Dramatically sad, useless and out of his depth: Joseph Muscat begins his ‘buy a Malta passport’ sales pitch with an explanation of what and where Malta is
The rest is as horrendous, pretty much out of the same atavistic, navel-gazing ‘Gateway to Our Nation’s History’ hick-from-the-sticks basket as the speeches given by his partners-in-crime Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando Smith and Varist Bartlu.
This ghastly and embarrassing rubbish has been released with pride by the government’s Department of Information. I was enraged while reading it, and would you believe it, but what really set me off was that ruddy comma after ‘many of you will know’ – a major indicator of semi-literacy.
But what enraged me more was his glibness in boasting about the achievements of four successive PN governments in the face of huge opposition and obstacles from his party and he himself.
Just take this, for instance:
We are proud that we have the fourth lowest rate of unemployment in Europe, and with the measures that we have already taken and will continue to take, we are setting our economy on the road to prosperity.
What a deceiving freak – that’s not what he told his ‘I’m In’ crowd, is it. No, he told them ‘Brazil 0’. Anyone who boasted about voting for this fraud should right now be considering crawling into a hole, curling away and dying of shame.
————–
SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALTA JOSEPH MUSCAT AT THE MALTA INDIVIDUAL INVESTOR PROGRAM – A NEW CITIZENSHIP-BY-INVESTMENT OPTION IN EUROPE EVENT IN LONDON ON THE 31ST OF OCTOBER 2013
Reference Number: PR2425, Press Release Issue Date: Oct 31, 2013
Many of you will know, Malta is an archipelago in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea. Geo-politically, Malta’s strategic importance can be traced through history as a bridge between Europe and North Africa.
We are a safe, neutral and stable country with a parliamentary democracy and an independent judiciary. While we have our own language and unique culture, the fact that English is our second language means that we have always been more open to visitors in extending our warm tradition of hospitality. We are blessed with a wonderful climate, we are surrounded by beautiful seas and we enjoy our Mediterranean lifestyle coupled with an Anglo-Saxon work ethic.
But aside from the beauty of Malta with our rich heritage and culture, our most valued and most important resource is the Maltese people themselves. We are a warm and friendly nation with a strong sense of entrepreneurship. We pride ourselves in the constantly increasing level of education and employment that our young people attain.
With our membership in the European Union, we have continued to share and grow. We have reciprocal access to the European market and we share the common currency of most of Europe – the Euro. Flights from our international airport are only a couple of hours from most of Europe’s capital cities.
Soon Malta will be proud to be in the driving seat of the European Presidency and our stunning capital city Valletta will be the European Capital of Culture. Next year we will celebrate our 50th anniversary as an independent nation and our 10th year as a member of the European Union.
We live in a very exciting time for our country.
Yet, wonderful as all of these occasions are, with all of the preparations that they entail, it is our ability to continuously offer a better quality of life, a safer environment to raise children and to prosper together that has always made Malta such a wonderful place to live.
It is this exceptional way of life that has attracted so many visitors to our shores.
Many of the 1.5 million guests who stay with us every year form a bond that makes them come back year after year. Our reputation for warm hospitality speaks for itself and we have the numbers to prove it. Year after year, many thousands of parents elect to give their children the opportunity to learn English in our many English language schools. During this time, they experience not only a wonderful learning opportunity, but make new friends and share time with the many Maltese families who open their homes to accommodate them.
We are proud that we have the fourth lowest rate of unemployment in Europe, and with the measures that we have already taken and will continue to take, we are setting our economy on the road to prosperity.
We need to do more though. My Government this week has presented before Parliament the second reading of amendments to the Citizenship Act that are aimed at continuing the growth and transformation of our economy. Our focus is on the attraction of extremely highly talented and networked people from around the world by offering them the possibility of sharing the Maltese and European journey that we as a nation will make in the future.
But in doing so, the question arises, what does citizenship mean to us? What does Maltese citizenship entail?
Citizenship is not a transaction. In my opinion, Maltese Citizenship is an ongoing exchange between the Maltese people and their country. It is the relationship of building together a nation that through our collective efforts makes something unique and special.
It is this contribution of active citizenship that makes a nation greater than the sum of its parts. As a nation, we know that quite separately from the individual lives that each of us live, there components of our culture that require our collective efforts to succeed.
Despite being such a small nation, our pride in our work, our willingness to support charities and volunteer our time in NGOs shows me that for us as nation, citizenship is not a transaction but a relationship.
This relationship is a collective one. It means being able to rely on each other in difficult times and being there to celebrate the good times together. It means making individual sacrifices for the greater good, and knowing that no matter what happens there is a safety net – Maltese society that will always help you get back on your feet.
And collectively, and perhaps what defines us above all else as parents and as citizens is the determination to leave behind us a better life and a better country than the one that we inherited.
