“Politics is primarily based on values and how these affect the decisions by people serving in a public office”
From Ivan Fenech’s column in Times of Malta today:
What Muscat calls “personal decisions” taken by Engerer have everything to do with politics because politics is primarily based on values and how these affect the decisions by people serving in a public office. It is a point the Prime Minister misses again and again, to everyone’s chagrin.
That is why Muscat had no problem embracing Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, the former Nationalist MP who had an acrimonious battle over the Mistra scandal with Muscat’s predecessor Alfred Sant.
Pullicino Orlando recently lost a libel case he instituted against Sant. The court said Sant’s opinion and judgement were based on his understanding of how matters had evolved. Yet Pullicino Orlando still enjoys Muscat’s confidence.
Lack of values also explains why Muscat has no qualms with the Energy Minister’s wife’s astronomical salary and the way she was appointed, telling us to look out for her achievements instead. He also had no qualms in keeping the Developers’ Association president Sandro Chetcuti on the Building Regulation Board after he too received a suspended jail sentence.
And Muscat had no qualms in keeping within the Labour fold Żurrieq mayor Ignatius Farrugia after he was found guilty of harassing columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
With no moral compass, Muscat is bound to end up with pie in his face as he did with Engerer.
That man should have never been allowed to stand as an MEP candidate until his name was cleared. But Labour sees political exigencies first. Engerer draws the gay vote, that same gay vote that must now feel terribly betrayed.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140513/opinion/Different-heartstrings.518800
Spot on!
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-05-12/news/migration-how-many-more-people-have-to-die-before-action-is-taken-pm-4969431041/
‘How many more people have to die before action is taken’ says Mr Pushback.
Fejn huma il valuri? Meta tisma certa diskors tinduna x’ hemm fil-fond tal-qalb ta’ min ikun qed jitkellem.
Suldati ta’ l azzar! Diskors ta’ tip “bullying” minn xi hadd li jrid ibezza bl-agressjoni. Hija tal-misthija meta tisma mexxej ta’ pajjiz juza din it-terminologija. Il-hsara li qed issir specjalment minn min mhux matur bizzejjed biex jaghmel evalwazzjoni hi irreparabbli.
You are absolutely right about the terminology. But I would add other bullying symptoms including PL’s spoken and written communication, daily behaviour (arrogance, etc)…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00l0y01
“While the progressive AD attracts a 2-point shift from the PN, the far-right is benefiting from a 2-point shift from the PL.”
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/data_and_surveys/38882/survey_pn_narrows_the_gap_to_5_points_#.U3Ho-vmSx-c
I just can’t get past the top line…”but are either undecided or intent not voting”.
This is from Marlene Farrugia’s article about which Daphne wrote in another post.
“This Power bug more commonly develops when someone suddenly finds himself empowered to change people’s lives , is emotionally insensitive to the lives he is affecting, regards humans as bricks in the wall , to be used and discarded as necessitated by his insatiable craving for advancement , and is convinced that he is only answerable to oneself, and only if or till that self remains, which may not be guaranteed .”
He must still be counting the coins.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-05-13/news/manwel-mallia-only-mp-left-to-file-declaration-of-assets-4974870531/
Maybe he keeps his half a million (or was it half a billion) euros of cash under the mattress in 2c coins.
The Bullfrog and the Pea, by
Hans Peter von Baxxter
Once upon a time, in a kingdom east of the Rhine, stood a lovely castle with many rooms. In the bedroom stood a bed…
No, this is too easy. These stories just write themselves.
I never miss an article of his. Ivan Fenech is always spot on.
Some years ago we had the SMURFS, little blue comical figures originally from Belgium. I have an idea for something similar in Malta called the SMIRKS – little red comical figures led by SMIRK in chief Joey Muscat, the patsy Joey Cuschieri and of course the hero Cyrus. They are the obvious candidates for this venture and I am sure there are a few others who qualify.
What a brilliant idea.
I recall that Claudette Abela Baldacchino was politely asked not to contest the EP elections because she has a pending court case and investigation. Double standards indeed.
It also explains why this government doesn’t seem to understand the basic rules when it comes to conflict of interest