More playground antics from the ‘tu quoque’ prime minister
It was The Sunday Times which broke the news that Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is to be the new president. People who don’t know how to read these things assumed it was just speculation and that the ‘informed sources’ were really just that.
What do you think, some asked me. My reply was simple: when the government leaks, it leaks to The Sunday Times. Information on the identity of the next president, in a major story in that newspaper, can’t have come from ‘informed sources’ in the sense of a clerk who happened to have seen an email. The informed sources would have been the prime minister’s office and the leak would have been authorised and done deliberately, as a strategic tactic, as there is no other reason why the identity of the new president should be leaked by the prime minister’s office before the formal announcement is made.
The only remaining thing to discover was the reason for the strategic tactic. And here it is, in Times of Malta’s online edition yesterday:
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil this evening hit out at Prime Minister Joseph Muscat over the appointment of the next President saying that he was presented with a fait accompli and was not consulted on the matter.
Dr Busuttil spoke with timesofmalta.com after a 10-minute meeting with Dr Muscat at Castille.
He said Dr Muscat sent for him to inform him that what had been revealed in the media about the Presidency was correct.
In other words, this was all about behaving like a prize A-hole towards the Opposition leader, an exercise in power games and humiliation.
So first the prime minister’s office leaks the identity of the new president to The Sunday Times, then the prime minister summons the Opposition leader to his office and informs him that what he has read in the newspaper is correct.
And this is a substitute for consultation.
“I took the decision alone, we told The Sunday Times before we told you, and now that you’ve read about it in the story they published, I’m calling you here to get my rocks off in the only way I know (and probably, can): by spitefully confirming that yes, we told the newspapers before we told you, and what are you going to do about it?”
55 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140304/local/presidents-nomination-opposition-not-consulted-but-presented-with-fait-accompli-simon-busuttil.509245
Arrogance to the full
The key word in fact is “revealed”: had the source been an unofficial one, the PM would have said “speculated”.
Expose him for what he is is enough. He will soon been looked through. As the saying goes you can fool the people sometime…. or whatever.
The Prime Minister’s behaviour is akin to that of the schoolyard bully. Unfortunately for Malta, the vast majority of Labourites think that this is normal, and that his tu quoque replies are amusing and proof that he is a ‘Leader bil-bajd’.
They are people who need to have everything spelled out to them, so let’s give it a try.
Tu Quoque Fallacy
Explanation
The tu quoque fallacy is committed when it is assumed that because someone else has done a thing there is nothing wrong with doing it. This fallacy is classically committed by children who, when told off, respond with “So and so did it too”, with the implied conclusion that there is nothing wrong with doing whatever it is that they have done. This is a fallacy because it could be that both children are in the wrong, and because, as we were all taught, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Excerpt taken from http://www.logicalfallacies.info/presumption/tu-quoque/
“leaks” being fed to newspapers was this government’s tactic from day one. It’s their modus operandi. They are so interested in votes that they leak stories on purpose so as to test the water without fully committing themselves.
It’s a refined Act-First-Think-Later-syndrome
what a shame. unfortunately we have a prime minister who is arrogant and tries to belittle everybody. he forgot what he said before the elections you can work with us even if you have different views malta taghna l koll and what about the famous honoraria what a fuss he made and now he is taking himself 7000 euros a year for his car plus all the promotions he gave to his blue eyed boys
The arrogance of this government knows no bounds.
And unfortunately for the umpteenth time, Simon Busuttil fell for his game and cried that he wasn’t consulted, as though that is the issue.
The only thing he should have done after that meeting is to continue harping on the fact that Muscat didn’t choose a person from Nationalist politics, like Gonzi had chosen somebody from Labour, to build national unity and instead chose someone from the Golden Years.
And the latest news on the Tagħna Lkoll front: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-06/news/students-ordered-to-vacate-classrooms-to-make-wayfor-office-for-labour-mp-4161929227/
Our prime minister is slowly but surely becoming a DICKtator.
I thought I would paste what Wikipedia had to say on:
Tu quoque /tuːˈkwoʊkwiː/,[1] (Latin for “you, too” or “you, also”) or the appeal to hypocrisy, is a logical fallacy that attempts to discredit the opponent’s position by asserting the opponent’s failure to act consistently in accordance with that position; it attempts to show that a criticism or objection applies equally to the person making it. This dismisses someone’s point of view based on criticism of the person’s inconsistency and not the position presented[2] whereas a person’s inconsistency should not discredit the position.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-06/news/students-ordered-to-vacate-classrooms-to-make-wayfor-office-for-labour-mp-4161929227/
The international press is reporting today that Saadi Gaddafi has been extradited to Libya, where he arrived today.