In order achieve the improvements that my Government is committed to achieving in a timely way, we have a choice. Should we burden our taxpayers with more taxes? Should we borrow today so that our children pay tomorrow? Or should we attract the best talent that the world has to offer? The answer for me as Prime Minister is obvious.
Malta’s ability to attract the investment not only financially but in knowledge, expertise and networks will open a new approach that will complement existing programmes such as our global residents programme, but it will go beyond this. The offer and acceptance of Maltese citizenship reflects the most substantial investment of the most precious and limited commodity that any of us has – time. The time that new Maltese citizens will share with their new-found home will allow us to build together a stronger and more prosperous nation. Our gift to each other will be the willingness to share our paths.
In a country which has no substantial natural resources so far, talent is our gold. People are our treasure. This programme is aimed squarely at importing more of what is most truly precious to us. We know that it will help us consolidate and build upon what we have and at the same time open new opportunities to us and future generations. My government recognises that more than any other resource, this is the one thing that we cannot have enough of, and we realise that all things being equal, this talent will be pivotal in the success of our nation.
We are late in entering this global framework to attract talent. Too much time has been wasted in the past in tinkering with existing programmes in the hope that somehow, eventually, the answer would present itself. My Government is ready to innovate and committed to delivery. With the Malta Individual Investor Programme, we will bring our Citizenship laws into the 21st century, placing us at the forefront globally of citizenship by investment programmes. We will lead in Europe by offering the most straightforward access to High Net Worth Individuals who seek a better way of life.
In recognising that there is significant international interest in investment migration, my Government has established and will execute the most rigorous Due Diligence of any programme worldwide. And aside from the independent due diligence agents that have a worldwide reputation, as a state we have additional tools that will leave no stone unturned in the scrutiny of any applicant prior to admission.
We will resource our newly created agency Identity Malta with professionals whose commitment to efficiency and service is backed by procedural knowledge, experience and expertise.
Malta has an international reputation that we are proud of. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We will continue not only to protect it but also develop it. My Government has been given the clearest mandate in many decades to bring new ideas and innovations for the good of the country and we will not shy away from this task. Our people have told us that the status quo was not acceptable and have charged me and my Government with taking our country into the 21st century.
We will continue to support our thriving and stable financial services industry since they will be an essential component in the investment mix of our future growth. Our practitioners are amongst the best in the world and will offer to successful applicants the best advice and access to local, European and Global markets that can be found.
We will work relentlessly and whole-heartedly with a commitment to attract investment and talent to Malta. The time is right for us to take this bold step forward to ensure that a lasting legacy is createdfor future generations. We are confident that this is the right thing to do for Malta. We will attract the right people to create more prosperity for Maltese society.
The process of application will be thorough and not everyone will manage to successfully apply, but for those that do, the enduring relationship of citizenship by investment will be their reward. This relationship as with any other form of citizenship will come with it the expectation that they continue to contribute to the common good of Maltese society, that they help with any challenge that we face in our future, and that they share in our successes as a nation.
16 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
So when Joseph Muscat is practising salesmanship he delivers his speech in English and when he wants to attract attention he makes a scene in the European parliament because no one could translate his speech which he wanted to deliver in Maltese.
In other words, he’s a c*nt.
A lying, evil, manipulating fcvking twunt.
Oh and he’s also fat.
Could I volunteer a few comments:
“Many of you will know, Malta is an archipelago in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea.” – Malta for dummies!
“Citizenship is not a transaction.” – At Eur650K and nothing else, what is it then? The mind boggles!
“This relationship is a collective one.” – The term collective brings back memories of the USSR. Are we already on a five year plan? Most definitely for PL who are busy lining their pockets – perhaps a couple of five year plans!
“My Government” – Why so possessive. Last I remember it was my government too but I’d sell the whole lot for way less than the price of one passport! At least his predecessor used to say “il-Gvern immexxi minni” which bothered me, but not half as much as “my Government”
“Should we burden our taxpayers with more taxes? Should we borrow today so that our children pay tomorrow? Or should we attract the best talent that the world has to offer?” – No, we expect foreigners to pay our taxes. Well, that is a good idea but Eur650K just does not cut it. Like so many short sighted people, Joseph is after the quick buck. A down payment. Yes. But couple that with an ongoing investment that creates employment and do not discount the additional passports. How about pricing each passport for relatives at an additional 650,000 and in addition, the main applicant must have a business investment that employs at least 10 employees with an additional 5 employees per dependent for a minimum of 5 years? Now that is an investment in Malta. And while on the subject of taxation, Malta is indeed rife with tax evasion but it is convenient to turn a blind eye. Doctors, dentists and other medical professionals in private practice are amongst the highest earning professionals in Malta are exempt from issuing fiscal receipts. Don’t tax the service but at least, ensure that there is some accountability. As for other professionals and tradesmen who should be issuing tax receipts, higher vigilance by the authorities will net in another few millions. There’s quite a few millions in simply making everyone accountable without the need for new taxes. Think of Minister Mallia’s now ‘laundered’ pile of cash? Or perhaps Minister Refalo’s uber over draft which the poor sod finances through a minimum wage salary. yet our Tax Compliance Unit are looking elsewhere for fear of a transfer.
