Muscat is God and Marlene trusts him completely (as every well-trained woman knows she should trust a man, who by definition knows more))
Labour MP Marlene Farrugia’s explanation of why she doesn’t like the sale of citizenship and doesn’t want to vote for it, but will do so with a heavy heart because she trusts Joseph Muscat implicitly and blindly, was enough to make me reach for the sick-bag.
It’s 2013. She’s 50, not 80. Aren’t women supposed to have moved on?
“Your father knows best.”
“I shall need to ask my husband first.”
“Do as your brother says – he knows more than you do.”
“Please, sir, go right to the head of the queue. These women can wait. You’re a man so you must be busy.”
Marlene Farrugia: “I am only voting in favour of this law because I have enough faith in Joseph Muscat to believe that the legislation has to be passed as proposed by him, at this point in time, and within the context of the present economic reality of our country.”
The Malta Independent reports today:
Government MP Marlene Farrugia confirmed that she will be voting in favour of the proposed amendments to the Maltese Citizenship Act this evening, but she also acknowledged that it will be “extremely difficult” for her to do so.
The bill, which is expected to pass its third and final reading this evening, has proven to be controversial due to the proposed individual investor programme, which is being derided by critics as the selling of Maltese citizenship but defended by the government as a way to attract talented individuals and investors to the country.
“I am only voting in favour of this law because I have enough faith in (Prime Minister) Joseph Muscat to believe that the legislation has to be passed as proposed by him, at this point in time, and within the context of the present economic reality of our country,” Dr Farrugia said in reply to questions by The Malta Independent.
However, she added: “it is going to be extremely difficult for me to vote it in, because I can never view citizenship as a commodity with a price tag.”
Nevertheless, Dr Farrugia insisted that Dr Muscat would not have proposed the amendments as they were, and at this time, unless they were deemed to be necessary. She also added that she had been reassured that due diligence would be exercise in the processing of applications for citizenship.
“Bottom line is, I am trusting the Prime Minister completely in this matter,” the MP concluded.
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What happened to facts, rational analysis and informed opinion? “I believe in Joseph because he believes in me” has morphed into “I believe in Joseph because he said so”.
Ghandna ragun Marlene tghid li l-bottom line, ghax qed titkellem min s*rma.
“She had been reassured that due diligence would be exercised in the processing of applications for citizenship”
We’ve repeatedly been told that due diligence would be exercised. The Labour government has spectacularly failed to deliver on that count. Why should we believe things will be any different now?
Has anyone thought to ask what sort of due diligence will be carried out? According to whose brief? Against what standards? What are the minimum applicable criteria? Where is the line drawn between acceptable and unacceptable sources of cash?
And the golden question is: would Shiv Nair have passed the Labour government’s citizenship-for-sale due diligence tests?
She will live to regret it. Muscat was the one who left her out of cabinet with the pretension that she needs to help her partner Godfrey Farrugia in the health ministry.
When the going got tough and the media started questioning her presence in the ministry the Prime Minister dumped her.
She was left all alone with not a single word of support from the Prime Minister. She was forced to resign and left bruised and humiliated and, unlike her fellow MPs, empty handed.
The only reason she is voting in favour is because of her partner, which also places her squarely into the housewife mindeset, but also into the opportunistic one.
There’s the classic Labourite for you, right there. No scope for thought and principle: trust the leader, distrust theirs.
Did you listen to Muscat in parliament this evening? A fitting example of what a Prime Minister should not be – a loudmouth, arrogant, thuggish looking and spiteful. Marlene must be terrified of her great and fearless leader.
Forget clicking your fingers and trying to wake these people up from the Moonie Taghna Lkoll Taghna Lkoll trance.
Marlene Farrugia has defined herself as an object.
This object is Joseph’s. She may as well not have been there, except for the body count.
Do you agree with selling Malta’s citizenship?
5 quick questions: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8BFJVY9
Please complete and circulate.
The questions aked un this survey epitomise the bi-polar disease that exists in Malta. It is either ‘maghna jew kontra taghna’ and as usual, misses the point that the opposition is not so much against the scheme itself as it is in the way it is being legislated, implemented and exercised. The real option of taking on board the very valid PN suggestions is excluded from this survey that demonises a scheme that could be beneficial if, and only if, a number of changes are made.