Will he face justice, or will he lead another revolution to return to power?
All this is happening while the Ukrainian crisis unfolds, with the involvement of Russia. And while China says it wants to clamp down on corruption, and while it struggles with an economic plan to save the economy which seems to be heading for collapse under excessive debt.
Seems that all the friends of the two Prime Ministers of Malta – John Dalli and Joseph Muscat – are in the news, all at once.
Allow me to remind your readers a bit about the connection of Saadi Gaddafi with the Malta Labour Party. He was one of the sons of Gaddafi who threw private parties with prominent singers as special guests.
In 2008, Joseph Sammut, a former Treasurer of the Malta Labour Party and affectionately known as il-Pixtu, travelled to Sardegna with Snoop Dogg to a private party paid for by the Gaddafis. The party was organised by DJ Nicky Wide, an Italian DJ who at the time was a resident DJ at one of Sardegna’s nightclubs. In September 2008, Nicky Wide uploaded a video of the Gaddafi party on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9z49cm0r_0
In his biography published on his website, Nicky Wide includes the Gaddafi party with Snoop Dogg at the Cala di Volpe Golfclub under the list of clubs where he performed.
http://www.nickywide.com/#!club-story/c8xl
Detailed background available here.
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2011/03/professional-secrecy-doesnt-stop-smokin-joe-from-bragging-he-just-doesnt-want-to-say-whether-the-gaddafis-are-his-paymasters/
Time for a quick visit to Libya by the two Prime Ministers of Malta.
When appointees have no concept of the public office foisted onto them they think they have the liberty to make what they want of it.
While wishing our new President favourable winds I am dismayed by the declaration that she is not one for ceremonials.
Constitutionally, our presidents are ceremonial and nothing beyond. They are not super ministers or part of the current administration.
Another example of this is the Maltese High Commission in Australia where the incumbent has placed three flags in the foyer of the chancery where there should be two. The triad is made up of the Australian flag placed ceremoniously at centre and the Malta and EU flags at the laterals in a supportive role. The incumbent, as an Australian first and foremost, has allowed his national bias to show through.
Franco Debono’s been engaged by Enemalta in the meter tampering civil law suit.
How about he insist on suing the ones who bribed those officials? Would be very professional, that.
Meanwhile:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140306/local/school-ordered-to-vacate-rooms-for-mps-office.509482
Fgura children’s education is being sacrificed to an MP’s ego.
Something else:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140306/local/10-year-driving-licence-fee-raised-to-80.509536
“As from the 1st March, the driving licence fee for a 10 year period has been adjusted to €80 whilst the fee for issuing a lost driving licence has been reduced to €18,” the authority said.
‘Adjusted’ = 53% increase
The question is how many licences are lost in a lifetime, whilst how many times do you need a renewal?
In a normal country, things occur the other way round and carelessness is punished and not rewarded.
I wonder if Super 1 will be proclaiming that this government ‘qed joqtolna bil-guh’.
Henley and partners had pulled out Mark Stannard from Identity Malta and made him Managing Partner of IIP Malta Ltd, should look out if Michael Lucas is filling this position in Identity Malta
And even more broken promises, Marsa Shipbuilding was supposed to be one of Labour’s radical urban regeneration projects for the South. They had announced a maritime hub. Everyone thought some advanced cluster related to services, design, research facilities, the works.
It’s a place where oil and gas rigs get to be repaired instead, the people of Paola must be absolutely thrilled.
One major heavy plant docking oil rigs right outside their doorstep.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it were to become a piece of foreign soil.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-06/news/government-identifies-oil-and-gas-industry-forex-marsa-shipbuilding-site-4156522496/
On second thoughts, is it a case that whatever Palumbo’s doing, they can do better?
If anyone had any doubt where this investigation’s going.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140306/local/consumers-say-how-they-got-hold-of-tampered-smartmeters.509533
‘…The fourth witness, Anthony Bugeja, who was reading as he gave evidence, said he had heard from other people that smart meters could be tampered with and he had felt that Mr Gauci, who, like him, was from Rabat, could help him get one.
