Given what’s been happening, it’s time for a newspaper to ask some tough questions about the Labour Party’s campaign financing
In Malta we take it for granted that people and businesses finance political parties so as to have their ‘stooge’ in government and get a return on their investment by way of lucrative deals.
Elsewhere, this is called corruption.
In Malta, it’s called normal.
We are looking at a minimum of three glaringly obvious examples of questionable behaviour here.
1. The new power station, the people behind it, and the unconvincing assurances that a deal was not struck before the election, despite so many dots joining up, and the clanging, clumsy, careless (or uncaring?) stupidity of Electrogas’s shareholders/directors and members of their families being among the incoming government’s FIRST appointments to boards, which was a dead giveaway that something was been up and had been up for a while. We had worked out that the last election was all about a power station, but we didn’t quite know why, even though we sensed it.
2. Henley & Partners financed election campaigns in the Caribbean island states where they also sold passports/citizenship. Did they also finance the Labour Party? Given that we now know they stand to make a minimum of Eur28.8 million a year merely by processing 300 passport sales (x’cuc huma tal-power station, with all that investment and hassle), this is a pressing question. A company that stands to make that kind of crazy money for jam will invest up ahead in making sure it happens.
3. China – some may not think so, but this is the worst of the lot. This is another state we are talking about – with Russia, the biggest and most powerful after the United States. If our government has been bought by China and is in thrall to it, then we are in even bigger trouble than we know.
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This government is beginning to look like an organised crime network.
It’s not just looks, Ciccio. Rest assured.
Well Joseph has always declared he respects the family. Except that he never explained what kind of “Family” he had in mind.
After all, Tagħna Lkoll could also be translated as Cosa Nostra
The Times journalists are more interested in an Arlogg Tal-Lira than Henley & Partners’ euro 30 million of annual income from selling Malta’s citizenship to unknown persons.
The slogan of Malta Taghna Lkoll was so appropriate from the perspective of those unknown persons without a face who are waiting for a Maltese passport.
Spot on, especially the China point. Very, very scary. We all know what’s happening in Angola, Sudan and other African countries, but we’re an EU member state, for crying out loud.
The leverage could be considerable and they will want a considerable return on their investment.
We really are smelling the coffee now – Mafia style government.
This is just what I was thinking a minute ago and bang, I access your blog and it’s written in black and white.
Thinking about what you wrote and the way the government is going about the whole thing then it all falls into place. It’s the only logical conclusion.
Joseph and his cabinet are held in thrall. Their and our only salvation is in the union of all other forces – the PN, AD, NGOs and members of the MLP who are were not involved in the “deal” to show their disapproval in the strongest way possible.
It’s in the interest of all EU countries too and they can do their bit.
But time is running out. This is an opportunity for those switchers whom Joseph used for his ends when he planned the whole thing behind their and our backs, to remedy the situation they unwittingly helped to bring about.
L’union fa la forza, coraggio.
And all this is the result of a crowd of crazily short-sighted and selfish people voting for ‘change’ without bothering to work out what sort of change a bunch of crooks are capable of.
I hope they can sleep at night.
The great leader was on Disset the other day and it was apparent how his facial expression changed, his eyebrows cringed when China was brought up.
It’s amazing that Times of Malta’s editor hasn’t voiced his opinion about the sale of Maltese citizenship.
We keep on hoping for a newspaper to do the job. Hope isn’t going to do it. I have long been wondering why.
Judging from the tone and level of argument, I have a feeling that Saviour is disillusioned, but will never really say so. He most likely does not feel that Labour is going about this correctly but would need to lose face before gaining credibility. For some this is too much to handle so they dig the hole deeper. A pity. Then, the journalists on board have even bigger egos.
The Times of Malta. What is happening there today would be totally against what Mabel Strickland would have wanted for her newspaper. I can’t see that Mr Montanaro would have ever tolerated experiencing what The Times of Malta has now become. If journalists are permitted autonomy, the newspaper has the duty to expect quality, truth and investigative reporting. Even if they are beholden to Kasco, surely it can’t be to the extent that there is a noose around their neck that they are unable to remove. Therefore the question is first to be put to the administrative board at The Times of Malta. Their interests need to be investigated and put into perspective. That is the source of the problem, as I see it. I cannot understand how Mario de Marco can any longer maintain a considerable presence both at the Nationalist Party and as administrator of The Times of Malta. However, he is not the only administrator involved, and the two are not the only persons on the Board.
The Independent is better at being objective but nowhere near investigative. Daphne’s columns are it’s redeeming feature.
In-Nazzjon is starting to perk up again and change its language and terminology to reflect the stark reality. Naivity and the over cautious mode of expression have no place when dealing with this Labour Government and should be culled.
In terms of communication, reaction and style, it is Jason Azzopardi and Mark Anthony Sammut who lead within the Nationalist Party.
I wonder whether this is because they are not journalists to begin with, but established in the political field.
Perhaps it is our MP’s who need take the bull by the horns and ask the questions.
Waiting for a newspaper to overcome the cognitive register required as well as grapple with any inherent interests standing between true and genuine reporting and investigative principle is going to leave us waiting for a long, long time.
Our Nationalist MPs need to tackle the journalist-vaulted to-Prime Minister on the level that really threatens him and that he has gone to great pains to silence. If their voice in Parliament is excellent but not enough, then they need to take on this additional role.
They are the ones who have the knowledge of the inner workings of Government, proper procedure, the cognitive register and intelligence from the electorate collecting in one spot. They are the ones who need to both set and ask the questions with no hindrance.
At the moment it is up to a single journalist – Daphne – to match, foresee, counter and even strategically way-lay a snake oil artist par excellence.
I think she needs company.
The sequence of events that led to the Maltese delegation travelling to China are very similar to the goings on in Africa where China has now established a foothold. In earnest this is preoccupying me and God forbid if this is what is REALLY happening. They will be running the country and their filthy rich corrupt elite of the party would be invading every corner of this tiny Island, playing the patrons of the house.