“In a country which has no substantial natural resources so far” – Human Resources Joseph. Malta has some very talented legal and financial minds and are major players in the international financial services market. Which is why investment in local business is a big plus. Get more financial service providers including lawyers, accountants and other clerical staff to contribute to the GDP at the expense of these passport holders. Maybe a few factories too for those with lesser qualifications.
“We are late in entering this global framework to attract talent.” – Way too late in fact. But do not discount past schemes that have attracted their fair share of investors who have had to leave an ongoing contribution in the form of repatriated income, minimum tax payments and a minimum property commitment when acquiring or leasing property.
“With the Malta Individual Investor Programme, we will bring our Citizenship laws into the 21st century, placing us at the forefront globally of citizenship by investment programmes.” – not really. Its been done by tax havens. Not countries we should whose examples we should emulate, at least not as members of the EU, particularly when our tax regime is coming under fire as is that of Cyprus and Luxembourg. This is just making a situation that may still be salvageable much, much worse.
“In recognising that there is significant international interest in investment migration” – Paying for a passport does not comprise investment migration. This is where you miss the point completely dear Joseph!
“We will resource our newly created agency Identity Malta” – Big Brother is watching. Back to the 1980s.
“Malta has an international reputation that we are proud of” – Had. Its’ had not has. Our reputation has gone down the tubes since the John Dalli saga and Joseph’s migration gaffes. Add the ongoing threat to veto any subsequent EU decisions and we’re suddenly scum to the rest of Europe.
“We will continue to support our thriving and stable financial services industry since they will be an essential component in the investment mix of our future growth.” – Sure you will. First your resort to tax haven methodologies that puts us on other countries’ radars. You provide citizenship, which is as much about identity as it is about tax planning. What’s next? Removal of audit requirements? Relaxed tax treatment to shell companies set up in order to facilitate money laundering? And how is granting the concession to Henley and Partners supporting your financial services industry? You’ve just cut out all the lawyers and accountants who have existing an client basis from promoting this scheme on pain of fines. You are not really walking the talk Joseph, but simply waddling along.
“We will work relentlessly and whole-heartedly” – As opposed to working intelligently. The scheme is a good idea but as it stands, it is half arsed and ill considered. You may work whole-heartedly to line your own pockets. Of that we have no doubt. But there is so much more that could really be of benefit to Malta from this ‘extension’ of what is a high net worth individual scheme of sorts and it is simply being overlooked.
“The time is right for us to take this bold step forward to ensure that a lasting legacy is created for future generations.” Indeed Joseph – fudge it up for posterity why don’t you! Get us on the grey lists of other countries and it will take us another twenty years to work our way out.
“The process of application will be thorough and not everyone will manage to successfully apply” – In fact we heard that the minister will have the final say. Back to the days of the minister deciding who gets a colour TV and who does not.
“This relationship as with any other form of citizenship will come with it the expectation that they continue to contribute to the common good of Maltese society, that they help with any challenge that we face in our future, and that they share in our successes as a nation.” No it does not. It just gives them rights with no further obligations. For all we know, once they get Maltese citizenship they could end up on unemployment benefits. Of course that is unlikely, but its not the point!
And finally, how can the PM present or launch a scheme (that will be shrouded by concessionaires and anonymity) which has not been approved by parliament. What is it going to take to get labour to realise that there is a democratic process that is sacrosanct and in failing to adhere to this process, a very dangerous precedent is being set.
Jiftahar b’rix haddiehor jghid il-Malti. U veru ghandu biex jiftahar.
Viva Gonzi, Eddie u Borg Olivier. Dawn hallew il-veru gid.
Tghid warajh, Joseph se jhall l-gvern ta’ warajh biex jiftahar?
I am sorry but I have to refer to a Maltese idiom which very aptly describes the gist of the speech of this fraud of a PM.
“Jboss b’sorm haddiehor”.
In fact Norman Hamilton was telling us about the horrendous wind in London.
Kelma wahda: jaqqqqqqq
“Citizenship is not a transaction”. What a dick…
No, it’s simply on sale. And we’re even offering deals on bulk.
I wonder when the Dutch auction starts?
“This relationship as with any other form of citizenship will come with it the expectation that they continue to contribute to the common good of Maltese society, that they help with any challenge that we face in our future, and that they share in our successes as a nation.”
Writing this type of sentence in our English Language class, when I was at school, would have earned us a failing grade.
“Citizenship is not a transaction.”
Hypocrite. That’s precisely what he’s reduced it to.
Was the Prime Minister of Malta accompanied by his two illustrious consultants – Shiv Nair and John Dalli – during this presentation?
Hillbillies in suits.
Is it talent or talents he wants to attract ?