At this point, defence lawyer Joe Giglio asked him why he was reading, and who had written what was on the paper.
The witness replied that it was ‘the police inspector’ who had written what was on the paper.
Magistrate Carol Peralta said he expected better from the police inspector. Dr Giglio expressed amazement.
Inspector Daniel Zammit said that what was written reflected what the witness had said in his police statement, and nothing else.
The magistrate cancelled the testimony and asked the witness to re-testify, whereupon he repeated his remarks….’
Witnesses reading their ‘police statement’ lest it contradicts the required version eh? There’s this growing shadow over us, a place where we’re not allowed to see for ourselves.
Simon Busuttil should have just asked Joseph Muscat what he wanted him for and then just stopped there, without going over to the Auberge de Castille.
The new presidential role involves the implementation of certain aspects of government (social) policy, thereby making this role one which is non-national but governmental.
To say the least, this is ridiculous when one imagines a scenario that the government of the day falls and is replaced by one, which the president, now as implementer of public policy, does not support its policy, thereby making the president’s role incapable of being fulfilled.
Why would one need to change such role? Well, Joseph Muscat gave us the answer himself, as he often does when he connives. Why choose a president at the end of his or her political career, Joseph rhetorically asked. Does this mean now that Marie Louis Coleiro as president will go out for the next elections, and this after being given the function of dishing out millions to traditionally labour supporters?
Agree 100% that this leak was planned as a substitute for consultation.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140306/local/maritime-hub-proposal-categorised-into-four-areas.509530
I read the above article with interest. The article only makes me wonder – more questions should have been asked by the journalists.
Why is it only now that the proposal is being categorised in four areas?
Wasn’t Chris Cardona able to categorise the proposal from the outset?
Did he get the ideas from the ideas submitted by the 28 bidders?
Why do these bidders need to rebid under of the 4 categories – is Chris so dumb that he is unable to classify them himself?
More importantly, will any new individuals/entities be allowed to put in bids at this stage?
All this seems to be a messed-up farce. Or else, it smells of something bad. Where are our journalists?
I’m not a lawyer… but it doesn’t seem to me that Malta is the 4th country (more like the 9th) to ratify the Convention. Is Helena Dalli getting her facts wrong at an international conference?
http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=210&CM=1&DF=&CL=ENG
http://electionsmalta.com/?p=483#pd_a_7853838
Ircevejt il-kont tad-dawl u l-ilma.
http://mariataxkieli.blogspot.com/
The “Gvern li jisma” TV promotion could not have captured the state of Malta any better.
Muscat’s government has transformed life in Malta into a cartoon!
Daphne, you’re great. This is going to turn out as you predicted. John Dalli may become the first ‘technocrat minister’.
Dr. Muscat, it will not be an innovative idea. It has been done elswhere though not in Malta.
“Asked about the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Dr Muscat insisted details would only be released when the time was right. He would not confirm that he would himself hold the health portfolio when a reshuffle was announced, although he said there would be innovative ideas.”(Times of Malta)
The Health Ministry will be held by the prime minister. And John Dalli will be the prime minister. Probably.
What a despicable and arrogant PM. All his actions and strategies are devised to satisfy his ever hungry ego.
Eventually he will have one hell of a fall. The sooner the better for our country.
Breaking News.
Finally, Joseph Muscat has “condemned events in Crimea.”
Or has he?
No he hasn’t. It’s just another shining example of JosephMuscatspeak.
Read the two reports below. Both reports are perfectly identical, and since I do not think that the two papers are using a unified newsroom, I suspect that they are reporting a government press release, even if neither report states so.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-06/news/pm-condemns-events-taking-place-in-crimea-4169596929/
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/world/Prime-Minister-condemns-events-in-Crimea-20140306
So the prime minister “has condemned the events taking place in Crimea,” but he does not clarify which events in particular, and does not identify who is perpetrating those events. There must be many events happening in Crimea right now, including an armed aggression by Russia, but what do we know as to what events Muscat has condemned? Could he be condemning the Ukrainians’ protection of their territorial integrity?
He then goes into some rhetoric. He “reiterated Malta’s call for the full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
No mention of specific events or aggressors so far.
