The matters we take so lightly are not to be taken lightly at all
The prime minister and Mrs Muscat introduce Prince William to Cyrus Engerer, who only a few months ago was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, on appeal, for a revenge porn conviction.
The shadow minister for foreign affairs would do well to take this one up. These are not minor matters, as so many backwoods bunnies on this island appear to believe.
I have no way of confirming this myself, but have been told by fairly reliable sources that Prince William was “absolutely horrified” by the kind of people to whom he was introduced at state/government functions while on his brief visit to Malta, and that a formal complaint was made to the Maltese High Commission in London.
I have no idea what sort of people were presented to him for introduction, but at the most basic level, forcing him into the company of a man who has just been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a revenge porn conviction would be a major offence.
It would be a major offence to any halfway decent person, but when such an individual is forced onto a visiting dignitary who is a guest of the state, the offence takes on a different magnitude and goes beyond the individuals themselves.
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I am not aware of the protocol, but such behaviour should be duly exposed from their own part on their own soil. This has shamed us all and should not be overlooked. Our absurd government will never be honest to tell us.
[Daphne – Protocol? These are basic, simple good manners that should be instinctively understood: you don’t force people with criminal convictions (more so, serious criminal convictions) onto your guests, creating a situation in which they either feel forced to stay and be compromised, or forced to draw attention to themselves and the situation by leaving. It is the height of ignorance and bad manners. I know that people in Malta do it routinely – I have turned up to parties and found convicted cocaine traffickers there – but it is the most unbelievable crass rudeness and ignorance.
Beyond that, Prince William was in Malta as a representative of the British state and not as ‘Prince William’ – he was here to represent his grandmother, the head of state. Forcing him into the company of a recently-convicted criminal is construed as an insult by the Maltese government to the British head of state. It becomes a state-to-state matter and not a personal problem. Had his grandmother, the actual head of state, been able and willing to come to Malta would she too have been forced into Cyrus Engerer’s company at a state reception? That should give you the proper perspective on what was done here.]
Forcing Prince William into the company of a recently-convicted criminal could be construed as a deliberate insult by the Maltese government to the British Head of State but much more probably it was a case of crass blissful ignorance on the part of our prime minister and of incompetence by his advisers.
Do you really think so?
Just as specific politicians were deliberately kept out, this sort were deliberately included.
This should have been basic diplomatic territory for any adviser.
Ignorance, at that level, is no excuse.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was meant as a deliberate insult and is not just the fruit of crass ignorance.
It is part of rehabilitation.
I agree with you, it is more than a probability considering his hamallu character.
X’jimpurtani is right, in my opinion.
One cannot help contrasting the silly, smug self complacent expression on the face of our prime minister with the expression on Prince William’s face. They speak volumes.
What exactly is that expression of fond admiration on the prime minister’s face?
Is that one of the tattoos of Michelle’s private English teacher, just behind Cyrus Engerer?
Ghandna Shadow Minister tal-Foreign Affairs?
Kelli niccekkja. Carm Mifsud Bonnici…
In permanent snooze mode.
Before the elections, the Labour media (including Malta Today) made much use of a photo showing Lawrence Gonzi and George Farrugia – later accused of corruption – together, at some public event.
Now, Prince William has been photographed in conversation with Cyrus Engerer, and it wasn’t even at a public event. Someone could say that the prince is acquainted, if not friends, with a convicted criminal.
That is why it is an ingrained habit with public figures to jokingly state that they don’t have their picture taken with criminals/ terrorists.
This is said as soon as they are asked to get into position, with others, for a photo.
In this case, I doubt Prince William had a choice, therefore more so the need for stepped-up caution by UK/ Royal security.
Dawn ma jafux jisthu. Hekk kienu, hekk ghadhom u hekk jibqghu.
Il-Malti jghid li hanzir taqtalu denbu hanzir jibqa’, u hekk dawn, bidlu l-faccata imma minn gewwa kif kienu baqghu, anzi nahseb marru ghall-ghar ghax gabru maghhom lil hafna li l-uniku mpennn li ghandhom huwa li jinku lil-PN ghax ma kienx servili ghalihom.
Il-maskra qed tixxaqqaq bil-kbir issa.
I do not expect any better behaviour from this government.
They are a bunch of crude people, and others who do not have the gumption to stand up to their crude colleagues, and others who relish giving offence.
The first time Dom Mintoff called me to his presence, after he became Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, he spoke of changes he intended to introduce in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
One bright idea was to do away with the Protocol Section.
Only I had the courage to point out that this would be a bad move, and I pointed out why. To his credit he did not shout at me as he used to do to all who disagreed with him.
I think it shows utter disrespect towards the Prince, as though he was some kind of zoo animal on show and they took their friends, a low class bunch, to have a one-chance-in-a-lifetime close look at him.
Ghal dawn il-motivi l-Qorti taqta’ u tiddeciedi illi tilqa’ l-appell, tirriforma ssentenza appellata billi tikkonferma l-procediment ezawrit fil-konfront tal-akkuza immarkata “G”, filwaqt illi tirrevoka l-bqija, wara li rat l-artikoli 337C(1)(a)(b)(c)(f)(j) tal-Kap. 9 kif ukoll l-artikolu 208(1) tal-Kap. 9, issib lill-appellat Cyrus Engerer hati tal-bqija tal-akkuzi kif dedotti kontra tieghu, tikkundannah ghall-piena ta’ prigunerija ghal zmien sentejn, b’dana però wara li rat l-artikoli 28A tal-Kodici Kriminali tordna li dan it-terminu jkun sospiz ghal zmien sentejn. Terga’ tordna lillappellat illi huwa ma jersaqx u ma jikkomunikax ma’ Marvic Camilleri u mal-familja tieghu ghal zmien sena mid-data ta’ din is-sentenza ai termini tal-artikolu 382A tal-Kodici Kriminali.
Tordna fl-aħħar nett li d-DVD dok TZZ (fol 45) u l-“pen drive” Dok AD1 (fol 189) ghandhom jigu konsenjati lill-kwerelant Marvic Camilleri.
Full judgement:
http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/Judgements/search.aspx?func=thisyear
I trust that the Prince will have someone translate the sentence so that he may understand the embarrassment he’s been put through by his host, the prime minister of Malta.
I for one would be glad if the Prince were horrified. I was disgusted when I saw that photo and rather disappointed that the Prince’s team had not objected to Engerer’s name on the list – if they knew he was on the list, that is.
I wondered whether the list was checked with some Maltese iced-bun recipient, who would sell his mother for a penny and had ‘forgotten’ about Engerer’s revenge porn conviction.
That photo op could only damage the Prince but do wonders for the convicted criminal.
Minjaf kemm iffansjah lil Prince William.
These people are crass and have no idea. Never forget that.
I don’t doubt your sources but isn’t there a way to confirm a formal complaint made to the Maltese High Commission?
[Daphne – Yes, asking Norman Hamilton and being stonewalled.]
Without lowering the seriousness of this write-up, I had this question from the start which is confusing.. Wasn’t it also (and most importantly) in the interest of the British head of state to assure themselves of proposed invitees by the local government by checking who they were, conducts, profession etc.?
I think it’s quite fitting for a soldier of steel to meet a prince. It could almost be a scene from a fairytale… only there is no happy ending here.
I wonder whether, after this incident, the Queen still plans to visit.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2764616/Queen-helm-visit-Malta-Historic-family-trip-planned-November-three-heirs.html