1. Other than an up front lump sum, which should be increased, citizenship is linked to a longer term business or economic prospect that creates wealth and a minimum number of jobs as well as the minimum ownership or lease if property as under other HNWI schemes;
2. That this scheme is discounted only for the direct family consisting of one spouse and children under the age of 18, and that the discount itself is significantly reduced. Furthermore, spouse and dependents brought into the scheme would raise the requirements under 1 above;
3. That due diligence is carried out by a specialist unit if Maltese professionals with access to international tools and databases;
4. That there is no specific concessionaire and that local professionals are allowed to market the scheme; and
5.That any opacity in the scheme is removed to ensure full transparency.
Foreigners under such a scheme should be welcome because they provide an up front cash injection into our coffers as well as being obliged to lease or acquire property thus injectecting more funds into the property market (which also means more stamp duty, more agent commissions etc). It would also oblige them to inject even more funds by generating jobs, as well as creating more jobs for the team of professionals involved in the due diligence as well as for the service providers who will be better placed to maintain and increase their existing employee base.
In another world, where partisan politicians were not so bi-polar, this scheme could have been a real boon for our country. Yet the lines of battle have now been drawn on either side of the only scheme in the budget that had the true potential of wealth and job creation.
This is all a mise-en-scène…
And there was I thinking that Marlene Farrugia had a mind of her own.
Simply “tal-biki”.
Why would we question Marlene’s better judgement, when her first spouse has provided us with so much evidence of her very lack, or at best terrible judgement, when it comes to trusting someone blindly.
She was promised something that has not materialized as yet. Consequently, she gave Joseph Muscat a last warning.
She was the one who gave up Gorg Abela during the final stages of the leadership race.
Joseph Muscat’s gratitude cannot remain a simple thank you during his first-ever speech as leader.
She might be able to put on a pose and play hip, but she is still back in the sticks.
The Hon Marlene Farrugia voted in favour not because she trusts Joey but because she is afraid of what can happen to her and her political career, and that of Godfrey Farrugia, if she goes against.
I think Ms Farrugia is aware of what happened to the late Dr. Philip Muscat when he arrived late for a division during Mintoff’s regime. The story goes that he was attacked physically in Parliament and eventually fined by the MLP board of discipline.
Another point that she is well aware of is that the PL/Joey won’t tolerate any behaviour similar to that of her ex.
There is only one word for her ‘meschina’ and I use the Italian word purposely. The Maltese ‘miskina’ is inappropriate.
Gvern li jisma. Maybe he should listen to the Maltese through a referendum. After all Malta Taghna lkoll, le ?
Village Catholic mindset.
Her argument sounds like the line of defence taken by so many Nazi officers involved in the atrocities of World War II. It didn’t work in the post-war trials (Nuremberg etc.) and it doesn’t gel with us.
If Marlene Farrugia doubted the position taken by the government, she could have abstained at least. The law would have gone through just the same yet she would have stood up for her principles, if she’s got any.
She didn’t do that because she doesn’t want to end up in the prime minister’s bad books. That’s what it is all about. This has nothing to do with faith or trust. This has to do whether you have the balls to stand up against something you actually believe is going to harm your country.
Marlene Farrugia voted against her principles and blindly followed her leader. Has she no pride?
No, she does not have any pride
Kont naghmilha iktar ghanda kuragg imma mhux hekk. Mara bezzieghja sew minn Muscat kif ukoll mill istess deputati li rridu din il ligi.
Deputati bla kuxjenza, bla principju u bla dekor.
Marlene Farrugia also said that she wouldn’t vote for divorce even though she had been apart from that ogre husband of hers for years and was living with somebody else’s.
But then she went back on her word and voted against her ideals, such as they are.
Only Adrian Vassallo stood his ground from day one, and for this he was ostracised by his leader Joseph Muscat.
She’s a self-serving hypocrite.
Her argument – or lack thereof – exposes a submissive attitude towards her great party leader.
