons of the thugs who burnt their offices in the not so distant past.
As for the comment that Arriva “is not going anywhere”, I too felt that this was a well thought comment, rather ominous at that, which for once was meant to speak volumes. Very much do I fear that the bus service may be nationalised, with the service then being passed on to the next in line for an iced bun… those drivers who caused havoc in the first week are still very much deserving of a pat on the shoulder and a few quid in their pockets.
My feelings exactly.
True that Transport Malta had a hand in planning the routes, but it is also true that Arriva endorsed them lock, stock and barrel. The system made sense to Arriva but not to the Maltese commuter who is used to being spoon fed.
Once the commuter did not take to the circular routes the alternative was to increase the number of buses, obviously at a cost. The extra cost has to either be borne by the government or by the commuter.
Plan B, if it doesn’t contemplate an increase in fares, can only mean lowering the standard of the buses drastically. Perhaps Times of Malta, instead of stoking the fire, should have suggested some practical solutions.
Arriva is a huge company with interests in other countries.
If or when it pulls out under government ‘assault’, this will have a negative impact on Malta’s image with other investors and potential investors.
Ordinary people will not be aware of the negative impact but the ones in power will have to dance to the music when the going gets tough.
Notwithstanding all of the valid and invalid criticism. I think that the bendy buses are totally inappropriate for Malta’s narrow roads. Have a look at Hong Kong and Singapore, small states with very high population densities.
They all utilise small vans… Yes more staff and more costs… But very effective.
[Daphne – Their public transport is among the most expensive in the world, Raphael. Are bus commuters in Malta going to pay Singapore and Hong Kong ticket-prices? No. And they would be right to object.]
They would of course have every right to object. But..you pay peanuts you usually get monkeys.
Malta’s bus services are super cheap compared with the rest of the “fully developed economies”. I think your NO is not based on any factual evidence, Daphne. A survey may provide some evidence.
The other issue of course relates to discussion about having a foreign company and all the negatives and positives associated with that. Malta runs its own airline, surely it could manage a bus company. Preferably two competing to keep them on their toes.
[Daphne – Malta’s airline is state-owned. Please don’t say you are suggesting that the state now begins operating a bus service too, perhaps even in competition with the private sector, so that we can have two.]
According to these articles, Paramount formed part of the Transdev Plus consortium which lost out to Arriva back in 2010. There was the Gasan Group too.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090916/local/bus-owners-in-bid-for-tender.273517#.Um1m19I_va8
http://www.newspress.fr/Communique_EN_220917_4066.aspx
Of course not….they should both be 100% privately owned. The reply icon/button is missing on my last comment.