He even has the cheek to “calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid any further provocative actions, and immediately diffuse the situation.” Oh, so surely the Ukrainians are provoking the Russians.
Then, “Addressing an extraordinary European Council summit on the situation in Crimea, the Prime Minister said Russia should act within the parameters of the 1994 Budapest memorandum of Understanding and other international agreements, emphasising that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine are inviolable under international law.”
Oh finally, a reference to Russia, but qualified with reference to the 1994 Budapest memorandum of Understanding.
So what does this Budapest MOU say?
Among other things, paragraph 2 of the MOU says:
“2.The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.”
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ukraine._Memorandum_on_Security_Assurances
“…except in self-defense…” it says.
And what is Russia saying?
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow cannot order pro-Russian armed groups in Ukraine’s Crimea region to return to their bases because they are “self-defense” forces, not Russian soldiers.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/05/us-ukraine-crisis-lavrov-spain-idUSBREA240NF20140305
Ergo, the prime minister is justifying what Russia is saying. So much for his condemnations, reiterations, calls for self restraint and respect of the 1994 Budapest MOU.
We know very well where the prime minister’s loyalties lie in this case.
Hello Viktor, have you got your new pen from Joseph Muscat? And the Maltese passport?
Same report here.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140306/local/pn-condemns-developments-in-ukraine.509545
(The link says “pn condemns developments in ukraine,” but the report refers to the “pm.”)
Joseph Muscat is arrogance personified.
He is totally ignoring the fact that the Opposition represents at least 44% of the Maltese population.
I would call it antics of the village bully more than playground antics.
Probably more like 49%.
http://www.malta-surveys.com/index.html
Reading these constant stories of not only embarrassment to our country, but of self-serving acts verging on criminal with no consequences is extremely frustrating.
Frustrating because something can be done but isn’t. Apart from my constant beef with the inadequacies of protesting on social media and the need for a good old fashioned thousands-on-the-street protest, there is no constant pressure coming from the media.
When the (Toronto mayor) Rob Ford story broke worldwide, it was because of the non-stop work of one newspaper in Toronto and one journalist in particular. I often compared Ford to our wonderful prime minister because they both believed they could get away with anything, and they repeatedly did something which made you think, “What? How can he do that?”.
Before the world knew about Rob Ford and his indiscretions there had been numerous reports in the Toronto Star questioning his behaviour, with actual incidents reported. For months, close to a year, the Star and the one journalist were ridiculed for making such crazy allegations, and told to stop being so destructive. But the Star persisted.
They never stopped uncovering more stories, while being attacked constantly by the mayor and his supporters. Eventually, the truth came out….and a lot more. Under all the pressure the mayor had to admit to more than the Toronto residents even imagined possible.
So what’s happened in Malta? Who is going to step up, have some balls and actually do some journalistic work? What has happened to the stories of Shiv Nair, John Dalli and the Bahamas and his lady friend, Electrogas, all the Chinese people in Malta picking up their passports, Konrad Mizzi’s wife, the “blokka silg” and more?
We hear about them and somehow, every time Joey (just like Ford) manages to bully the nation into distraction.
Is every journalist who works for a newspaper scared of him, or of being labelled negative?
The only way to make anything stick is by constantly drilling away at the story, digging for new evidence, coming up with more and more facts which will eventually be impossible to ignore. Once something is discovered, attack and attack again, until the defences are worn down and something slips.
Will anybody step up to the plate? Will anybody dare to make a name for themselves? Sadly, as time passes and nothing is done, the environment we are living in will become the new reality.
Konrad Mizzi said in January that governing is a learning experience , and that he thinks that they will get there.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-06/news/energy-tariff-reductions-by-the-end-of-the-month-4169039872/ ……
They are now practically in line with what the PN has been saying from day one . Energy can be reduced once the interconnector is in place, the floating storage unit is nonsense, gas can be supplied with a pipeline in the future.
http://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2014/3/7/ritratti:-nirien-mal-faccata-ta-dar-l-emigrant-fil-belt.15618
Is this not newsworthy for timesofmalta.com
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140307/local/cyrus-engerer-collects-signatures-for-fknk-petition.509648
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140307/local/cyrus-engerer-collects-signatures-for-fknk-petition.509648
This is priceless. Since when do the macho, gun- toting hunters join forces with the likes of the LGBT crowd? What next? Shariah promoter Mario Farrugia-Borg hooking up with the ”liberals” agitating in favour of nudist beaches and gay marriage?