Marlene Farrugia is implying she is against this scheme but will vote for it because she must follow her leader.
Now, she is either feeling pressured to do so due to her partner’s ministerial position, or else she is really taking up the traditional wife’s attitude “stenna ha nsaqsi lilu”.
Following Ms. Farrugia’s statement, all Labour MPs do not need to turn up in Parliament. We just take Muscat’s vote and multiply it by X.
Exactly, she sounds like one of Berlusconi’s ultra faithful, dispatched to every talk show to praise their great leader and keep in check any hypothetical discussion on his downfall.
How fragile is Labour if a nine seat majority cannot be exercised?
She’d have retained some dignity if she’d just kept her head down and not piped up about it. What does her attempt at justification even mean, anyway?
“…..at this point in time, and within the context of the present economic reality of our country,”
Pardon?
Marlene, that’s called intellectual dishonesty.
Totally.
She had no choice, a free vote does not exist with Mr Muscat. Only Dr. Gonzi allowed his cabinet that privilege.
Leaving aside the fact that she is a woman, this MP had the opportunity to vote against and did not. They didn’t actually need her vote, so she could have kept her dignity and self-respect.
She is doing this under pressure from the PM. And they called the PN government arrogant and dictatorial.
Has Muscat allowed a free vote? If he has it would be even more shameful that she is voting in favour.
Li kieku l-ipokrezija fuq din il-blata kienet turbina, kien ikollna biex nixghelu l-Ewropa.
What the Maltese don’t seem to notice is the slow but sure erosion of our right to know.
Mhux fl-interess nazzjonali said Mallia. Marlene obeys and then calls herself an MP.
‘…the legislation has to be passed as proposed by him, at this point in time, and within the context of the present economic reality of our country…’
There is absolutely no economic reason why passports should be handed out in secrecy. Unless, of course, the scheme is designed to do just that.
Now that Marlene trades loyalty to the country for subservience to Joseph, we know where she stands.
The least she could have done was abstain, but that, I suppose, would have killed a potential real estate market.
Trading that for what 71% of the population said is what she did yesterday.
Tista’ ddum tibghat kartolini tal-Milied.
I think she’s a coward – afraid that Muscat will put her aside.
On another topic, just this morning the Malta Independent reports that Joseph Muscat said that the secret citizens will have a right to vote.
Now, lets reason this out. If they obtained their right to citizenship through the Labour Government, whilst the Nationalists are claiming that if they are in power they will withdraw the citizenships granted. Doesn’t this mean that the Labour Party are effectively buying votes since the new citizens will want the Labour Government to remain in power in order not to have their citizenship withdrawn? In other works, Labour are guaranteeing they will remain in power for years to come.
I can’t see why anyone should be surprised. Remember the u-turn on the divorce issue and the reason she gave for it?
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2010/10/the-divorce-showboat/
When one – for whichever reason – feels the need to be recognised as part of a particular group and to be seen as condoning that group’s ideology, blind faith is obligatory in absence of logic and a rational assessment.
A statement like that should sound the death knell of a political career.
Dr Farrugia is very lucky that most Labour voters by definition are as poor thinkers as she is.
She had to find an excuse to justify her vote, only it is a very lame one that does not reflect well on her maturity.
Do not tell me that you all expected her to vote against or at least abstain from voting.
I’m sure those who voted for her are really impressed. They voted for her and what she stands for but although she is against this law she is voting for it because of faith in Muscat. I would be livid with my MP.
Well she’s going to feel stupid in a few months’ time.
With this coupled with this: http://www.independent.com.mt/mobile/2013-11-14/news/labour-mp-calls-for-immediate-stop-to-heavy-fuel-oil-use-3186982913/
we are probably looking at a lead of 9 dropping to 7 after just 8 months.
Well Marlene you may trust Joseph Muscat as much as you like. I have certainly lost any faith I may have had in you. You are listed as one of the traitors who have sold our citizenship. You did not have the guts to stand up and be counted. Parole si fatti no. Money is the only thing that interests you and your corrupt Malta Labour Party. You’re out from my list of decent women, traitor.