Muscat is in a huge kerfuffle as many of those 36k are telling him he’s just not performing.
http://maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Cyrus-Engerer-collects-1-600-signatures-in-favour-of-hunting-20140307
Where’s Roderick Galdes now?
To tell Joseph Muscat we are enraged (with good reason) is to feed his ego. Whatever he does now was predicted even before he was elected.
Sorry for posting this here. Just saw this news:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140307/local/maltese-director-nominated-for-emmy-award.509671
Wow, I thought. Before I saw the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5tWt9Xw62Y
Seen 43 times, it shows you that the downright plagiarism of the Obama campaign in the Taghna Lkoll pre-election clips was not a one-off. Couldn’t he have changed a bit the colour of the Hogwarts uniform?
Here is another example of wrong judgement by prime minister Joseph Muscat.
“Ukraine crisis: ‘Illegal’ Crimean referendum condemned”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26475508
“The EU and US have joined Ukraine’s government in condemning as “illegal” a move by the Crimea region to set up a referendum to endorse joining Russia.
The EU, meeting in Brussels, threatened “serious consequences” if Russia did not act to de-escalate the crisis.
Crimean MPs earlier set a date of 16 March for a vote on the referendum.”
On the other side, in Moscow:
“If the decision is made (by referendum), then (Crimea) will become an absolutely equal subject of the Russian Federation,” said Matvienko. She emphasized the grievances of Russian-speaking residents in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, which have been the Russian government’s primary justification for possible intervention in its neighbor.
Matvienko said the government welcomed the expedited referendum date, which was originally slated to coincide with nationwide elections on May 25. She dismissed that vote, saying there are “no conditions for honest, equal, transparent and open elections” in the country…”
And:
“Valentina Matvienko met with the head of the Crimean parliament to discuss the region’s possible accession to Russia. The parliament of Crimea voted on Thursday to move the referendum date up to March 16 and to include a question on joining Russia.
The Russian parliament has scrambled to introduce legislation that would simplify the procedure for Crimea to join Russia…”
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/07/pentagon-confirms-report-russian-air-defense-drills/
Valentina Matvienko was honoured by Joseph Muscat in the Gieh ir-Repubblika ceremony of last December.
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2013/12/muscat-honours-one-of-vladimir-putins-agents-in-the-russian-states-war-on-homosexuals-in-the-same-list-as-the-transsexual-campaigner-and-anti-censorship-campaigner-whose-real-virtue-was/
So which side is Joseph Muscat exactly on: the one of the EU, and Obama, or the one of Russia, Putin, Yanukovych, and Matvienko?
Ma jistghux jaghmlu wahda tajba.
How’s this for playground antics? The prime minister and his entourage of two police outriders and one police car, blaring sirens, driving onto the Mriehel by pass from a slip road, not stopping at the stop sign, driving right out into traffic in the fast lane, all at the illegal speed of something like 109km per hour.
Wait until you get someone killed, Mr Prime Minister, and then we’ll see who’s the man.
Sleazy doesn’t even begin to describe this:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140307/local/cyrus-engerer-collects-signatures-for-fknk-petition.509648
Can’t wait to read your post on this: http://youtu.be/qd7hUG9Ac5E
Someone needs to tell her to stick to Maltese.
Lovely tweet from Nakita Zammit Alamango for women’s day. Retweeted by our oblivious PM.
http://imgur.com/izmU8or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd7hUG9Ac5E&app=desktop&hd=1
MADONNA THIS IS BEYOND EMBARASSING !
‘Children start coming along’, presumably popping in and out of the party? What the hell is she on about?
Have you ever noticed that in Malta the most conservative people are the ones who rail against conservatism most? They will blame the Church for just about anything yet then they lean on their boyfriends and husbands and the men expect their wives to be virgins.
I have noticed it and it’s a peculiarly Maltese thing. The true Maltese liberals, and there are very few, will never put the blame on any external agency.
Blaming the Catholic religion is just skiving your own responsibility. Besides which, anyone is free to follow or unfollow whichever religion. It’s not as if Michelle Muscat has been branded with the Sign of the Pontiff or something.
@ M
You don’t have to be a lawyer to understand the fact that Malta is the 4th EU member state to ratify the Istanbul Convention.